The castle of the Casentino, where Dante was a guest
Above the Arno, which here is still a young river, Poppi is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, with arcaded streets and the Castello dei Conti Guidi dominating the whole Casentino valley. Built in the thirteenth century, it was the residence of the Guidi counts and then of the Florentine vicars; its façade is said to have inspired Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.
Inside, a courtyard with a scenic staircase and walls covered with coats of arms leads to frescoed halls, a chapel with frescoes by Taddeo Gaddi and the Rilliana Library, with manuscripts and incunabula. Dante was a guest of the Guidi, and nearby, on the plain of Campaldino, he fought in the battle of 1289 between Guelphs and Ghibellines.
Tip: climb the tower for the view over the valley; in the Casentino, try the prosciutto of the Casentino grey pig and the tortelli di patate.
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