Discover Colcellalto

Colcellalto combines an old settlement with religious heritage, traditional paths and distinctive local traditions. The place preserves historical and artistic memories, making it suitable for travellers who want to discover Tuscany not only through major art cities, but also through smaller historic sites. Several different approaches are available for planning your trip: a parish church with a work of art from the 16th century, nature trails, inclusion in a four-day route through the Valtiberina and an annual calendar with firmly established customs.

Parish Church and 16th-Century Art

The Chiesa dei Santi Tommaso e Leone, a parish church, stands in the village. Its terracotta depicts the Trinity as well as Saints Sebastian and Anthony the Abbot and dates from the 16th century. Colcellalto thus offers a clear cultural connection that differs from the landscape routes in the surrounding area. If you are travelling with different interests, the place can therefore be explored through both its sacred art and its history of paths and settlements.

Old Paths between Sestino, Badia Tedalda and the Nature Reserve

Colcellalto lies on the road between Sestino and Badia Tedalda. From Sestino, old paths lead to Colcellalto. A nature trail reaches Colcellalto and the Sasso di Simone Regional Nature Reserve at Passo Pretella. Another nature-trail section leads from Badia Tedalda via the Castello towards Palazzi and on to Colcellalto; the CAI 17 and CAI 65 paths are mentioned in this connection.

There is also a specific historical connection within this network of paths: Sentiero CAI 17 runs along the old road to the cemetery. The place also appears on the fourth day of a four-day route through the Valtiberina, in the section around Sestino. This classification makes Colcellalto a named point in several different route descriptions, without the paths having to be combined into a single route.

The landscape also includes the source of the Fosso Fiumicino. This flows into the Pressale and then into the Marecchia. For visitors who want to combine nature and local history, this watercourse adds a specific landscape reference to the cultural information.

A History of Changing Administrative Affiliations

Colcellalto was one of 72 possessions confirmed to Neri di Uguccione della Faggiuola in the Peace of Sarzana of 1353. Until 1775, Colcellalto was a municipality that included Pieve ai Palazzi. In 1775, Colcellalto was incorporated into the newly established municipality of Sestino.

The cemetery is also associated with a precisely dated historical reference. For the new cemetery of Colcellalto, the first person buried there was recorded on 8 March 1789. This information forms part of the documented local history and adds a specific date to the broader historical context.

Cenavecchi and Other Fixed Dates

The Cenavecchi are a distinctive tradition. They take place every year after the Christmas period, from 6 to 9 January, and begin at sunset. The Cenavecchi supplication procession takes place at the houses in Colcellalto. The Cenavecchi probably began towards the end of the 18th century; they are closely connected with the cult of the dead.

The Festa della Madonna is also scheduled in Colcellalto for 4 July as part of the annual calendar. Together with the Cenavecchi, this date shows that the local tradition is linked both to the beginning of the year and to a date in summer. If you choose your trip according to cultural themes, you can therefore distinguish between art-historical traces, the history of paths and established traditional dates.

Further Places to Consider for Your Trip

If you would like to extend your travel selection beyond Colcellalto, you will also find Tregozzano, Arezzo, Fratta-Santa Caterina, Caprese Michelangelo, Duddova, Giovi-Ponte Alla Chiassa, Castiglion Fibocchi and Bibbiena.

To the overarching travel overview: Arezzo.