Casoli Val di Lima is a mediaeval village in the mountain municipality of Bagni di Lucca, 568 metres above sea-level.
It is built on top of a cliff on the spur surmounted by the Balzo della Lezza (the Bog Leap), impassable and sheer above the Lima torrent, as it overlooks the Strette di Cocciglia.
With its ruined remains of the mediaeval fortress and Romanesque church of Saint Andrea del Lago, it will attract visitors interested in culture and nature alike.The apartment known as “Le Casine” is of a very remote period - probably coeval with the parish church - although it has been completely renovated and fitted out with all mod. cons.; whereasthe “La Torretta” apartment and the “Fate” and “Guardie” suites are situated in an 18th century building constructed with mediaeval stones taken from the old fortress.

The village is reached by crossing the ancient Ponte Maggio (May Bridge) over the Lima.
Hacked out of the rock, the road winds steeply around the slopes surrounding the bridge, affording a fine view of the Balzo Nero (Dark Leap), mount Memoriante and the villages of Vico Pancellorum and Limano. Passing the resort of Grotticelle, the road levels out as we proceed to the old fountain gully where, on the right, we find the beginning of the village.
After first parking the car in the area reserved for agro tourism guests, we reach the village square and continue walking up through the village for about 300 metres to the “Castello” resort.
After passing the oratory dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto, we find two doorways, one dated 1489.A narrow street on the right leads to the lower part of the village. This is Via della Mora, where we can see a ruined house containing a sandstone block measuring 65 x 25 cm. which clearly bears a Lombard inscription carved in Gothic letters.
Returning to the main road, we take the church road leading up to the main Romanesque church. About halfway along on the left, we find the Chelini house, with its little square containing an 18th century well.
A few metres further on, the Via della Villa takes us to the Mariani house, which housed a Capuchin convent up until the middle of the last century.
Further along on the right we find the vaults of : a dark archway in which swallows annually make their nests. A little further along we reach the main Church of Saint Donato, of Romanesque origin and dating from about 1000 A.D.
Alongside the Church is the bell-tower, which has recently been restored to its original splendour.
Following the path leading along the side of the church, after 20 metres we arrive at the “Le Casine” suite, in which the “del Codirosso” and “delle Rondini” rooms can be found.
Carrying on along the “Via del Castello” for a further 100 metres and passing the churchyard of Saint Donato, we arrive at the resort named “Castello”, in which are situated the “La Torretta” suite and the “delle Fate” and “delle Guardie” rooms, below which is the swimming pool. A little further on, there is a view of the ancient fortress and the majestic old oak tree which dominates the valley.

Two roads lead away from Piazza della Chiesa: to the right lie the remains of the old fortress, while straight ahead lies Balzo della Lezza (Bog Leap); a name perhaps deriving from the sheerness of its drop down to the Lima, and ancient battles fought nearby.On this tract of land, still quite free of pollution, we may visit a place known as “the Bat’s cave”; while the quick-sighted may be able to spot deer. If we walk through the chestnut woods to be found on the far side of the village, we can reach the Lake, lying at about 700 metres above sea-level on the Saint Andrea hill, and which in ancient times covered over 6,000 square metres.
We can still clearly discern the elliptical profile of the lake of former times, now drained of 5/6 of its area, surrounded by banks so steep and high that they seem the work of man rather than nature.
This piece of land, still untouched and distinguished by its venerable chestnut woods, yields hornbeam chestnuts from which the excellent neccio flour was milled at the farm named after the adjacent Lake.
Many wild animals are to be seen in their natural habitat in these woods, where the influence of man has been marginal.