Hike on Monte Camicia and Visiting Castel del Monte
Italy has always been in the first place of the most visited countries in the world.
Not only culture, art, food, sea but is also experiencing the mountains, from staying in uncontaminated, hidden areas to trekking in the countless itineraries. A perfect place for hikes which is experiencing an increasing number of requests from locals and foreign tourists.
Life Post-Covid in Abruzzo
After a fairly complicated period, which has generated a large number of travel restrictions, the calmness has finally returned, at least partly. This allows us to go back to live and explore the places that fascinate us the most. Some restrictions are still on, and taking a holiday abroad got a bit complicated.
So why do not take the opportunity to stay in our country and rediscover an infinite series of beauties that we often take for granted? Starting from outdoor experiences.
Abruzzo Outdoor
In terms of outdoor experiences, Abruzzo has really a lot to offer!
The Abruzzo region is little known, but it offers a wide choice of outdoor activities, during which it is also possible to carry out any type of experience while respecting the necessary safety standards that we are all required to take into account. Experiences, itineraries are suitable for families, solo travelers, couples, and groups of friends.
An example we want to tell you in this article: an excursion on Monte Camicia, one of the many peaks of the Gran Sasso mountain range, in which we took part.
We are Matteo, Marino, Mattia, and Roberto, 4 adventure companions of the ‘Abruzzo Smart Ambassadors’ family.
As soon as it was possible to return to undertake what we like most, after the restrictive measures of COVID, we decided to spend a day in great company outdoor.
Monte Camica Hiking map
Our adventure began at 8:00 in the morning, after parking the cars in Campo Imperatore, in Fonte Vetica. There are various routes that you can follow to reach the summit of Monte Camicia and we chose the route that starts right from Fonte Vetica, for a total height difference of about 930 meters (3051 FT).
Reaching the summit of Monte Camicia
The walk continues constantly uphill, crossing the entire southern flank of Monte Tremoggia (2331 MT, 7647 FT), until reaching in a couple of hours (at a normal pace) the beautiful balconies of Monte Camicia. One of the most suggestive along the whole Apennines!
They are composed of a series of jagged, steep, and sheer limestone crests, with a jump of about 1400 meters (4593 FT) in a northeast direction, directly on the province of the Teramo. During the walk, in the middle of the summer, it is not difficult to encounter the ‘Leontopodium nivale’, the beautiful Apennine Edelweiss, and with a little luck, even some chamois.
A further 15 minutes of walking finally leads us to the summit of Monte Camicia, at an altitude of 2564 MT (8412 FT). From this spot, it is possible to enjoy an incredible panorama, not only on the entire plateau of Campo Imperatore but also on the impervious peaks of Monte Prena on the east side. On particularly clear days, you can also admire the waters of the Adriatic Sea on the west side.
The time to take some photos and regain strength and we decided to get back on the road and start the descent, in order to be on time for a great lunch.
Campo Imperatore: a Plateau of Gastronomy
The food stalls/areas in Campo Imperatore are the most popular destination for anyone returning from the mountain and wanting to enjoy a few arrosticini and grilled meat. You can buy fresh meat and cook them in the designed area and bbq which are already lighted, warm ready for cooking your meat.
Village of Castel del Monte – L’Aquila
An alternative scenario is offered by the numerous villages a few minutes by car from Campo Imperatore. To avoid the crowd at Fonte Vetica, we decided to move to Castel del Monte (Aq), just 15 min away. Here we stopped at a local restaurant and had some typical appetizer based on meats and cheeses and of course the inevitable arrosticini.
Castel del Monte is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, also known as the “Capital of the Shepherds”. It is also called “Castellum de Montis”, a clear reference to its strategic position nestled in the mountains of the Gran Sasso. A walk through the alleys of this village is a must!
Village & Mountain: a perfect combination of outdoor adventure and never crowded spaces, where you can spend one or more days exploring the culture, beauties, and traditional products of the place.
In short, this summer will most likely be the season in which many people, including families, will decide to spend a type of holiday away from gatherings, preferring the rediscovery of nature and the mountains.
In our opinion, Abruzzo is the best destination for realizing these travel ideas, giving yourself moments of calm and relaxation after months locked in the house.
The right place to meditate, rediscover yourself, less frenetic rhythms, in an attempt to adapt to a new “normal”.
Watch the Video of our Hike to Monte Camicia and visiting Castel del Monte
If you like, you can also follow us on our Instagram profiles:
Marino Cardelli: experience.bellavita
Matteo Ciommi: matteo_ciommi
Roberto Rinaldi: _robertorinaldi_ & his blog www.rontrip.com
Mattia Torelli: mattia_tor