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A stage on the Consuma Pass branch.
With your back to Stia, this stage plunges you into the National Park of the Casentino Forests, Monte Falterona and Campigna - a lush natural area teeming with wildlife, one of the most unspoilt in Italy.
The itinerary passes places of religious interest such as the Church of St Blaise in the locality of Ama. One of the most important examples of Romanesque architecture in the Casentino area, the church is surrounded by beautiful views of the valley and the Pratomagno ridge. There are also small towns such as Lonnano, where life is slow-paced and delicious, thanks to typical Tuscan recipes including hearty meat stews such as the 'scottiglia' and the 'cacciucco di carne' - which has its own food festival.
But it is at the end of this stage that a place of nature, peace and silence gladdens the eyes and soul of the traveller. This is Camaldoli, with its Benedictine monastery and sacred hermitage, located a short distance away. There is also a historic apothecary's shop selling cosmetics, food, spirits and wines made according to monastic traditions. The sacred forests, guarded for centuries by the Camaldolese monks, and the giant Miraglia chestnut tree, enrich every step with intimate spirituality, wonder and mysticism.
