Palaia

PALAIA

Palaia is an agricultural town situated on one of the highest ridges that divide the valley of the Arno from the Era.

Of Etruscan origin, as evidenced by some findings, Palaia has experienced a period of relative prosperity in the thirteenth century, when they were built the church of San Martino, the original brick building where is held every year an international choral festival, and the Church of Sant 'Andrea, which preserves valuable works of art.

The memory of its agricultural traditions can be found in the surrounding area: the village of Montefoscoli today houses the Museum of Rural Life, where you can visit wineries, crusher and coppaio. The Museum of Labour and Rural Civilization of San Gervasio are exposed equipment, tools and even vintage tractors.

Palaia is a starting point for excursions of great scenic beauty, as the road through the villages of Colleoli (old castle now a palace), Villa Saletta (where the movies were filmed The Night of San Lorenzo and the Taviani brothers and Fiorile Napoleon and me by Paolo Virzi) and Toiano, uninhabited hamlet between rolling hills and harsh sandy badlands.

Among the events will signal the Medieval Festival (Palaia, third Sunday of September) and the Popular Theatre Festival (Villa Saletta, the end of June). If you are looking for curiosity, it takes place in July in Forcoli the original beauty contest "Miss Chubby", which sees the catwalk women from all over Italy provided more than 100 kg.

Palaia is also collecting area of the white truffle. Not surprisingly, it has recently established the River Park of the nose, first in Italy, where they are protected vegetation and water courses that encourage the reproduction of the precious tuber.