Among art, nature and underground wonders
From the region’s capital, one of Italy's most beautiful art cities, where you can admire authentic architectural masterpieces such as the Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio, the route takes you downhill towards the hamlet of Sant'Elia. The gentle sound of the Aterno River, flowing to your left accompanies your route. Once in Monticchio, continue to Fossa, where a visit to the frescoed Church of Santa Maria ad Cryptas is a must.
Down in the valley, a wonderous landscape opens up before you, sculpted over the millennia by water: the Stiffe Caves in San Demetrio ne' Vestini.
To the Beffi Castle
After crossing the Roman bridge of Campana, in Fagnano Alto, you continue along the river to Fontecchio, a village of extraordinary historical and cultural importance. From here you pass through the Sirente - Velino Regional Park, with its fascinating Pagliare: tiny limestone dwellings that, from a distance, resemble a Smurf village.
Zigzagging along the Aterno, you come to Tione degli Abruzzi, where the cycle route currently ends.
The final wonders will surely win the hearts of tired but happy cyclists. Mediaeval towers, old mills and fortified villages, and the nearby hamlet of Goriano Valli, where majestic towers dialogue with the neighbouring Beffi Castle, in the municipality of Acciano.
