We are situated near Forlì and Cesena which is
not far from Arezzo, in the area between Romagna and
Tuscany, where the road becomes more winding as you
climb up into the mountatins.
Pianetto is a small
village, just at the end of the country town of
Galeata, there is only one street, a centenary
church, an old convent and the ruins of a castle
situated on the top of a hill, that used to be a
lookout. Only about twenty families live here so
everyone knows each other, the young and not so
young, the people who have moved here recently and
the people who have lived in Pianetto since their
birth. People spend time chatting under the shadows
of the trees or around the public fountain known
locally as the "Fonte",
Life goes by very
peacefully and it is marked by the sounds of the
countryside: the cock crowing at sunrise, the
ringing of the church bells at midday, the distant
hum of the tractor working in the surrounding fields
and the silence of the evening. Sometimes time seems
to have stopped, in fact seeing a cart drawn by oxen
or seeing barefoot young men treading freshly picked
grapes shouldn't amaze the tourist. In summer it is
not unusual to see the local women busy at the
public laundry doing their washing.
This is
Pianetto - simple but unexpected.
Things to see which shouldn't be missed are the Santa Maria dei Miracoli Church and the Padri Minori Convent,
today converted into the Mambrini Civic Museum. Here you can see a collection of archeological excavations from the 1st century
BC Roman city of Mevaniola.
If it is good food that you are looking for then your first stop should be at the Osteria La Campanara, where owners
Alessandra and Roberto, who are firneds and not rival (who were the first guests to stay at the "Campanile"), will be able to
guide you to discover the flavours of this country between Romagna and Tuscany.
The village of Galeata and the Sant'Ellero Abbey are not too far away and you can reach them on foot.
Going up the Bidente Valley towards Florence you arrive at Santa Sofia, a peaceful village situated on the banks of the river and the last
town before you reach Tuscany. A walk through the historic districts of Mortano, la Croce and Borgo is unmissable. You can also visit the
Modern Art Gallery "Vero Stoppioni" where you will be pleasantly surprised by the rich permanent collection which is a sort of introduction
to the itinerary of sculptures located along the river and in the Parco della Resistenza. For a break and a glass of wine, we recomend
La Fiaschetteria di Mortano where Alessandro and Cecilia will make you fill like at your home.
During the summer it is possible to escape the heat by diving into the pure water of the river Bidente above Santa Sofia, where you can find a wild sequence of creeks and waterfalls.
For those who are looking for uncontaminated nature then the Lama Forest and the National Park of the Casentinesi Forest and Falterona are not too far,
just some patience and after a few bends in the road you can get to one of the most ancient and well preserved forests in Europe, where historical evidence of the past is not so rare.
On your arrival, we suggest stopping at the restaurant "Agriturismo Poderone", where you will be pampered and pleasantly surprised by Lorenzina's warm welcome
(the owner), and by her excellent cooking which mixes the courses of Tuscan and Romagna tradition.
For those who want to go into the Ridracoli Valley, after visiting the dam, we suggest a walk to the Refuge Cà di Sopra.
You can only reach it on foot but the walk is rewarded by the warm and sincere welcome of Daniela, not to mention the good food which is on offer.
And... ask us!
It is a pleasure to us to describe our area and which places to visit so that you can enjoy your holiday!
