Castles of the Valdera itinerary

A border land

The Valdera as a battleground and balancing point between three great Tuscan powers.

For much of the Middle Ages, the Valdera found itself as a border area between the spheres of influence of Pisa, Florence and Volterra, three powers that over the centuries contested control of this band of hills between the Era river and the slopes of the Colline Pisane. This strategic position explains the presence, still recognisable in the landscape today, of castles, fortresses and watchtowers built by the villages to defend themselves and control the routes of passage.

Following this itinerary today means reading the land with different eyes: every village perched atop a hill, every tower peeking above the rooftops, tells something of that history of borders, alliances and conflicts that shaped the Valdera as we see it now.

The stops on the itinerary

• Morning

  Lari and the Castello dei Vicari

  The heart of the itinerary is the Castello dei Vicari in Lari, the best-preserved and best-known fortification in the Valdera, historically the seat of a governing authority over the surrounding territory. The village around it deserves an unhurried walk through its alleys and valley views.

• Midday

  Palaia and its towers

  The municipal territory of Palaia preserves traces of old defensive structures scattered among the various hamlets that make it up, evidence of a system of territorial control spread across several hilltop centres.

• Lunch

  A stop in a hill village

  A trattoria in one of the villages along the itinerary is a chance to try the country cooking of the Valdera, often built around local produce and traditional recipes.

• Afternoon

  Peccioli and Terricciola

  Peccioli, today known above all for the contemporary art scattered through the village, still preserves a clearly readable medieval urban layout. Terricciola, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, adds another piece to the area's system of fortified villages.

• Evening

  Back to Pontedera

  Round off the day heading back to Pontedera, a lowland town that in the same historical period was instead an important trading crossing point along the Arno.

Practical tips

The itinerary is easily covered by car, with short distances between villages: no stop requires more than thirty minutes' drive from the previous one. The hill roads of the Valdera often offer sudden views over the valley, so it's worth allowing for a few photo stops along the way, even outside the town centres.

For opening hours, possible guided tours of the Castello dei Vicari and the calendar of cultural events in each village, always check the official websites of the respective Comuni or local Pro Loco, as hours and availability can change during the year.

Views and landscape

Beyond their historical value, the Valdera's fortified villages almost always occupy the highest, most panoramic spots in the area, for obvious defensive reasons: this makes them prime vantage points today over a hill landscape woven from olive groves, vineyards and woodland stretching as far as the eye can see. One more reason to take the itinerary slowly, perhaps saving late afternoon for the stops with the best views.

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