In the Sacred Forests

Cycling in the Sacred Forests of the Casentino Forests National Park is an experience that combines nature, history, and spirituality in one of the most evocative landscapes of the Apennines.

The route begins in Badia Prataglia, where e-bike rental is also available. From here, you take a forest road that enters the cool and silent beech forest, immediately immersing yourself in the unique atmosphere of the Casentino forests.

The route leads to the Camaldoli Hermitage, a place of great peace and spirituality, ideal for a brief stop and to savor the silence of the forest. From here, a series of downhill hairpin bends, immersed in a dense forest of majestic silver firs, leads to the Camaldoli Monastery. A visit to the monastic complex and its ancient pharmacy is a must, as is a tasty snack or lunch break in the heart of the forest.

Departing from the monastery, not far away you’ll encounter one of the park’s great “elders”: the Miraglia Chestnut, one of the forest’s most fascinating monumental trees, over 450 years old.

Continuing, a gentle climb leads back to the Camaldoli Hermitage, before descending through the splendid beech forest we crossed on the way there, offering new perspectives and a different take on the same magic of the forest.

At the end of the tour, the return to Badia Prataglia leaves you with a profound sense of well-being and connection: with nature, with yourself, and with a thousand-year history of harmony between man and the forest.