Spring and summer outdoor excursions
MontaleQuarrataPistoia
In spring, the natural world wakes up from its long winter lethargy while, at the same time, the days get longer and longer. Could there ever be a better moment to spend time outdoors, going for a lazy walk or having a picnic, lying in a field full of flowers?
The Pistoia Mountains, together with the area’s villas and parks, are perfect places for enjoying moments of leisure and relaxation, out in the open air.
Here are some ideas for you to spend an afternoon in the midst of nature, history and culture.
The Medici Gardens in the Villa La Magia – Quarrata
The ‘Villa La Magia‘ in Quarrata is one of the most important buildings in the Montalbano area and is, in fact, a century-old property of the Medici family. In 2013, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the property is surrounded by an incredibly beautiful park. It actually holds works of contemporary art which practically melt into and become a part of the landscape while, at the same time, you can enjoy the various paths that it is made up of where you can peacefully have a rest, surrounded by holm oaks, cypress trees and laurel oaks.
Il Molino di Giamba – Orsigna
Crossed over by many trekking routes, these forests are at the very heart of the Pistoia Apennines and were chosen by Tiziano Terzani as his favourite spot. In fact, even today, you can still admire the ‘Tree with Eyes‘, planted in his memory and reached by a short walk from the village ‘Casa Cucciani’. The ‘Valle dell’Orsigna‘ – the Orsigna Valley – is also home to the still operative ‘Molino di Giamba’ – an old mill – and to some buildings left over from the days of the coal mines: all these buildings are a part of the Itinerary of Daily Life in the Pistoia Mountains’ Ecomuseum.
Villa Castello Smilea – Montale
The ‘Villa Castello Smilea‘, built on the Roman road, the ‘Via Cassia Clodia’, probably owes its name to the shortening of the term ‘sex milea’, in other words, six miles, which was the distance from Pistoia to the Villa. This castle has a square-shaped floor plan and has two towers. Some courtyards are protected by the Villa’s Walls while, inside, you can see some 19th century frescoes depicting nature, which give a romantic feeling to the whole place.
Villon Puccini – Pistoia
A Neoclassical villa, delightfully frescoed in the first half of the 18th century by the most prestigious painters of the Florentine court. The Villon Puccini covered an area of 123 hectares and therefore, was one of the largest and most lovely of all Italian gardens of that period. Still today, it is a green oasis standing only a few miles out of Pistoia, and which can be reached by car as it also has a convenient car park available. Inside the park itself, there are five-a-side football pitches, basketball and volleyball courts, and an area dedicated for kids to have fun in.
