The best city hikes and walks in Riserva Naturale Della Valle Dell'Inferno E Bandella

The Basilica Santa Maria delle Grazie is a church of San Giovanni Valdarno, built in 1484 after a miracle attributed to the Madonna. The current façade is in neoclassical style and inside it also houses a museum with works of sacred art, including the Annunciation by Beato Angelico.

Beautiful village in the province of Arezzo along the Arno which divides it from Terranova Bracciolini

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The town of Montevarchi, located in the center of the Valdarno, is a privileged point to visit the heart of Tuscany. Around this city there are important centers and places known all over the world and its centrality makes it an excellent place to visit an authentic Tuscany. Suffice it to say that to reach the centers of Florence and Siena you will cycle only 45 kilometers and 34 to reach the center of Arezzo. Not to mention that you have Gaiole in Chianti 20 kilometers away with the L’EROICA and the STRADE BIANCHE. All around you will have a countryside dotted with small villages, some of the most beautiful in Italy such as LORO CIUFFENNA and CASTELFRANCO DI SOPRA, which you can visit via the ancient Etruscan-Roman road SETTEPONTI. So, if you want an authentic corner of Tuscany, this is a great choice. Do not underestimate the fact that MONTEVARCHI is the second most populous center in the province of Arezzo and you will find everything you need. It is easily accessible from the motorway (the Valdarno tollbooth is 4 km away) or can be reached directly by train. Finally, absolutely not to be underestimated, the economic aspect: being "far" from the most renowned centers, the cost of your trip will be lower. Having said that it might seem that the city offers only a strategic advantage for your rides, it doesn't! Montevarchi has its jewels, and they are not few! Walking through its characteristic historic center, in the shape of an almond, history and art will accompany you inside museums, churches and ancient buildings. You will appreciate: - Piazza Varchi, seat of the town hall with the imposing Palazzo del Podestà covered with coats of arms that recall the hegemony of the Guidi family and of Florence in these lands, - the Collegiate Church of San Lorenzo dating back to the thirteenth century but rebuilt a few centuries later on a project by Massimiliano Soldani Benzi, - the Paleontological Museum takes you back in time, about three million years ago, with finds that tell how elephants and saber-toothed tigers lived in this valley, - the Museum of Sacred Art where you will discover the wisdom of the Della Robbia family in the production of glazed terracotta and here the Tempietto by Andrea della Robbia and the Frieze with the Delivery of the Relic of the Holy Milk by Count Guerra represent one of the highest testimonies of famous Florentine family, - The Museum of Contemporary Art is instead the proposal of Cassero for Sculpture, a collection of bronzes, marbles, plasters, terracotta that represent one of the most important collections in Italian sculpture of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, - Villa Masini, liberty and decò jewel, set of some scenes of the film “Life is beautiful” (winner of three Oscars) by Roberto Benigni. You will not fail to find characteristic shops such as the ANCIENT DROGHERIA BANCHELLI, located in the historic center of Montevarchi, which I would like to mention as a friend of the owner Carlo Banchelli. He too is a cyclist, with whom I shared many kilometers, hard work and laughter. Here you will find a wide selection of typical Tuscan products, varieties of tea and coffee, artisan chocolates, local wine and oil. And for the most demanding palates, Carlo, A.I.S. will guide you in the choice of Tuscan and national wines. And if you want to take away a different 'souvenir' as well as a good bottle of wine, go to PRADA! Here, in addition to its "factory-garden", the industrial headquarters that houses the production division and the development of the Prada and Miu Miu leather goods collections, there is also its SPACE outlet where you can buy it at incredible prices. What can I tell you? Make a note of Montevarchi in your notes and, covid-19 permitting, drop by.