The Casentino and around
Moggiona is situated in the Casentino, the beautiful and unspoilt upper valley of the river Arno. The area around Moggiona was designated an Italian national park in 1991, because of its outstanding natural beauty. It includes a forest reserve with many attractive walks.
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Poppi castle |
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Arezzo - Piazza Grande |
Local sights/places of interest include:
- Poppi. Only 10 minutes' drive from Moggiona, Poppi has a full range of shops and services, some excellent restaurants, and an outdoor swimming pool. The actual town of Poppi on the hill has a very pretty old arcaded main street which leads up to the castle of the Counts Guidi (modelled on the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence), which is well worth a visit
- Camaldoli. Situated above Moggiona, the eremo (hermitage) of Camaldoli, founded in the 12th century, features a Baroque church with a fine Della Robbia enamel. It is also an excellent starting point for forest walks
- La Verna. A mountain-top monastery where St. Francis is said to have received the Stigmata. The Chapel of the Stigmata has some beautifully carved wooden choir stalls showing personalities of the time. Very atmospheric, especially the chapel where Christ is alleged to have appeared to Francis and the stone grotto where Francis prayed
- Arezzo. Only an hour's drive from Moggiona, the city of Arezzo is most famous for the (recently restored) Piero della Francesca frescos, telling the story of the Legend of the True Cross. Arezzo has a charming old quarter, which featured in Roberto Benigni's Oscar-winning film La Vita e Bella
- Sansepolcro, Monterchi. Birthplace of Piero della Francesca, Sansepolcro houses perhaps his greatest painting, the Resurrection, in the Museo Civico. Monterchi, not too far from Sansepolcro, is the home of another famous Piero della Francesca work, the Madonna del Parto
Florence, Siena, San Gimignano and other Tuscan towns are easily accessible for day trips.
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Madonna del Parto - Monterchi |
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Forest near Camaldoli |
Related information
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