A treasure hunt in the lands around Florence might easily start with a trip to the splendid villas which the Medici family built in numerous strategic sites in the countryside immediately beyond the city walls. Although the nearest to the Tuscan capital is Villa di Careggi, Villa La Petraia and Villa di Castello are both only a few kilometers away. Nearly all the Medici villas were constructed with the aim of controlling the dynasty's large agricultural interests as well as providing sumptuous recreational retreats for the family.
Yet more Medici villas, Villa di Artimino and Villa di Poggio a Caiano, are immersed in the Chianti countryside, on the road towards Carmignano. Carmignano's Regional Wine Museum is devoted to Tuscany's world-famous Chianti wine, and offers visitors both a fascinating insight in to production methods and the chance to sample some of the finest vintages. Even teetotallers should make sure not to miss the visit to Carmignano, as it is here, in the Church of San Michele, that one of the finest works of Italian Mannerist art is conserved: Pontormo's 1537 Visitation.
From Carmignano we soon reach Vinci, the name of which has been made famous by its most illustrious citizen: the great Leonardo. Today, in the town's Conti Guidi Castle, a museum has been opened in honor of the creative genius of Leonardo da Vinci and includes many of the renaissance artist's inventions. Just a few kilometers away, in the district of Anchiano, visitors can still see the stone cottage where Leonardo was born.
Our Tuscan treasure hunt doesn't end here. In the vicinity of Lastra a Signa we come across what is arguably the most important monastic complex in the whole of the Florence area, that of Badia di San Salvatore. Inside the abbey, any number of artistic masterpieces can be seen, including a stunning series of frescoes by Domenico Ghirlandaio. Ghirlandaio's work can also be seen in the Church of Sant'Andrea a Brozzi, in the town of San Donnino (in the district of Campi Bisenzio). The Church has an interesting Museum of Sacred Art featuring both liturgical instruments and paintings from the Tuscan School.
Not far from Florence (8 kilometers to be exact), on a hill overlooking the Arno valley, we find one of the Tuscan capital's historic rivals: Fiesole. The origins of Fiesole are much older than those of the city which eventually superseded it, as testified by the Etruscan and ancient Roman ruins uncovered in what has become the town's Archaeological Zone. An impressive quantity of findings are conserved in the Archaeological Museum, one of the most visited in Tuscany. Fiesole boasts another museum more than worthy of mention: the Museo Bandini. This ecclesiastical museum, property of the Fiesole Cathedral Chapter, houses the artworks collected by Canon Angelo Maria Bandini (1726-1803).
From Fiesole, our search for treasure takes us in to the Valdarno, towards the towns of Reggello and Montevarchi, realm of designer fashion outlets where shopaholics are sure to pick up a bargain or two - be it a pair of glamorous Prada shoes, or an authentic Gucci handbag. And if shoes and handbags aren't your thing - don't worry, the area is brimming with both artistic and natural wonders, from Masaccio's Tryptich of San Giovenale in the Church of Cascia di Reggello to the Forest of Vallombrosa - this latter offering the perfect setting for the Abbey of Vallombrosa, in which to find works by Luca della Robbia and Raffaellino del Garbo, disciple of Ghirlandaio.
