Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Poppi
6
Road map
E2.
only the monastery but the
original
eremo
(hermitage),
2.5 km (1.5 miles) away. A
narrow, winding road leads
up from the monastic complex
to the hermitage through
thick forest. This ancient
woodland, which is some
of the most ecologically rich
in Europe, was declared a
National Park in 1991.
The hermitage dates back
to 1012 when San Romualdo
(St Rumbold) came here with
a small group of followers, to
cut themselves off completely
from the outside world.
Today's monks lead a more
gregarious life, running a
small café in the monastery
below. As you descend to the
monastery complex you will
also pass numerous picnic
spots and some of the many
local footpaths.
The monks still tend the
magnificent beech and chest-
nut woodland that sur-
rounds the ancient
monastery, as their
predecessors have for
nearly 1,000 years. A
pharmacy, dating to
1543, now sells soaps,
toiletries and liqueurs
made by the monks.
There is a small,
privately owned
ornithological museum
across the road from
the monastery,
opposite the car park,
which illustrates the
area's rich bird life.
*
6,700.
£
Via Cesare Battisti 23
(0575 52 96 82).
@
n
(
Tue.
The older part of Poppi is
located high above the town's
bus and train termini. Its
splendid castle, the imposing
Castello di Poppi
, can be
seen from as far away as
Bibbiena
(see p196)
. Just to
the south of the town is the
Zoo Fauna Europa
, which
specializes in the conservation
of endangered European
species like the Apennine
wolf and the lynx.
Visible from Poppi, a short
drive to the northwest up the
Arno valley, is the 11th-century
Castello di Romena
where
Dante stayed as a guest of the
local rulers in the early 14th
century. Romena's
pieve
, dating
to 1152, is a typical example
of a Romanesque village
church.
+
Castello di Poppi
Tel
0575 52 99 64.
#
Façade of Santa Maria Assunta
in Stia
Stia
4
Road map
D2.
*
3,017.
£
@
n
Piazza Tanucci 65 (0575 50 41
06) (summer only).
(
Tue.
Stia is a bustling, attractive
village on the Arno. In the
main piazza is the Roman-
esque church of
Santa Maria
Assunta
, with a rather plain
façade. Inside is a 16th-cen-
tury terracotta
Madonna and
Child
by Andrea della Robbia.
There are two medieval
Guidi family castles close by:
Castello di Palagio
, with an
attractive garden, and the
Castello di Porciano
, which
houses an agricultural museum.
R
Apr-Oct: daily;
Nov-Mar: Thu-Sun.
&
7
partial.
O
Zoo Fauna Europa
Poppi.
Tel
0575 52 90
79.
#
9am-sunset daily.
&
7
+
Castello di
Romena
Pratovecchio.
Tel
Call Tourist Office for
info.
Santa Maria Assunta
Piazza Tanucci.
#
daily.
7
Castello di Palagio
Via Vittorio Veneto.
Tel
0575 58 33 88.
#
+
¢
for restoration.
&
+
Castello di Porciano
Porciano.
Tel
3290 20 92 58.
#
Jul-Sep: Sat-Sun, Tue.
by appointment only.
7
Camaldoli
5
Road map
E2.
from Bibbiena.
Tel
0575 55 60 12.
Monastery
#
@
9am-1pm, 2:30-7pm daily (to
7:30pm in summer).
Hermitage
Tel
0575 55 60 21.
8:30-
11:15am, 3-6pm daily.
Museo
Ornitologico Forestale
Tel
0575 55 61 30.
#
&
7
The monastery was
founded in 1046 and
today houses 40
Carthusian monks.
Visitors to Camaldoli
will want to see not
Castello di Poppi, which towers over Poppi and overlooks the entire Casentino
