How to reach the Casentino from Florence and Arezzo: regional roads, the railway and the first glimpse of the valley that leads to Borgo Tramonte.
The Casentino, a valley to reach unhurriedly
Hidden among the wooded folds of the Tuscan-Romagnol Apennines, the Casentino is the valley where the Arno is born, on the slopes of Monte Falterona, before flowing down towards Florence and the sea. It is an almost oval-shaped territory, enclosed to the north by the ridges of the Foreste Casentinesi National Park and to the west by the crest of the Pratomagno, which separates it from the Valdarno. Twelve municipalities make up its mosaic, among them Bibbiena, Poppi, one of the Borghi più belli d'Italia, and Pratovecchio Stia, home to the National Park, linked by roads that climb gently past castles, Romanesque parish churches and centuries-old forests. Arriving here, whether from Florence or from Arezzo, is already part of the experience: the landscape changes gradually, the plain gives way to woodland, and the air grows cooler the closer you come to Borgo Tramonte.
Getting here by car
From Florence: through Pontassieve
Those setting out from Florence take the Strada Statale 67, heading towards the municipalities of San Godenzo and Londa. Past the town of Pontassieve, the road turns onto the Strada Regionale 70, which leads directly to the municipalities of Pratovecchio Stia, Poppi and Bibbiena. It is the most direct route for those leaving the Tuscan capital who wish to reach the heart of the valley, crossing the first hills that separate the Florentine Arno basin from that of the Casentino, further upstream.
From Arezzo: the Strada Regionale 71
From Arezzo, the main access route is the Strada Regionale 71, which climbs northwards through those same three municipalities, Bibbiena, Poppi and Pratovecchio Stia, the administrative and cultural heart of the valley. From Bibbiena, for those wishing to continue on towards the Sanctuary of La Verna, the Strada Provinciale 208 branches off in the direction of Chiusi della Verna. It is the most natural gateway for travellers arriving from the south, from the city of Piero della Francesca, following the Arno upstream towards its source.
By train, following the valley
The Casentino also has its own railway line, with stations at Bibbiena, Poppi, Pratovecchio and Stia on the Casentino side, and at Pontassieve and Contea-Londa on the Mugello side, useful connections for those who prefer to leave the car behind and travel following the course of the Arno. Information on timetables and connections is available on the Trenitalia and Trasporto Ferroviario Toscano websites. For some time now, a special carriage operated by LFI, La Ferroviaria Italiana, has also been running along the valley, designed to introduce the Park's territory to those who travel as far as Arezzo and then continue northwards through the woods.
The National Park, the first stop of the journey
As soon as you enter the Casentino, the territory reveals itself for what it is: the gateway to the Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona e Campigna National Park, whose headquarters are in Pratovecchio, in Palazzo Vigiani. It is a detail that says a great deal about the character of the valley, a place where nature is not a backdrop but the very reason for the journey, between the Sanctuary of La Verna and the hermitage of Camaldoli, watched over by the same forests you pass through along the way.
Pratovecchio Stia, a hinge between two provinces
Pratovecchio Stia is a relatively young municipality: it came into being on 1 January 2014 through the merger of Pratovecchio and Stia, two towns that for centuries lived side by side along the Arno, at an altitude of 441 metres. Its territory borders several municipalities in the province of Florence, including Londa and Rufina, a geographical detail that makes it, more than others, a natural hinge between the Florentine world and that of the Casentino. It is no coincidence that the Foreste Casentinesi National Park has its headquarters right here, in Pratovecchio: a territory that looks towards both Florence and Arezzo, without belonging entirely to either.
The final stretch, towards Borgo Tramonte
Whether you arrive from Florence descending the SR 70, or from Arezzo climbing the SR 71, entering the Casentino marks a change of pace. The roads become narrower and more winding, one village follows another on heights crowned by medieval castles, and the valley draws close around the river that runs through it. It is here, between the municipalities of Pratovecchio Stia and Poppi, that the journey to Borgo Tramonte finds its final stretch: a route that, rather than a distance to be covered, is an invitation to slow down, letting the most authentic Tuscan landscape serve as a prelude to the welcome that awaits at journey's end.
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