TUSCANY LAND OF ART AND MOTORS

The itineraries of “Travelling in ”

itineraries on two wheels itineraries on two wheels first itinerary · - - vallombrosa - stia - - arezzo

Arezzo / Loro Ciuffenna / Vallombrosa / Stia / Poppi / Arezzo first itinerary

Our motorbike itinerary starts from Arezzo, one of the most beautiful cities in Tuscany and of the whole of . On our two wheels we will ride through streets of rare beauty. Our itineraries can obviously be modified to meet individ- ual needs and desires. Every angle you will see and explore features views and landscapes that are hard to forget and will tempt you to make frequent stops to take photos to recall your trip. Loro Ci- uffena, Stia, Poppi are names that will linger long in the mind thanks to the unique moments they will gift you.

2 3 itineraries on two wheels first itinerary · arezzo - loro ciuffenna - vallombrosa - stia - poppi - arezzo

and appreciated all over Europe. Today exchanging ideas and experience in the the wide selection of red, white and also fields of colour and perspective. sparkling wines enjoys prestigious recog- San Domenico a Gothic church in whose nition. An excellent opportunity to find simple and linear interior is located a out more are the Giorni del Vino – the great wooden crucifix, a youthful work “Wine Days”: From April to October by Cimabue every Wednesday and Sunday winemak- ers’ premises open the doors of their cel- LORO CIUFFENNA (AR) lars scattered across the stunning land- This is one of the most characteristic scape of the Colli Aretini to all those who villages of the Upper Valdarno and is are interested in tasting their wines. listed among the “Most Beautiful Vil- Arezzo itself can be visited in a single day. lages in Italy”. The Pietri parking area, in Via Giuseppe The name refers respectively to the laurel plant and the river that divides it in two, Pietri, is easily accessible and reachable the Ciuffenna, whose waters have always and offers a fine view of the city walls that supplied energy to the mills and presses surround Arezzo and, most importantly, What to see: the central portal is the depiction of of the village and its surroundings. it has a lift up to the historic centre. The Medicean Fortress, an important the months. Sitting 320 meters a.s.l. it can be reached Despite heavy destruction of its me- example of 16th-century architec- The interior is simple and austere. with the SP1, the Setteponti road, the dieval heart during WWII, the centre ture, in the characteristic shape of a ancient Cassia Vetus Romana, a pano- preserves splendid mansions, churches, five-pointed star. It was desired by Co- ramic road that starts from Arezzo and monuments, and museums. simo I Medici to strengthen Florentine seems to have been designed specifically The Duomo (Cathedral), dominating the The remains of the Roman dominion over the city. for the joy of motorcyclists. city and the surrounding countryside, fea- amphitheatre which could arezzo which ended with the former’s The House of Petrarch, the “father of After parking at the foot of the village, Arezzo perches on top of a hill rising at surrender after the tures a small square, medieval towers, and Humanism”. In Via dell’Orto, just be- contain around 13,000 take the stairs and walk through the de- the meeting of four valleys, the Tiberina, (1289), fought, among others, by Dante white marble statuary. It was built in the yond the Tofano Well mentioned by people at the peak of its lightful typical streets and narrow alley- (known as “the valley of the Alighieri and Cecco Angiolieri. Cosimo I early 1300s but not finished until the mid- Boccaccio in a story in his Decameron, ways to reach the old town. splendour. soul” because of the many holy places – built the Medicean Fortress from Roman 1500s. Many changes were made over the is the seat of the Petrarch Academy of Camaldoli, Vallombrosa, and La Verna ruins, thereby contributing to their dis- course of centuries such as the bell tower Literature, Arts and Sciences. What to see: where Saint Francis received the stigma- mantling. Over time, however, the town with its unmistakable 19th-century spire. Palazzo Pretorio, its façade covered by Il Mulino: a still functioning water mill ta), , and Chiana. The name of the managed to win back a place in the terri- The interior has three naves, Gothically the colourful coats of arms of the fami- The Archaeological Museum behind the which is among the oldest in Tuscany. city is linked to many illustrious person- tory and to reaffirm its role by becoming held aloft with the zeal of pillars, arches lies who governed here. Roman amphitheatre. Its rooms house The Romanesque arched bridge: one alities and was the birthplace of: Giorgio an important cultural centre. The atmos- and ogival vaults, it preserves among oth- Palazzo delle Logge designed by Vasari Etruscan and Roman material and pre- of the bridges on the “road of the seven Vasari, , Guido phere that we breathe today is lively, with er precious items La Maddalena, a won- and featuring splendid arches and an- cious coral vases decorated in relief. A bridges” (Setteponti). Monaco, Francesco Redi, Petrarch… outdoor venues, bars, and restaurants derful fresco by Piero della Francesca and cient doors. Here today artisan shops, visit will help to better understand the The Church of Santa Maria Assunta Ancient origins. The oldest known men- specializing in the dishes of local culinary beautiful stained-glass windows by Guil- restaurants and bars enjoy a privileged city’s ancient past. tions of ancient Arretium date to the tradition scattered along the delightful laume de Marcillat. view of Piazza Grande. The Parish Church of San Francesco, Nearby: 9th century BC, and eventually it won cobbled streets of the centre or nestling Piazza Grande is easily the most beau- one of the icons of Arezzo’s urban land- The Parish Church of Gropina: A fas- a prestigious role thanks to its position invitingly under the Loggia del Vasari in tiful square in Arezzo, and among the scape. Inside, in the Cappella Maggiore, cinating Romanesque complex whose on the Via Cassia which made it a play- Piazza Grande universally known thanks most characteristic in Italy. Wide, ir- it accommodates the Legend of the True simple and austere interior invites prayer, er in ancient Roman commerce assur- to the cinema masterpiece by Roberto regular, and steeply sloping, it hosts an Cross, a famous cycle of frescoes by Pie- reflection, and meditation. ing it economic prosperity and a strong Benigni Life is Beautiful. antiques market, and twice a year, in ro della Francesca, a Renaissance mas- Le Balze: known as the Dolomites of position that only hit a crisis when the The classic dishes: Tuscan appetizers June and September, is the scene of the terpiece of inestimable value for whose Sand, have been declared a “Natural Pro- Romans prolonged the road as far as with cold meats and croutons, home- famous “Giostra del Saracino”. execution the artist was inspired by the tected Area of Local Interest”. Nestling in Florence which would come to supplant made pasta with meat sauce, mixed roast The Parish Church of Santa Maria is Golden Legend of Jacobus de Varagine. one of the most charming landscapes of it in wealth and importance. The city re- meats, everything washed down by ex- a notable example of the Romanesque The Museum of Modern and Medieval the Valdarno. gained importance in the Middle Ages, cellent wines from the hills of Arezzo. style. It has a singular façade, the low- Art exhibits the works of artists who an era to which the numerous towers The area boasts an ancient wine tradi- er order consisting of five blind arch- worked in the triangle between Flor- Vallombrosa (FI) date, but all of this came to a halt with tion, as far back as 1550 its Trebbiano, es and the upper part a triple order of ence – Siena – Perugia, moving between In the heart of Tuscany between Flor- Arezzo’s decision to declare war against a delightful fruity white, was known loggias. Of note in the barrel vault of the main cities of the time, sharing and ence, Arezzo and Siena, about 1,000

