Papiano: Nature, Art and the Passo della Calla

Papiano brings nature, culture and outdoor activity together within a compact thematic area. The Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona and Campigna National Park, the Church of Santa Cristina, Urbech Castle and trails around Monte Tufone each add a distinct character.

Nature and the ascent to the Passo della Calla

At Papiano, the entrance to the Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona and Campigna National Park begins; the ascent to the Passo della Calla also starts here. This ascent runs for 17 km through ancient beech forests that are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site. The focus is therefore on a clearly defined natural area that unfolds over a longer distance.

Santa Cristina and historical traces

The Church of Santa Cristina in Papiano has been associated with the catalogue of the Diocese of Fiesole since 1299. Inside, there is a stone ciborium finial attributed to the 15th-century sculptor Mino da Fiesole or da Poppi. There is also a 15th-century fresco of the Madonna and Child in the Tuscan style. The attribution and style offer different perspectives on the church’s furnishings.

Urbech Castle was an ancient castle of the Guidi counts and the centre of the county of the same name.

Trails around Monte Tufone

The circular route around Monte Tufone is approximately 30 km long and can be completed by bicycle, on foot or on horseback. “Il giro del monte Tufone” runs from Papiano to the springs of Calcedonia. The combination of distance and three possible ways of getting around is relevant when planning your day: you can weigh up whether completing the circular route by bicycle, on foot or on horseback fits your travel rhythm.

A second route with a different length

The “Percorso N1: Falterona, Lago degli Idoli, sorgente dell'Arno” is on a different scale. The route is approximately 13 km long and takes around six hours. Together with the Monte Tufone circular route, this provides a comparison between approximately 13 and approximately 30 km; only the Percorso N1 also has an approximate duration of six hours. This allows route length and time planning to be considered separately.

The Sagra dei Tortelli and Papiano’s community

The Sagra dei Tortelli has been held in Papiano since 2000 on the penultimate weekend of July. The Sagra dei Tortelli is regarded as a flagship activity of the Papiano community.

These different focal points can play a practical role when choosing your accommodation in Papiano. You can first decide whether your trip should be shaped more by the national park and its trails, by Santa Cristina and Urbech Castle, or by the local festival culture. You can then align your accommodation decision with your preferred travel rhythm. Papiano can thus be viewed as a destination with several thematic approaches, without reducing it to just one type of experience.

More destinations to compare

For further comparisons between locations, you can also consider Castiglion Fibocchi, Cavriglia, Oliveto, Poppi, Terranuova Bracciolini, Ortignano Raggiolo, Montemignaio and Castel San Niccolò .

Back to the higher-level travel overview: Arezzo.