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Melfa Gorge: 15 Kilometres of Wild Canyon, Raptors and Emerald Waters
The Gole del Melfa is a gorge, or succession of gorges, approximately 15 kilometres long connecting Roccasecca to Casalvieri, crossing the territories of Santopadre, Colle San Magno and Arpino. The river rises in Val Canneto, in the heart of the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, and descends from over 1,000 metres in altitude to the plain of Aquino, where it flows into the river Liri. It is a Site of Community Importance due to the presence of raptors — kites, falcons, kestrels — and in recent years even golden eagles.
The Tracciolino: a Historic Road Among the Cliffs
The road that runs through the gorge is called the Tracciolino — in surveying, this translates to a line of constant gradient cut into the terrain. Built during the Bourbon period to connect the Liri and Comino Valleys, it has been closed to traffic since 1984 due to landslides, but remains passable on foot or by bicycle. Twelve kilometres of bends carved into the rock, with views of the river set deep between limestone walls, potholes and caves frequented since the Bronze Age.
The Hermitage of the Holy Spirit
At the entrance to the gorge, just past Roccasecca cemetery, a mule track climbs to the Eremo dello Spirito Santo: monastic cells hewn from a natural cave, with an ingenious system of channels to collect rainwater. The oldest nucleus probably dates to the 8th or 9th century. Below the hermitage, the river forms the Cascata del Muraglione waterfall. In winter, when the upstream dams release water, the gorge attracts canoeists from all over Italy.
