Let’s start with this article, a space dedicated to the TUSCANY EXPERIENCE to help you discover places in Tuscany that you don’t know or have only heard of.
When you decide to buy a property in Tuscany, it is important to know the area because starting from your needs, you can understand the characteristics and particularities of the place to choose the most suitable one for you and your family.
We decided to start from Cerreto Guidi in homage to the historic anniversary of Isabella’s Night.
This event recalls the Renaissance and the tragic or mysterious death of Isabella Dè Medici, which occurred in the Villa dei Medici in Cerreto Guidi.
By choosing a property in these places, it is possible to breathe in a suggestive atmosphere, thanks to the numerous properties still present, in typical Tuscan style.
A BIT OF HISTORY
Let’s start first from the name, Cerreto because it is a characteristic area for the presence of Cerri woods, a type of oak that is widespread in many central parts of Italy such as in Umbria and Lazio.
The first documented evidence regarding the existence of Cerreto dates back to around the 8th century AD, without forgetting the origins dating back to the Etruscans who left various footprints in the area.
Initially the name of the city was Cerreto in Greti and it was often called simply “Greti”, in reference to the slopes of the steep hill that stood near the river and which served as a natural defense from the floods of the Arno.
In 1086 the small city underwent a change, when the powerful Guidi family settled within its walls. The Guidi Counts were medieval feudal lords of the Casentino and replaced the word Greti with Guidi, thus making it their territory.
The Guidi Counts built a fortress, also called Castello dei Guidi, which was once located in the center of the city, made up of concentric rings. The castle dates back to the 14th century but unfortunately today it no longer exists because due to the debts that the Counts had accumulated, they had to sell it to the Florentine Republic, which divided the property to sell it to several families, including the Gatti family.
Subsequently the Dè Medici family and of them, Cosimo I, Grand Duke of Tuscany, after having stayed there as a guest, was fascinated by the beauty of the places and decided to make it his home to relax and be able to practice his favorite activities, such as hunting and walk in the middle of nature.
But not only that, because the area is a particularly fertile area for oil, wine and wheat which are still its flagship today.
He thus decided to build a “hunting lodge”, in typical Medici style, or the famous and majestic Villa Medicea that we know today.
Cerreto Guidi was a source of inspiration for the paintings and discoveries of Leonardo da Vinci, who lived in these places and among these hills; the painting he made of the city showed the shape of a fortified village with eight towers.
This is how it must have appeared at the beginning of the sixteenth century, before the works that transformed the ancient castle of the Guidi counts into one of the most beautiful Medici villas in Valdarno.
WHY BUY IN CERRETO GUIDI
The Cerreto Guidi area is suitable for those who also love experiencing nature, as it is full of paths to follow both on foot and by bicycle.
As anticipated, this territory is characteristic for the presence of Cerri, an oak which mainly has a landscape and naturalistic value because it draws the profile of the territory.
The term Greti, part of the original name, is in fact the steep hills that run along the bed of the Arno river and which have always acted as a natural defense against floods.
Its characteristic steep shape, overlooking the Arno, is due to the properties of the Cerreto soil.
The entire Cerreto Guidi hill, in fact, is characterized by soil with a high clay component.
The clay in the soil has always been a guarantee of quality for the great red wines, such as Chianti and the PGI extra virgin olive oil of Montalbano, and for all the other products of the land that have made agriculture flourish in Cerreto Guidi.
The territory maintains a rural aspect thanks to the cultivation of vines and olive trees which have contributed to creating a sort of orderly “garden-countryside” typical of the Tuscan landscape.
The Montalbano hills are a refuge for many animal species and a destination for outdoor tourism enthusiasts, as it is crossed by a dense network of hiking and cycling routes that allow you to reach the ridge at around 600m above sea level and explore every corner of this extraordinary natural area in the heart of Tuscany.
For lovers of food and wine specialities, a visit to the Montalbano oil and wine route “Hills of Leonardo” cannot be missed: an itinerary to follow by car or motorbike that allows you to touch all the municipalities of this territory and taste fine local products.
Many of the properties in this area maintain the typical characteristics of Cerreto construction and purchasing a property is an excellent choice for those who want to stay not only close to Florence which is 35 km away but above all in contact with nature without losing city habits.
