Holiday apartment in Pratovecchio: art, forests and trails in Casentino

The municipality of Pratovecchio Stia lies in the characteristic landscape of Casentino, between impressive forests and places of faith shaped by spirituality. Pratovecchio is also home to the Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona e Campigna.

Forest trails in the national park

For navigating nature, the 6th edition of the official hiking map of the Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona e Campigna is available at a scale of 1:25,000. It shows hiking trails, mountain bike routes and forest roads. It also marks mountain huts, equipped areas, tourist sites and information points. Anyone wishing to distinguish between a hike, a bike tour and other marked points in Pratovecchio will find this information on the same map. The map can therefore be used in Pratovecchio both for a hike and for a bike tour. You can buy hiking maps and guides to the national park at the office in Pratovecchio.

Art in the historic centre

In the historic centre, Piazza Paolo Uccello forms the focal point; it is dedicated to the Renaissance painter. Pratovecchio is the birthplace of Paolo di Dono, also known as Paolo Uccello, a Renaissance artist and master of perspective. The Sala Espositiva houses works from the monastery of Santa Maria della Neve in Pratovecchio. Among them is a panel painting of the Madonna della Neve created at the beginning of the 15th century. The Propositura del Santissimo Nome di Gesù houses paintings from the 17th century. The two art-related details refer to different periods: the panel was created at the beginning of the 15th century, while the paintings date from the 17th century. For those interested in culture, Paolo Uccello, the Madonna della Neve and the paintings in the Propositura are therefore the main specific points of interest.

Consuma, Romena and the Ciclopista dell’Arno

The “Vecchia strada della Consuma” is an ancient connecting route between the Passo della Consuma and the Casentino Valley. A hill road leads from Pratovecchio to Castello di Romena. The Ciclopista dell’Arno also has a terminus in Pratovecchio; buses and trains are available for the return journey from there. This makes it possible to combine the route with a different return journey when Pratovecchio is chosen as the destination.

Monasteries and sacred art in Pratovecchio

The Camaldolese nuns’ monastery in Pratovecchio was founded in the 12th century by the Guidi counts, while the church of the monastery of San Giovanni Evangelista was consecrated in 1143. A Robbiana terracotta work was rehung in 1947 in the parish church of Chiesa del Santissimo Nome di Gesù in Pratovecchio. The church of the monastery of San Giovanni Evangelista and the parish church of Chiesa del Santissimo Nome di Gesù are two sacred places in Pratovecchio associated with different historical details.

Other places in the surrounding area: Strada, Santa Barbara, Centoia I, Montemignaio, Capolona, Castiglion Fiorentino, Campoluci and Manzi.

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