The Casentino is one of the four main valleys in Arezzo’s province. It’s the valley of the first stretch of the river Arno, which originates from mount Falterona (1654 m.).

Mount Falterona and mount Falco (1658 m.) forms the northern boundary of the valley on border with Romagna. Alpe di Serra and Alpe di Catenaia separates, in the east, the Casentino from the Tiberina valley.

To the west, the Pratomagno separates it from the Valdarno Superiore. The Falteronas western mountains group separates the Casentino from the Mugello valley.

The landscape varies from large forests of the mountain areas to flatlands and hillsides of the valley.

The particular characteristics of the area are probably one of the reasons that induces St. Francesco d’Assisi to choose the Verna (now site of a Franciscan monastery) as a pray place, and St. Romualdo to found the hermitage of Camaldoli.

The valley is divided into 13 towns, part of the mountain community of the Casentino: Bibbiena, Capolona, Castel Focognano, Castel San Niccolò, Chitignano, Chiusi della Verna, Montemignaio, Ortignano Raggiolo, Poppi, Pratovecchio, Stia, Subbiano e Talla.

The main Casentinos centres are Poppi, which is part of the club of “most beautiful villages in Italy”, and Bibbiena, the main industrial and handicraft centre.

Photogallery for a relaxing holiday in the Tuscan countryside

Relaxing holidays on a agritourism and country hotel with spa in Bibbiena, Arezzo, Tuscany

The Casentino