Cascata dell'Acquacheta

The Acquacheta Waterfall is one of the most striking natural wonders of the National Park of the Casentino Forests, Monte Falterona, and Campigna. Located in the heart of the Tuscan-Romagnolo Apennines, this waterfall offers a breathtaking view and an immersive experience in untouched nature. The Acquacheta River, a tributary of the Montone River, flows through beech and oak forests, offering spectacular views and an atmosphere of peace and serenity. The Acquacheta stands out for its approximately 90-meter water drop, thunderously plunging among rocks shaped by millennia of erosion. During the rainier seasons, the waterfall displays all its grandeur, with a plentiful water flow creating enchanting plays of light and sounds. The surrounding landscape is characterized by lush vegetation, with trails of various difficulties that allow for unique panoramic views. In the immediate vicinity, there is also a small waterfall under the Romiti, less known but very suggestive, further enriching the charm of the place. The name "Acquacheta" derives from the peculiar characteristic of the river, which, before plunging into the waterfall, flows calmly and silently before precipitating thunderously in the main drop. This contrast between tranquility and impetuosity has fascinated travelers, poets, and artists over the centuries, finding inspiration in its beauty. One of the most fascinating aspects of the Acquacheta Waterfall is its connection to Italian literature. Dante Alighieri, during his exile in Romagna, had the opportunity to visit this natural wonder and was deeply impressed by it. The Supreme Poet mentions the Acquacheta in the sixteenth canto of the Inferno of the Divine Comedy, likening it to the Phlegethon, the infernal river that plunges into the seventh circle with a thunderous leap: "As that stream, which holds its own course from Monte Veso toward the east, on the left slope of the Apennines, which is called Acquacheta above, before it falls down into its low bed, and at Forlì of that name is vacant, roars there above San Benedetto of the Alp, to fall from a high cliff, where it should find a thousand shelters." With these verses, Dante immortalizes the waterfall and its evocative power, making it a point of historical and cultural interest for literature enthusiasts. A few kilometers from the waterfall lies San Godenzo, the village where Dante stayed during his exile and participated in the famous Guelph convention of 1302.

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