This bicycling itinerary takes you along the roadway winding through charming towns within the Sirente Velino Regional Natural Park and the Gran Sasso Monti della Laga National Park, which are two real monuments to European biodiversity. Providing habitat for thousands of different plant species and animals, the parks are also simultaneously historical treasures due to their ancient settlements.

We are offering some routes via mountain or racing bike through beautiful areas within the Sirente Regional Natural Park and the National Park of Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga.

Immersed within the nature of Abruzzo, you will get to know the medieval villages, the old villages of the mountain shepherds, the ancient shrines of the saints, the natural caves and the many local traditions still alive in the area. You will have the opportunity to taste the local food- and if you want- even to take a short cooking class taught by the locals! Every night you will stay in cottages or homes that are located in the medieval villages of the area and eat typical dishes of Abruzzo.

Our tours always include a qualified guide who will take care of all the organizational aspects of the trip, in order to remove any planning related stress and to allow you to savor your trip.

ITINERARY

• DAY 1 - Welcome

  Arrival individually or in a group to the destination in Villa Sant’Angelo with accomodations in the La Villa farm. Visit the village of Stiffe and the beautiful caves which are characterized by the presence of an underground river that creates beautiful waterfalls inside of the mountain. Dinner with local recipes and meet with the guide for an overview of the tour.

• DAY 2 - The Plateau of Rocks

  After breakfast and a provision of local products for the lunch break, you will ascend in altitude to 1300 m in the Sirente-Velino Regional Natural Park. During the tour you will visit: the Protohistoric Necropolis of Fossa sec IX C; the Monastery of the Holy Spirit, the villages of the plateau and the stunning Piana Sirente encircled by beech woods. Overnight stay at the inn La Corte, in the Aterno Valley.

• DAY 3 - Navelli, Subequana Valley and Plain

  After breakfast and with a “bag of local produce” in hand follow the course of the Aterno River, passing through the small towns of Tione, Goriano Valleys. Then continue to the medieval town of St. Benedict in Perillis to descend into the Plateau Navelli past the picturesque towns of Caporciano and Bominaco to arrive the in the beautiful medieval village of Fontecchio. Dinner and overnight stay in accommodations. Along the way we will visit the villages of Goriano Valli, Acciano, St. Benedict in Perillis, Navelli, Caporciano, Bominaco Castle, with a visit to the beautiful medieval frescoes of the Oratory of San Pellegrino (XII century) .

• DAY 4 - Free Day

  Day without cycling. Guests are free to decide how to spend the day: relaxing, swimming in the Sinizzo lake, visiting historic wineries, visiting the town of Sulmona etc. Your accommodations will be within the village of Fontecchio.

• DAY 5 - S. Stefano di Sessanio, Rocca Calascio, Castelvecchio Calvisio

  After a hearty breakfast, the route winds away from Fontecchio towards the beautiful villages of S. Stefano di Sessanio (one of the “most beautiful villages in Italy”); Calascio stronghold with the a beautiful mountain fortress, Castelvecchio Calvisio, with its unique elliptical shape. Dinner and an overnight stay in Castelvecchio Calvisio.

• DAY 6 - Campo Imperatore

  After breakfast, we will drive to reach the Campo Imperatore, one of the largest plateaus in Italy, where you can visit the Astronomical Observatory, the botanical garden and the village of Castel del Monte. Finally, we will arrive in the village of Ofena where dinner will be provided.

• DAY 7 - Peltuinum

  After breakfast depart for the Subequana Valley. During the course of the tour you will visit the archaeological excavations of Peltuinum, an ancient Roman city from the first century BC, and the medieval castle of Prata d’Ansidonia.

• DAY 8 - Departure

  Your departure to return to your place of origin. See you soon!