Are you looking for beautiful places to visit near Florence? Try Certaldo, a lovely medieval village not far from Florence. You can easily reach the Tuscan small town of Certaldo from Florence by car in about 50 minutes. First of all let’s make it clear that the right Italian pronunciation is “Chertaldo” even though people are accustomed hearing the anglicised version of “Sertaldo”. Among the places to visit near Florence Certaldo should certainly rank high. Watch this simple video with the town’s most beautiful views
It is worth visiting Certaldo at any time of the year but there are 2 really unforgettable moments.
1) Boccaccesca is an eno-gastronomic festival with many events for cooking, food and of course good wine. In 2017, it will take place in the first weekend of October. The name itself is emblematic because it is reminiscent of the great Medieval Italian writer Boccaccio. Boccaccio is the author of the Decameron and was the inspirational writer for Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. He is also one of the fathers of the Italian language. Giovanni Boccaccio is naturally the most illustrious son of the Tuscan town of Certaldo.
The subtitle of the initiative is “Festival of the products and of the pleasures of taste “. This year Claudia Palmieri, the artistic director of the event, explains the secret of this edition in this way.
“Boccaccesca is always looking for the beautiful and the good in the kitchen. It could not overlook the edible flowers, now used by the greatest chefs in their dishes. They are not just as a decoration but also as a real dish. Boccaccesca 2017 will be in the line of perfume, color and flavour of flowers! “
From 6 to 8 October 2017 Boccaccesca will transform Certaldo into the Italian capital of taste. The streets will be filled with stalls with delicacies from all over Tuscany and from many Italian regions. Excellent wines and artisan products accompanied by music and performances.
Boccaccesca always presents a very large programme designed to satisfy even the most refined palates. In addition to food there will be cooking classes, recipes of famous chefs and activities for children. here’s a short video of one of the past editions of Boccaccesca.
2) Mercantia (pronunced Mercantsia), is basically an international street theater festival. It is a giant live performance, probably the best of this kind in Italy.
It is held every year in Certaldo in July. The 30th edition took place from Wednesday 12 to Sunday 16 July, 2017. There are always countless events and shows, organised on the natural stages of the town. These stages are the squares, the streets, the gardens and the towers of the medieval village of Certaldo Alto.
Mercantia, is an event characterised by the highest concentration of shows per square meter in the world. It is calculated an average of 100 shows, more than 70 companies for more than 400 Italian and foreign artists. More than 25,000 viewers and about 50,000 presences between the medieval village (entrance with ticket) and the lower part of the city (free entrance).
This is our short review of one of the most beautiful places to visit near Florence. We offer you an excellent accommodation in Florence to which you must add a € 200 fee for the A / R transfer to Certaldo. This special offer also includes a 2-hour walking tour of Florence or a 2-hour crash course of Italian as a foreign language.