Discover Vinci: Leonardo, art and landscape

Vinci: Leonardo sites, art and landscape

Leonardo shapes the themes you can explore in Vinci: walking routes, exhibitions and artworks each offer a different focus. If you’re looking for a hotel in Vinci, you can plan your stay around whether you want to explore the outdoors, experience an audiovisual presentation or visit several Leonardo sites with an expert guide. You can organise your visits according to your interests—from a route through the landscape to works that interpret Leonardo’s ideas in different ways.

On foot or by bike along the Strada Verde

Route No. 14, the Strada Verde, is a 1,800-metre walking and cycling route from the centre of Vinci to the Casa Natale di Leonardo. It passes through vineyards and olive groves and offers views of Vinci and the surrounding area. The route therefore combines a specific destination with an experience of the landscape. The Casa Natale is in Anchiano and can be reached from Vinci by car or on foot via the Strada Verde. If you plan to follow the route, you can consider its course and destination together; the stated length refers to the route, not to walking time.

Casa Natale di Leonardo and audiovisual exhibition

The Casa Natale di Leonardo houses a permanent educational exhibition. It also presents the audiovisual 3D installation “Leonardo a Vinci: un genio si racconta”. An exhibition with an educational focus and a three-dimensional audiovisual presentation can therefore be experienced in one place. For planning your visit, these offer two different ways to engage with Leonardo: you can explore the exhibition and also include the installation as a distinct experience. The site in Anchiano can also be considered as the destination of the Strada Verde.

Artworks with different connections to Leonardo

“L'uomo di Vinci” is a work by Mario Ceroli made from shaped laminated wood. It is inspired by Leonardo’s drawing of the Vitruvian Man. “Il cavallo di Leonardo” makes a different connection: the approximately 2.5-metre-high bronze sculpture depicts, on a smaller scale, the horse Leonardo designed for Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan. The two works differ in material and scale, while referring to two different motifs from Leonardo’s work. If you are interested in art, the sculptures offer specific details that let you explore these connections.

Another place to visit is the baptistery of the Chiesa di Santa Croce. It houses “Il Battesimo di Leonardo”; the baptismal font in which Leonardo was probably baptised has also been preserved. The wording is deliberately cautious: it is considered likely, but not certain, that he was baptised at this font. Admission to the Chiesa di Santa Croce is free. As access arrangements may change, it is advisable to check the latest conditions before your visit.

Guided tours and family activities

The guided tours “Alla scoperta del Genio” can combine the Museo Leonardiano, Vinci’s historic centre and the Casa Natale del Genio, with an expert guide. The tour brings together several places in Vinci rather than limiting your visit to a single exhibition destination. Families can also take part in the “Una domenica con Leonardo” programme, which features hands-on activities involving building, observing and inventing. Some dates also include visits to specific museum sections or Leonardo’s machines. These visits are therefore not part of every session.

The 2026 edition of the Festa dell’Unicorno was the 20th and featured fantasy, science fiction, steampunk, horror and medieval programming, as well as activities for families and younger children. This description refers to the 2026 edition and says nothing about future dates. For your stay, you can choose between art and exhibitions, a walking route, a guided tour or a programme of events scheduled for a specific period. Which options suit you depends on which of these activities you want to include in your visit to Vinci.

Discover more destinations: Vitolini, Zona Industriale Di Mercatale, Pelago, Signa, Massarella, San Godenzo, Fucecchio, Marcoiano.

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