Sesto Fiorentino

Monte Morello and its hills

The vast wooded area of Monte Morello and the Park of Villa Solaria, also on a hill, offer a green and leafy natural environment. Not far from Villa Solaria there are the Etruscan tombs of Montagnola and Mula, presently being restored.
Informations
Parco Villa Solaria
Via degli Strozzi - via della Mula
Opening hours
May to November, every day 9-18 / November to March, every day except Tuesdays, 9-17 / March to May, every day except Tuesdays, 9-18

The cluster of hills and mountainous zone of Monte Morello, around 1700 hectares just in the area of Sesto, is of particular interest for the landscape it offers and for the rich natural environment, the abundance of water from various sources and the wide evidence of a historic past. It has many villas built in different eras as country residences for the nobility, such as Villa Guicciardini, which can be visited on the occasion of special events.

Near the valley of the river Terzolle there is Villa di Carmignanello, used at the beginning of the 17th century as a summer residence by the Dominican monks of Santa Maria Novella. In the area of Doccia there is the 16th century Villa Ginori. Quite close to it there is Villa Gerini, built in the 14th century and gradually transformed over the years. The garden, which dates back to the 19th century, is dotted with stone ponds and an artificial lake.

In the district of Quinto there is Villa Baldini Dufour Berte, better known as Villa Paolina named after Paolina Buonaparte to whom it was dedicated by her husband, the prince Camillo Borghese, who bought the building in 1852 and had it completely restructured.

Among the places of worship there is the small Church of Sant’Andrea a Cercina, recorded in the 8th century, it has kept its original aspect of a Romanesque church. The façade has a 15th century portico in front; the interior has a nave and two aisles vaulted with wooden beams and a square apse remodelled in the 17th century. In the small apse in the right aisle there is a 15th century fresco the Saints Girolamo, Barbara and Antonio Abate, attributed to Domenico Ghirlandaio.