Acquacheta - Dante's routes

The area of the Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona and Campigna National Park, at the border between Tuscany and Emilia Romagna, offers several very interesting routes, among which certainly are the ones that lead to the spectacular Acquacheta waterfalls.

Particularly important, also because of the poet Dante passing through these lands during his exile, is a beautiful looped walk that starts and ends in Crocione, near the Toschi hermitage: the route features a moderate gradient of 420 m and has a length of about 9 Km.

At the beginning the itinerary takes us through environments that are rich in biodiversity and fascinating views and then descends into the Fosso dell'Acquacheta and the Piana dei Romiti which lead to grazing lands and lawns rich in different types of grassy plants.
The Romiti hamlet was built in the 15th century on the ruins of the hermitage of the S. Benedetto in Alpe monastery. Right in the ancient monastery is where the supreme poet Dante Alighieri had taken refuge during the exile from Florence, thanks to the hospitality of the Benedictine monks.

Continuing along the trail you first run into the Lavane waterfall whose waters fall into an almost round-shaped stretch of water, a true una vera “natural pool”. Coming into view nearby is the beautiful Acquacheta waterfall whose fame is linked to the Divine Comedy.
In the 16th Canto of the Inferno Dante compares the roar of the cascading water with the deafening one of the Phlegethon river.

On the way back you climb on the ridge that leads to the Monte del Prato Andreaccio passing through Balze Trafossi and Monte di Londa.

The route length, of about 5 hours, is quite variable due to the many possible themed stops: geological, botanical, faunal and cultural-historical ones. A possible detour is the stop with visit to the Toschi hermitage, a very old retreat dating back to the 11th century, now home to an organic farm, located among wonderful meadows in a very picturesque landscape that overlooks the valley.

For further information on the Acquacheta area and Dante, visit the Vie di Dante website and the Visit Tuscany website of the Regione Toscana.