DAY ELEVEN, TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17, 2013, POPPI
One of the pleasures of spending a week at Castello Porciano (see the red doton the map for Stia, Stia is the town at the foot of the castle), is that there are so many fun day-trips to places around the valley or just out of the valley. You can enjoy Tuscany, but without the crowds of Florence or Siena. And you can see so many wonderful little towns and castles and other places of interest…lots of variety, lots of surprising discoveries, but in an unhurried ambience, without crowds. This is a part of Italy that is delightful and worth a visit, but so far, its location off of the busy Venice-Florence-Rome touirst route, means that you can enjoy Italy the way it used to be: say in the 1990’s. It’s only in the last ten years with massive cruise ships dumping thousands of tourists all at the same moment into towns such as Pisa, Florence and Siena, that visiting Tuscany has become more and more difficult. But not in the Casentino. It is still unspoiled. And one of the gems is Poppi and its historic Castello Poppi with its huge tower looming up over the Casentino.

The Castello Poppi was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, the most successful, commanding, dominant, architect of the late 13th century. He designed both the Cathedral of Florence and the Palazzo Vecchio (it wasn’t called “The Old Palace” when it was new!), and they were under construction at the same time. But just before he took on the Palazzo Vecchio project, he designed this smaller public building here in Poppi. It is sort of a dress rehersal for the bigger Florence palace of the government of Florence. The Florence palace was, in 1300, the largest city governent palace in Europe. Dante was part of the planning of the project when they began in 1299.

A visit to Poppi is so easy. It is only about 20-30 minutes down the Casentino Valley from Porciano (Stia), following the Arno all the way. Look at the map. When you go to Poppi you are driving south towards Arezzo.

The castle sits up on top of a high hill right in the middle of the valley. It has a view of the entire region, north and south, east and west. It commanded all the roads. Here is the castle.

And here are some of the Instituters on our trip: here is Heinz and Gina from the Wednesday night class (this year the Wed night class studies England). Heinz took most of these Poppi photos. They are standing with a bust, not of Bill Fredlund, but rather Dante Alighieri. As a young man, Dante fought near the castle in one of the most important battles of the 13th century in Italy: the Battle of Campaldino in 1289.

Here is Gina with Dante.

Professor William Fredlund with Dante. The professor is the one with the sunglasses.

Here is our own Dante scholar William Fredlund with his sister Patricia , and another member of our group, Peggy Carlisle.

The castle stands atop the high hill which allows the castle tower to see all of the Casentino valley. Inside the castle, there are various museums and art gallery shows and an especially important series of fresco paintings by Taddeo Gaddi, Giotto’s best student and follower. Here is a great view of the Casentino looking south. You can see the Arno running down through the valley towards Arezzo over by the line of trees on the left side of the photo.

Here are some photos by Heinz of the castle. First, you see the great entry courtyard, then the beautiful council meeting room with its painted beamed ceiling, and then one of the Taddeo Gaddi frescoes that have all been recently restored and are thus amazing in the vivid color for these paintings on the wall that have been here for 700 years.

Here is Dagmar presiding in the Council Chambers.

Another great attraction for a daytime visit to Poppi is that, just across the Castello piazza is located one of the great family-run restaurants in all of the Casentino: Albergo Casentino. Its name suggests it is also a hotel and that is true. The albergo has charming little rooms with fabulous views of the Casentino from the top of the hill. But what is truly amazing is the restaurant located in a lovely little garden. It has been here for many years, serving unbelievably good meals at unbelievably reasonable prices, all done with simplicity and generous hospitality. Everything is good. We had some spinach-filled tortellini, hand made in the kitchen, that were unforgettable. Here is the hotel and its dining room and kitchen. (HOURS: lunch, noon -2:30, dinner, 7:30-9:30, closed wednesdays, TELEPHONE: 0575 529090)

And here are the Americans enjoying the feast.

Finally, this great photo that shows you this lovely city on the top of its hill.

Isn’t that a magnificent photo? That is not by Heinz or me but by an Italian photographer. Probably the best ever photo of Poppi. The whole wonderful commanding location of this small urban gem on a hill.