Stage 9 · Vallombrosa → Camaldoli
- Distance
- 52 km
- Elevation gain
- 1,000 m D+
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Surface
- 74% asphalt, 26% gravel · 28% on cycle routes
- Terrain
- Casentino Forests
- Hospitality
- Guesthouse
GPX 1.1 file with the track, elevation and the abbeys as waypoints. Tracks are calculated on real roads and cycle routes (OpenStreetMap): check them on the ground before you set off.
Stage map
Map of the stage Vallombrosa → Camaldoli: track, start, finish, places to stay and abbeys
Hover the profile to see the spot on the map
Tracks calculated on real roads and cycle paths (OpenStreetMap); elevations from SRTM data — to be checked on the ground
Main climb: 8.7 km at 6.7% (up to 928 m)
This stage on Komoot
The same track is on the project's Komoot profile: save it in the app and ride it with voice navigation.
Overview
A ridge stage between two great monastic sanctuaries. The route stays high through the Casentino forests, beech woods and mountain pastures, from Vallombrosa to the hermitage of Camaldoli.
Notes from the road
The ridge between Vallombrosa and Camaldoli stays long among beech woods and clearings, without meeting a single village. Afternoon storms arrive fast on this ridge, better to start early in the morning. A light windbreaker earns its keep even in August, above a thousand metres. The phone loses signal for long stretches, inside the silence of the forest.
What to see
Abbey of Vallombrosa, Pratomagno ridge, Casentino Forests World Heritage site, ancient beech woods, sacred Casentino valley, Hermitage and Monastery of Camaldoli
Where to sleep
Guesthouse at the Monastery of Camaldoli (monastic hospitality, book well ahead); mountain refuges in the Casentino (€50-70); small hotels near Poppi (€60-90)
Where to eat
Casentino cheeses, mushroom soups, mountain chestnuts, polenta, honey and products from the Antica Farmacia di Camaldoli, vegetarian meals at the abbey for guests staying there
Tips
A demanding stage, 1,000 m of climbing on isolated ridges and gravel tracks. Carry a windproof layer even in summer. Afternoon storms are frequent: check the forecast. Few services along the way, so stock up at Vallombrosa. Between Vallombrosa and the Consuma the gravel is rough in places: this is where wide tyres earn their keep.
Water & supplies
A bar at Passo della Consuma and shops at Stia and Pratovecchio halfway. The forested ridge sections are isolated, with poor phone signal inside the Casentino Forests. Up to 1,100 metres in altitude: the weather turns quickly, keep a windproof layer to hand.
Places to stay on this stage
- Foresteria del Monastero di Camaldoliguesthouse
Camaldoli, Poppi (AR)- Price:
- half or full board, rate to be agreed with the guesthouse (tel. 0575 556013)
- Open:
- year-round, except closure periods (check with the guesthouse)
- Facilities:
- up to 154 beds in single rooms and en-suite dorms, refectories, bar, library, spaces for silence; in the heart of the Casentino Forests
- Source:
- camaldoli.it/ospitalita/ospitalita-monastero · parks.it
The great monastic guesthouse of the Casentino, at the end of the Vallombrosa→Camaldoli stage; free retreat-style hospitality also possible.
Abbeys on this stage
- Start abbey: Abbazia di Vallombrosa
- Finish abbey: Eremo di Camaldoli
An amateur, non-profit project. The tracks are indicative: everyone rides independently, at their own risk.