The Route

What follows is a description of the sections of the route, travelling from Reggello to Arezzo.
The route starts from Pieve a Pitiana, 8km West of Reggello
Pieve a Pitiana

Pieve a Pitiana

From Pitiana, you initially head uphill, then descend, following sections of track and road as far as San Donato in Fronzano.
La chiesa di San Donato in Fronzano

La chiesa di San Donato in Fronzano

From San Donato you pass the castle 'I Bonsi'
I Bonsi

I Bonsi

and then reach Sant'Agata.
Sant'Agata

Sant'Agata

You then cross the Chiesimone stream to Giubbiani and climb up to Reggello.
Piazza Potente, Reggello

Piazza Potente, Reggello

After Reggello, comes Cascia, just 1km down the road.
Cascia church

Cascia church

From Cascia, you follow a small road to San Giovenale and cross the XVI century humback bridge.
The XVth century bridge of San Giovenale

The XVth century bridge of San Giovenale

Then, the ancient stone road takes you to the Medici villa of Mandri where you cross the via Setteponti for the first time.
A path through the woods takes us back on to a small road which leads to Casa Biondo.
Another looping track then leads to Campiano di Sotto and then down to Pian di Scò.
Pian di Scò church

Pian di Scò church

From Pian di Scò, the ideal route would lead down to the old Florentine Road, now a footpath that leads up to Castelfranco di Sopra.
Unfortunately, a landslide on the footpath has meant the the path has been closed for the last few years.
For this reason, from Pian di Scò, the route follows the Setteponti road itself as far as Castelfranco.
Badia a Soffena, Castelfranco di Sopra

Badia a Soffena, Castelfranco di Sopra

After Castelfranco is one of the treats of the whole walk, as you drop down to see the best part of the Balze rock formations, which stretch from Reggello almost as far as Arezzo.
The Balze rock formations

The Balze rock formations

Climbing up from the Balze, you reach Piantravigne, where you can look back and admire the Balze from a higher viewpoint.
Piantravigne

Piantravigne

From there, back up to the Setteponti and on to Malva where, after a section of road you dive into the wood and come out in Belpoggio.
Another track leads back to the Setteponti and on to a right fork down to Poggitazzi.
Now, through some fields and a marshy section you reach Montalto.
Currently, from Montalto you follow the Setteponti as the official route is blocked by vegetation.
500m after the Montalto junction, you take a left up 'Strada di Ronta', then follow a gravel track and cross fields until you come out on a road called La Carozzeria, above Montemarciano.
Following La Carozzeria downhill, to a fork, you turn left and loop up through woodland and down to Loro Ciuffenna.
In Loro Ciuffenna, don't miss the spectacular stone bridge
The old bridge, Loro Ciuffenna

The old bridge, Loro Ciuffenna

or the ancient water mill.
The old water mill, Loro Ciuffenna

The old water mill, Loro Ciuffenna

From there, a small road leads up to Gropina, a tiny hamlet famous for its ancient church.
Gropina church

Gropina church

Then, back down across the Setteponti, through a farm and olive groves as far as Montelungo.
Another stretch of Setteponti, with a diversion through Paterna
These two cypresses mark the point where you leave the Setteponti for Traiana

These two cypresses mark the point where you leave the Setteponti for Traiana

and you leave the road for a long stretch of track that leads to Traiana.
There, a small road leads to Campogialli.
From Campogialli, across the fields and some rough scrub, you reach San Giustino Valdarno.
After a brief stretch of Setteponti, a track leads to a rocky path, then a gravel road as far as Il Borro.
Il Borro

Il Borro

After Il Borro, a long stretch of gravel road brings you out with a view of Castiglion Fibocchi.
From there, via a road and track you pass near Rondine and Doccia, to get to Ponte a Buriano, believed to be the bridge in the background of the Mona Lisa.
Buriano Bridge

Buriano Bridge

Here, you cross the Arno river, climb a gravel path and follow a track as far as the ancient Chiana canal.
At Ponte a Chiani, you leave the Chiana canal, and from there the route follows footpaths to the centre of Arezzo.