Things to do All around Florence! Impruneta (or l'Impruneta as Florentines say) is a town with a strong historical and cultural identity that can be found a few kilometres from Florence. Impruneta is famous in the world for its long-standing production of terracotta and is a place to see for lovers of artistic craftsmanship.

Things to see in Impruneta

Piazza Buondelmonti and historical festivals

The history of this place is rooted in the Buondelmonti family. In Dante Alighieri's masterpiece, The Divine Comedy, he tells us about their involvement in the conflict between the Guelphs and Ghibellines (two rival parties in medieval Italy). Their importance is evidenced in the naming of a piazza after them, where you can find the Sanctuary of Santa Maria dell'Impruneta with its late 16^th-century loggias and the Museo del Tesoro.

Located in the heart of Impruneta, the historic city festivals take place there, with Impruneta actively keeping its traditional festivals alive. One such festival is the Festa dell'Uva (Grape Festival), held the last Sunday of September. It sees the four city districts, Pallò, Sante Marie, Fornaci and Sant'Antonio, compete to construct the best float. The floats parade through the centre and can even measure over ten metres in height. Opened in 2020, the Grape Festival Archive Museum can be visited in Piazza Buondelmonti. It's a place designed to conserve documentary material and the itineraries of the festival, bringing together the traditions of the Impruneta community. The centuries-old Fiera di San Luca is one of the oldest livestock fairs in Europe. It takes place during the week of October 18th, the day celebrating the patron saint of Impruneta, Saint Luke the Evangelist.

Terracotta, kilns and olive oil

Impruneta is a magical meeting between ancient furnaces (which can be visited), farms and oil mills, olive groves and vineyards, churches, villas and museums. Famous for the manufacture of terracotta dating back to the Middle Ages, Impruneta's kilns and unique clay are known worldwide. Its terracotta is called Cotto di Impruneta, and in 1419, architect Filippo Brunelleschi chose it to build the Dome of the Florence Cathedral, creating an indivisible bond between the two places. The production in Impruneta benefits from the Artistic and Traditional Ceramics brand and forms part of the Tuscan ceramics, terracotta and plaster route.

Ugolino Golf Club

This historic golf course was built in 1933 according to a design by two architects from across the Channel: Cecil Blandford (English) and Peter Gannon (Irish). The Ugolino Golf Club Golf Course was nominated as one of the world's 50 most beautiful golf courses.

The 18-hole course is immersed in the spectacular scenery of the Impruneta hills, where the natural gradients make it very pleasant and exciting for players. The club also features an excellent restaurant. Learn more about Golf Ugolino Firenze and how the British community in Florence brought golf to Italy in 1889.