San Piero a Sieve - Bivigliano - Vetta Le Croci

Length: 18 km 

Difference in altitude: +750 m; -430 m 

Time: 6 h  

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Starting from the historic center of San Piero a Sieve, follow the paved road with signs for the Medici Fortress. Once you get on, take the dirt road on the right and keep walking following the CAI Bo-Fi signs.  After a while you will have the opportunity to make a small detour to go and see the Medici Fortress of San Martino (closed to the public, however). The fortification occupies an entire hill: it dominates the town of San Piero a Sieve and a large part of Mugello. Its construction was strongly desired by Cosimo I de 'Medici to place a bulwark in defense of the possessions of the family and of the Florentine State as well as to satisfy the pressing requests of the local populations, tired of the continuous looting perpetuated against them by armies and bands from from the north. It is considered one of the largest Italian fortifications of all time. 

If you continue to walk you will come to an asphalted road. Take it, turn right, continue a few meters, cross the road and take the dirt road on the left that indicates “Trebbio, Cadenzano”. Continue on the path until you reach a large crossroads: here take the road on the left uphill. Keep walking on the Via degli Dei and you will meet on your right a tabernacle from 1664. Continue on the road that rises slightly and enjoy the view of the beautiful landscape around you where you can also see expanses of olive trees. Go on until you reach Trebbio. Take a small detour and go and see Castello del Trebbio up close (Top Ten 5.1).   

Go ahead and follow the signs CAI 17 Bo-Fi Bivigliano. The road continues and winds through the beautiful landscape of Mugello where you can always see olive trees, villages and tabernacles. Continue straight until you reach the state road to Florence. Turn left for Tagliaferro, go down until you meet again the CAI signs for Bivigliano on the wall that surrounds a large red house. Continue and pass a gate that takes you to the dirt road. After a while the signs say to turn left, leaving the dirt road behind and continuing into the woods. The path climbs and arrives at a crossroads: CAI 00 and CAI 00-60. Follow the first one turning right and continuing on the dirt road. Arrived at a small clearing with the name of " Camporomano " the path resumes to the right in the woods. Continue on the track until you reach an asphalted road and in the distance, on your right, you can admire the Badia del Buonsollazzo. Continue on the paved road until you meet the sign for Monte Senario on your left. The path continues uphill until it crosses a gate that opens onto an asphalted road: this is the road that leads to the Convent of Monte Senario.  After a stop at the Friars' refreshment point, take the dirt road that runs alongside the Convent on the right, go down the tree-lined avenue and take the path that goes down into the woods on your left and which eventually arrives on an asphalted road. Continue on the road until the path resumes at Vetta le Croci after about half an hour in the green and on your left.  This last stretch that leads to Olmo is completely open in an expanse of fields with breathtaking views. In fact, if you look closely into the distance, you can already admire both Fiesole and Florence from afar.