Luco Mugello: Landscape, Trails and History

Luco Mugello combines a protected landscape with several named trails and a local history that ranges from the Monastery of San Pietro to the story of Fido. This offers different perspectives for planning your trip: you can get a sense of the landscape area, distinguish hiking trails by their named waypoints and destinations, and take the road route to the Museo Casa d’Erci into account. The historical references add events from different centuries to this picture.

Landscape and protection

The landscape area of Luco di Mugello has been protected under a landscape protection decree dated May 18, 1966. The Apennines of Casaglia form the backdrop to this protected landscape. These are two distinct aspects: the decree designates the protection status, while the Apennines define the landscape setting. If you are considering Luco Mugello as a travel destination, you can understand the local landscape in terms of both its protected status and its geographic setting. The hiking trails add specific starting points and destinations to this picture.

Distinguishing hiking trails by their destinations

Sentiero 36 starts in the square in Luco di Mugello, passes through Grezzano and Mansalto, and continues as far as Varco Acquabona. Sentiero 40 follows a different route: it connects Luco di Mugello, Grezzano and Passo del Giogo, passing through Volpinaia and the forest reserve. The named waypoints provide a particularly concrete basis for comparison. On Sentiero 36, Mansalto and Varco Acquabona appear in the route description in that order; on Sentiero 40, Volpinaia, the forest reserve and Passo del Giogo mark the route. This lets you distinguish the trails according to which places and endpoints matter to your plans, rather than treating the two routes as interchangeable. Trail conditions can change; check the current situation before setting out.

The Mugello Cristiano route also reaches Luco di Mugello after Grezzano. Grezzano is therefore the named place common to both hiking trails and this additional route; the other named points distinguish their routes.

Road route to the Museo Casa d’Erci

The Museo Casa d’Erci can be reached by road through Luco di Mugello and Grezzano. If you are planning a visit to the museum, this route provides a specific connection to both places and adds a different kind of orientation to the hiking trails: here, the road route to the museum is the relevant point. Local road conditions can change; check the situation before you travel.

Monastery history and local stories

The history of the Monastery of San Pietro in Luco began in 1086: Blessed Rodolfo Falcucci acquired land and an oratory in Chisciano and intended to found a Camaldolese nunnery there. In 1527, the nuns of Luco sheltered a prominent Florentine painter who was seeking refuge from the plague, which was raging mainly in Florence. The two dates mark different periods: 1086 represents the beginning of the monastery’s history, while 1527 marks the painter’s refuge with the nuns.

A much later story is associated with the square in Luco: for more than 14 years, Fido went every day to the bus stop in the square, until his death on June 8, 1958. This local connection adds a story rooted in a specific place in everyday life in Luco to the histories of the monastery and the plague.

Discover more destinations: Ronta, Grezzano, Sagginale, Faltona, Gricignano

For the overview of the wider area: Borgo San Lorenzo.