Home
Tours
The green heart of Abruzzo: trials and legends of the national park

The green heart of Abruzzo: trials and legends of the national park

Trekking and Hiking

Day 1 – Arrival in Pescasseroli Arrival in Pescasseroli in the afternoon, meeting with the guide, hotel check-in, and presentation

Useful Information

Nature guide
Additional charge for small groups - please refer to "notes"
Historical and cultural tour
Nature tour

Description

Day 1 – Arrival in Pescasseroli

Arrival in Pescasseroli in the afternoon, meeting with the guide, hotel check-in, and presentation of the trekking program.
Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 2 – Pescasseroli

After breakfast, departure for a hike through the Difesa Woods, a magnificent ancient beech forest with trees over 600 years old, providing habitat for many of the wild animals that inhabit the National Park.
We continue to the Fontanile della Difesa, with a break at the Alpine Hut and a packed lunch or optional picnic.
In the afternoon, return to Pescasseroli via the Hidden Hills trail.

Dinner and overnight stay.

Technical Information: +200 m ascent, -200 m descent. Difficulty: Easy. Terrain: Trail. Distance: 10 km. Duration: approximately 5 hours.

Day 3 – Pescasseroli – Passo del Diavolo – Pescasseroli

After breakfast, guided visit of the historic centre of Pescasseroli, the Abbey of Saints Peter and Paul, and Palazzo Sipari, the birthplace of philosopher Benedetto Croce and his cousin Erminio Sipari, founder of Italy’s first National Park in 1922 and an early advocate of coexistence between humans and wildlife.
Free lunch or lunch arranged at the hotel.
In the afternoon, a short transfer by car leads to Passo del Diavolo for an excursion across the Cicerana Plateau, a vast grazing area shared by wild and domestic animals.

After a break at the Cicerana Eco-Refuge, we continue to a wildlife observation point, where we remain until dusk in search of the Marsican brown bear.

Return to Pescasseroli for dinner and overnight stay.

Technical Information: +200 m ascent, -200 m descent. Difficulty: Easy to Moderate. Terrain: Trail. Distance: 10 km. Duration: approximately 4 hours.

Day 4 – Pescasseroli – Scanno – Villetta Barrea

A more relaxed day dedicated to discovery and cultural heritage

Transfer by minibus to Scanno, officially listed among Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages. This historic shepherds’ settlement is one of Abruzzo’s best-preserved medieval towns. Visit of the historic centre, its Romanesque and Gothic churches, and a traditional jewellery workshop to observe the local filigree-making technique.

Coffee break at Pasticceria Di Masso, famous for producing Pan dell’Orso, a local almond-based specialty.

Lunch at a restaurant or packed lunch.

In the afternoon, visit to Lake Scanno before continuing to Villetta Barrea, a charming village overlooking Lake Barrea.

Accommodation, dinner, and overnight stay.

Technical Information: +0 m ascent, -0 m descent. Difficulty: Easy. Distance: 10 km. Duration: approximately 5 hours.

Day 5 – Villetta Barrea

Excursion to the village of Civitella Alfedena and visit to the Apennine Wolf Wildlife Area, including observation and interpretation of the species’ behaviour and ecology.

Continuation into the Jannanghera Valley to the spring of the same name, with a packed lunch stop.

Return via the village of Barrea and visit of its historic centre.

Walk back to Villetta Barrea along the lakeshore.

Dinner and overnight stay.

Technical Information: +350 m ascent, -350 m descent. Difficulty: Easy to Moderate. Terrain: Trail. Distance: 12 km. Duration: 5 to 6 hours.

Day 6 – Villetta Barrea

After breakfast, departure through the Decontra Forest for an excursion to the Camosciara Integral Nature Reserve, the original core of the National Park established in 1922.

Visit to the Nymphs’ Waterfall and the Three Springs Waterfall.

Packed lunch.

In the afternoon, return to Villetta Barrea and visit the Museum of Transhumance. Discover the golden age of sheep farming in the Kingdom of Naples during the 17th and 18th centuries, along with stories, traditions, and insights into the lives of shepherds and their relationship with wildlife, especially wolves.

Dinner and overnight stay.

Technical Information: +200 m ascent, -200 m descent. Difficulty: Easy. Terrain: Trail. Distance: 10 km. Duration: approximately 4 hours.

Day 7 – Villetta Barrea – Opi

Breakfast and departure by public bus for an excursion into the beautiful Fondillo Valley, one of the richest areas of woodland and water within the National Park and home to numerous wildlife species.

Visit to the Tornareccia springs.

Continuation to the Acquasfranatara Refuge.

Packed lunch or picnic. In the afternoon, visit a local dairy workshop with tasting of traditional cheeses.

Walk up to the village of Opi, one of Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages, and visit its historic centre, offering panoramic views across the Upper Sangro Valley.

Accommodation, dinner, and overnight stay

Day 8 – Departure

Breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and departure by public bus.

Reviews

5 di 5 Basato su 0 reviews

Eccezionale (0)

Molto buona (0)

Accettabile (0)

Mediocre (0)

Scarsa (0)

Write a review

The green heart of Abruzzo: trials and legends of the national park

Useful Information

Description

Reviews

Shall we start planning together?

Betania Travel

Informations

Our tour