The Valdambra, so-named after the Ambra River that flows through it, is a veritable treasure chest of historical jewels such as Bucine, the main town and council of the valley, Cennina, Galatrona, Montebenichi, Pietraviva, places where time has stopped still and where today you simply must spend some of your time. Time to immerse yourself in history, for your palate to enjoy itself, for a journey into nature.
Time also to partake in many open air adventures thanks to the vast network of paths that allow hikers and bikers and horse riders to experience the land through whichever activity they prefer.
There are around 19 excursion routes that wind through the Valdambra, each with its own theme and peculiarity. They include:
Its name evokes sweetness and delight; it lacks the familiarity of other valleys, but this land is nothing to envy of them. Delightful villages thousands of years old, sunflower fields as far as the eye can see, vineyards and cereal and tobacco cultivations that appear as geometric patterns along the hills; hills expertly forged by man who has shown he can work in harmony with nature. A prosperous nature, a history rooted in faraway eras like the Etruscan, a wine and food tradition brimming over with delicacies, a land to be explored and enjoyed in time with the mantra “slow is the new cool”.
The Valdambra, so-named after the Ambra River that flows through it, is a veritable treasure chest of historical jewels such as Bucine, the main town and council of the valley, Cennina, Galatrona, Montebenichi, Pietraviva, places where time has stopped still and where today you simply must spend some of your time. Time to immerse yourself in history, for your palate to enjoy itself, for a journey into nature.
Time also to partake in many open air adventures thanks to the vast network of paths that allow hikers and bikers and horse riders to experience the land through whichever activity they prefer.
There are around 19 excursion routes that wind through the Valdambra, each with its own theme and peculiarity. They include:
The wine road
A lovely route of about 10km between vineyards and olive groves and three unmissable gems: the castle of San Leolino, the parish church and the tower of Galatrona.
Terrace over the Valdarno
A loop itinerary of around 15km which starts on the charming Romanic Pogi bridge.
The path of the four villages
A loop of around 13km exploring Capannole, which is also the point of departure and arrival, Castiglion Alberti, Badia Agnano e Villa.
The Alta Valdambra route
A loop of around 17km skimming medieval villages like Montebenichi and Cennina; the route can be divided into two shorter loops, the castle loop and the strawberry tree loop.
The old heather road
This 14km loop starts from the gracious village of Ambra, and touches Poggio Castiglioni, San Pancrazio, Podere Asciana and Gavignano.
From the sacred to the profane
A quick, easy 9km route exploring monasteries and Etruscan and Roman traces, starting and finishing in Badia a Ruoti.
The oil road
A splendid itinerary of just over 40km for bikers of all kinds – road, MTB, e-bike, gravel bike – along some of the most beautiful Tuscan landscapes of Bucine and Laterina Pergine Valdarno.
Valdambra: a valley, a multitude of outdoor possibilities to get to know this land that holds a surprise at every step. And not only, at Badia Agnano they hold the annual Valdambra trail competition for slow travellers and sports enthusiasts who not only want to enjoy the nature, history and food and wine that the Valdambra has to offer, but also prove themselves in walk and ultra trail races against the most incredible background.