Bucine

Bucine is a lively village lying among Florence, Arezzo and Siena.  Because of its particular position, it has been strategically momentous since the Roman Age. This lovely place became even more important during the Middle Ages, when contended among local seigniories and big cities.

Bucine is located in the Valdambra, at 207 metres above the sea level, and counts nearly 9000 inhabitants.

In the XIII century, the main local authorities were the Counts Guidi of Modigliana, that in 1225 put themselves under the municipality and protection of Arezzo. Afterwards Bucine has been contended between the noble families Ubertini di Chitignano and Tarlati... squabbles among nobles swept away from the Republic of Florence, that made Bucine residence of the podestà in 1335.

Here you will be able to admire the Romanesque parish church of Galatrona, as well as the church of St. Apollinare and the Castle of Galatrona.

Set up into a league known as “Lega di Valdambra”, Bucine supported Florence during its campaign in order to annex the properties of the Counts Ubertini, which were conquered between the fourteenth and fifteenth century.

Under the the Medicean Grand Duchy, Bucine became a marquisate, given to the family of Vitelli by Ferdinand II, in 1654.

The village underwent another change during the Napoleonic Empire becoming, in 1811, one of the “mairies” (town hall) of the Prefecture of Arno. When the Empire collapsed in 1815, Bucine was reintegrated into the Grand Duchy, getting the status of “Podesteria del Bucine Valdambra”: a huge territory including 24 towns under the municipality of Arezzo. That is why the area of Bucine still has such a wide extension.

Not to be missed...

• St Mary's Abbey, known as Badia Agnano;
• "Festa della vecchia battitura" – from the 13th to the 16th of July, Bucine celebrates the ancient wheat threshing with a suggestive parade of old agricultural tools and the possibility to taste the typical local food, like the roasted “locio”, sipping a delicious glass of wine.
• "Festa and Fiera San Salvatore" – from the 15th to the 18th of September

In Bucine you will easily find out the reason why Tuscany has always been considered the Italian heaven of relax and good life style.