Scanno and Abruzzo National Park
Not to be missed is a visit to Scanno and the Abruzzo National Park, both from a historical architectural and naturalistic point of view
Scanno can be reached by car from Caporciano in about 1:15/1:30.
Scanno rises 1050 meters above sea level in the Sagittario Valley, and is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. The origins of this place are very ancient and it seems in fact that it was already inhabited in Roman times, the small village today has a beautiful historic center and labyrinthine alleys, and over time it has earned the nickname “photographers’ town,” thanks to its views immortalized by photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson or Mario Giacomelli, whose own photo of Scanno is part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
The Blue Flag award-winning lake is completely swimmable and also has an equipped beach where you can relax and sunbathe once you get out. Formed by a landslide that broke off from Mount Genzana and blocked the course of the Tasso River, this body of water is nestled in a unique landscape among the peaks of the Marsicani Mountains. Several trails wind around Lake Scanno for biking and walking,
The Village of Scanno
The hamlet is a network of winding lanes and stately mansions, ancient arches and ornate portals, characterized by cemmause or typical stairways leading up to the buildings.
To discover the village on foot, one can take an itinerary known as the Ciambella given its circular shape, which starts and ends at the Church of Santa Maria della Valle, the most important in the village, built in the Abruzzi Romanesque style that contains traces of medieval frescoes and a wooden choir inside. Among the most beautiful squares is definitely Piazza San Rocco where Palazzo Mosca overlooks.
Instead, there are several artisans’ stores, many of them goldsmiths’ where it is possible to buy the presentosa, an engagement jewelry that the woman wore to announce that she was engaged.
By contrast, built from the stones of an old town gate is the Wool Museum, which documents daily life in Scanno between 1850 and 1930.
Excursions
There are many hiking trails around Scanno, including a trail of medium difficulty that leads to the Carapale valley and then to the Ciminiere pass. Those who are more trained can hike up to the top of Terratta at 2202mt. But all the way to or back from Scanno offers cues for visits and walks.
Very interesting is the extraordinary “trail-balcony” over Lake Scanno and the Sagittario Gorges from Frattura Vecchia to Castrovalva, on the trail of transhumant shepherds.
The route, a historic route for the movement of flocks on transhumance, starts from the silent alleys of Frattura Vecchia, a village abandoned after the 1915 earthquake, crosses the wild basin of the landslide, which resulted in the formation of the lake, and reaches the Immaculata Pass. From here begins the descent to the Piani di Castro and the village of Castrovalva, a small eagle’s nest perched at the exit of the Sagittario Gorges, passing along the long panoramic ridge of Mount Sant’Angelo, now grassy, now rocky, now wooded, always overlooking the Gorges.
Also of interest is Anversa degli Abruzzi, both for the village and for the WWF oasis, from which a trail starts that, too, will take you to Castrovalva.
USEFUL INFO.
- The goal is to give you cues for deciding where to go and what to do. A totally partial view, considering the endless options available.
- These sheets are not intended to be a substitute for guidebooks and maps, which are always useful, often necessary, and indispensable when it comes to trails and hiking in the mountains.
REFERENCES
- InfoPoint Information Office Scanno
Via Napoli, 13 – 67038 Scanno (AQ)
Tel. 0864/74317 – 351/6637076
E-mail: iat@visitscanno.com
Web: www.visitscanno.com
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