Bagno a Ripoli rises in the south-eastern part of Florence, along the area extending between the Arno and the Ema rivers. The place name comes from a compound name of "Bagno" (bath), with reference to some ancient bathing thermes, and of "Ripoli" coming from the Latin word "ripa" that literally means "bank".
Etruscan in origin, in the III-th century B. C. Bagno a Ripoli was an important trading centre, known as "Quarto" because the town was placed along the so called "Via Cassia" four miles away from Florence. During the XIII-th century the Legacy of Ripoli formed comprising some close territories and it had some administrative and militar functions. Then it was conquered by Florence and it was enriched by building numerous villas and gardens (as for example, the Medici's Villa).
Not to be missed are St. Peter's Church, St. Catherine Oratory, St. Mary Church in Quarto and the Pretorian Palace.