The most beautiful villages in the Valdinievole

Located a short distance from Florence, Lucca and Pisa, the Valdinievole is a land rich in history, culture and traditions. Its lush hills conceal a large number of picturesque villages, where time seems to stand still, allowing visitors to fully immerse themselves in the region’s most authentic atmosphere.

Which are the most beautiful villages in the Valdinievole? We have selected 6 that we highly recommend you visit.

Montecatini Alto

Among the most beautiful villages in the Valdinievole, we could not fail to include Montecatini Alto. The original nucleus of Montecatini Terme, it represents its natural historical centre. Also called ‘the Castle’, it still shows the layout of the ancient walls destroyed in the 16th century by Cosimo I de’ Medici’s Florentines. The beating heart of the village is Piazza Giusti, which is striking for its intimate atmosphere, like a ‘salotto buono’, with its small artisan shops and characteristic premises. Set among the buildings in the square are the Torre di Ugolino, the Torre Tavarnelli (which houses a 15th-century chapel), the Palazzo di Giustizia or del Podestà and the Teatro dei Risorti. Other things to see in the village include the Propositura di San Pietro Apostolo, the Church and Convent of Santa Maria a Ripa, the remains of the Rocca and the Torre del Carmine or Clock Tower.

Massa e Cozzile

Massa e Cozzile is a scattered municipality located along the north-eastern border of the Valdinievole. Four villages can be distinguished in the territory: the hamlets of Massa and Cozzile in the hills, the village of Margine Coperta on the plain, and Traversagna, further south in the heart of the plain. Both the villages of Massa and Cozzile are worth a stop. Massa is one of the oldest fortified centres in the area, once surrounded by walls, some parts of which still remain. We recommend a visit to the Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta (originally from the 11th century) and the Museo di San Michele (with works of art from the 17th and 18th centuries, including paintings, stucco decorations and liturgical vestments). The village of Cozzile is known for its narrow alleys, small square and the majestic Palazzo De Gubernatis, which is well preserved and climbs up the hill in a very evocative manner.

Buggiano Castello

Famous for its citrus gardens, Buggiano Castello is a charming village of medieval origin belonging to the municipality of Buggiano. Situated on the hills of the Valdinievole, it is a jewel of town planning, architecture and landscape. The village develops within its ancient castle, some remains of which can be admired today. In the highest part of the village is the beautiful Piazza Pretorio, where the Palazzo del Podestà, dating back to the 12th century, stands out. The façade bears the coats of arms of the families who lived there (including the Della Robbia family). Climbing the steps overlooking the square, we come to the Church of Santa Maria della Salute and Nicolao, built in 1038 and then rebuilt in 1460 and 1582. Inside are important works of art, including a 14th-century Crucifix and an Annunciation attributed to Bicci di Lorenzo (1442).

Serravalle Pistoiese

Located on the eastern slope of the Montalbano hills, Serravalle Pistoiese is a charming village that preserves its ancient, typically medieval structure. Its beauty certainly does not go unnoticed. The remains of two fortresses recall the town’s past as a fortified place. The first, the Rocca di Castruccio (also known as Rocca Nuova), was erected by the Lucchese in the 14th century and has a distinctive wedge shape. Inside, one can admire the majestic defensive walls with their walkways and two observation turrets. On the opposite side of the town stands the Barbarossa Tower, the only surviving element of the older rocca, built by the Pistoiese in the 12th century. In addition to the remains of the two fortresses, the Church of San Michele Arcangelo, the Church of Santo Stefano and the former Oratory of the Virgin of the Assumption with its splendid frescoes are worth a visit.

Uzzano Castello

The medieval village of Uzzano Castello, an ancient centre of passage for pilgrims and wayfarers, is the historic centre of the municipality of Uzzano. Perched on a hill covered with olive trees, it overlooks the valley of the Pescia stream and is visible from the entire Valdinievole, even at night, thanks to special lighting. The most historically and artistically valuable building in the village is the Archpriest’s Church of Saints Jacopo and Martino, built between the 12th and 13th centuries as a branch of the Pieve di Santa Maria di Pescia. It houses numerous works of art, including a 16th-century statue attributed to Giovanni Della Robbia, a 17th-century baptismal font with an inlaid lid, a wooden pulpit of the Ammannatesque school and a Romanesque stoup. Other noteworthy buildings are the Oratory of the Madonna del Canale and the Oratory of St. Anthony of Padua.

Larciano Castello

Nestling on the slopes of Montalbano, Larciano Castello is one of the four hamlets of the municipality of Larciano (the other three are Castelmartini, Cecina and San Rocco). Perched on a hill overlooking the Valdinievole, it retains a typically medieval layout, the result of a series of extensions dated between the 11th and 13th centuries. The village is easily identifiable thanks to the mighty keep of the fortress and the walls that enclose it. Since 1975, the fortress has housed the Museo Civico di Larciano, which exhibits archaeological finds of both local and national origin such as kitchen ceramics, metal objects, incineration tombs and polychrome majolica. Another building of historical and artistic interest is the Church of San Silvestro, in which paintings and sculpture from the 17th and 18th centuries can be admired.

Photo gallery © Valdinievole Turismo