From Loro, ascend towards Poggio di Loro and San Clemente in Valle. At the junction, bear right to San Clemente as far as the next cross-roads. Leave to the left this road, and continue right in the direction of Trevane (altitude: 620 m), which rises above the junction that – on the left – goes to the Castle of La Trappola. You will arrive there after travelling 5.000 m and passing in front of Casale and Le Case.

The origins of the Castle of La Trappola are legendary, but its history – documented ever since 1191 – recalls the defensive function of the possessions of the Guidi family and, in particular, of the road which from Rocca Ricciarda – and from the Cross of Pratomagno and then from the Florentine territory – led to Loro; and of the routes that connected with the Casentino, passing Pratomagno in its central part along the ancient pathways. The position of the Castle is strategically perfect: it faces onto the valley with a steep slope, opposite the Castle of Cocollo beyond the Ciuffenna; while in the direction of the road it had a fortress, of which – even recently – the 18-metre-high tower remained. It was knocked down because it was dangerous: only its plinth remains, just at the entrance of the village. On the other side of the road, the village [borgo] – named La Villa – meandered along the footpath that goes towards Pratomagno and the Maestà of Le Forche. The village was built outside the original walls when these were no longer capable of containing all the inhabitants: probably, also, safety considerations had become less pressing.
It passed from the Guidi family to the Pazzi del Valdarno family, who held it in strict submission. In 1323, the inhabitants rebelled against the powerful Ghibelline lords and presented themselves to the Commune of Florence. After a short time, the Ghibellines reconquered the Castle, but kept it only long enough to pillage and set fire to it. They then retired to the Castle of Anciolina, which was still in their hands: La Trappola was sold by the Pazzi family to the Ricasoli family, but the Commune of Florence was opposed. In 1335, it declared the Castle, together with the Rocca Guicciarda, to be Florentine territory. A controversy arose over this which found a momentary settlement, but was then resumed several times: with, in fact, the government of the Grand Duchy up until 1777, when the powerful Florentine family –which had, however, been invested with baronial title for all the Castles to the left of the Ciuffenna – had to accept its ratification with all the other domains of the Grand-Ducal government.
The Castle still preserves the original town-planning structure.
The church of Santa Maria e Sant’Jacopo, which was probably Romanesque, has been altered like many other churches in this territory: inside, it preserves a precious 15th- century panel.
At La Trappola, there are two restaurants. One of these has a food shop with a tobacconist annexed.

The visit takes 45 minutes.

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