Poggio Alla Malva: Forest, Etruscan History and Sacred Art

Poggio Alla Malva can be discovered through trails, archaeology, sacred art and local culinary culture. The Poggio alla Malva–Artimino trail follows a section of CAI Trail No. 300 from Poggio alla Malva to the Villa and Borgo di Artimino.

Forest Trail and Mediterranean Macchia

Along this section, the Poggio alla Malva–Artimino trail passes through a pine forest with undergrowth made up of typical Mediterranean macchia species and skirts the Etruscan site of Prato Rosello. The landscape and early history are therefore defining themes when discovering the area independently.

Prato Rosello and Etruscan Traces

The Etruscan necropolis of Prato Rosello in Artimino dates from the late 8th to the 6th century BC and is characterised by tumulus-shaped tombs. For travellers interested in culture, this provides an archaeological focal point that reaches far back in time before the later buildings and artworks of Poggio Alla Malva.

Chiesa di Santo Stefano a Poggio alla Malva

The Chiesa di Santo Stefano a Poggio alla Malva is a 16th-century oratory dedicated to San Sebastiano. Around 1742–48, it was rebuilt and extended when the parish seat was moved there from the old Chiesa di Santo Stefano alle Busche.

The church houses Neri di Bicci's altarpiece Madonna and Child Enthroned between Saints Sylvester, Stephen, Bartholomew and Lawrence dating from 1475 to 1480. The Chiesa di Santo Stefano a Poggio alla Malva also houses a detached fragment of a fresco depicting the Flagellation, which comes from the Chiesa di Santo Stefano alle Busche. Visiting hours are scheduled daily from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

Historic Places in the Surrounding Area

The only surviving gate of the Barchetto della Pineta is located in Poggio Alla Malva. Da Bobo All'acciaiolo is an ancient site in the area surrounding Poggio Alla Malva. Palazzo Pretorio is a palace in the area surrounding Poggio Alla Malva, as is Villa Medicea la Magia. Anfiteatro delle Cascine is also an ancient site in the area surrounding Poggio Alla Malva.

Parks, Gardens and Hills

Parco delle Cascine di Tavola is a park in the area surrounding Poggio Alla Malva. I Fornelli is a hill in the immediate vicinity of Poggio Alla Malva. Giardino Torrigiani and Giardino degli Orti Oricellari are located in the wider surrounding region; both are gardens in this wider regional area.

When choosing accommodation for a trip to Poggio Alla Malva, you can clearly define your personal focus: The trail, the pine forest and I Fornelli suit an itinerary centred on landscape and activity. Prato Rosello, the Chiesa di Santo Stefano, the gate of the Barchetto della Pineta, as well as the palaces and ancient sites in the surrounding area, provide a cultural and historical focus.

Festival and Tastings

The Sagra della polenta, dei funghi porcini e del cinghiale in Poggio Alla Malva has been held on the second and third weekends of September for over 25 years. Bottega Pecchioli is an enoteca in Poggio Alla Malva and offers tastings by reservation. The Sagra therefore adds a fixed date to travel planning, while the tastings require a reservation.

Further destinations: Seano, Comeana, Bacchereto

For the higher-level travel overview: Carmignano.