4 5 itineraries on two wheels first itinerary · arezzo - loro ciuffenna - vallombrosa - stia - poppi - arezzo

coes, the Rilli-Vettori Library custodian chrome terracotta by the Della Robbia a tower-castle, which dominates the of precious medieval manuscripts and workshop, a painted wooden Cruci- entire valley. It is said that Dante was incunabula. fix, the Madonna with Child in white held prisoner here after the battle of Not far from the castle, following the glazed terracotta by Andrea della Rob- Campaldino. Four kilometres away is the porticoes of Via Cavour, is the Abbey bia, a Christ at Supper in the House of Sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Grazie, of San Fedele built in the 11th century. the Pharisee by Simone Ferri, The As- completely surrounded by woods, built Among the works of art in its interior are sumption of the Virgin by the Maestro in 1428 on the site where, according a Giottesque crucifixand a precious Ma- of Borgo alla Collina, The Preaching of to tradition, the Madonna appeared donna with Child, fourteenth-century John the Baptist, an oil on canvas by to a farmer. The church conserves its panel by the Maestro della Maddalena. Giandomenico Ferretti. In the chap- fifteenth century layout, embellished by el of the Baptistery, an Annunciation terracotta works of Andrea della Robbia. Nearby: by Bicci di Lorenzo (1414). The Pala- Adjoining the church, the cloister of the Camaldoli: this monastery was found- gio Fiorentino, the heir of the ancient old monastery, which bears witness to ed by Saint Romuald in the 11th centu- residence of the Guidi Counts, rebuilt the function performed by this complex meters a.s.l., is Vallombrosa. Lying in the as a branch of the Vallombrosa Abbey. thick of a secular fir wood, this is one of ry and has guest quarters, an old-style at the beginning of the 20th century the mountain places above the hills of pharmacy, and a Baroque church con- at the behest of Carlo Well following Valdarno that definitely deserve a visit. taining works by Vasari. A few kilo- the neo-Gothic taste of the era, hosts What to see: The Abbey of Vallombrosa: metres away is the hermitage with the an interesting collection of contempo- Founded in the 11th century by San Gio- cell of Saint Romuald. rary art and is home to exhibitions and vanni Gualberto, and its Museum which conventions. preserves ancient manuscripts and anAl- STIA (AR) tarpiece by Ghirlandaio. The old centre of Stia, in the Casentino area, gathers around the main square, The Circuit of Chapels: An itinerary of Stia also hosts the chapels and shrines dedicated to Saint Piazza Tanucci, completely surrounded European Biennial of the John Gualbert, which winds for about by porticoes. The homonymous street 5km around the Abbey. is overlooked by the Parish Church of Blacksmith dedicated to the The panorama from the Paradisino ed- Santa Maria Assunta, a Romanesque forging of wrought iron. ucation centre: not far from the Abbey, treasure chest of the 12th century on the road that leads to Mount Secchi- with an 18th-century façade, which eta. preserves inside such treasures as the Not far from the village is the Castle The Experimental Arboretums: A col- Madonna with Child of the school of of Porciano, a significant example of lection of about 1,800 varieties of plants Cimabue, a ciborium in glazed poly- LAND OF ART on an area of 9 hectares. AND MOTORS

