Villa and Gardens Tour with Elaine Ruffolo and Ladies Adventures
Fri, Jun 04
|Location is TBD
A beautiful walk through the forests and streets in and around Settignano and Fiesole followed by lunch and wine.
Time & Location
Jun 04, 2021, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Location is TBD
About the Event
A beautiful walk through the forests and streets in and around Settignano and Fiesole. We will start our walk with a visit to Villa Gamberia which is a beautiful historic villa, built in the early 1600s and known for its magnificent gardens. Located in the hills of Settignano, in a splendid panoramic position overlooking the city of Florence and the Arno valley, Villa Gamberaia stands on the site where documents of the late 1300s attest the presence of a farmhouse belonging to the convent of S. Martino a Mensola. The name of the area, can probably be traced back to the name ‘gamberi’, fresh-water shrimp caught in nearby ponds or streams.
After Villa Gamberaia we will have a nice long walk to Villa Medici. 2 km of this walk is up hill, about a 220 meter climb. Then after a plateu a very short climb of 67 meters for 1/2 km, after which the rest of the walk is flat or downhill.
The Villa Medici of Fiesole was built between 1451 and 1457 for Giovanni, the son of Cosimo the Elder and precursor of his nephew, Lorenzo the Magnificent
The Villa Medici in Fiesole, the first example of a Renaissance Villa, then became a “Muse” for numerous other residences, not only Florentine, which, starting from the late 1400s, would discover inspiration and creative and innovatory ideas in it.
After Villa Medici we have organised a lunch at Petseus where we can relax and enjoy a glass of wine and some well earned food.
Distance about 8km ( I will confirm this Monday)
Total climb: 230 meters
Terrain: Road asphalt, white roads, rocky forest paths
Level: moderate
What to bring: Hiking boots, poles, Backpack, water, sunglasses, binoculars, snacks. Wallet,
Meeting point for start of walk: Settignano ( near la Sosta de Rossellino)