Casentino Forests National Park

The park straddles the Apennine watershed between Tuscany and Romagna and protects beech and silver fir forest that has been managed rather than cleared for a thousand years: Camaldolese monks planted and cut fir under strict rules from the eleventh century, and Venice took timber here for ship masts. The Sasso Fratino reserve, established in 1959, contains stands never logged and was included in the UNESCO listing of ancient European beech forests in 2017; entry is prohibited to protect it. Wolves, deer and golden eagles live in the park. Autumn colour across the beech slopes is the main draw.

What's there

• The ancient beech - UNESCO-listed old-growth in the Sasso Fratino reserve.
• The monastic firs - forest planted and managed by Camaldolese monks.
• The autumn colour - beech slopes turning across the watershed.
• The wildlife - wolves, deer and eagles in a protected range.

When to go

May to October for walking; October gives the beech colour. Winter brings snow and closes higher roads. The integral reserve is closed year-round.

What to expect

Sasso Fratino cannot be entered at all; it is seen from a distance. Trails are long with limited public transport. Weather on the ridge changes quickly.

Nearby

La Verna and Camaldoli lie within the park; Bibbiena is below.