The “Carolingian Village”
If you want a Tuscany day that feels both intelligent and genuinely fun, the Archeodromo is an excellent choice. Set on the hill of Poggio Imperiale inside the archaeological park of Poggibonsi, it is a 1:1 reconstruction of an early medieval village dated to the 9th to mid 10th century, often described as a Frankish period settlement linked to the world of Charlemagne. It is not “objects behind glass”. It is space, timber, thatch, tools, and lived gestures, designed to make the early Middle Ages understandable in the most direct way: by walking through them.
At a glance
- Drive time from Villa Vianci: 16 min
- Best for: families with kids, curious adults, history lovers, anyone who wants a hands-on cultural outing
- Time needed: 1.5 to 3 hours
- Booking tip: Sunday openings are easy, but special events and organised visits are best planned in advance
- Highlight: an open-air village with historic-dress “inhabitants”, demonstrations, and a setting that makes learning feel effortless
What to experience
Go in with one idea: this is experimental archaeology, so the value is in details. The village has the logic of a real settlement: buildings, working areas, storage, and daily-life spaces that show how people cooked, repaired, built, and organised the rhythm of seasons. The park’s official presentation frames the Archeodromo as a reconstruction of a Carolingian age village discovered on Poggio Imperiale, created precisely to translate research into an immersive visit.
If you are visiting with children, the Archeodromo works because attention stays naturally anchored. Instead of asking them to imagine, the place gives them anchors: the scale of a house, the feel of materials, the sense of “where things happen”. For adults, the experience is often a surprise in the opposite direction: it makes the early Middle Ages feel practical and organised, not abstract, and it adds depth to everything else you see in Tuscany.
A smart way to pace it, especially for Villa Vianci guests, is to treat it as a strong half-day core and keep the rest light. You can pair it with a gentle walk around the park area, or simply return to the countryside for lunch and pool time.
Practical notes
The Archeodromo is outdoors. In warm months, bring water and a hat, and choose comfortable shoes: you are walking on a hilltop park, not a flat museum floor. In cooler months, a light layer is useful even on sunny days, because the hill can be breezy.
Sunday openings are described as free and weather-dependent, so if the sky looks uncertain, check updates before you drive up.
If you want a more structured visit (families, school-style groups, or anyone who prefers a guided and organised format), the park also lists bookable educational and cultural services with a dedicated tariff section.
When
The Archeodromo is officially described as open for free every Sunday from 14:00 to 17:00, except in case of bad weather, with historic-dress village life as part of the opening.
Beyond Sundays, the calendar includes multiple special event days across the year (including themed experiences and occasional evening-style openings), each with its own timetable, so it is worth checking the official events page close to your stay and planning around the edition that best fits your group.
