Impruneta
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Impruneta

Impruneta

Chianti hill town south of Florence, long known for red terracotta tiles, pots, and kilns.

Impruneta is a small town in the Chianti hills, just 13 km south of Florence. It has been famous for centuries for its terracotta — the distinctive red clay tiles and pots that you see across Tuscany are often made here. The town's kilns have been firing since at least the Renaissance, when Brunelleschi reportedly sourced tiles from Impruneta for the dome of Florence cathedral.

The main square, Piazza Buondelmonti, is dominated by the Basilica of Santa Maria dell'Impruneta, which houses a venerated icon of the Virgin Mary attributed to St Luke. In October, the Fiera di San Luca is one of the oldest agricultural fairs in Tuscany — livestock, food, and of course terracotta.

The surrounding countryside is classic Chianti: olive groves, vineyards, and cypress-lined roads. Just west of the town, the Florence American Cemetery is a sober counterpoint to the surrounding vineyards. Impruneta makes a good base for visiting Florence without staying in the city.

Guide

Getting There in Impruneta

Impruneta is around 13 km from the centre of Florence. For those with private transport, the area is easy to reach using the A1 motorway, leaving at the Firenze-Certosa exit. If coming from Siena, take the Siena-Florence dual carriageway to the end. From Florence, go through Galluzzo or the Piazzale Michelangelo and the Poggio Imperiale, crossing the area of Pozzolatico and Mezzomonte.

If travelling by train, alight from the Florence-S.Maria Novella station or the Florence Campo di Marte station.

If travelling by plane, the nearest airport is the Florence-Peretola "A. Vespucci".

Guide

Things to Do

The town's centrepiece is the Basilica of Santa Maria dell'Impruneta on the broad main square. Beyond the church, Impruneta is about terracotta — the local clay has fired the tiles and pots of Tuscan villas for six centuries, and a few family kilns still open their doors to visitors. In October, the Fiera di San Luca takes over the square for one of the oldest agricultural fairs in Tuscany. Nearby, the Florence American Cemetery is a sober counterpoint to the surrounding vineyards.

Guide

When to Go

Impruneta is pleasant to visit year-round, but spring and autumn are the best seasons — mild temperatures, green hills, and fewer visitors than Florence. The annual festivals are reason enough to time a trip.

Primavera in Piazza (Spring in the Square), last ten days of May. Piazza Buondelmonti and the Basilica cloisters fill with displays of plants, terracotta objects, local craftsmanship, and an antiques exhibition.

Festa dell'Uva (Grape Festival), last Sunday in September. Since 1926, the four districts of the town have competed with allegorical floats built from huge quantities of grapes, accompanied by short performances and neighbourhood pride. The festival predates the Chianti Wine Consortium by a year.

San Luca Festival, throughout the week of San Luca (18 October). One of the oldest festivals in the area, dating back more than a thousand years. Originally tied to the seasonal movement of livestock and cattle trading, it now brings market stalls, meals, horse races, and local produce.

Impruneta Natale, December. A show-market of extra virgin olive oil in the weeks before Christmas.

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