Discover Donnini’s culture and landscape

Donnini offers a cultural highlight at the Pieve di San Pietro a Pitiana: Romanesque architectural history, 16th-century works of art and a commemorative plaque come together there with a view across the valley. The Festival della Cultura “Notti d’Estate” also has a venue in Donnini. For your travel plans, you can also consider the regional landscape and a trail connected to the former rack railway. This lets you consider cultural history, event dates and planning a train journey as separate aspects.

The Pieve: church, art and remembrance

The Pieve di San Pietro a Pitiana in Donnini is a Romanesque church. It houses two paintings by Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio from the 16th century; the portico also dates from that century. This means that different aspects can be distinguished at the Pieve: the Romanesque church, the two works by the same artist and a portico with its own date. If you are interested in art and architectural history, this combination offers a concrete starting point without assigning the different elements to a single period.

A commemorative plaque at the Pieve recalls that Marsilio Ficino wrote “Theologia platonica” there between 1469 and 1474. It links a named author to a specific work and period. Alongside the church, paintings and portico, this adds another layer of cultural history. Those who also explore historical places through the people and works commemorated there will find a distinct point of interest here.

Valley views and the regional landscape

From outside the Pieve di San Pietro a Pitiana, you can enjoy a view across the valley. For a broader landscape perspective, Le Balze are also of interest: they lie in an area of local protected interest and are among the defining features of the Valdarno plateau. The view of the valley from outside the church and the landscape of the plateau are two distinct points of reference, adding a landscape perspective to the cultural themes.

Festival and venue

The Festival della Cultura “Notti d’Estate” is an annual event held in Reggello and its hamlets. The tenth edition in July 2024 included events at Parco Urbano di Donnini. The park is therefore a specific Donnini connection in the festival programme, alongside the Pieve’s historical associations. If you would like to combine your stay with a festival visit, check the dates in advance.

Trail and train journey

The “Percorso della ferrovia – Sant’Ellero / Vallombrosa” trail is integrated into the CAI trail network and starts at Sant’Ellero station. A project proposes converting the historic route of the rack railway, which once connected the station to Vallombrosa, into a designated trail for hikers, cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts. Different time frames come together here: the railway connection belongs to the past, the conversion is planned as a project, and the named trail is integrated into the CAI trail network.

You can reach Sant’Ellero station by train from Firenze Santa Maria Novella, Firenze Rovezzano and Firenze Campo di Marte in about 20 to 30 minutes. Check train times before your trip. The station offers a practical starting point for planning; the planned conversion of the historic railway route should be considered a separate topic.

When choosing where to stay, you can weigh up different interests: art and history at the Pieve, a possible connection to the festival programme, or learning about a railway connection and its planned transformation. Information about train travel and event dates can help with your planning without combining the different topics into a single route.

Discover more destinations: Tosi, Fornaci Incisa, Sant'ellero, Cancelli, San Donato Fronzano, Tallini, Vallombrosa

Return to the main travel overview: Reggello.