Stage 24

San Giovanni Valdarno-Laterina

These areas were routinely traveled by medieval pilgrims, heading to holy places including Loreto (remember that the route had the name Via Aretina-Lauretana). This is evidenced by place names (e.g., Spedaluzzo), documents, and buildings historically used to serve them: in Montevarchi at least three ancient hospitals are mentioned, dedicated respectively to the Madonna, St. Michael and St. Anthony, erected between 1200 and 1300. The route continues up the Arno for a few more kilometers on the left bank to Lèvane. After this locality you pass over a bridge and continue on the right bank. Here it is worth visiting the Bandella and Inferno Park-Reserve, whose name refers to a legendary tradition according to which Dante crossed the river thanks to a ferryman named Charon, like the character in the Aeneid: we leave it to you to deduce the consequences that such an encounter had on the “Comedy.” As in so many other parts of Italy, here too the ancient roadway now spills over into the modern one, with a car flow that makes it unsuitable (and unsafe) for bicycle and pedestrian travel.Therefore, in these cases, subject to the correct identification of the ancient road routes, which we strictly respect, nearby routes are proposed, often with a dirt bottom. Climbing the hill on which Laterina is located is a bit tiring, but the historic center is really beautiful and worth the small effort. Just before the village, a very short detour is suggested to the charming (but impassable) Romito Bridge, over the Arno River, dating back almost a thousand years.