Although Bibbiena is but a small town, it does not lack points of interest for tourists. Not much remains of the Etruscan past, unfortunately, but the town does offer some beautiful old medieval and Renaissance churches and palaces.
Top 10 tourist attractions Bibbiena
01. San Lorenzo Church
The church of San Lorenzo was built in 1474 and has a very beautiful medieval interior. The highlight is a glass panel made by the workshop of Della Robbia. Also interesting is the 16th century cloister, part of the former Franciscan monastery.
02. Santi Ippolito and Donato Church
The Chiesa dei SS. Ippolito e Donato was built in the 12th century (and restored multiple times in subsequent centuries). The painting “Madonna and the Angels” was the work of by Arcangelo di Cola.
03. Palazzo Dovizi
The Palazzo Dovizi was built in 1498. It was commissioned it Cardinal Bernardo Dovizi, the secretary of the then Pope Leo X. The architecture of this three-story building shows Renaissance influences.
04. San Francesco Oratory
The first plans for this Oratorium of San Francesco were made in 1580. Construction began in 1736, and in 1782 the church was consecrated. The façade designed by Pasquale Poccianti was not built until 1879, however.
05. Santa Maria del Sasso Convent
The Santa Maria del Sasso Convent was originally built in 1347, following an apparition of the Madonna. Its present appearance is the result of a reconstruction under Giuliano da Maiano (1486).
06. Palazzo Niccolini
The Palazzo Niccolini is an 18th century palace that serves as the town hall of Bibbiena. It is also the seat of the Museo del Teatro Scenografia e Costume. The ballroom houses a permanent exhibition entitled “Landscapes in the Casentino.”
07. Palazzo Martellini
Palazzo Martellini (via Cappucci 8) was built in the 15th century. Highlights are the portico and especially the beautifully maintained garden behind the palace.
08. Dovizi Theater
The Teatro dei Dovizi was built in 1842 to a design by Niccolò Matas. The theater has been completely restored in a Baroque style based on a project by the local Galli family of architectsf.
09. Fattoria di Marena
The Fattoria di Marena is a historic villa in the municipality of Marena. There is a garden both in front and behind the villa, which is reached through an avenue lined with cypress trees.
10. Piazza Pier Saccone Tarlati
The Piazza Pier Saccone Saccone is also known as Piazza Grande. Of the beautiful buildings lining this square, the most notable one is the Palazzo del Podestà, mainly thanks to the coats of arms decorting its facade. The Torre dell’Orologio is the only surviving part of the Tarlati Castle destroyed at the Battle of Campaldino in 1289. The chapel of this castle was later converted into the church Propositura dei Santi Ippolito and Donato.
More Bibbiena tourist attractions
The Porta de Fabbri is the only medieval city gate still standing. The corresponding watchtower is also preserved.
The Ex-carcere mandamentale is a former prison, now the seat of the Centro Italiano della Fotografia d’Autore.
Old tower in Serravalle.
Terrossola is a hamlet three kilometers from Bibbiena itself. Its main attraction is the San Matteo Church.
A little further away is Soci, known mainly for its wool production. Outside this village is the 17th-century Mausoleum of Soci, formerly owned by the Camaldoli Monastery. The village itself dates back to the 11th century.
An ancient castle can still be seen in the borough of Marciano.
Partina is seven kilometers from Bibbiena itself. The Ecomuseo Etrusco features archaeological finds from the Casentino region.
Serravalle is 800 meters above sea level and lies within the boundaries of the Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi.
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