Water Wheels – European Historic Mills Days in Raggiolo

Water Wheels: The Historic Mills of the Casentino

Water Wheels is the initiative through which the Casentino Ecomuseum, promoted by the Union of Casentino Mountain Municipalities, participates in the European Historic Mills Days, an event coordinated in Italy by the AIAMS (Italian Association of Friends of Historic Mills). For two days, the Casentino area in the province of Arezzo opens the doors to its ancient water mills: in Raggiolo, a hamlet of the municipality of Ortignano Raggiolo and one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, the event is dedicated to the mills of the Teggina Valley.

Raggiolo, the Village of Mills and Chestnuts

Perched on the slopes of the Pratomagno, Raggiolo has been linked for centuries to water, transhumance, and chestnuts. The strong flow of the valley's streams allowed for the development of fulling mills, sawmills, and mills for cereals and chestnuts over the centuries: water mills have always been privileged sites in the history of the territory, due to their socio-economic value and the wealth of knowledge and stories they preserve. The heart of this memory today is the Chestnut Ecomuseum, managed by the Brigata di Raggiolo, the association that cares for the village's museum heritage and the 18th-century Mulino di Morino.

A Day Along the Teggina Valley

The day in Raggiolo begins with a hike in the woods along the ancient transhumance trails to reach the Mulino di Morino, a mill restored by the Ortignano Raggiolo administration that is still capable of grinding chestnut flour. At noon, the Miller's Lunch takes center stage, curated by the Brigata di Raggiolo: a convivial moment that brings the flavors of the traditional Casentino rural cuisine back to the table.

A Widespread Event in the Casentino

Water Wheels is not just about Raggiolo: the initiative also involves other historic mills in the valley, from the Mulin di Bucchio in Pratovecchio Stia, considered the first mill on the Arno River, to the Mulini di Falciano in Subbiano, where four mills follow one another along the watercourse. Alongside the visits, the Ecomuseum organizes a roundtable with UNESCO experts and facilitators, as well as a free training course for "aspiring millers," confirming a project that combines heritage protection, education, and sustainable development of the Tuscan territory.

Why It's Worth Visiting

For those visiting Tuscany away from the more crowded circuits, Water Wheels is the opportunity to discover an authentic Casentino: stone villages, chestnut forests, ancient crafts, and a network of mills that tells the story of the civilization of water. A slow experience, made of walking, millstones turning again, and the flavors of yesteryear.