POPPI (AR) Apart from art history and cul- ture, Tuscany has always been Special features of this characteristic cen- one of the regions where motors tre of the Casentino area is the elliptical have made history in Italy. On its development of the village surrounded streets are written some of the by walls protected by towers. It is domi- most glorious pages of the “Mille Miglia” where the greatest drivers nated by the Castle of the Guidi Counts, from all over the world have done the local lords, erected in the 13th cen- battle on occasionally implausi- tury, today the Town Hall. The centre of ble routes over roads that are in- its mullion-windowed façade comprises sidious but with a unique charm. a tall tower. In the courtyard decorated The same roads are now sought out and appreciated by motorcy- with coats of arms, the main stone stair- clists from all over the world who way leads to an architraved doorway come to experience these curves with the coat of arms of the Guidi. Inside and tarmacs first hand, to feel a the Chapel with its 14th-century frescoes part of their history. is a salon with paintings and more fres-

6 7 itineraries on two wheels second itinerary · arezzo - - - - arezzo

Arezzo / Anghiari / Sansepolcro / Chiusi Della Verna / Arezzo second itinerary

The outline of ancient Volterra, the Etrus- can Velathri, looms into view perched stra- tegically on a hill that rises at the confluence of the Val di Cecina and the Val d’Era. What you are about to begin is one of the most captivating routes you can find in Ita- ly, with its continuous ups and downs, nev- er-ending curves and the traversing of some of the most beautiful villages to be found an- ywhere. To reach the Hermitage of La Verna means passing through the Casentine For- est, a rarely visited landscape. Tall trees, like huge columns erected by nature, with such dense foliage that the sky is obscured; the ribbon of tarmac full of curves that crosses it seems an intruder in this landscape. At each curve or small clearing encountered the de- sire comes to stop and capture this or that passage.

8 9 itineraries on two wheels second itinerary · arezzo - anghiari - sansepolcro - chiusi della verna - arezzo

