Where to Visit from Roccacasale in the Peligna Valley


WHERE TO VISIT
INTRADACQUA			SULMONA	RAIANO
PETTORANO SUL GIZIO			PACENTRO	ANIMAL SANCTUARY
ROCCACALASCIO CASTLE			CELANO	CORFINIO
CASTRAVALVA			POPOLI
DONKEY SANCTUARY			SCANNO	MORE IDEAS
Roccacasale is an ideal base from which to explore the villages of the Peligna valley. In addition in less than 10 minutes you can be on the autostrada to Rome or Pescara, ready to discover further delights of Abruzzo. The following excursions are just a taster of the possibilities.
		SULMONA Sulmona is a beautiful medieval town with many architectural gems including the Roman aqueduct which crosses the corner of the magnificent Piazza Maggiore. There are two good tourist offices, lovely shops and cafes and amazing churches, and markets in the Piazza Maggiore on Wednesday and Saturday.
		In the autumn of 2009, George Clooney stayed in the town while filming ‘The Quiet Gentleman’ and delighted the Italians by frequenting the local shops, markets and restaurants. He was even rumoured to be thinking of buying a house there! We find the easiest car park to use is near the Fire Station. Take the road through the Industrial Zone and after going over the curved bridge, at a typical Italian junction, turn left and immediately right. Then turn right just after traffic lights and the free car park is on the left. Walk across the road and enter Sulmona by the Roman Gate. At the end of July Sulmona hosts the amazing Jousting festival with the main piazza transformed into a medieval arena.
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PACENTRO This beautiful village is just a twenty minute drive away. Park along the road bordering the village walls (a sharp right) and take one of the sets of steps up to the main street.
The walkway to the left of the café in the main piazza leads towards the centro storico. There are many attractive houses to admire before reaching the recently restored castle. Look out for local women at work on their lace making. You can buy ceramics and other local artefacts in the little shops in the main square. Back in the main piazza the main road leads to a tree shaded seating area which has magnificent views across the valley.
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	RAIANO Park by the 5X5 football pitches and walk under trees up to the old monastery, which is now the Commune. If it is open you are free to walk inside and see the impressive wall paintings celebrating the life of Saint Francis, which are currently being restored. Notice the copy of the Capestrano Warrior outside. There are several cafes and restaurants to choose from. The green apple icecream in Café Centrale is highly recommended! To find out about more walks in Raiano go to WHAT TO DO.
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INTRADACQUA So called because it is situated between two water courses, Intradacqua is on the opposite side of the valley and does not receive so much sunshine. It is always cooler than Roccacasale, which can be an advantage in the summer! Go through Sulmona and follow the signs for Scanno then look out for a left turn. As you come into the village take the left fork and park along the street. Intradacqua has some lovely squares and an interesting medieval centre. At the end of August it hosts a fabulous week long Jazz Festival with one ‘notte bianca’ when the fun carries on all through the night.
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ANIMAL SANCTUARY and WOLF MUSEUM Turn right at the bottom of the mountain onto the SS17 and follow the road to Popoli. Look out for the wolf sign on the left-hand side of the road (on the right, rather bizarrely there is a sign for a nightclub!) Take a right turn up by the café and carry on up, up, up…! There is a car park at the top next to the Wolf Museum, which opens only at lunchtime on Sundays. Entrance about 8 euros.
			There is a display of photographs and the (Italian speaking) curator will take you to see the wolf sanctuary. However there is a row of animal enclosures which are free to view at any time. It is possible to walk in either direction on the mountainside.
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PETTORANO SUL GIZIO Follow the SS17 towards Roccaraso and take one of the turnings for Pettorano Sul Gizio. Park where you can and walk up to the historic centre. There you will find Cantelmo Castle and a piazza with a café. A fascinating place
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			ROCCACALASCIO CASTLE This is the amazing four turreted castle that features on so many Abruzzo calendars. Take the road through Popoli and then turn left at the roundabout to Bussi sul Tirino. The village is off this road. You can park in the village and walk up to the castle. There is a car park half way up by the fountain or one nearer the top – follow signs to the ristorante – but be aware that these are likely to be quite full in the summer. The footpath is uneven in places but the views of the Gran Sasso are just breath taking. The restaurant is highly recommended.
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CELANO Celano and its impressive castle commands the area of Avezzano. To reach it, take the A25 towards Rome. The town centre is extremely congested and it is best to park in one of the streets on the way up to the castle and walk. Avezzano was once a mountain lake which regularly flooded due to the snow melt from the surrounding mountains. Since Roman times many projects attempted to drain it. The well-restored castle contains a fascinating collection of pictures and artefacts with descriptions in Italian and English of how the drainage project was eventually achieved. The area is now given over to intensive food production.
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			POPOLI Take the SS17 and take a right turning in to the town which has a good public car park. There is a brilliant market Mondays & Thursdays but go early as they begin packing up at noon and be sure to buy some roast pork from the porchetta van for lunch. The Café Royal does an awesome selection of coffees and hot chocolates.
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			CASTRAVALVA This incredible village clinging onto a mountain ridge which provided inspiration for some of Escher’s drawings is well worth a visit.
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SCANNO Famous for its medieval village and famous lake. Drive to Sulmona and follow the signs for Bugnara and Scanno. The road narrows through Anniversa and there is one way traffic; I don’t suppose the tunnel is finished yet! Then the road becomes twisty but safe with fantastic views of the river. Take the right hand fork round the lake and then up into the village. There is a good café in the main square and for lunch I can recommend LE VALLE, which is up a steep road to the right of the Tourist Information Office. We enjoyed marvellous soup and pasta and we were given free biscuits to take with us. Wander round the maze of picturesque streets and then return by car via the opposite side of the lake.
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				CORFINIO Across the valley from Roccacasale is the ancient town of Corfinio. It was founded by the Italic tribes of central Italy to defend themselves from the injustices of the Roman rulers. In the process, this new capital minted its own currency and inscribed the word ‘Italia’ on its coins. Hence the origin of the country’s name Italia, Italy. The 12th century Romanesque cathedral still stands and the archeological museum is to be found in the well preserved ‘centro storico’.
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DONKEY SANCTUARY Drive to Sulmona taking the right hand turn at the traffic lights signposted Scanno and Bugnara. Pass the turning for Intradacqua and the Donkey Sanctuary is on the left. www.asinomania.com.

For more ideas of places to visit go to www.parcomajella.it or www.abruzzoturismo.it
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