General information on the region

THE MAJELLA  

                          Paths, Places, Nature, Sky and Earth               

        (Part I)

With “The Secrets of Abruzzo”

    The "Majella" (also spelled The "Maiella") is the second highest massif of the continental Apennines after the “Gran Sasso” (Big Rock). Its location is along the central Apennines of Abruzzo, in the lower part, on the borders between the provinces of L'Aquila, Chieti and Pescara, and positioned at the center of the homonymous Majella National Park, with its highest peak named Mount “Amaro”, 2793 m. o.s.l. that covers an area of land of over 74.095 hectares.

    The territory is all worth discovering with its mountainous and wild parks. There are several mountain communities (Peligna, Majella, Morrone, Maielletta and Aventino-Medio Sangro) with their vast high mountains and valleys, their splendid historical town centers, the many hermitages scattered around the land and in the Parks.

    Life, folklore and spirituality dominate the landscapes, with the flavors and beauty of the entire area, that includes 12 towns of the “Pescaresi” lands, located within the Park, and 2 adjoining municipalities that facilitate access to the extensive protected natural area.

    The Majella is extraordinarily rich in historical, archaeological and architectural evidence. In fact, for 800,000 years it has always been inhabited. Over the course of centuries, the interweaving of civilizations, cultures, and religions have led to an evolution of myths giving us tales full of mysteries, fascinating legends, and traditions. Still today, devotional practices can be found as for example the cave worship or the practice of transhumance. Ancient traditions that over centuries have marked the history of the people of Abruzzo and of those who have had relations with this territory.

    Before being called Majella, the territory was known as Mount “Paleno” (from Jupiter Paleno) and it seemed that the mountain was consecrated to Veiove (Zeus is the Greek correspondent).

Later, the mountain massif assumed the name of Majella and the change of its toponymy is explained through various legends, all linked to mythological characters. Our fourth-coming articles of "THE SECRETS OF ABRUZZO" will explore them.

    Thanks also to the vicinity with Rome “La Majella” was continually frequented by men of faith. Among the best known distinctive characters who decided to retreat among these remote places, stands out the name of “San Pietro del Morrone” (Saint Peter of Morrone), who for a short time was Pope with the name of Celestine V.

    Since the 9th century, a network of monasteries, formed in the majority of cases under the aegis of the Benedictine abbeys of “San Vincenzo al Volturno” and “San Clemente a Casauria”, for centuries, together with Montecassino, constituted for many more centuries, reference poles in the events of the Majella’s territory and its surrounding.

    Among the most ancient monastery foundations in this area, we can visit Saint Liberatore a Maiella (Serramonacesca), a Cassinese Monastery dependency and “San Salvatore in Maiella (Rapino)”, existing since the end of the X century and perhaps of an independent origin. Dating back to the 9th century we also find “San Martino in Valle (Fara San Martino)”, “San Nicola di Coccia (Palena)” and the church of “San Leopardo (Pacentro)”.

    This is the proof that confirms how the Abruzzesi (people of Abruzzo) have always considered this Mountain sacred and maternal, with its mysterious and mystical places around which myths and legends are told.

MOTHER MAJELLA

    Those who want to visit the territory will find, in the green Majella National Park, attractions and adventures of all kind. A holiday in our area will always reserve you some interesting and entertaining discoveries.

    With over 700 km. of trails in the Park, it’s possible to choose through a wide number of routes ranging from a one-hour hike to others that can take up to several days. Suitable not only for experts but many trails are also fit for families and skilled citizen hikers, mountaineers or more.

    A showpiece of the Majella National Park for walkers are the trails that reach the high altitudes: long itineraries and distant from inhabited centers, not suitable for everyone but certainly fascinating. An unforgettable experience, but only for who is physically and psychologically prepared. Carved into the rock of the “Morrone” mountain, overhanging gorges and impervious trails, we’ll discover the hermitages of the Majella. The paths for the hermitages of S. Spirito, S. Bartolomeo, S. Onofrio, S. Giovanni, are immersed in an unspoiled landscape.

    When planning for longer trekking it’s always better to opt for one of the three large trekking circuits that explore the Park like The Park path, The Spirit trail or The Liberty trail. In addition there’s also an itinerary dedicated to visiting dry stone huts.

    Over 120 hiking trails in the territory of the Park are complete with trail signs and show different levels of difficulty.

    Other 20 simple tracks, present in the park, are particularly suitable for families with children and less sporty people. Many of these trails cross wildlife areas, botanical gardens or other places of interest.

     For those who are inexperienced, hiking for the first time, and wanting to try an excursion in the park, there are several Visitor Centers or Information points where it is possible to find a rich offer of educational proposals and visits that will allow you to go and discover the territory. Many centers have bookshops, typical local products, and mountain bike rental too.

    The Sant'Eufemia Visit Center, for example, is an ideal starting point for excursions to the white beech forest of Lama Bianca, also equipped with paths accessible to the disabled.

