Villa Catarsena was a perfect base of operations for our group of 9 adults on our 10 day visit to the Casentino valley at the headwaters of the Arno. The property sits 4 miles outside of Bibbiena on the road to La Verna, the spectacular clifftop abbey at the site where St. Francis of Assissi reportedly received his saintly stigmata. The villa grounds were a bit more rustic than they appeared in photos, but this was more than compensated by the villa interior. Rooms are large, comfortable, and tastefully decorated. The Kitchen, which we used each day, was quite capable, and accommodated a chef to prepare three dinners over our stay. Each bedroom has a well functioning bathroom, and overall the villa could have accommodated 12-14 guests easily. Finally, the hosts Giorgio and Tonya, and their friendly dog Leone were fabulous; knowledgeable, available, solicitous, but not intrusive. They helped us to arrange a pizza night using their cavelike woodfired oven and assisted with the challenges of traveling during Covid. Bibbiena is within striking distance of Florence, Sienna and Montepulciano, but the real value of this location is the local terrain, and culture away from tourist pressure. In addition to spectacular La Verna we visited Poppi and its castle, and rode e-bikes extensively around the hilly region with beautiful beech forests. Overall, highly recommended!