The Most Beautiful Villages of Tuscany

Porto Ercole, Grosseto

In 2001 the Club of "the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy" (I Borghi più Belli d'Italia) was founded through the incentive of the Tourism Council of the National Association of Italian Municipalities.

Anghiari, Arezzo

The project arose from the need to promote the great heritage of history, art, culture, environment and traditions found in small Italian towns which are, for the most part, cut off from the main flow of visitors and tourists. Admission to the Club requires the meeting of a number of prerequisites, both structural, such as the architectonic harmony of the urban fabric and the quality of the public and private building heritage, and general, regarding the quality of life in the village in terms of activities and services for the people. It is also necessary to be committed to continuously improving these prerequisites. In these Beautiful Villages you will find the atmosphere, the fragrances and flavors that make typical local customs, products and traditions a way of life that is worth "savoring" with all five senses.

Montescudaio, Pisa

In all of Italy there are 217 member villages in the club of Most Beautiful Villages, of which 18 are located in Tuscany.

Pitigliano, Grosseto

These are Tuscany's most beautiful villages: Barga, Castiglione di Garfagnana, Coreglia Antelminelli in the province of Lucca; Scarperia in Florence; Montescudaio in Pisa; Anghiari, Castelfranco Piandiscò, Loro Ciuffenna, and Poppi in Arezzo; Suvereto in Livorno; Buonconvento, Cetona and San Casciano dei Bagni in the province of Siena; Giglio Castello, Montemerano, Pitigliano, Porto Ercole and Sovana in Grosseto.

Coreglia Antelminelli, Lucca

In Italy you can purchase a Tourist guide “I Borghi più Belli d'Italia. The guide is divided into four parts. The first part contains the general information of each village, distances from major towns, and how to get there. The second part describes the "spirit of the village", a portrait of the village, taken from its most deeply rooted and characteristic features. The third part, called "sights", gives a brief description of the most important architectural structures in the village and surrounding area: churches, fortresses, public buildings, residences, streets, squares, views, etc.

Suvereto, Livorno

Finally, the fourth part, "Pleasures and Flavors", attempts to list all that is good and beautiful in the village, besides the ancient stones: the typical dishes, the main events taking place in the village, the museums and all else that should be seen or experienced before going shopping or dining, the listing of local craft workshops, shops where one can purchase wine, olive oil and other products and restaurants.

Let's have a look at one of Tuscany's Most Beautiful Villages, Scarperia in the province of Florence. Scarperia is located 50 km north of Florence in the Mugello area, an inland Tuscan valley whose Apennine passes connect it to Bologna and the region of Emilia Romagna. The village was founded with the name Castel S. Barnaba in an area known as the Scarperia, because of its location at the shoe (scarpa), of foot, of the Apennines. The village, born as a Florentine outpost on the road to Bologna, later became an important market and stopping-place thanks to its strategic location. 

Vicars' Palace in Scarperia

The heart of the fortified settlement is the Vicars' Palace. Its residential section on the side facing the square, stark and turreted, presents a 14th-century plan, while the fortified section lies behind. The Palace of the Vicars overlooks the village´s main square and two noteworthy religious structures. The first one is the Propositura, founded by Friar Napoleone dei Galluzzi in 1326 and dedicated to the saints Jacob and Philip. The church has a marble roundel by Benedetto da Maiano, a tabernacle by Mino da Fiesole and a crucifix by Sansovino, as well as numerous paintings. The second one is the Oratory of the Madonna di Piazza, from about 1320. At the center of this chapel on the ground floor there is a late-Gothic tabernacle with spiral columns from around 1490.

Knife shop (www.coltelllidellartigiano.it)

Scarperia is famous for its production of knives. Here, unlike other places where knives were produced, the craft does not belong only to the past. It still represents a source of income for many craftsmen. The Museum of Cutting Tools documents the history of this widespread artisanal activity in Scarperia. 

Foods which are humble in origin but excellent in combination give life to a cuisine with a strong Apennine character. Ribollita is the Tuscan dish par excellence, in fact it is also called Florentine bean soup. Potato tortelli are typical of the Mugello zone as well. Finally the pappa ai pomodoro is excellent, a soup made with tomato, garlic and fresh basil.

Every last Sunday in May, Scarperia dresses itself in flowers for the traditional event Infiorata. This event requires lots of preparation and brings together all the inhabitants of the town. The streets of the hamlet are decorated with flower petals to form colorful patterns. The petals are arranged inside models made the night before by residents of the hamlet to a theme which changes every year. 

Diotto, Scarperia

Other recurrent events in Scarperia are the Renaissance Day, the first Sunday of September, Diotto, the re-evocation of the founding of Scarperia by the Florentine republic on the 8th (die-octo) of September and on the first Sunday of each month there is a collector's market where antiques, second hand and collector's pieces, stamps and coins are exchanged.
Besides being one of Italy's most beautiful villages, Scarperia also boasts to have Italy's world famous racetrack Mugello Circuit, which hosts the Italian Motorcycling Gran Prix MotoGP. 

The guide I Borghi più Belli d'Italia describes Italy's 217 and Tuscany's 18 most beautiful villages in an efficient and well-structured style, which makes it light and enjoyable holiday reading.




Rooms Suites and Apartments in Mugello Firenzuola Florence Tuscany

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