The spirit of Camaldoli​

In Casentino, in addition to the Sanctuary of La Verna, are the Hermitage and Monastery of Camaldoli. The order of the Camaldolese was founded in the early 11th century by St. Romuald, a Benedictine monk who in the course of his pilgrimages decided to stop in the upper Casentino and found a new monastic order based on two main rules: the Benedictine rule of community life and the Eastern rule of hermit life.

The unspoiled beauty of the places here is also a very striking feature that is always greatly appreciated by visitors from everywhere. Often on the way from the Monastery to the Hermitage it is possible to see wild animals such as wild boar or deer crossing the road to go to the river to water.

The artistic aspect is also of considerable importance at these sites: the Hermitage has a Neapolitan baroque church that leaves the visitor struck by the richness of the decorations in complete opposition to the austerity of the cells, while at the Monastery there is a church that contains some early works by Giorgio Vasari, a multifaceted 16th-century artist known throughout the world.

Another important aspect of visiting the Monastery is the presence of the world-famous 15th-century Pharmacy, which is still in operation today and whose products (both herbal and gift items) are made by the monks themselves for their livelihood.