eavily frequented by mo- Santa Maria delle Grazie, the Church of lar can be mentioned: La ragazza di Bube Orlando Cattani. It became one of the preserved the saint’s habit and a contain- torbike fans, it is easy to Badia, Sant’Agostino…), the mansions (1963), directed by Luigi Comencini, places where the saint loved to retire, and er with his blood. In the Chapel of the come across riders and and museums (such as the Renaissance based on the novel by Carlo Cassola and it was here, on 17 September 1224, that Stigmata, the real sacred and devotional h club members who meet Palazzo Taglieschi home to an art mu- Una Moglie Bellissima (2007) by Leonar- he received the stigmata. The first nucle- heart, the most emotionally intense mo- and greet one another on seum which preserves Della Robbia ter- do Pieraccioni. us of what would be developed into the ment for the faithful, the central wall is the road, regardless of what country they racotta works, paintings, and frescoes, Sanctuary of La Verna was Santa Maria dominated by a Crucifixion of Andrea are from. Once you have arrived there or the Museo della Misericordia, the SAN SEPOLCRO (AR) degli Angeli, the “little church” dedicated della Robbia. are ample parking spaces and refresh- Torre dell’Orologio (here known as “Il Defined the “Gate to Tuscany”, the by the saint to the Virgin of the Angels Chiusi della Verna vies with Caprese in ment points. Naturally, the most impor- Campano”), the Vicario Gardens… And town dominates the upper valley of who had indicated its location and size to Valtiberina as the birthplace of an out- tant section is the group of stone houses much more besides. There is the evoca- the . Its medieval heart closed be- him in an apparition. Entry to the com- and-out genius, Michelangelo Buonar- that constituted the Hermitage of Saint tive power of places that have been sites hind the circle of walls is abounding in plex with its basilica, begun in 1384, is roti, whom Vasari defined “the Divine” Francis, and the cave where he slept, of major historical events in the past. In mansions with priceless architecture, through a Renaissance portico. The Latin in his Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, where everything exudes mysticism. It is characteristic towers, and churches Cross interior is embellished by master- Sculptors, and Architects, a spirit sent to this corner of the Tuscan Val Tiberina (it pleasant to turn off the engine for a while that conserve precious frescoes. San pieces in terracotta by the Della Robbia Earth by God to show the perfection of seems that until the mid-1200s the Tib- and listen to the silence of this place, you Sepolcro was the birthplace of Piero family. In the chapel of the relics are art in all its aspects. er flowed down below, across the plain will end up charmed. No less fascinating della Francesca, its most illustrious beneath the village) on 29 June 1440 the is Anghiari, which already appeals from son, a painter and mathematician, and famous took place, afar with its houses perched among the among the leading players of the Re- Battista, the Cathedral of San Giovanni which saw the Florentine troops beat the rocks and its narrow streets that take us naissance, which he immortalized in Evangelista with the Holy Face, a wood- invading Milanese. This epochal clash, back in time. Here too, once you have his works. Unmissable is the Civic Mu- en statue of the Crucified Christ from which reaffirmed the hegemony of Flor- parked your bike it is recommended to seum housed in the ancient mansion the Carolingian era, the Medicean For- ence, was immortalized in the equally walk through the streets of the old town of the Residenza or Conservatori, a true tress of Giuliano da Sangallo and the famous fresco by in and stop to enjoy a good drink (a soft treasure chest of inestimable treasures House of Piero della Francesca. Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. A work, as drink since you will be riding again) in such as the Resurrection and the Polyp- September is a month full of unmiss- we know, that has been lost. There are one of the many characteristic bars you tych of Mercy by Piero della Francesca able appointments in San Sepolcro: some reproductions by other artists, in- will come across. These are just two ex- or San Quintino by Pontormo. An- the Palio della Balestra in Piazza Torre cluding Rubens, who had the privilege amples of what can be encountered on other must-see is the Aboca Museum di Berta, on the second Sunday of this itinerary, but there are many angles of being able to admire it before it was in the ancient and charming Palazzo September the Biennial of the Gold- to see and ride through. And now back covered over by Vasari’s successive redec- Bourbon del Monte dedicated to the smiths, the Biennial of Lace, the Con- in the saddle and prepare yourselves for orations of the Salone dei Cinquecento. ancient tradition of the use of herbs, vivio Rinascimentale a dinner with a truly unforgettable ride! Anghiari has repeatedly been chosen as the Museum of Ancient Stained Glass, Renaissance dishes in the splendid a setting for films. Two films in particu- housed in the Church of San Giovanni cloister of Santa Chiara. ANGHIARI (AR) The reconstructions of the Renais- Listed among the “Most beautiful villag- sance are supervised by the association es of Italy”, Anghiari has an Orange Flag Rinascimento nel Borgo. and is a Slow City… here life has differ- ent rhythms, colours, and perfumes, it runs in empathy with our inner being CHIUSI DELLA VERNA (AR) and in harmony with the universe. The This small village is perched on a hill. walls of this village, like so many splen- The territory of its municipality lies did medieval villages, seem to succeed between Casentino and Valtiberina, in in their heroic undertaking of defend- what is almost a trait d’union between ing the narrow streets, the alleyways, the slopes of Romagna and Tuscany. In the glimpses, the small squares, antique the centre of the territory is Mount Pen- shops, and restoration workshops from na, which dominates the whole Casenti- the impetuous assault of our frenetic and no area, with the Convent of Verna and whirlwind lives. This alone is more than the monumental forest of La Verna as enough reason to include it in our travel part of the Casentino forest. Verna, the destinations, to which can be added the sacred mountain of Casentino, was do- churches with their treasures (including nated to San Francesco in 1213 by Count

10 11 TUSCANY LAND OF ART AND MOTORS

Texts and images by Nando Carrega and Franca Spallarossa Drivers Valerio Boni and Valentina Bruno Graphics and page layout Sagep Editori, Genova Translation Alex Gillan

©2018 Toscana Promozione Turistica www.toscanapromozione.it

Editorial initiative carried out as part of the inter-regional project “Land of Motors - cultural and scientific itineraries of Italy’s motoring heritage.” 2005-2009