Vicopisano
A strategic village 20 km from Pisa, Vicopisano was contested between Pisa, Lucca and Florence until the Florentine conquest of 1406. With its 13 medieval tower-houses, the fortress designed by Brunelleschi and Romanesque parish churches, it is one of Tuscany's best-preserved villages.
About 10 minutes by car from La Tana del Cinghiale
Brunelleschi's Fortress and the towers
After the Florentine conquest, in 1440 Filippo Brunelleschi designed the Rocca Nuova and reinforced the defensive walls, making Vicopisano the administrative centre of the Lower Valdarno. The 13 medieval tower-houses and the Clock Tower — open to the public — mark the village skyline.
The Palazzo Pretorio with its Vicarial Prisons testifies to the village's judicial power. At nearby Caprona stands the Rocca degli Upezzinghi: Dante Alighieri took part in its siege in 1289, an experience he recalled in the Divine Comedy.
Oil, ceramics and thermal waters
Vicopisano lies on the Pisan Mountains Oil Route: olive groves of Frantoio, Leccino and Moraiolo produce a Tuscan IGP extra virgin oil, fruity and slightly peppery. Historic mills offer visits and tastings all year round.
The village boasts a centuries-old ceramics tradition: artisan workshops still handwork terracotta clay ("mota"). Nearby, the naturally effervescent thermal waters of Uliveto have been known since medieval times.
Romanesque churches and trails
The Pieve di Santa Maria holds 13th-century frescoes and a wooden Deposition sculpture. The Pieve di San Jacopo a Lupeta and the Pieve di Santa Giulia at Caprona complete a heritage of great Romanesque value.
From Vicopisano numerous trails climb Monte Pisano. In spring the Festa dei Camminanti celebrates hiking; in September the medieval festival honours the village's history with costumed re-enactments.
We're getting everything ready to welcome you
La Tana del Cinghiale will open in 2027. The country house is being prepared to offer accommodation immersed in the Tuscan countryside. The apartments will be available as holiday rentals.
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