Paterno: Landscapes, Churches and Old Paths

Discover Paterno through its landscapes, paths and culture

Paterno can be discovered through three concrete perspectives: the protected landscape area, paths through and around the town, and cultural landmarks in Paterno and its surroundings. This gives travellers points of connection when planning an individual trip to Italy and looking not only for accommodation, but also to combine landscape impressions, churches and historic traces. The individual places and routes each have different focuses, allowing you to plan your excursions according to your personal interests.

Protected landscape between olive groves and historic buildings

The protected landscape area around Paterno includes hills, a small plain, numerous villas, ancient buildings and churches set among olive groves. It forms a distinctive ensemble of particular landscape and traditional importance. The protected area extends on both sides of Via Vicchio e Paterno to Chiesa di Vicchio di Rimaggio, where it includes a 100-metre-wide strip. For orientation on site, this combination of open landscapes, olive groves and historic buildings is particularly informative.

Hiking trails with different sections

The “Il sentiero della pietra bianca: Villamagna - La Fonte” hiking trail passes through Paterno. Poggio Balestrieri, Poggio Terra Bianca and Torre Terigi lie along its route.

Another trail is the circular route “Dal Bigallo all’Incontro, la pietra bianca e le antiche strade”. It runs mainly through woodland and along paved roads, unpaved paths and marked trails. After Chiesa di San Lorenzo a Paterno, this circular route continues along Via Vicchio e Paterno. The different surfaces are relevant to your personal planning if you want to choose walks or hikes according to the character of the route and the landscape impressions.

Churches, monastery and historic traces

Chiesa di Santo Stefano a Paterno contains a painted cross from the 13th century. It was created by an unknown artist from Cimabue’s circle. Convento dell’Incontro is also known as Solitudine dell’Incontro. It was built at the instigation of San Leonardo da Porto Maurizio, a Franciscan preacher, and completed in 1717.

The circular route “Dal Bigallo all’Incontro, la pietra bianca e le antiche strade” also passes Vignalla, which is considered a medieval structure. The former mill, Ex mulino di Paterno, is also located along this circular route; the millstones are visible. This circular route therefore includes religious buildings, a medieval structure and traces of a former mill, without these places forming a single architectural complex.

Museums and gardens in the surrounding area

Several museums in the area around Paterno are suitable as additional cultural destinations. Museo Horne is a museum in the area around Paterno. Also located there are Museo Fiorentino di Preistoria Paolo Graziosi, Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze and Piazalle Degli Uffizi, each a museum in the area around Paterno. These destinations broaden the cultural scope of the stay beyond the churches and historic traces listed immediately above.

Several gardens are also located around Paterno: Giardino Del Museo Archeologico is a garden, as are Giardino di San Clemente and Giardino Corsi. In the wider regional surroundings of Paterno there is also Il Pratone, a mountain. Together with the paths and the protected landscape area, these provide various options for a stay that takes culture, nature and outdoor activity into account in different proportions.

Practical information about accommodation

Access to Agriturismo Fattoria Il Palazzaccio is available by reservation. If you choose this agriturismo as your accommodation, therefore take the reservation into account when planning your stay. To compare other travel destinations, you can also check Londa, Sant'Ansano, Lastra A Signa, Polcanto, Bassa, San Godenzo, Rignano Sull'arno and Montaione.

For the overarching travel overview: Florence.