Top 6 Castles around Calcinaia

A medieval town with charming streets and climbs. Buildings full of history.

On the top of Monte Verruca, at 537 meters above sea level, an ancient and decaying fortress dominates the Pisan plain and the Arno valley. According to legend, there is a connection – underground and secret – between the fortress and the center of the city of Pisa.

The castle on the mountain overlooks the city of Caprona and the tower stands out at the top. The town of Caprona suffered an attack by the army of the Tuscan Guelph League, which included the young soldier Dante Alighieri. Dante mentions the place in the XXI Canto of the Inferno: “Thus I saw I already feared the infantry who issued under treaty from Caprona, seeing himself among constant enemies.”

The profile of the fortress that joins the steep wall ... a unique spectacle with the Pisan mountains in the background. the fortress of Caprona is a destination absolutely to be reached. The road to get there is not long and can be traveled on foot or by MTB.

The Verruca fortress rises in the municipality of Calci, in the province of Pisa, on the top of Monte Verruca. It can be reached by following the Firenze-Pisa highway, exiting at Cascina, then continuing towards Vicopisano. From the village, take the 'strada della Verruca' which starts from the village cemetery. Although largely unpaved, it can be traveled by car up to the foot of the rock where the Rocca stands. From here you can walk up to the top in about 20 minutes. Source: https://castellitoscani.com/verruca/

Lari is famous for its Castello dei Vicari, located at the top of the hill and in the center of the city. This interesting fortress was started around the year 1000 in a strategic point of the Arno valley and grew in splendor until 1400, when it began to host the Vicars, i.e. the magistrates who had the task of administering a large part of the Pisan territory on behalf of the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Today, after being restored, it is open to the public and hosts conferences, meetings and exhibitions, as well as guided tours, entertainment, concerts, theater, wedding ceremonies and other initiatives for groups and school parties. Timetable: 01.01 — 31.03 and 01.11 — 31.12: Saturday and holidays from 10.30am to 12.30am and from 3pm to 6pm 01.04 — 31.05: Monday-friday from 3.30pm to 7pm. Saturday and holidays from 10.30am to 12.30am and from 3.30pm to 7pm 01.06 — 30.09: Every day from 10:30am to 13:00pm/3:00pm to 7:00pm 01.10 — 31.10 Monday-friday from 3pm to 6pm. Saturday and holidays from 10.30am to 12.30am and from 3pm to 6pm Full price ticket €4.00 Guided tour on booking €5.00 Reduced ticket and school parties €3.00 For reservations or other information, tel 0587 687116 or mail to info@castellodilari.it

This is the Rocca del Brunelleschi, commissioned to the architect Filippo Brunelleschi after the village besieged for eight months by the Florentines, had been definitively conquered by them against the city of Pisa. The victory for Florence had been very important and had to be maintained over time: Vicopisano covered a decidedly strategic area thanks to the confluence of the Arno river which connected it to Pisa and the Auser river which put it in communication with Lake Sextum and therefore with the Lucchesia. . In 1435 the project was entrusted to Filippo Brunelleschi who showed his idea to the government commission through a project made of wood and clay; the project gathered enthusiasm and work began immediately which drastically changed a large part of the town of Vicopisano. The existing tower was modified with the aim of being impregnable and autonomous in terms of water and food.

Both the Caprona tower and the Verruca fortress can be easily reached on foot or by mountain bike