Discovering the Hidden Tuscany: the Casentino Valley
Casentino is the area of Tuscany surrounding the upper course of the Arno River, from its source to the city of Arezzo. Casentino is a land of castels, parish churches, abbeys, monasteries, fortified medieval villages and spiritual retreats. It is rightfully considered to be one of the most beautiful valleys of Tuscany and it was here that St. Francis of Assisi establishedthed the Franciscan order and St. Romuald built his hermitages. That is why the Casentino is often referred to as 'the valley of the soul'.
The Casentino extends either side of the Arno to a width of between 30 and 60 km. The larger towns are all located along the Arno course, the biggest being Bibbiena and Poppi. The villages located on the neighboring hills and mountains are typically smaller. These includes Chitignano, Chiusi della Verna, Montemignaio, Ortignano-Raggiolo and Talla.
Stia is the first village of the Casentino that the Arno crosses in its flow from the sources of Mt. Falterona. It was in the local wool factory that the famous green and orange-red Casentino fabric has been produced since half of XIX century. The town's layout still speaks of this not-yet-forgotten identity: first and foremost the old marketplace in Piazza Tanucci, site of the old wool-processing shops and rightly called one of Italy's most beautiful squares.
Following along the Arno path, Poppi is located on a hill overlooking the river, right in the middle of the Casentino. Since Poppi is still out of the beaten track, it remains wonderfully unspoilt. In Poppi's historical centre there are several restaurants, but if you need more choice, have a look in the new part of town (Ponte a Poppi) down the hill.
The castle of Poppi is the most important historical building of the whole Casentino. Having always been used as residence for the local authorities, it is one of the best preserved of the whole Tuscany. If you are dreaming about a 'Tuscan wedding', you will be amazed to know the castle is now owned by the Poppi Community and its main room is thus available for civil wedding celebrations.
Only a few miles down the road from Poppi, Bibbiena is a lovely medieval town with many pretty shops and a weekly market. One of the most interesting attractions here is the Theater, Scene Design and Costumes Museum established in 2005. As its name implies, the museum is dedicated to the art of theater and each of its many sections deals with the history of a particular type of theater, including Greek Theater, Roman Theater, Renaissance Theater, until Modern Theater. A few miles from the center of Bibbiena you can visit Serravalle, a mountain fortification, complete with a medieval tower.
Following a B-road up from Bibbiena you can reach the tiny village of La Beccia. Here you can park the car and take the paved road up to the enormous rock formation where St. Francis and his followers set their house in 1230. In the shadow of the "Crudo Sasso" of Monte della Verna you can find the town of Chiusi, a settlement that developed for the most part in the late 19th century as a welcoming place for the numerous pilgrims heading to the sanctuary.
If the steep walk has made you hungry, there is no need to be worried. Casentino is also famous for some of the tastiest food specialties ever to come out of Tuscany. A pork sausage called 'Sanbudello' and the local ham ('prosciutto') are both quite popular among residents as well as tourists. Other local products not to be missed includes the 'Abbuciato' cheese along with chestnuts, mushrooms and the red potato of Cetica, cultivated with traditional methods and used in the preparation of 'tortelli'.
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This article is part of a series meant to describe some travel itineraries in the lesser known areas of Tuscany. You can find similar articles covering the Lower Maremma, Lunigiana and the smaller islands of the Tuscan Archipelago.
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