DISTANCE FROM BORGO AL CERRO: ca 28 km (30 mins)
As well as interesting monuments, this town,
the birthplace of Boccaccio, the great medieval poet and writer,
still retains the intriguing and imaginative spirit of its
illustrious son, and this can be seen in the splendid arts
and crafts festival, “Mercanzia”, in July, when
actors, acrobats, musicians and jugglers perform in the streets
of the town centre for a whole week.
  DON'T
MISS
HISTORIC TOWN CENTRE (upper part of town - with much of its
original medieval walls, including three gates; the west gate,
PORTA ALBERTI, PORTA DEL SOLE to the south-east, and the east
gate, PORTA DEL RIVELLINO).
VIA BOCCACCIO (13th-14th centuries, still today the most important
street in the old medieval town centre).
EVENTS
second or third week in July: Mercanzia
(entrance fee): festivals, concerts, live performances, entertainment;
suitable for adults and children alike, with frequent performances
by jugglers, story-tellers etc.
ADVICE
A visit just to the old part of town is very short, so we
recommend you combine it with another town in the Elsa Valley
(eg San Gimignano, Colle di Val d’Elsa, Poggibonsi castle
("Cassero Mediceo")), or the Mercanzia festival.
FINE FOOD AND WINE
Good restaurants, including in old part of town. |
