A Towering Pinocchio

By Linda Tancs

Carlo Collodi is the pen name of the Italian novelist responsible for the character Pinocchio. He reportedly spent a considerable amount of time in Collodi as a child, which is why the locale lays claim to the famous author. It’s where you’ll find Pinocchio Park, where you can walk through the story on themed paths taking visitors past statues of characters in the order in which they appear in the book. You’ll first be greeted by a towering wooden Pinocchio, touted as the tallest wooden Pinocchio in the world. It stands 63 feet tall if you count the 11-foot-high plinth. Collodi is easily reached by train or car from Florence.