Poppi

Why go

Come to see how a feudal stronghold controls the view over the valley. The castle links Poppi to the Counts Guidi and to the plain where the Battle of Campaldino took place in 1289; nearby Romena offers another Casentino castle landscape.

What to look for

• The Counts Guidi castle rises above the upper town.
• The Campaldino plain spreads below the castle hill.
• Madonna del Morbo church stands in the town centre.

The full story

Poppi’s castle is the clearest expression of the Counts Guidi’s power in the Casentino. The family held castles across the valley, and this one still crowns the town above the Campaldino plain. That plain was the setting for the 1289 battle between Florentine and Aretine forces, part of the struggle that reshaped power in eastern Tuscany. The castle’s exterior and its command of the landscape tell much of the story even before any interior visit. The old town below adds a quieter scale, with the church of Madonna del Morbo among its landmarks. A short wider circuit of the Casentino can connect Poppi with the Romanesque church of San Pietro a Romena and the surviving towers of Romena Castle. These are separate stops, so Poppi works best as the anchor rather than a promise to see the whole valley at once.

Useful to know

• Walk through the upper town before deciding whether to enter the castle.
• Check castle access separately; pair Poppi with Romena only if you have extra time.

Your next visit

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