The Water Paths in Sesto Fiorentino

In 2021, Publiacqua SpA launched a call for proposals aimed at promoting water resources, entitled “I Cammini dell’Acqua” (water paths), through the creation or maintenance of routes across the region, promoting gentle and sustainable mobility, with the aim of highlighting the cultural, natural, historical and anthropological role that water plays in the development of local communities.

Four themed trails have been identified in the municipality of Sesto Fiorentino, linked to the watercourses that run through the area:
-  the Morello Springs Loop, which links up with the Rimaggio stream, a tributary of the River Bisenzio that rises on the slopes of Monte Morello. The route starts at the Gualdo Mill, one of the oldest in the area, and passes through a series of small waterfalls and ponds before reaching the village of Colonnata.
- the Terzolle Valley Loop. The ‘Luca Faggi’ nature trail, which runs alongside the Terzolle stream, in an area designated as a ‘Protected Natural Area of Local Interest’ (ANPIL), characterised by the presence of numerous buildings of historical and artistic interest: the so-called Roman Bridge, which actually dates back to the Lombard period; the parish church of Cercina, an important example of Romanesque art in the area; and the memorial stone commemorating those killed in the Radio Co.Ra. massacre (an underground radio station run by the Action Party).
- the Zambra Stream Loop, a watercourse situated in the southernmost part of the Monte Morello massif. The route begins and ends at the park of Villa Ginori di Doccia, characterised by the famous ‘viottolone’ – a wide, extremely steep dirt track lined with two rows of cypress trees, built in the 17th century, which climbs for a vertical ascent of around 500 metres over a distance of approximately 8 km. The loop also takes in the Villa di Carmignanello and the village, the Church of San Bartolomeo, the curious Spartimoglie bridge and the Fonte Giallina aqueduct.
- the Carzola Stream Hiking and Sensory Trail, designed to provide the greatest possible number of positive stimuli for the four main senses: hearing, sight, touch and smell. It comprises two routes, of varying lengths and levels of difficulty, complete with comfortable rest areas and signage that allows visitors to enjoy the trail fully at their own pace.