The Mountain Retreat Casa al Giogo is found in the municipality of Firenzuola
shortly after passing the Passo del Giogo, a crossing place of the Tuscan-Romagnolo Apennines,
in the forest of Giogo-Casaglia, at 882 meters above sea level
We are inside the Giogo-Casaglia forest complex.
The complex covers an area of 6,240 hectares, straddling the Apennine watershed that goes from Giogo di Scarperia to Monte Faggeta, between ridges and passes that descend towards Bologna and Romagna, in the upper part of the Santerno basins, Senio and Lamone to the north and Sieve to the south.
The landscape is characterized by heights of limited altitude, around 1,000 meters, excavated by the action of the streams, which form real canyons like that of the Valley of Hell and Rovigo.
Extensive beech woods, alternating with pastures and environments in transition or artificial origin such as reforestation of douglasia, white fir or black pine.
Fiorenzuola
Scarpiera
Passo del Giogo
Scarpiera
Coltelli Scarpiera
Val d'Inferno
Cascata Rovigo
Val d'Inferno
Cascata Moraduccio
Santerno
For lovers of trekking there is a dense network of hiking trails.
It goes through here the route along the crest of the Apennines “00” or GEA (Grande Escursione Appenninica, the first developed by the CAI in Italy, beginning along the Apennine crests that divide Tuscany and Emilia Romagna, is 345 km in length).
Through this path and its branches you can reach many beautiful places: the nearby Badia di Moscheta, Osteto, the creek Rovigo, the mauntain retreat I Diacci, Casetta di Tiara, the Corniolo, the Passo della Futa….
La Linea Gotica (the Gothic Line) route that develops along the defensive line constructed by the German military in 1944 to keep the Allies from reaching the Pianura Padana, known also as the Linea Verde, the “Green Line”, cuts the Italian Peninsula in two, from Massa-Carrara to Rimini and extended for 320 km.
The Valle dell’Inferno is one of the wildest areas of the Mugello, in addition to a rich vegetation, there is an exclusive fauna among which the Eagle Royal stands out, easily identifiable on days of high pressure, and the Apennine wolf that has always survived in these lands. The Val d’Inferno is a narrow gorge between high sandstone walls and cloaked by thick woods. At the bottom of the Val d’Inferno there is a very well maintained path that runs comfortably along the west side of the gorge up to the Rovigo torrent.
In addition, around the mountain hut there is a path designed specifically for disabled people through which you can reach an observation post from which you can watch in respectful silence the fallow deer and other animals in the park.
At the hut you will also find an authorized GAE (Hiking Environmental Guide) that, upon reservation, will guide you to discover magical and enchanted places.
The Passo del Giogo is an excellent place also for anyone who loves mountain-biking, a famous route for the “Il giro dei 6 passi” (the “Route of 6 Passes ”) that takes its name from the passes that cross along the way: Passo della Sambuca, Passo del Giogo, Passo dell’Eremo, Passo Peschiena, Passo del Muraglione, and Passo della Colla.
For lovers of the Trail in spring takes place in the park Giogo-Casaglia the Ultra Trail of Mugello, which passes right from out hut. At this link all information https://www.ultratrailmugello.it/it/
Another activity possible near here is paragliding. In the nearby area there lies Monte Altuzzo a 926 meters above sea level, very well know to lovers of this extreme sport.
It is also possible to bathe in the many rivers in the area: Rovigo, Santerno and Diaterna.
At the nearby equestrian center of Badia di Moscheta you can meet the beautiful horses of Haflinger breed and go on excursion with them, for info and reservations you can write to cavallimoscheta@email.it
Also in Badia di Moscheta you can visit the beautiful Museum of the Historical Landscape of the Apennines.
Nature, history and art are often interwoven in Mugello; there are so many places to visit starting from the Passo del Giogo. The little towns of Firenzuola and Scarperia nearby, reachable from Passo del Giogo by way of beautiful hiking trails are two extraordinary examples.
Firenzuola is known especially for its pietra serena and the old tradition of stone cutting.
The city, razed to the ground during the German bombings in WWII, had been built with the stone extracted from the nearby quarries; today the only building the remains intact is the the Palazzo del Comune (Town Hall). You can visit the Museum of the History of Stone in Firenzuola.
Scarperia, named this because it lies at the “scarpa” or shoe, that is, the foot of the Apennines. (From there, in fact, begins the climb to the Passo del Giogo, steep and difficult, that is “ria”.). Famous above all for the artisan production of cutlery, it is well known also for the beauty of its monuments:the visit to the Palazzo dei Vicari, a residence compound of the 1300’s.
In addition, in Mugello you can participate in cultural and gastronomic events.
Among these last are the Medieval Games of the “D8” in Scarperia, the summer concerts in the square of Firenzuola , the events organized in Badia di Moscheta, to the German military cemetery of Futa and the numerous festivals where you can delight your palate with the typical dishes of Mugello: potato tortelli, wild boar, beefsteak and so much more.
To visit also nearby Casetta di Tiara, a village of other times… (between Firenzuola and Palazzuolo sul Senio)
It is definitely worth a visit for its sober beauty, for its authenticity and for its history of resistance.
Only 12 people live here all year round.
In this place is also intertwined the love between Dino Campana and Sibilla Aleramo (Italian writers and poets of the early 900)…. In 1916 Dino Campana frequently stayed in Casetta di Tiara, as evidenced by the numerous letters and postcards written during the various stays in this village perched on the slopes of Mount Camaggio in the heart of the Tuscan-Romagna Apennines.
Obligatory stop is the only activity of the village, the Bar&Restaurant “da Sonia” that will delight your palate with typical local dishes and genuine products.