Empoli

Empoli is a town in the Arno valley between Florence and Pisa, best known as the historic centre of Tuscan glassmaking. Local glass production dates back to at least the 15th century, when the industry grew up making large containers for the region's wine; by the mid-19th century, Empoli's characteristic green flasks with straw-wrapped bases had become known well beyond Tuscany. The industry's golden age ran through the interwar period and into the 1960s–70s, when dozens of factories in the area employed thousands of workers, producing decorative pieces in the distinctive light-green "Empoli verde" glass, whose colour comes from the mineral content of the local sand. A glass museum in the town documents this history.

Empoli sits on the Florence–Pisa railway line in the Arno valley and is reached by train or road from either city.

The town centre is compact and walkable.

The Museo del Vetro (Glass Museum) documents Empoli's glassmaking history and displays historic pieces, including the town's characteristic green glassware.

Empoli glassware, particularly pieces in the town's traditional light-green "Empoli verde" glass, is the local specialty to look for.

Florence and Pisa are both reachable directly by rail; the wider Arno valley and Chianti countryside are also within reach.