Mugello day trip from Florence
A day trip to the Mugello from Florence: the Medici castle of Il Trebbio and the Villa Medici at Cafaggiolo, lunch or a picnic by Lake Bilancino, the old town of Scarperia with the Palazzo dei Vicari and its knife museum, the Pieve di San Lorenzo in Borgo San Lorenzo, then Giotto's house at Vespignano. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Mugello in 1 day
Day 1
Villa del Trebbio (Medici castle)
Fortified Medici villa on a wooded hill near San Piero a Sieve, rebuilt by Michelozzo for Cosimo the Elder; part of the UNESCO Medici villas.
Villa Medici at Cafaggiolo
Castle-like Medici villa in the Sieve valley, remodelled by Michelozzo, where the young Lorenzo the Magnificent spent summers; a UNESCO Medici villa.
Lake Bilancino
Reservoir lake below the Medici villas, with lakeside paths, beaches for a summer swim, small bars and picnic spots by the water.
Historic centre of Scarperia: Palazzo dei Vicari and Knife Museum
Walled town founded by Florence, its Palazzo dei Vicari covered in carved coats of arms and home to the museum of local knife-making.
Pieve di San Lorenzo, Borgo San Lorenzo
Romanesque parish church of the Mugello's main town, with an unusual hexagonal bell tower rising above the old centre.
Giotto's House at Vespignano
Small museum in the stone house where, by tradition, Giotto was born, in the hills near Vicchio with views over the valley.
Watch: Mugello
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
Getting there
From Florence it is about 40-50 minutes by car north on the SS65 Bolognese road through Vaglia, or on the A1 motorway to the Barberino di Mugello exit. Regional trains on the Faentina line reach Borgo San Lorenzo in about an hour, but the villas and Vespignano need a car.
Staying in Florence? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Mugello
Late April to June and September to October are the best months, with green hills, mild days and open villas. Summer is warm but fresher than Florence, and autumn brings chestnut and mushroom festivals to the villages. The Italian MotoGP at the Mugello circuit, usually in late May or early June, fills every road and hotel. Winter is quiet and some sights open only on weekends.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Mugello on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Mugello on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Mugello on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Mugello
- A car makes this day work: the two Medici villas and Vespignano are in the countryside, and buses between the Mugello towns are infrequent.
- Il Trebbio and Cafaggiolo are privately owned and shown on guided visits; book both before the trip and check which days they open.
- Scarperia has made knives for centuries; the Knife Museum is in the Palazzo dei Vicari, and workshops in town still sell hand-made pocket knives.
- Avoid the weekend of the Italian MotoGP at the Mugello circuit near Scarperia, when the roads and villages are packed.
- Lunch in the Mugello means tortelli di patate, the local potato-filled pasta; on a fine day Lake Bilancino is good for a picnic instead.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Historic centre of Scarperia: Palazzo dei Vicari and Knife Museum: Zebra48bo, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lake Bilancino: L3O, Public domain
- Pieve di San Lorenzo, Borgo San Lorenzo: Vladimir Menkov, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Villa Medici at Cafaggiolo: Giano II at English Wikipedia, Public domain
- Villa del Trebbio (Medici castle): Sailko, CC BY 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
