Stage 25.B: Greccio Santuario - Poggio Bustone Santuario

From the Sanctuary, we descend to the provincial road and then take a dirt road through a forest. Past Reopasto, we follow the course of the Velino River until the Canale di Santa Susanna.

After the ancient village of Mazzetelli and the archaeological area of  Villa di Quinto Assio, we reach the Springs of Santa Susanna, among the most important water sources in Europe, with a flow of about 5,000 litres per second.

Declared a Natural Monument in 1977, it hosts one of the biggest underwater nativity scenes in Europe, set up during the Christmas Season. We proceed towards Borgo San Pietro and then travel uphill on a short stretch of the provincial road towards Bandita, from where the climb gets steeper and, after two kilometres, it overcomes a difference in altitude of 260 metres.

At two-thirds of the way, the route enters the village of Poggio Bustone, where San Francesco, visiting the Reatina Valley for the first time in 1208, pronounced the phrase “Good morning, good people!”.

A series of narrow streets and stairways leads from the village to the Sanctuary of San Giacomo, immersed in the woods, which offers a unique view of the entire Valle Santa Reatina. Here, the Saint had the vision of God, who forgave his sins of youth and predicted the growth of his Order. VARIANT TO THE BEECH TREE OF SAN FRANCESCO We leave the main route in Mazzetelli and walk up a steep path along a ditch till the hamlets of Casette San Valentino and La Croce. From there, following the signs, we arrive at the majestic Beech Tree of San Francesco, which sheltered the Saint from the rain.

Back on our way, we take the steep dirt path down to Vallecole, return to the asphalt road, and then turn left towards Cepparo.

Continuing along the dirt road, we reach the Sanctuary of San Giacomo and the village of Poggio Bustone, where San Francesco greeted the inhabitants with the phrase “Good morning, good people!”.

VARIANT TO THE LAKES RESERVE

We leave the main route at the Sant’ Angelo Bridge in Mazzetelli, turn right southward and continue for about 1,500 metres on an asphalt road until the banks of the Velino River.

Here, after a stop at the Visitor Centre of the “Riserva dei Laghi Lungo e Ripasottile” we turn right at the draining pumps and cross the river. Walking around the Ripasottile Lake, we arrive to the hamlet of Casa Rossa, then turn left and, after about 1,200 metres, reach the Vargara Canal.  

From here, we proceed for about three kilometres, till we cross the Strada Statale Ternana and then continue along the opposite side of the canal until the Lake Lungo, which we coast on the right.

Once on the Provincial Road to Poggio Bustone, we keep walking for about one kilometre, until we get back to the main route.