There are very few towns in Tuscany as overlooked as Pratovecchio, but of course it is also situated in the Casentino Valley where tourism has not yet taken off.
The town’s most famous resident was Paolo Uccello, who painted several wonderful frescos in Florence in the 15th century. Pratovecchio is the so-called capital of the valley, and there’s even a train station here!
The historic centre is not very big, but picturesque and unspoilt. If you are after something out of the ordinary, come on a Friday morning when the weekly market is held. Beer enthusiasts can rejoice in the fact that the town has a ‘bierstube’ selling Uffenheim beer, in honour of Pratovecchio’s German twin town of that name. If you, on the other hand, are into wine, it would be almost criminal not to pay the La Tana degli Orsi restaurant a visit.
Arezzo is 43 km away and Florence 52 km. The drive to Florence takes you past Passo della Consuma. You should stop at the biggest bar in town (it also functions as a general store, kiosk and restaurant) and grab a couple of hot schiacciata with different fillings: they are rustic and cheap but completely delicious.
