The best traffic-free bike rides around Scandicci

To be precise, it is Piazzale Leonardo da Vinci.

During the Angelus prayer on Sunday, July 20, 2025, Pope Leo XIV spoke a few words that resonate with the special dedication of the Madonna of Peace mentioned here: "I understand your feeling of being unable to do much in the face of this dramatic situation [of war]. You are in the heart of the Pope and the entire Church. I thank you for your witness of faith. May the Virgin Mary, ... the dawn of the new sun that has risen in history, always protect you and guide the world to a dawn of peace."

the very steep climb is amply repaid by the visit.

There’s a little pedestrian bridge, no worries for wet shoes.

quiet place

beautiful square, there is a view of all of Florence and it is a spectacle to see the planes taking off from the Peretola airport below

Not too long a ride but with challenging sections. The climb begins at the Oblate roundabout beyond the Careggi hospital. Follow the climb that goes towards Canonica along a road with very little traffic. The climb is not constant but is dotted with several steep climbs with gradients well over 10%, some sections at 15/16%. We continue until a crossroads where we will turn left then, after a few meters of flat road we will turn right towards Via di Feliceto Here the slopes become more important so much so that in the last climb the computer will mark a good 22%!! Once in Montorsoli we enter via Bolognese where the climb becomes a little easier until the crossroads on the left, but we can also continue straight on to reach Pratolino, which will take us to the former sanatorium with yet another climb at 14 %. Once at the top we turn right towards Pratolino Here we take the road that leads in the direction of Bivigliano, a valley with no challenging climbs. After a few km we will find a roundabout where we will continue straight on following the signs for Montesenario and immediately a large straight ahead of a few hundred meters awaits us which rises to 14/15%, then the road continues going up slightly and even flattening out in some stretches, you will find a couple more climbs but nothing major until the crossroads that lead to the convent. And here the road begins to drag, with peaks of 12/14%, in the middle of the forest until the final straight road which takes you directly to the steps of the church! A wonderful place where we can have a coffee or, if you go in winter or autumn, enjoy the absolute silence of the place! From here, wear a cape because it will be an all-downhill dive until Florence

The climb was also tackled by the Giro d'Italia and cannot be considered an "easy" climb. Let's look at it in detail. We start from the Colonnata area. The road immediately starts uphill at 6/7%, after about a km the road becomes gentler with gradients ranging from 4 to 6% up to the Ulivo Rosso area, from here after a very short descent the road becomes steep with the first straight stretch around 14% up to the first hairpin bend to continue in the woods for a couple of km with gradients around 8/10% with peaks of up to 16 before arriving at Morello's shop. From here, 800 meters of vertigo begin with peaks that touch, albeit for a few meters, 24% as reported by the computer. Once at the top in Gualdo, where you will find a road on your left, the road will continue with much more manageable slopes for 4/5 km up to the top where you can admire a beautiful view of Florence and enjoy an excellent sandwich at the restaurant that you will find on site