Exiting the A1 highway, you’ll find yourself in a typical commercial area, confused but coherent, that takes us towards Borgo San Lorenzo, going through Barberino di Mugello, where you can visit Palazzo Pretorio and the castles and villas that dot the northern shore of Lake Bilancino. Created in 1999, it is the largest artificial basin in Tuscany, today a green oasis and a secret paradise for sailors and kayakers. A stop just to admire the view is highly recommended.

After the Yacht Club, set on the slopes of the dam, turn left towards Galliano, entering the wooded part of Monte Beccai. Immediately on the right, we suggest making an artistic detour in the direction of the of the Bosco ai Frati Convent, where a wooden naked Christ attributed to Donatello is preserved. Turning left, on the other hand, leads to the Oasi Naturalistica di Gabbianello nature reserve, whose varied ornithological fauna which is fascinating especially in times of the birds’ migration. In the background, Villa Le Maschere, which owes its name to 22 sculpted faces placed along the west facade, one rigorously different from the other. The landscape recalls vintage postcards, among soft rolling hills, rows of cypresses, and well-kept farmhouses. Whether you cross through Galliano, brought to the forefront by a recent Netflix commercial, or continue towards Scarperia, the impression you’ll get is that of a peaceful lifestyle in harmony with nature. The hilly landscape is sweet and the road is gentle, which follows the undulating course of the land and leaves the pleasant sensation of a journey stopped in time in a traditional Tuscan backdrop among ponds, farmhouses, cultivated land, and Medici villas, which follow one another until the entrance of Sant’Agata. Just before is the Bivio di Lumena, near and dear to the hikers of Via degli Dei: an idea for a possible detour.

Turning towards Gabbiano, we are now on the road that the Mugello owes most of its fame for as a pleasant place, both sweet and sour, historic and natural. The view is a memorable one, with the village of Scarperia on the left and the Lucigliano valley on the right, up to reach San Piero a Sieve, with its towers and the Medici Fortress designed by Baldassarre Lanci.

Continuing along the main itinerary, you arrive at Sant’Agata, with its Romanesque church on the left, proceeding in the direction of Scarperia, between 70s villas and restored farmhouses. One of the “Most Beautiful Villages in Italy,” Scarperia proudly stands going up towards the center through the east entrance between the church dedicated to Saints Jacopo and Filippo, and the fortress which was originally a Medici vicariate. Stopping in the fortified town center for some good food and the Mugello Circuit is suggested.

You leave Scarperia to cross the beating heart of Pianvallico, an industrial area which, surprisingly, hosts contemporary art initiatives, such as the Spazio Brizzolari exhibition, and some high-level artisan businesses. We then arrive at San Piero a Sieve, which from this side appears to be clinging to the hill. Here there are towers, villas, but also contemporary ferment, with cultural events and an interesting Academy. Crossing into Novoli and then continuing right towards Ischieti, an uphill and downhill ride well known to motorcycle enthusiasts. In front of us is the tower of the Trebbio Castle, where Giovanni dalle Bande Nere, one of the last great Italian leaders of the Renaissance spent long periods. Going down Ischieti, you enter the domains of the Villa di Cafaggiolo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is now being recovered thanks to a meticulous project of hospitality and culture that will be finished in a few years. After a beautiful tree-lined avenue, on the left you will pass through a tunnel to enter the panoramic Rivalago, dedicated to the cyclist Gastone Nencini, originally from the village of Bilancino. Churches, farmhouses, and Medici villas dominate above the only equipped beach on the lake, accompanying us to the village of Cavallina, where you can get back on the A1 highway.