Discover Varna: Churches, Castles and Landscapes

Historic Varna: Castello Torre di Varna, Villa Capei, Castello di Fulignano and Leonardo’s map

Today, Varna is a small settlement of houses on the ridge road to the left of the Elsa. Castello Torre di Varna was built around the year 1000. Leonardo depicted Varna on one of his famous maps. Near Varna, Villa Capei preserves a tower and some wall remains. The wall remains are attributed to the medieval period. Castello di Fulignano is a castle in the area around Varna. The Canonica di San Giovanni in Varna was among the places damaged by the people of Volterra during a campaign against San Gimignano.

Historic ecclesiastical traces: Canonica di San Giovanni, Pala Gambassi and San Girolamo in Varna and Gambassi

The Canonica di San Giovanni in Varna is a single-nave church with a late Romanesque layout. It is documented as early as 1230. Next to the Canonica di San Giovanni in Varna, the Oratory of the Brotherhood of the Blessed Sacrament was built in 1577. In 1705, the façade was altered and the surrounding walls were raised. In 1785, the Canonica became a baptistery parish church. The Canonica di San Giovanni is located in the village of Varna, a few kilometres from Gambassi.

The Church of San Giovanni Battista in Varna houses one of two surviving copies of the Pala Gambassi in Gambassi. The San Girolamo complex in the Varna hamlet includes a 16th-century oratory. San Girolamo in the Varna hamlet of the municipality of Gambassi Terme is a Liberty-style villa. Those interested in culture can focus on the single-nave Canonica, the copy of the Pala Gambassi, and San Girolamo with its oratory and Liberty-style villa.

Museums around Varna: Museo Archeologico/Spezieria di Santa Fina, Torre Grossa and Museo della Tortura e della Pena di Morte

The museums in the area around Varna include the Museo Archeologico/Spezieria di Santa Fina, Torre Grossa and the Museo della Tortura e della Pena di Morte.

Mountains in the wider regional area around Varna: Monte Calvarino, Monte Maggio, Monte Vasone and La Cupola

Monte Calvarino is a mountain in the wider regional area around Varna. Monte Maggio is a mountain in the wider regional area around Varna. Monte Vasone is a mountain in the wider regional area around Varna. La Cupola is a summit in the wider regional area around Varna. La Cupola is therefore a summit; Monte Calvarino, Monte Maggio and Monte Vasone are mountains in the wider regional area around Varna.

Via Francigena routes near Varna and a separate historic trail from Montecarulli

The Canonica di San Giovanni in Varna is one of the ecclesiastical centres along the Via Francigena routes running farther below. A second historic route from the San Gimignano area led from Montecarulli to a ford of the Torrente dei Casciani farther downstream and then onwards towards Varna.

Further destinations in the travel area: Camporbiano and Badia A Cerreto.

To the higher-level travel overview: Gambassi Terme.