A Tour around Pescia and the "Svizzera Pesciatina"

The main entry into Pescia is through the XVIIIth century gateway known as Porta Fiorentina [Gateway to Florence] which leads into the precinct of the parish church, the ancient nucleus of the town, once bounded by circular walls.

Just inside the gate, the XVIIIth century Convent of the Salesian nuns is worth visiting; the adjoining church of San Giuliano is a fine example of baroque architecture.
Past the parish church, which is today the cathedral of Pescia, one can admire the XVIIIth century church of S. Maria Maddalena, a striking testimony to the town's architectural heritage but also an important centre for religious activities, by virtue of fervent local veneration of a miracolous image of the Holy Crucifix.
Turning into Via del Seminario, the XVIIIth century fa+ade of the Convent of S. Chiara deserves a stop, as well as the imposing buildings of the Bishop's Seminar, which include an interesting cloister dating back to the Renaissance Age.
Continuing along Via Cesare Battisti, past the XVIIIth century hospital of the Saints Cosima and Damiano, and the church of S.Antonio Abate, one finally reaches Piazza S.Francesco (S.Francis' Square):
the convent after which the square was named, the elegant church and the Pacini Theatre all overlook the square.
The tour of the town centre now crosses the river Pescia:
on the right bank one finds the Viceroy's Palace, today the city Hall, and the Chancellor's Palace with its tall municipal tower overlooking the river and the hills on one side, and Piazza Mazzini on the other.
Just past the Vicar's Palace and Piazza Obizzi, the striking fa+ade of the church of Saints Stefano and Niccolao stands by the Civic Museum C. Magnani and the Palagio (Ancient Palace) with the L.Andreotti Gipsoteca ("Museum of Plaster Casts").
From the square before the Palagio one can enjoy a wonderful view of the Convent of Castello, built on the ruins of the Medieval Rocca di Bareglia (Fortress of Bareglia).
After returning to Piazza Obizzi, there is an interesting walk down the picturesque Ruga degli Orlandi (Orlandi Alley), bordered by the side of the church of SS. Annunziata and fine Renaissance palaces, leading to the Madonna PiS di Piazza ("Madonna of the Square").
From here one can leave Piazza Mazzini and continue on to Piazza Matteotti, where there is the former Convent S.Michele - today the premises of a high school - and up to Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, where the Museum of Natural Science and Archaeology is situated.
Finally, turning into Via Amendola, one finds the Mercato dei Fiori (the Flower Market), a building by the Florentine architect Leonardo Savioli, which has long been the seat of the important trade fair Biennale del Fiore (The Biennial Exhibition of Flowers).
Trading and commercial exchanges of the nursery garden sector take place at the Centro di Commercializzazione dei fiori dell'Italia Centrale ("Marketing Centre for Central Italian Flowers"), built by the architects L.Savioli, D. Santi and collaborators.
The spectacular fa+ade of the XVth century Convent of Colleviti dominates the fertile plain of the river Pescia.
Due to its position at the foot of the hills that form the north-west border of what was once an extensive marshland occupying the northern plain of the river Arno, Pescia enjoyed favourable connections to the routes between Lucca and Florence, and also drew considerable advantage from the vicinity of the Appennine valleys, along which grew a web of profitable activities centring around the paper industry.
Thus, Pescia's particular geographical position offers visitors a wide range of opportunities for wonderful outings both towards the hills of the Svizzera Pesciatina and on the plain towards Collodi and the Pinocchio Park.
For a more extensive tour in the beautiful hilly landscape of the Svizzera Pesciatina, take the village of Pietrabuona as a starting-point:
shortly beyond the village, there is a turn-off which leads briefly out of the valley of the river Pescia and enters the Val di Torbola (Valley of the river Torbola).
Further on, there is a left turn that winds up the steep countryside dotted with olive-groves and reaches the village of Medicina, which affords a fine view over the valley of the river Pescia and the whole plain of the Padule of Fucecchio.
Back in the Val di Torbola, by turning left again one can reach Fibbialla, after 2 km.
After travelling through an area with alternating chestnut and olive groves, past the turn-off to Aramo, one reaches San Quirico, where the landscape suddenly opens to offer spectacular views of the Appennine ridges to the North and the castles of the Svizzera Pesciatina to the South.
At another junction, a road offers a chance to climb up to Stiappa and Pontito or to go down towards the fine Romanesque parish church of Castelvecchio.
Beyond the church, by going down on the right, one may go back towards the Pescia river valley, with the possibilit of taking a turning to the castle of Sorana.
Returning to the road to Pietrabuona, past the turn-off for Vellano, the route goes back to Pescia and runs along the floor of valley, past many imposing buildings of the traditional papermill industry.