Everywhere in Casentino valley you will find invaluable signs of history and art.
Villages scattered in the valley have either a castle, a square or walls which are the magnificent heritage that the middle ages and renaissance left in these lands. Close to Fattoria di Marena we have Bibbiena village and Poppi village.

Tuscany Casentino valley: out of the beaten track, discover the true Tuscany

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.

Poppi village: The magnificent castle 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. After the end of Conti Guidi Family, it was the place where Florence's Vicars lived. It has meny similarities with Palazzo Vecchio in Florence It shows a facade with mullioned windows with 2 lights and a high tower, it is surrounded by walls and a large moat. The castle is well conserved and contains the Rilliana Historic library (incunabola and manuscripts) a small museum about the famous Campaldino battle (1289) and a Chapel with Taddeo Gaddi's frescoes. The castle is open all the year long with an entrance fee (4 euros in 2004). Being the castle owned by the Poppi Community, it is even possible to celebrate a civil marriage into the castle main room. Bibbiena, the village of Bernardo Dovizi Are you enjoing sight-seeing in Bibbiena? spend a visit to S. Lorenzo church to have a look on: ADORATION of the Shepherds (BIBBIENA; ANDREA DELLA ROBBIA) DEPOSIZIONE (bibbiena) 2 km away from Bibbiena the marvelous Renaissance Monastry of S. Maria del Sasso (XV century) showing some more Della Robbia works The Casentino valley offers some more Monastries: S.Maria del Sasso is a pure example of Florentine Reinassence art, simple and with an extraordinary architectural charm, includes frescoes, stained-glass windows, glazed and gilded terracotta (Robbiane) and a wooden sculpture by Donatello School 1347, June A white paloma has been seen several times on the top of a big stone, close to the river Vessa. June the 23th, 1347 the young Caterina, 7 years old, meet in the same place a lady with a white dress. She is the "Madonna" and gives to Caterina a message of Peace. 1348 Beato Martino built the first chapel. 1486 a new church was built on a project of Giuliano da Maiano, under the protection of Lorenzo dei Medici, "the Magnificent" Foreste Casentinesi National Park 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. Casentino: where peace and silence have favoured the contemplation of God and Nature 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. La Verna is the Monastry where St. Francis spent the last years of his life and received his Stigmata in 1224. S.Maria delle Grazie Sanctuary near Stia (XV century) a Florentine Reinassance building with Ghirlandaio style frescoes

History and Art Landscape National Park Products Sports Poppi Zoo Art Towns

Andrea and Giovanni della Robbia and their assistants: 48 "Robbiane" in Casentino Even if Luca della Robbia was a marble scultor working in the same period of Brunelleschi, Ghiberti and Donatello, (a Cantoria =choir loft he carved for the Duomo of Florence is in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo) the name "DELLA ROBBIA" is usually associated with masterpices in enameled terra-cotta with white figures against a blue background that where made with a special formula invented by Luca. His first important work was a "Resurrection" he made in 1442, it is above the door of the Sacrestia Nuova in the Duomo of Florence. The style was continued by Luca's nephew Andrea and by Santi Buglioni and other assistants till the sixteenth century. Casentino churches, Parishes and Sanctuaries shows 48 works, no one was made by Luca, but the valley offers nice works by Andrea and assistans. Do not loose Andrea's Annunciation (La Verna Monastry) and Adoration of the Shepherds (Bibbiena, S.Lorenzo Church). Arezzo: the town of Piero della Francesca's masterpieces, Antiquaria Market, Benigni's "La vita è bella" 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. markets and products The valley is also known for some typical products like Panno Casentino tissue, Casentino's ham and cheese, restaurants offer tastefull typical dishes. Tuscany and Umbria Travel Tips 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.

Tuskany, Umbria and......