Engaging Getaways and Venues for:
Italy/Tuscany: Fiesole
While still available, the Florence Tourism Board has a surprising number of walking maps of the region surrounding Florence. The main problem is that, for now, they can only be obtained in the Florence Tourism Board on via Cavour 1r north of the Duomo, and some are in limited supply.
Below is a list of available maps and guides—please note Short Escapes cannot be responsible for maps that become out of print, and we hope interested created by this Short Escape will help spur new interest in publication and propagation of these maps.
The Renaissance Ring e-book—this is the one map we can guarantee is available to all. It’s available for $1.29 at Amazon.com in English, French, and German, and contains maps and extensive details on the various segments. It includes information on public transportation from multiple stops along the way.
The Renaissance Ring Trekking Map
A beautiful, full color map to 1:50,000 scale based on the detailed Italian military maps that provides the complete itinerary in beautiful detail.
Firenze Walking City Maps of the Florentine Region
The tourism board has created seven beautiful pocket booklets and maps detailing itineraries that surround the city in all directions. Each map booklet, numbered 1 to 7, focuses on a specific area, starting with No. 1, the Piazzale Michelangelo and its surroundings, which are just on the outskirts of the city. The others include:
No. 2—Heading West: Along the Arno River and Through the Trees to the Countryside of the Plains
No. 3—To the Southwest: The Bellosguardo Hills: The Countryside in the City
No. 4—To the Northwest: Through the Plains and the Hills: The Castello and the Medici Villas
No. 5—To the Northeast: Through the Mensola Valley and the Settignano Hills
No. 6—To the South: Galluzzo, an Extraordinary Region of Connections and Boundaries
No. 7—Upstream of the Arno: Along the River and Through the Trees
The Pilgrimage Route
The city of Florence and region of Tuscany have created a beautiful full-size map to 1:50,000 scale that traces the route of the ancient pilgrimage route from northern Europe to Rome as it passes through Florence and Tuscany. This Italian-English map contains walking directions, maps, and history for various itineraries along its route.
Guide Map of the Sentiero Delle Burraie
This beautifully designed map and guide focuses on the region to the northeast of Florence that was once the center of butter making, hence its name. The itineraries cross beautiful countryside featuring the meadows and other traces of a once flourishing industry here.
For information on private guide services provided to groups by Gianfranco Bracci, email him at gbracci@hotmail.com.
