Certaldo, glimpses of Italian adventure

Places to see in ( Certaldo - Italy )
Certaldo is a town and comune of Tuscany, Italy, in the Metropolitan City of Florence, in the middle of Valdelsa. It is about 35 kilometres southwest of the Florence Duomo. It is 50 minutes by rail and 35 minutes by car southwest of Florence, and it is 40 minutes by rail north of Siena. It was the home of the family of Giovanni Boccaccio, the poet of "Vita di Dante," and the author of the "Decamerone". He died here at his home and was buried here in 1375.
The town of Certaldo is divided into upper and lower parts. The lower part is called Certaldo Basso, whilst the medieval upper part is called Certaldo Alto. Certaldo Alto has limited vehicular access, for use by residents only. Visitors can park outside the walls or in the lower part and go to Certaldo Alto by the Certaldo funicular.
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.