This is the first in a series of articles dedicated to nature and the footpaths around Loppiano. The first is a simple walk from the home of the Italian Renaissance poet Francesco Petrarca, to the citadel of Loppiano.
Not everyone may know that Loppiano is criss crossed by a network of simple paths which give panoramic views of the natural beauty that can be found on this plateau with its typically Tuscan slopes. In this first article we present a very simple path that extends for nearly three kilometers from the town of Incisa to the St Mary Theotokos Shrine in Loppiano. And not only that! We make you live it also virtually, through a short video.
The path begins at Casa Petrarca, located in the upper part of Incisa. For seven years it had been the home of Italian poet, Francesco Petrarca (1304 – 1347) who wrote the famous lines of Canzoniere.
The beutifully rustic home is set among the other medieval homes in that place which seems to have remained frozen in time and offers such a vast view of the Arno River.
To get to the path that leads to Loppiano, you have to take Via 8 Marzo (March 8 Way), walk for about 100 meters and then take the path (on the right) that climbs into the woods. Soon, after the ascent, the view opens onto the landscape of hills between Chianti and Pratomagno. Continuing along the road, you reach the hamlet of the Claritas Spirituality Center, where the Religious from Loppiano live, along with citizens in the adjacent buildings. Surrounded by cultivated fields, continue along the path that leads to Via di San Vito (San Vito Way). From there the walk continues along the pedestrian street until you reach the St Mary Theotokos Shrine and Loppiano Auditorium. You made it!