Tuscan Val Tiberina
Tuscan Val Tiberina ( Tiber Valley) extends into the municipal territories of Anghiari, Badia Tedalda, Caprese Michelangelo, Monterchi, Pieve Santo Stefano, Sansepolcro and Sestino in the province of Arezzo. We are located in the easternmost area of the whole of Tuscany, an area that gave birth to some of the greatest artists of history such as Michelangelo Buonarroti and Piero della Francesca.
Main places to visit in Val Tiberina
Let’s see a bit of places to visit together in the Tuscan Val Tiberina:
- Anghiari
- Castello di Montauto
- Sansepolcro
- Caprese Michelangelo
- Pieve Santo Stefano
- Eremo di Cerbaiolo
- Alpe della Luna
- Badia Tedalda
- Monterchi
- Sestino
Anghiari
Have you ever heard of the Battle of Anghiari? If you have read the history of the painting made by Leonardo da Vinci in the Salone dei 500 in Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, you will probably also be intrigued by a visit to the places where that battle took place. Anghiari is a very pleasant village that preserves several historical monuments such as the Chiesa di Sant’Agostino and the Palazzo Pretorio; moreover, if you come here intrigued by the history of the battle, you have to visit the Museo della Battaglia e di Anghiari.
Castello di Montauto
Located about ten kilometers from Anghiari, the Castello di Montauto rises in an elevated position, 786 meters above sea level, dominating the Val Tiberina. The castle was built during the twelfth century on the ruins of a previous Longobard fortification and still today shows its original structure despite the numerous alterations occurred over the centuries. In addition to its beauty, the castle is also known for having hosted St. Francis of Assisi on several occasions during his pilgrimages.
Sansepolcro
The birthplace of Piero della Francesca is undoubtedly one of the most interesting places to visit in Val Tiberina. Do not miss the Duomo of San Giovanni Evangelista and especially the Museo Civico where are preserved many works of great masters such as Piero della Francesca, Pontormo, Raffaellino del Colle and Andrea della Robbia. Another monument worthy of interest is undoubtedly also the Fortezza Medicea which was built during the 16th century.
Caprese Michelangelo
Art lovers will not miss the opportunity of a pilgrimage to Caprese where one of the greatest artists of history, Michelangelo Buonarroti, was born on 6 March 1475. The main points of interest of this village are the castle and the annexed Museo Casa Natale di Michelangelo Buonarroti. Not far from the village, about 3km, the Abbazia di San Martino a Tifi is also worth a visit.
Pieve Santo Stefano
Very ancient center, devastated World War II, Pieve Santo Stefano is also known as the Città del Diario (City of the Diary). This name derives from the presence of the Archivio Diaristico Nazionale, an institution founded in 1984 to collect diaries and memoirs from all over Italy. Therefore, if you visit Pieve Santo Stefano, you cannot avoid making a stop at the Piccolo Museo del Diario, where you will find a multimedia itinerary that shows some of these memories.
Eremo di Cerbaiolo
Not far from Pieve Santo Stefano, you can visit the Eremo di Cerbaiolo, an ancient monastic complex founded by the Benedictines in the eighth century. Inhabited for a long time by the Franciscans, the eremo di Cerbaiolo is located along the route that leads from the Sanctuary of La Verna to Assisi.
Alpe della Luna
The Riserva Naturale dell’Alpe della Luna is a large Appennine forest area that extends between the municipalities of Pieve Santo Stefano, Badia Tedalda, Sansepolcro and Sestino. It is a mountainous complex that reaches peaks above 1300 meters characterized by the typical fauna and flora of the Apennines: large forests of beech, oak and other tree species inhabited by numerous species of animals including wild boar, roe deer, wolves, foxes and eagles.
Badia Tedalda
Located on the slopes of the Alpe della Luna, Badia Tedalda owes its name to the Benedictine abbey founded by the Tedaldi family. In the village you can visit the chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo and the Museo comunale dell’Alta Valmarecchia toscana that collects fossil and archaeological finds of the area and has an educational section dedicated to the description of the various habitats in the Alpe della Luna.
Monterchi
Monterchi is a small village perched on a low hill, whose name derives from the Latin Mons Herculis. According to legend, Monterchi was founded by Hercules after defeating the Hydra. What to see: Museo della Madonna del Parto di Piero della Francesca where the famous fresco (the Madonna del Parto) is preserved; this fresco was painted by Piero della Francesca in honor of his mother between 1455 and 1465.
Sestino
We are now at the end of this list of places to visit in Val Tiberina, and it is time to talk about Sestino, the easternmost municipality in all of Tuscany. The area in which the hamlet stands is inhabited since ancient times as documented by the remains preserved in the city’s archaeological museum: the Antiquarium nazionale di Sestino. Two more interesting places to visit are the ancient pieve di San Pancrazio and the riserva naturale del Sasso di Simone.
