My favorite things to do in Certaldo, Tuscany

Certaldo, nestled among the rolling hills of Tuscany, is a small village full of history, art and tradition. It’s truly bringing the past alive through its medieval alleys, hidden gems of art and postcard-like landscapes of the surrounding Tuscan countryside. It’s tiny enough to be visited in a half a day and it will surprise you: there are so many things to do in Certaldo. This charming village is also a perfect stop between Florence and Pisa if you are having a road trip through Tuscany.

Certaldo: how to get there and move around

To Certaldo From Florence:

• by train. Regional trains are leaving from Santa Maria Novella Station. You might have to change train in Empoli)
• by car. Take the Firenze-Siena RA03 highway. Take the Tavarnelle exit and follow directions.

In both cases you will arrive in the lower (and newer) part of the village, where there’s a parking.

From here can reach the ancient village on the top of the hill with the funicular railway. Now you can move on foot. Just walk around, get lost in the quiet streets, enjoy the soft colors of stones, bricks and the sky.

Things to do in Certaldo

House of Giovanni Boccaccio

Certaldo is famous for being the home town of Giovanni Boccaccio, the famous medieval writer of Decameron. He is celebrated and remembered in almost every corner of the village. You can also visit the house of Boccaccio: it is not original because it has been totally destroyed and rebuilt, and there is little left of medieval (for example a pair of curious 1300 slippers found during the excavations under the house). But it still worth a visit, as it’s a place where to learn more about the great writer, the entrance is really cheap (2 euro) and the view from the top of the tower is really beautiful.

Palazzo Pretorio

Do not forget to visit also the Palazzo Pretorio, with its beautiful façade decorated with the coats of arms of the Pretori who ruled Certaldo in the past: those in glazed terracotta are works of the famous Florentine Della Robbia workshop. Wonderful frescoes are covering the rooms of the building and evidence of the past is in every stone. Since it also served as a civil court, you can visit not only the Chamber of Knight, where the audiences were held, but also the dungeons. Small, damp and dark, the dungeons were divided into men’s and women’s and today they are still pretty spooky.

Benozzo Gozzoli’s Tabernacle

Among the things to do in Certaldo there is the church of the SS. Tommaso and Prospero, right next to the Palazzo Pretorio. Abandoned for centuries, deconsecrated and even used as a warehouse, today the church has been recovered and is used as a conference room and for hosting small exhibitions. But above all is home to the wonderful frescoes of the Tabernacolo dei Giustiziati of Benozzo Gozzoli. This incredible work of art was located along the Via Francigena and was needed to give the last spiritual comfort to those condemned to death sentence; the frescoes have been moved indoor to protect them from the damage of weather and atmospheric agents.

If you are an ancient art lover, also visit the Museo d’Arte Sacra (Museum of Sacred Art), it’s small but displays some true hidden gems, such as the wonderful thirteenth and fourteenth-century paintings from the church of Santa Maria a Bagnano.

Mercantia, street theater festival

During the second half of July in Certaldo takes place Mercantia, a festival celebrating street theater and street music, that takes place every year through the streets of the whole village. The atmosphere is magical, it’s a very engaging event attracting artists and visitors from all over the world. Mercantia is an excellent excuse for organizing a trip to Certaldo and its nearby! For more information visit the official Mercantia website with dates and events of the next edition.

An onion heaven

One of the things that you absolutely must taste in Certaldo are its onions. Red and particularly sweet and tasty, onions have been famous since the Middle Ages. They were also mentioned by Boccaccio in the Decameron, in one of the most popular of his humorous novels. Today the Certaldo onions have also become a Slow Food presidium. If you want to bring home something typical, the Certaldo onion jam goes along so well with seasoned Tuscan pecorino!

No doubt this is one of my favorite villages on the Tuscan rolling hills. Here there are more Tuscan villages you should visit.

Want to discover more things to do in Certaldo with a local tour guide? Get in contact with me and let’s arrange your Tuscan countryside getaway!