In addition, a small museum is added to each structure in which the peculiarities of the area are anticipated to the visitor.

    Moving to another part of the park, protected by the majestic mountains of the Majella, inhabited since the lower Paleolithic, we find the fertile plateau of the “Giumentina” Valley which is considered one of the main sites in Italy of the human prehistory period.

    Present on site we find the “Valle Giumentina Ecomuseo” (Ecomuseum of Valley Giumenta). It is a starting point for those who love research and discovery, and the first nucleus of a territorial laboratories that aim at interacting dynamically with research institutions, associations, students, enthusiasts, tourists, with anyone who wants to know the wealth of its territory. It is possible to find a guided tour to discover the history of the place and the sight of the typical false stone dome huts, built in an agro-pastoral environment. Unfortunately it is not always open, so it is better to inquire at the Visitor Center before going, but in any case, even standing outside the perimeter wall of the area it is possible to take a look at the site. The typical stone constructions called "Tholos" were built on these mountain pastures and can be found in splendid panoramic position. This is also a very nice peaceful area, great for walks.

    On the other hand the “Lama dei Peligni” Visitor Center is the starting point for hiking itineraries leading to the Tarì Refuge, or to the discovery of rock paintings in “grotte” (caves), the Hermitage of “Grotta S. Angelo” and the “Grotta del Cavallone”, one of the highest caves in Europe 1475 m. o.s.l..

From the same Visitor Center, you can hike along the “Sentiero Natura” Nature Trail, a short path suitable for all ages, that leads to the Chamois Wildlife Area.

    For all river fans the Regional Nature Reserve “Sorgenti del Pescara”, with its 7 thousand liters of water per second, are the richest and most spectacular water-springs in the Apennines. The cold and clear waters come from the “Gran Sasso” group of springs and from the “Sirente-Velino” Park. They flow underground for 30 days and resurfaces at the feet of the “Colle di Capo Pescara”. The nature reserve, WWF oasis, hosts in its waters the Apennine river trout and a small nucleus of crayfish.

    The “Fara San Martino” Visitor Center is the ideal starting point for excursions in the Orfento Valley and the Hermitage of San Giovanni , as well as for the whole northwest area of the Park. 16 km. long. the river Orfento gives the name to the splendid valley where the water, over millions of years, has dug a narrow gorge that today is covered by dense vegetation of beech trees, willows, ferns and mosses. Next on "SECRETS OF ABRUZZO" will follow the excursion to "LA VALLE DELL'ORFENTO" (The Orfento Valley).

    In all the "Case del Parco" (houses of the park) it’s possible to spend a holiday immersed in nature. All guest houses, such as hostels or shelters, give services and information so you won’t be missing any treasures in the protected area.

    Worth visiting is the Majella's most monumental abbey “San Liberatore”. The monastery is outstanding for its essential architecture, for the white walls  that stand out over the green slopes of the Serramonacesca mountain. More romantic the impact with the abbey of “Santa Maria Arabona”, with its secular cloister for the promises of love and mysteries.

    It is possible to follow a short 1.8 km. ring route, suitable for families. It starts from the square of the Abbey and leads to the banks of the river “Alento”, where the river still looks like a stream. Here, you can reach a beautiful waterfall. Once past the creek, the trail leads to a small wooden bridge. After a short climb, you’ll arrive at wide open space on the left of the path. Here, among the rocky cliff, you can admire the rock tombs surrounded by greenery. Passing the tombs, continuing  a few more meters along the gorge and crossing another bridge, immediately after the trail climbs up a ridge leading you to a dirt road that runs upstream to the wildlife area of the “Capriolo” (Roe Deer), and back to the great abbey of San Liberatore a Majella.

    Among the “foresterie” (guest houses) of the Majella National Park we have the "Casa del Lupo" (house of the wolf) in Caramanico Terme (PE), a certified "Pan Parks" facility that is suggested as an ideal starting point for excursions that will take us to the Valle dell'Orfento, towards the Hermes of Celestino V and the highest peaks of the Majella and Morrone.

    For mystery lovers, there is a place not far from Manoppello, a town in the province of Pescara, where it is possible to see a real treasure. The Sanctuary of Manoppello known as the "Basilica del Volto Santo” (Basilica of the Holy Face) hosts one of the most precious relics of Christianity, the Holy Face of Jesus. A story suspended between legend and reality that has always invited all to rediscover a spiritual dimension. (If you want to know more about the holy face go to our article in the MYSTERY section of THE SECRETS OF ABRUZZO)

    On the other hand, if you prefer a trip into nature and into the sign of wellness, Caramanico Terme is the name of the place you’re looking for. This small medieval village is in the heart of the Maiella. A healthy environment and a mild climate make it a perfect place for everyone. An added value in town are the therapeutic benefits of the spa treatments, deriving from the qualities of sulphurous and mineral waters.

