Discover Vaglia: Medici heritage, trails and local traditions

Vaglia between history, trails and regional character

Vaglia reveals its character through the Pieve di San Pietro, the Santuario di Montesenario, the Medici heritage of Pratolino and trails through the countryside. Festivals and culinary traditions add to this, making the town tangible beyond its history as well.

Pieve di San Pietro: a historic landmark

The Pieve di San Pietro in Vaglia had already been built by 983 and was regarded as a reference point for the area. The original Pieve served as a refuge for pilgrims and exiles. The Pieve houses a Spanish reliquary from the 17th century, sent from Spain and dispatched by the painter Angelo Nardi.

Medici heritage and walking paths in Pratolino

The Parco Mediceo di Pratolino in Vaglia preserves the memory of a Medici estate that Francesco I de’ Medici acquired in 1568 and had Buontalenti transform into a villa with a garden. The Gigante dell’Appennino is a monumental fountain statue by Giambologna located there. You can walk for kilometres in natural surroundings along white roads, side roads and paths.

Hiking, trekking and views

The Via Medicea Fiorentina can be travelled on foot or by mountain bike and passes through Vaglia. The Anello del Rinascimento is a 250-kilometre trekking route with eight stages and ten variants. Its first section reaches Vaglia after just under 20 kilometres and offers views of Florence, Mugello and the Apennine mountains. The different route lengths help you distinguish a short excursion in your planning from a longer trekking project.

Montesenario and the pilgrims’ path

The Santuario di Montesenario is located in Vaglia in the immediate vicinity of Bivigliano. The Grotta di San Filippo Benizi, a stone temple built in 1629, stands in front of it. The footpath to the Santuario follows an atmospheric old route with stations of the Cross. A forest therapy project was launched in the Boschi di Montesenario together with the Municipality of Vaglia and the Servite Order.

Getting there and the location of the destinations

Vaglia lies on the Via Bolognese, which connects Florence and Bologna, and is connected to Florence by the Faentina railway line; the journey takes 20 minutes. The Parco Mediceo di Pratolino can be reached from Florence by bus 25A or the regional route 307A. The Parco Avventura Il Gigante is located on the Via Bolognese near Villa Demidoff, before Pratolino in the municipality of Vaglia. When choosing a hotel in Vaglia, you can take these connections and the location of your planned destinations into account.

Festivals and culinary traditions

The Festa della Mora in Vaglia is part of the local character and reached its tenth edition in 2026. In the hamlet of Bivigliano, the Sagra della schiacciata takes place in September, celebrating the product in sweet and savoury varieties. Vaglia’s local culinary traditions also include bruschetta with locally produced extra virgin olive oil.

Further places to research

Montorsoli, Pratolino and Bivigliano

For the higher-level travel overview: Florence.

Further destinations

Other places in the same destination:

Polvereto, Vicchio, Pastine, Castelfiorentino, Polcanto.