FATTORIA di MARENA, your Tuscan Farm!
Casentino is where the Arno river is born (then goes on to Florence and Pisa):
the valley is shaped like a basket, with mountains all around. Here the peak of Monte Falco reaches 1658 m (5440 ft).
Casentino is a deep-green land of Castles, romanesque Churches, Sanctuaries.
Large stretches of woods, dominated by silver firs and beeches are found inside the 'Foreste Casentinesi' National Park.
The National Park "Foreste Casentinesi" lies on the northern Appennine crest between Tuscany and Romagna, where deer, wild boar, eagle and even the wolf use to live.
The Park covers an area of 36.000 hectars, mainly covered with woods of firs, oaks, beechs and chestnunts.
Istoric roads, climbing Appennines recall closeknit ties between the valley and Florence, Romagna, Arezzo
Everywhere in Casentino valley you will find invaluable signs of
history and art. All Villages scattered in
the valley have either a castle, a square, a church, or walls which are
the magnificent heritage that the middle ages and reinassance left in these
lands.Some of the castles
lie in ruines, but some are magnificent, like Poppi Castle:
the Castle of the Guidi Family in Poppi Village was built in the XIII century.
Everywere you can find masterpieces of Della Robbia school and of famous painters like Sandro Botticelli, Cola da Camerino, Domenico del Ghirlandaio and Bicci di Lorenzo.
The landscape is great, breathtaking. Village and sites are not overcrowded, actually, and that make siteseeingh enjoyable expecially if you are travelling with children
for your family holidays.
The National Park "Foreste Casentinesi" lies on the northern Appennine crest between Tuscany and Romagna. It covers an area of 36.000 hectars. Here the peak of Monte Falco reaches 1658 m (5440 ft). Here River Arno flows towards Florence. More than 80% of the park is covered with woodland: silver fir woods near Camaldoli monastry, century old beeches covering La Verna mountain near S.Francis Monastry, big chestnunt trees, mixed woods of oak, maple, elm. The park areas welcome the richest fauna in northern Appennines: roe deer, red deer, fallow deer, all them may be spotted while feeding in the park meadows and clearings. Wolves find in the park an ideal habitat. More than 80 resident bird species, and eagles too, nest in the woods.
The Foreste Casentinesi National Park includes Monastry of Camaldoli: Camaldoli was estabilished in 1012 (S. ROMUALDO, Camaldolesian Congregation) Monastry of La Verna is the Monastry where St. Francis spent the last years of his life and received his Stigmata in 1224.
Arezzo, only 30 km away, is famous for the largest ANTIQUARIA market of the all Italy (each month, 1th sunday) for the marvelous old town, for the Saracino Giostra (twice a Year) and for the Piero della Francesca masterpieces.
The valley is also known for some typical products like Panno Casentino tissue, Casentino's ham and cheese, restaurants offer tastefull typical dishes.
Florence is only 55 km away. From the valley you can easly reach also Umbria (Trasimeno lake, Assisi, Spello). Excursions to Rome and Costa Adriatica (Rimini, Cervia) are also a possibility.