Nearest Airport
: Florence
at 43
Kilometres
Nearest Beach
: Cecina
at 80
Kilometres
Nearest Ski
: Abetone
at 150
Kilometres
Nearest Golf
: Montelupo Fiorentino
at 30
Kilometres
Car: necessary
Certaldo is a town and commune of Tuscany, Italy, in the province of Florence, located in the middle of Valdelsa. It is about 35 kilometers southwest of the Florence Duomo.
Heading southwest, it is 50 minutes by rail and 35 minutes by car from the city of Florence. Heading north, it is 25 minutes by rail from Siena.
It was the home of the family of Giovanni Boccaccio, who died and was buried here in 1375
Boccaccio's house, of red brick, like the other old houses here, was restored in 1823 and furnished with old furniture. A statue of him was erected in the main square in 1875.
The Palazzo Pretorio, or Vicariale, the residence of the Florentine governors, recently restored to its original condition, has a picturesque facade adorned with ceramic coats of arms, and in the interior are various frescoes dating from the 13th to the 16th century.
The town hosts several festivals a year. The largest and most famous is Mercantia, a week-long party in Certaldo Alto. It involves numerous street performers from across Italy, Europe and even the Americas
'Piazza del Campo' is still used today for the well known Palio horse race which is one of the most famous popular Italian manifestations. It takes place every year on July 2 and August 16. The Palio is a historical secular tradition strictly connected with the origin of the Contradas of Siena (districts into which the town is divided).
