Riserva naturale Camaldoli, Nature reserve in Poppi, Tuscany, Italy.
Riserva naturale Camaldoli is a protected mountainous area within Foreste Casentinesi National Park, covering about 1,100 hectares. The reserve features mixed forest types and rocky formations that rise across hills and slopes at varying elevations.
Saint Romuald received a land donation around 1012, giving about 160 hectares as the foundation for later development. The area became an official nature reserve in 1977.
The reserve shows centuries of forest care by Camaldolese monks, who shaped mixed woodlands into fir plantations using traditional methods. Walking through the forest today, you can still sense how people have lived with and managed this land.
The area is explored on marked trails that lead from entry points into the higher elevations. Wear sturdy hiking boots and weatherproof clothing, especially if you plan longer walks through the forest.
A chestnut tree more than 500 years old stands in the reserve as a silent witness to the forest's long history. The woods also shelter rare animals like wolves, wildcats, and birds of prey, showing how important this place is for wildlife.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
