Campi Bisenzio, The view of the plain between Florence and Prato

All around Florence! As far back as Canto XVI of Paradiso, Dante Alighieri, when speaking of the Florentine countryside, mentions ‘Campi’ amongst other places; however, its current name actually dates back to 1862, following the unification of Italy, when ‘Bisenzio’ was added to the name ‘Campi’ – to distinguish it from other areas of the town – in honour of the river that flows through the town and its flat surrounding countryside.

What to see in Campi Bisenzio

Campi’s long and distinguished history is reflected in the town’s symbol, the striking Rocca Strozzi, a rare, well-preserved example of medieval military architecture, which was built in the early 15th century to protect the town walls and still stands guard over a bridge on the River Bisenzio today. 
Inside, it houses the Gonfienti Archaeological Museum, dedicated to the ancient human settlements in the Gonfienti area, between Campi and Prato. During the Bronze Age, Gonfienti was one of the largest villages in northern Tuscany, inhabited continuously from the 16th to the 13th century BC.

The municipal area boasts many green spaces: the Villa Montalvo Urban Park, comprising 19 hectares of well-equipped public green space stretching around the villa of the same name (which, unfortunately, is currently inaccessible due to the severe damage caused by the 2023 flood). 
And then there is the Chico Mendes Park in San Donnino; also worthy of note is the Stagni di Focognano Nature Reserve, managed by the WWF: a complex of five ponds, reflecting the typical historic landscape of the Florentine Plain, which forms an essential part of the ‘waterways’ followed by birds during their spring and autumn migrations and is vital for the wintering and nesting of various species

Other interesting and alternative places to visit include the Officine Galileo Factory Museum, located at the Leonardo SpA Electronics Division plant (formerly Officine Galileo) in Campi Bisenzio, which bears witness to the area’s industrial heritage and is dedicated to the history of high-precision optical instruments.
The Carlo Monni Teatrodante, which opened in 1873 and is now a cultural centre for the Florence metropolitan area; the Antonio Manzi Museum exhibits over a hundred works donated by the artist.

A modern architectural masterpiece is the so-called ‘Motorway Church’ – the Church of St John the Baptist – at the Firenze Nord service area on the A1 Rome–Milan motorway. Commissioned by Società Autostrade in memory of the workers who lost their lives whilst building the Autostrada del Sole, the church was built to a design by Giovanni Michelucci between 1960 and 1964,

Campi Bisenzio is the place for large private wellness and shopping centres.  

Hiking and walking routes to Campi Bisenzio

Campi Bisenzio is crossed by a flat stage of the Renaissance Ring Road

How to get to Campi Bisenzio

At present, the best way to get to Campi Bisenzio is by bus number 30, pending the opening of the dedicated T4 tram line, which will link the centre of Florence to the town.

Download the "All Around Florence" brochure

To learn more about the history of the area surrounding Florence, download the brochure from the official tourism website of the Municipality of Florence and the Metropolitan City: Click here to download the brochure.