Cavriglia

An economic activity that strongly impacted the territory around Cavriglia was lignite mining, a combustible rock that was extracted in Castelnuovo starting in the 1800s and which radically changed the structure of the subsoil, so much so that some hamlets suffered irreparable damage. Today, the material’s history and the miners’ hard work is told in the mining museum, known as MINE.  

For the more romantic amongst you, a visit to the magnificent “Carla Fineschi” Rose Garden is a must, where visitors can find more than 12,000 fragrant roses, some even centuries-old.

Finally, it’s well worth visiting Cavriglia’s sacred art museum, housed in the company dedicated to the Name of Jesus’ oratory and leaning against the left aisle in the parish church of San Giovanni Battista. Inside are glazed terracotta sculptures by Benedetto Buglioni, dating back to the 15^th century.

With Cavriglia as a starting point, you can explore other places that contribute to Valdarno’s uniqueness. 

The historic village of Pergine Valdarno still retains a very special charm. In the parish church, dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, there is a painting from the early 1700s depicting the Madonna and Child between Saints Michael the Archangel and Joseph; while in the Church of Saints Ippolito and Cassiano, in Laterina, there is an interesting painting by Domenico Puligo, a pupil of Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio, very active in Florence between 1510 and 1527.

Next, head to Bucine, full of medieval villages and castles such as Montebenichi and Cennina. 

Finally, San Giovanni Valdarno is definitely worth a stop, with its historic center characterized by churches and stately palaces.

In spring, Cavriglia fills up with tourists and the good weather gives way to many outdoor initiatives such as the Sagra delle frittelle, held on the third Sunday of March in Vacchereccia. Stands are set up for frittelle, the typical dessert of the season and the area, as well as other food stands. 

Even in the autumn there are countless events for trying local specialties. On the fourth Sunday of November, for example, the New Oil Festival is held, awarding the best product of the year.

The hilly area of ​​Cavriglia is still largely centred around wine. Some important companies attract lovers of the "nectar of Bacchus" for the quality of their products. But there’s another plant intrinsically linked to the Cavrigliese area: the olive tree.

Try the honey, jams, fruit and cheeses that enrich the local cuisine for the most delicious visit.