On foot or by bicycle at the site of the Battle of Anghiari

A journey through nature and the history of the Renaissance in Tuscany

The excursion starts in the heart of Anghiari, going from the Museum of the Battle of Anghiari towards the “Palazzo del Marzocco.” Here you can relive the horrors and the glories of this famous battle and learn everything about this great event that changed the destiny of Tuscany forever. You can also learn about the history of the lost masterpiece by Leonardo Da Vinci.

The ring route of the excursion from Anghiari to Sansepolcro begins in the flatlands and finishes with a long uphill climb back to the historic center for a total of eight kilometers. Visitors can choose to do the entire route, round trip, for a journey of 16 kilometers. It’s an hour’s walk from the Museum of the Battle of Anghiari to the “Maestà della Vittoria.” This is the exact place where, on June 29th 1440, the league led by the Florentines defeated the Milanese league led by Filippo Maria Visconti.

Exiting the imposing walls of Anghiari through the “Porta S.Angelo,” you walk along the road, under the fortifications that helped the old town fend off the bloody assault. Next, you go down towards the flat area along the spectacular downhill road, built at the end of the 14th century, that connects Anghiari with Sansepolcro.

The area of the flatlands is where tobacco was grown until the 16th century. The tobacco was then transformed into the famous Tuscan cigars.

Your next stop should be the ancient Byzantine Church of Santo Stefano, where we can find traces of the passage of the Romans through the area as well as the transport of the ancient “maritata” grape. 

A little further along, you’ll encounter one of the old mills on the Reglia and the trench that leads to the “Maestà of Santa Maria” Chapel. This small chapel was built in 1441 to commemorate the famous victory and every year on June 29th the event known as the “Palio della Vittoria.”   This event begins here and involves an energetic uphill run towards the historic center. The event brings together athletes from all over Italy. From the “Maestà of Santa Maria” you can admire Anghiari in all its splendor. It’s like a picture-perfect postcard of one of the most beautiful villages ever.

From here the route continues towards Sansepolcro, through dirt roads that you can take by bike or on foot, skirting around the clear waters of the Tiber River.

For GPS tracking of the route, contact the Museum of the Battle of Anghiari: https://www.battaglia.anghiari.it/form/