There is much more to Tuscany than the green hills and tree-lined boulevards of the world's imagination. Casentino, the valley between Florence and Arezzo that was chiselled out by the upper reaches of the Arno, represents the wildest, most untouched part of the region, where you can find yourself and find the peace that we so long for.
This article contains a few recommendations to help you enjoy your Casentino summer to the full.
One of the best ways to breathe the clean air is from the saddle of your bicycle, cycling the 600km-long route through the Casentino woodland, getting back into the vital rhythms of nature. You can, alternatively, walk through the perfect silence of the forests, until you stumble upon traces of human life in the form of little hilltop towns, perched on the Apennine slopes. Raggiolo, for example, is one of the most beautiful medieval villages in all Italy, and the perfect destination for anyone who wants to dive back into the Middle Ages. Or visit the centre of Moggiona, which lies between Poppi and Camaldoli and can claim to be the captial of porcini mushrooms.
The Pratomagno mountain range and its surrounding meadows promise a taste of the true wilderness. You will see wild horses roaming in the fields, sinuous and lithe, with their manes blowing in the wind. It is an unforgettable sight.
Don't worry if the day is too hot and sticky: you can always seek the shade in the National Park of the Casentino Forests. You can also sample the indescribable flavours of Camaldoli schiacciata, filled with game; for those who would prefer a taste of Casentino's 'poor cuisine', the timeless tortello alla lastra from Corezzo is a winner.
If you are in the valley, bring your picnic hamper with you to the hamlet of Steccaia, near Bibbiena, and throw yourself into the fresh waters of the Corsalone. One of Casentino's swimmable rivers, it nestles beneath the branches, in the wooded shade. But there is no lack of space: you can become one with nature by bathing in the cool waters, while young ones can enjoy themselves by playing around in the springs.
If you want to know more about the fish species that live in the river, go to Molin di Bucchio, the first mill to be found on the course of the Arno, not far from Pratovecchio Stia. This is where mountain aquaculture has been turned into a passion.
If you want to learn about the local cuisine of times past, which was defined by its spareness and by its exclusive use of what nature provided, why not go in search of woodland herbs, maybe in the company of a guide? You can also gaze over the wheat fields and ponder the old Grifoni mill in Pagliericcio, which for centuries has turned this natural bounty into flour for the Casentino villages.
But don't stop here. Step outside in the evening and see the sky as you have never seen it before, speckled with stars, backdropped by the silence of nature. And in July, you can have fun by running after the fireflies.
