Length of walk: 6 km
Time needed: about 3/4 hours
Gradients: 426 m. uphill, 110 m. downhill

Map from the "Istituto Geografico Militare" Authorization n. 4546 of 22-1-'97

The Borro (gulley) of San Giorgio as it descends the wooded slopes of San Donato

This walk starts out from Osteria Nuova, from the crossroads at Via Ubaldino Peruzzi and Via Roma and heads in the direction of San Donato. The white building of the Church of Church of San Giorgio a Ruballa is visible on the right, as well as the tree-covered hill of Montisoni with the Church of San Lorenzo standing on the top. Shortly after passing through the village of Osteria Nuova, you will notice a large building known as La Brusca; a little further on, turn off into the stony track known as Via del Fossato which heads down towards the valley crossed by the stream of Borro di San Giorgio and then goes under the Florence-Rome Motorway via a narrow underpass; on the way you can find the Memorial Stone to Ivo Lazzeri and Giovanni Mutolo, two partisans who were executed by the Nazis.
The Borro of San Giorgio is crossed by a paved ford which stands near a place called the "Colonie". Its name comes from the heliotherapeutic colonies that were organized along the banks of the stream under the Fascist government. Today this place is partly smothered in weeds and partly occupied by vegetable gardens but the righthand bank of the stream, a little further down the valley, still gives an idea of what it was once like.
The track crosses the stream at the ford and then slowly starts to climb uphill until it reaches the shady woods of Montisoni. The path runs round to the rear of the ancient building of Casa La Lastra and then turns sharply to the left. For a while it goes through the cultivated land around the house and then the woods take over again. The path eventually comes out onto the road that links Montisoni and San Donato in Collina.
Turn left at the crossroads in the direction of San Donato. The ancient road follows the line of the sloping hillside, passing through areas of mixed woodland and chestnut groves; it carries on past Casa Belvedere, runs alongside Villa Baldasseroni and eventually leads to the crossroads near the cemetery of San Donato. You can enjoy many picturesque views over the surrounding hills and the village of San Donato on the way. After the cemetery, turn right along the straight road that goes past several rows of houses in the direction of Il Fico.

Church of San Lorenzo at Montisoni, with Florence in the distance

Much of the road is on level ground and passes through groves of young chestnut trees intermingled with the occasional oak tree. Continue walking after Il Fico for a short stretch of road before turning off to the right, ignoring the road for Il Faeto. The country track winds steeply up towards Poggio Firenze through oak woods and chestnut groves growing amid thick undergrowth.
You can admire a series of views over the Upper Arno Valley on the way up the hill. Shortly before reaching the top, you will notice a stony downhill path on the right (CAI route OO, marked with a "red and white" signpost). Take this path and continue walking down the steep slope until you come to the great field or "Pratone" of Fonte Santa (the Holy Spring), dominated by an ancient and monumental chestnut tree. Turn left here until, a little further on, you come to the remains of the ancient Maremmana road, followed by the Refuge and the Fonte Santa.