Pontelungo: Trails, River and Churches

Pontelungo is best explored through its trails, river landscape and the history of its churches. If you would like to combine your stay with walking routes and regional architectural history, it is helpful to look at the different routes and destinations. This will help you decide in advance whether you are more interested in a climb towards Montalbano, a stretch along the Ombrone or the different historical periods.

Trails with different routes

At the entrance to Pontelungo, the Romea Strata reaches the Ombrone Pistoiese again. There, it turns left towards the slopes of Montalbano. After a few kilometres, the route climbs through woods, vineyards and olive groves in the hills. This changes the character of the route described: at the entrance to the town, the route meets the river again; later, it climbs into the hilly landscape.

The Pistoia–Serravalle section of the Cammino di San Jacopo also begins in Pontelungo and leads to the Convento di Giaccherino. Another route branches off from the Cammino at first and leads down into the valley to the Torrente Vincio di Montagnana; it then loops around the hill back to Pontelungo. If you are weighing up different routes, you can choose between a later climb towards Montalbano and a described alternative that includes a stretch through the valley and a return to town.

The Ombrone floodplain and riverside trail

An environmental trail runs between the right- and left-bank levees and through the floodplains from Pontelungo to Gello. Check the signs and the condition of the surface locally before using this trail. The broad Ombrone floodplain in this section has dense riverside vegetation. Its birdlife partly resembles that of typical wetlands south of the plain; what you may be able to observe can vary by season. The comparison with other landscapes and the reference to birdlife offer a different perspective on the river area from the routes leading towards the hills.

Churches from different eras

The history of San Piero in Vincio can be placed in context using several dates. A document from 1185 mentions the church under the name S. Petri Vico Petrosi. In the 13th century, San Piero in Vincio was recorded as dependent on the Pieve di Groppoli. The present church was built in 1645. The early written mention, the later ecclesiastical classification and the construction date of the present building are therefore clearly distinct from one another.

The present-day church of S. Pancrazio a Celle also brings together different architectural periods: it was renovated in the 18th century and still preserves traces of Romanesque building structures. In the Pistoia area, it is considered the church with the earliest documentary record. Its history thus combines an early documentary reference with visible older building structures and a later renovation.

The Romea Strata also leads to the Church of Santi Pietro e Girolamo in Collina. This present-day church was built in the 1990s to a design by architect Giovanni Michelucci. Its age, compared with that of the older churches, makes exploring different architectural histories a topic in its own right, alongside the routes and river landscape.

Getting around by bus

Autolinee Toscane bus route 76 is called Pistoia FS–Pontelungo–Ramini–Case Soldi and includes the PONTELUNGO Ombrone and PONTELUNGO stops. Check the timetable before travelling, as schedules and services may change. When planning your trip, you can consider the bus connection alongside the routes described as a separate way to get your bearings.

Discover more destinations: Santomato, Sarripoli, Arcigliano, Cireglio, Bottegone, Sammommè, Piastre, Piteccio

For the overview of the wider area: Pistoia.