“From square to square”, the long walk without ever crossing the Bisenzio

Prato, May 10, 2025 – At the first light of dawn, over 500 walkers set off from Santa Lucia, in Prato , to bring to life the 39th edition of “ Da Piazza a Piazza ”, an extraordinary adventure halfway between hiking and running, immersed in the mountains north of the city. Born in 1985 on the initiative of a group of enthusiasts from the CAI of Prato – Emilio Bertini Section – the event has its roots in the desire to explore and challenge the territory, following a challenging but fascinating route. The original idea was of about twenty members, including Paolo Masi and Luciano Marini, who on a bet decided to start from Piazza del Comune in Prato to reach Piazza della Pietà in Prato, without ever crossing the Bisenzio river. The route involved going around the source of the river, with a long climb and subsequent descent along the opposite bank. The first edition in fact took place in the opposite direction to the current one, which sees the departure from Santa Lucia and the route develop along the right bank of the Bisenzio.

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Today, almost forty years later, the event retains its original spirit: a "walk in the past" that unfolds for 75 kilometers divided into two days, with 40.2 km on the way there (and 2,400 meters of altitude difference) and 35 km on the way back (with 1,250 meters of altitude difference). The non-competitive walk involves numerous local associations, which guarantee assistance and safety along the route. Fundamental, as underlined by the race director Federico Castagnoli, is the contribution of Podistica Prato Nord, VAB, Misericordia, Soccorso Alpino and the Associazione Radioamatori, thanks to which communications remain active even in the most isolated points where cell phones have no coverage.

Over 100 volunteers mobilized to ensure the smooth running of the event. The numbers relating to food needs, distributed in the 11 refreshment points along the route, are also impressive: 600 hard-boiled eggs, 300 sausages, 60 kg of bread and the same amount of pasta, 100 kg of fruit salad, tarts and a large quantity of water to face two days of particularly hot weather. The arrival in Montepiano will be celebrated with a convivial dinner organized by the staff, in an atmosphere of authentic mountain brotherhood. Like every year, the photo shoot was curated by ETS “Regalami un sorriso” , which distributed a coupon to all participants to receive some of the photos taken along the route for free.