Ortignano Raggiolo

Since 2015, the village of Raggiolo has been classified as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy, and with its pedestrian-only streets, Raggiolo is the ideal destination for those looking to rediscover the Middle Ages in the Tosco-Emiliano Apennines. The village offers a comfortable welcome, though have no fear, this won’t take away from the authenticity of the place. Ortignano Raggiolo’s territory also boasts numerous farming and shepherding traditions, which have been wonderfully conserved thanks to the creation of the Chestnut Museum. The museum visit includes a didactic itinerary that takes you on a journey to discover the harvesting and culinary use of the star product found in these forests, the chestnut, an important resource for the communities that have lived here over the centuries and who have depended on them as a primary source of nutrition.

Among the village’s main attractions, it is surely worth your time to visit the Church of San Michele, built within the palace that once belonged to the Guidi counts, which preserves, in the perimeter wall, the medieval Gothic gate, decorated with a lunette that depicts the coat of arms of the Arte della Lana, that is, the wool guild. The façade is made of stone, while the interior is divided into three naves and contains two exquisite works from the 1400s: the first is the Madonna and Child, attributed to the workshop of Donatello, and the second is the Redeemer, attributed to the workshop of Andrea Ferrucci, a follower of Verrocchio.

Not far from Ortignano Raggiolo in the Casentino, we find Chiusi della Verna, a place dedicated to meditation. Among these mountains lies the Sanctuary of La Verna, known as one of the most important Franciscan sanctuaries. In this place, St. Francis of Assisi received the stigmata and since then, the complex has been a destination for pilgrims from all over the world.

Bibbiena, also in the province of Arezzo, is an excellent starting point for trips and excursions in the Casentinesi Forests National Park, one of the most pristine forest areas in Europe. It's a true oasis of nature and tranquility that stretches between Tuscany and Emilia Romagna.

The town of Raggiolo celebrates the Festa della Castagnatura (Chestnut Festival) every year. Thee period begins in October and accompanies the harvesting and processing of chestnuts, a food that once formed the basis of the local diet. For the occasion, lunches and dinners based on typical products are organized, and there are also craft markets.

Typical recipes from the entire Casentino area include Baldino (or Castagnaccio): a cake made with chestnut flour, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts, raisins and rosemary. Mushrooms and porcini mushrooms are also common in the Casentino woods and are served sautéed as a second course, or as a condiment for gnocchi and fresh pasta.