Borgo Artimino is quiet village at less than 30 kilometers distance from Camping Barco Reale. This village is famous among italians because of the Villa Medicea La Ferdinanda, but mass tourism has not discovered this beautiful hillside town.

There is a small medieval village that retained its ancient charm, just outside the hectic city life of Prato on one of Montalbano’s hills. It’s name is Artimino, also known as Borgo Artimino among italians.

This small town encloses countless great stories, wine, nature, and art. If you are not sure yet what to do while in Tuscany, we would highly suggest a visit to Artimino. Borgo Artimino is a medieval fortress that’s located in the heart of the rolling Tuscan countryside. This city is the right choice for you if you’re traveling with a family, don’t want to go through the hectic city of Florence with your kids, and if you just want a relaxing day strolling through a truly authentic tuscan city. This is the place to be for lovers of nature, wine, and peace.

Usually the main goal of visiting Artimino is to reach the search of silence, to find ease in this unchanged land. Stop and look over the Tuscan hills and the vineyards under the warmth of the sun. There are over 730 hectares of vine and olive oil yards. You can see views up until 60 miles away. In this village you can truly taste and experience the typical atmosphere of a Tuscan village.

It is not only possible to admire the area around us, there are also other activities that will keep you in this beautiful village.

Artimino, like most places in Tuscany, has Etruscan origins which can be discovered at the Municipal Museum of Artimino, which are exposed by the archaeological finds of the surrounding area dating from Etruscan times, as kits for the highly decorated wine and iron weapons .

You can also stop at the church of Santa Maria and San Leonardo. This church is a great sight even for those that do not closely connect with religion, because the architecture of the building is definitely worth to check out.

After crossing the beautiful front door of Artimino, marking the village’s entrance, you can make your way to the tree-lined street you are facing. This elegant street was once the main road, but today it is used for romantic walks to the famous Villa dei Cento Camini. The light breeze that finds a way between the high foliage of the trees is really pleasant, especially during the summer.

Halfway you can stop to admire the landscape, you can even spot some hares and foxes that wander around in the area where they live undisturbed.

If you don’t plan to end your trip at Artimino, then you can have a look at the wooden bulletin board showing a map that points out the different trails that are branching out in the surrounding area.

At the end of the road you’ll find the Tenuta di Artimino, an elegant building dedicated to wellness and high-end events. You can taste 100% local, 0 kilometer wine or book a massage.

The Villa dei Cento Camini can be visited, but you must make an appointment, and you will have to decide quickly. It is a popular destination for ceremonies and events given its royal character, and you may run the risk of not being able to visit in the days that you prefer.

Finally, after a walk in the park of the estate, you can end the visit with a bath in the Jacuzzi of the Erato Wellness SPA and purify yourself in the Turkish bath.

We’ve spoken before about the Villa dei Cento Camini, the main sight of Borgo Artimino, but what makes this villa so special?

The Villa dei Cento Camini is known by 3 different names, sometimes causing confusion among foreigners. When people talk about the Villa medicea La Ferdinanda, the Villa Medicea di Artimino, or the Villa dei Cento Camini they are all talking about the same villa.

The main characteristic of the Villa is the sight of the many fireplaces on its roof, this is why it’s called the “Villa dei Cento Camini” or “Villa of a hundred chimneys” in english. There are not really 100 chimneys in the villa, but every single room has a chimney, all different from one another. The villa has a total of fifty-six rooms, used today for ceremonies, meetings and events.

The Villa is positioned in the hills of Carmignano, in the little medieval village of Artimino. The legend says that the beautiful location was chosen by the Granduca Ferdinando I de’ medici during a hunting excursion. The house was projected by the architect Bernardo Buontalenti.

It took only 4 years to complete and was done so between 1596 and 1600. The Medici Family didn’t frequent the Villa much, however. Inside the villa you will be enchanted by the beautiful frescoes of the chapel, and you will also see the famous lunettes of Giusto Utens, which represent the Medici villas.

Every year parties are organized to celebrate the most important holidays, think about Christmas Markets and Halloween festivities in which the name of the Villa changes to “Villa Stregata” or “Bewitched Villa” in english. Another interesting event is the cocktail party "Bubbles". This glamorous event takes place during summer and guests are entertained by live performances, live music and DJ sets, and tasting rooms where you can taste some of the best wines of Montalbano.

In all honesty, all seasons of the year are good for traveling to Borgo Artimino. The villa of the hundred fireplaces is constantly animated by parties and events, so every day is a great day to visit. Keep an eye out on the website of the Villa if you really want to participate at one of the events.

Even though Borgo Artimino is great to visit during each season of the year, it’s best to visit the village during summer if you ask us.

This romantic village is only a 40 minute drive from camping Barco Reale in Tuscany, leading you to Borgo Artimino on a meandering mountain road. However, it’s also easy to reach on foot via trails that traverse Tuscany. If you want to take a walk, you should know that Barco Reale the walk is around four hours long from Camping Barco Reale, but for people that love hiking this shouldn’t be an issue.