WALKING IN THE FLORENTINE HILLS

On this walking holiday, you blaze a trail through an almost forgotten corner of Tuscany. The Mugello valley, an area of outstanding beauty, just north of Florence, has always been the secret retreat of the city’s noblemen and luckily for us it’s stayed that way more or less. You’ll find many villas owned by the Medici tucked away in cypress groves. Giotto and Fra Angelico were born here, and the sunflower and poppy fields framed by oak and walnut tree-cloaked hills evoke many of the landscapes of their paintings.

After a night in Florence your walk takes you along the ridge between the Mugello and Sieve valleys through chestnut forests and along paths lined with crocuses and orchids. You enjoy glorious views over the wide Mugello valley, dotted with honeycoloured farmhouses, and the vineyards and olive groves of the Sieve valley lie at your feet. Grapes have been harvested here since the Etruscans, and there are plenty of opportunities for wine tasting.

The area became part of the Florentine City State in the 11C and you’ll find many beautiful castles, villas and churches to visit en route. And the hotels here are among our favourites: a **** villa popular with royalty, a country retreat beneath Monte Giovi with its own fishing lake, a *** country villa in parkland near Fiesole and a *** hotel in the centre of Florence.

For more infomation about this holiday, including hotel descriptions, travel options and full holiday itinerary, please see our new 'further details' section.