Empolese Valdelsa

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The Empolese Valdelsa is a region located west of Florence. This area is centered around the city of Empoli, and it is crossed by the Arno river. South of Empoli is the Valdelsa, a valley formed by the Elsa river that continues into the Province of Siena. The entire area of Empolese Valdelsa houses several historic sites and beautiful towns.

Empoli

Empoli is a city located along the Arno river west of Florence. Founded in ancient times, it was an important fortified town under the rule of Florence during the Late Middle Ages. Now Empoli is an agricultural center of regional importance.

Collegiate Church of Sant’Andrea

The Collegiate Church of Sant’Andrea (Collegiata di Sant’Andrea) is the main church of Empoli, erected in the Late Middle Ages. The church features a decorated Romanesque facade, while its interiors house several artworks. Adjacent to the church is a museum hosting numerous interesting pieces of religious art. The church faces the central Piazza Farinata degli Uberti, which also features various other historic buildings.

Civic Museum of Paleontology

The Civic Museum of Paleontology (Museo Civico di Paleontologia) is a museum hosted in the historic Palazzo Ghibellino in the center of Empoli. Its collection includes thousands of fossils from all over the world and various exhibitions displaying the geological history of the area.

Montelupo Fiorentino

Montelupo Fiorentino is a town located along the Arno river east of Empoli, in the Metropolitan City of Florence. The area was inhabited since ancient times and, during the Late Middle Ages, the town became a fortified village. Montelupo Fiorentino has been known since the Renaissance for the production of maiolica and other types of ceramics.

Ceramics Museum of Montelupo Fiorentino

Since the Renaissance, Montelupo Fiorentino has been a renowned center for the production of ceramics, especially maiolica. The Ceramics Museum of Montelupo Fiorentino (Museo della Ceramica di Montelupo Fiorentino) showcases the long history of this tradition, with pieces dating between the 13th and 18th century.

Archaeological Museum of Montelupo Fiorentino

The Archaeological Museum of Montelupo Fiorentino (Museo Archeologico di Montelupo Fiorentino) is a museum that hosts a collection of archaeological finds from the territory around the town, and dating between prehistory and the Late Middle Ages. The museum is hosted inside the park of the Villa Medicea dell’Ambrogiana, a Renaissance villa and former residence of the Medici family.

Cerreto Guidi

Cerreto Guidi is a town located in the Metropolitan City of Florence, just north of Empoli. It is best known for the historic villa that dominates the center of the town.

Villa Medicea di Cerreto Guidi

The Villa Medicea di Cerreto Guidi is a historic residence built by the Medici family during the 16th century. The imposing palace was built over a previous fortification and its interiors feature various frescoed halls and some artworks. The villa now serves as a museum and it hosts a collection of historic weapons.

Vinci

Vinci is a town located north of Empoli in the Metropolitan City of Florence. The town is known as the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci and houses various attractions linked with the Renaissance polymath.

✪ Leonardian Museum of Vinci

The Leonardian Museum of Vinci (Museo Leonardiano di Vinci) is a museum dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci in his hometown of Vinci, housed in the historic Palazzina Uzielli and the nearby Conti Guidi Castle. The museum includes a large collection of machines built according to the projects of Leonardo, along with numerous drawings and exhibitions dedicated to the polymath. Adjacent to the museum are the Museo Ideale Leonardo da Vinci and the Biblioteca Leonardiana, which house various artworks and documents linked with Leonardo.

Birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci

The Birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci (Casa Natale di Leonardo da Vinci) is located in Anchiano, a small hamlet near Vinci. The ancient house has been restored, and it features exhibitions on the life of Leonardo da Vinci and his works.

Castelfiorentino

Castelfiorentino is a town located south of Empoli in the Metropolitan City of Florence. The town was an important military outpost during the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and it still features various historic attractions.

Sanctuary of Santa Verdiana

The Sanctuary of Santa Verdiana (Santuario di Santa Verdiana) is a Baroque church erected during the 18th century in Castelfiorentino. The church features some artworks, but it is best known for the adjacent museum of religious art. The collection of this museum houses several valuable pieces, including a painting by Cimabue.

Benozzo Gozzoli Museum

The Benozzo Gozzoli Museum (Museo Benozzo Gozzoli) is an art museum in Castelfiorentino. The museum includes various frescoes painted during the 15th century by Renaissance artist Benozzo Gozzoli and formerly hosted in two small religious buildings in the town.

Certaldo

Certaldo is a town located along the Elsa river in the Metropolitan City of Florence. The town has ancient origins, and it emerged as one of the main centers of the area during the Late Middle Ages. Certaldo is likely the birthplace of 14th-century Italian writer Giovanni Boccaccio.

Casa Boccaccio

Casa Boccaccio is a historic palace in the old town of Certaldo traditionally regarded as the former residence of Giovanni Boccaccio. The palace features a tower and it was restored in the 19th century, and again after being severely damaged during World War II. The building now houses a museum dedicated to the writer, also featuring a rich library.

Church of Santi Jacopo e Filippo

The Church of Santi Jacopo e Filippo is a church located in the old town of Certaldo. The building, erected in the Late Middle Ages, is in Romanesque style and it features various artworks. The church is known for hosting the tomb of Giovanni Boccaccio. The adjacent museum houses a rich collection of interesting religious artworks and vestments.

Palazzo Pretorio

Palazzo Pretorio is a historic building in the old town of Certaldo, built during the Late Middle Ages and restored in the 19th century. The palace is now a museum, housing some decorated halls and several ancient frescoes and artworks. Part of the museum is also the adjacent Church of Santi Tommaso e Prospero, which houses some ancient frescoes.

Montaione

Montaione is a small town located among the hills of the Metropolitan City of Florence. A village of medieval origins, it features various historic buildings, while an ancient monastery is located in the nearby hills.

San Vivaldo Monastery

The San Vivaldo Monastery (Convento di San Vivaldo) is a historic monastery and sanctuary built starting in the 13th century in the hills near Montaione. The monastery was expanded during the 15th and 16th century, with the addition of various decorated chapels that turned the complex into a rare example of Sacro Monte in Tuscany, as this type of religious site is more commonly found in Piedmont and Lombardy.