Mugello

What the Mugello is

The Mugello is the basin of the river Sieve, just over the hills north of Florence and below the main ridge of the Apennines. It's greener and softer than southern Tuscany — meadows, woods, dairy farms and small towns — and, being higher, noticeably cooler in summer.

This is where the Medici came from. Before they were bankers and dukes they were Mugello landowners, and the family kept fortified villas here for centuries. Two of them, Cafaggiolo and Il Trebbio, are part of the UNESCO-listed group of Medici villas and gardens in Tuscany.

Many Florentines know the Mugello for other reasons: the MotoGP circuit near Scarperia, the reservoir of Bilancino for summer swimming, and long Sunday lunches of tortelli.

What to see

Villa di Cafaggiolo. A castle-like villa remodelled by Michelozzo for Cosimo the Elder in the 15th century, near Barberino di Mugello. Opening is limited; check for guided visits.

Castello del Trebbio. Another Michelozzo Medici villa, on a hill above San Piero a Sieve, now a working wine and olive oil estate with tours and tastings by booking.

Convento di Bosco ai Frati. A small Franciscan convent in the woods, rebuilt by Michelozzo for Cosimo the Elder, with a wooden crucifix attributed to Donatello in its museum.

Scarperia. One of Florence's 'new towns' of the 14th century, with a turreted Palazzo dei Vicari covered in coats of arms. It has been making knives for centuries; the Museo dei Ferri Taglienti tells the story, and a handful of workshops still forge them.

Vicchio and Vespignano. Giotto was born in the hamlet of Vespignano near Vicchio, where his supposed birthplace is a small museum. The painter Fra Angelico also came from this corner of the Mugello.

Borgo San Lorenzo. The main town, with a Romanesque parish church and a museum of the Chini family's ceramics and Art Nouveau decoration.

Lago di Bilancino. A reservoir with beaches, swimming areas and water sports, popular on hot weekends.

Walking and cycling

The roads up to the Apennine passes — the Giogo, the Futa, the Colla — are classics for road cyclists, and the valley is crossed by gentler cycle routes. Walkers can follow the Via degli Dei, the popular five-to-six-day path from Bologna to Florence, which crosses the Mugello on its final stages, or the long-distance Sentiero Italia along the ridge.

Monte Senario, with its Servite monastery on the southern rim of the valley, is a fine half-day walk or short drive from Florence.

Food

The signature dish is tortelli di patate, big pasta parcels filled with potato, garlic and parsley, served with meat ragù or butter and sage. Other things to look for: Mugello chestnuts (marroni) with protected IGP status, Mugello milk and cheeses, porcini, game and cured meats.

The valley is close enough to Florence that many Florentines drive up just for Sunday lunch. Do the same.

Where to base

An agriturismo near Borgo San Lorenzo or Vicchio. A cooler, cheaper, quieter alternative to staying in Florence, with the city 30–45 minutes away.

Scarperia or San Piero a Sieve. Convenient for the Medici villas, the lake and the motorway.

Florence. The Mugello is an easy day trip by car or regional train.

What to skip

MotoGP weekend, unless you're going. When the Italian Grand Prix is on at the Mugello circuit, usually around late May or early June, roads and accommodation fill for miles.

Expecting cypress-and-vineyard postcards. This is a different, greener Tuscany. That's its charm.

Best time to visit

Summer. Its best argument: noticeably cooler than Florence, with a lake for swimming.

October. Chestnut festivals, porcini and autumn colour.

Spring. Green, quiet and good for walking.

Getting there

By car, the A1 motorway has an exit at Barberino di Mugello, about 30 minutes from Florence. Smaller roads over the hills via Fiesole or Pratolino are slower and prettier.

Regional trains run from Florence to Borgo San Lorenzo (via Pontassieve or via Vaglia), and onward over the Apennines on the Faentina line. Buses link the main towns.