    Another location touched by the  rivers of Giardino, San Callisto,  Aterno and Pescara, (these two rivers cross the Abruzzo region), and the precious sulphurous waters used for treatments in the spas, is Popoli, known as “Chiave dei tre Abruzzi" (Key of the three Abruzzi) and “Città delle Acque” (City of the Waters). It stands at the entrance of the deep Gorges of Tremonti, that separate the last offshoots of the two massifs of Abruzzo, the Maiella and the Gran Sasso, and which, crossed by the river Pescara, connects the “Conca Peligna” and the “Aquilano” with the province of Pescara. Near the city the Aterno river, the longest river of Abruzzo, joins the Pescara river.

    40 minutes from Popoli’s centre we find the “Rocca dei Cantelmo” (fortress of Cantelmo), with that something magical, that has had its towers and part of the walls recently restored. The castle dominates the wooded hill,  with those town slopes that offer evocative glimpses of the landscape and its remarkable monuments. From the fifteenth century church of San Francis, to the “Taverna Ducale” or “Taverna Vecchia”, we have an interesting example of Abruzzo’s civil architecture, built by Giovanni Cantelmo, in the mid-1300s, as a warehouse for the collection and sale of all the tithes of agricultural products from the fiefdom, and which was later transformed into an inn with an adjoining stable for the exchange of horses. There is a comfortable and well-marked path with easy slopes that starts from Popoli, goes through a forest, suitable for everyone, reaches the castle, and offers a wonderful view that opens on the valley.

    The famous medicinal waters of Popoli, together with those of Raiano and Corfinio since ancient times, were collected and exploited for therapeutic purposes around the year 1870 when the construction of a "thermal establishment" began using the excellent sulfur water of the place. On the other side of the building called “Vecchie Terme” (the old Thermal Baths), which will soon be set up with different functions from the past, beyond the Pescara river, stands the new “Terme di Popoli” (Thermal baths of Popoli) forefront complex, open all year round, which uses water with an excellent sulfhydrometric degree for the treatment of diseases, in arthro-rheumatology, otolaryngology, pneumology, dermatology and gynecology.

    Overlooking the gorges of Popoli, Mount Rotondo, 2,064 m. above sea level, is one of the peaks that surround the plateau of the Rocche and is the extreme northern offshoot; its long ridge emerges from the wooded sides of the ridge, giving the visitor a breathtaking view on all the major peaks of the Abruzzo Apennines. It belongs to the Sirente-Velino chain, in the Abruzzo Apennines, in the province of L'Aquila, within the territory of the municipalities of Rocca di Mezzo and Rocca di Cambio.

    In this Natural Reserve live various animals like the Apennine Wolf, the Roe Deer, the Wild Cat, the Eagle, the Peregrine Falcon, the “Lodaiolo” (Hobby) and the Partridge.

    The itineraries are varied and of various kinds. From the “Centro Visita del Lupo” (Visitor Center of the wolf) to the white firs of Fossa, or the mountain refuge of Mount Corvo, and the caves, overlooking the gorges and the magic of the forests.

    For those who prefer "lower heights" the “Associazione Città dell'Olio” (City of Oil Association) promotes initiatives where it is possible to visit the towns  and discover the fields of ancient olive trees variety "Toccolana" or "Pollice". Many Walks along itineraries, from 2 to 5 kilometers long, dedicated to families and enthusiasts, that enjoy discovering the Italian olive heritage through landscapes of silent beauty, linked to the history and culture of the “green gold”. In this regard, the town of Tocco da Casauria, with its vast hilly areas of the “Casauriense”, testifies how the olive cultivation on these hills have an important and ancient history.

    Often town associations organize visits where participants are accompanied, by a local expert guide, in a unique environment and timeless charm, to visit the oil mills, to taste the oil and other local products.

    Getting back to the mountain hiking, Mount Morrone, which joins Majella and Gran Sasso, is ideal for expert hikers. They can cross the mountain ridge that extends between the gorges of Popoli and the San Leonardo Pass, which guarantees territorial continuity between the two national parks. Both mountain groups of the central Abruzzo’s Apennines dominate the city of Sulmona, enclose the Valle Peligna, the river Aterno, and the Majella. These last ones are separated by the valley of the river Orte.

    Other hikers instead, can follow the legend trail of the “Balzolo Belvedere” (Balzolo viewpoint) in the town of Pennapiedimonte, the province of Chieti. Around this place you’ll hear about the legends of Ermete (Hermes) and his mother, the goddess Maja, from which the name of Majella has derived.

    There’s still a lot to tell. This article is only the tip of an iceberg. Continue  following "THE SECRETS OF ABRUZZO".

Giuseppe LIBERO

information sources used for the article taken also from the listed sites below

https://www.parcomajella.it

https://www.ideegreen.it

https://www.majambiente.it

www.camminatatragliolivi.it 

www.abruzzoparks.it