CNA - Scanno and the Sagittario Valley, e-biking and wellness through villages and forests

Scanno, the village beloved by photographers

Arrival and meeting with the guides in the delightful setting of the village of Scanno and accommodation in hotel. Initial briefing and departure for a short e-bike excursion. Gateway to the Abruzzo National Park, the delightful village of Scanno is also famous as the village of photographers. It is truly picturesque, with its tightly-packed old houses, churches, mansions, Wool Museum, flights of steps, dense network of alleyways, charming views and the traditional costumes still worn by the women. A true journey through time! In the evening, return to the village, dinner and overnight stay.

3 hours’ cycling · 27 km · 200 m descent · 200 m ascent

The Valley di Ziomas, between history and nature/span>

After breakfast, departure for a long e-bike excursion to the Serra de Ziomas. Along the cart track that climbs up towards the Park, you can stop for a break at the numerous farms. From here, we continue up to an altitude of 1735 m as far as the col overlooking the Ferroio di Scanno basin: a grandiose panorama, dominated by the peaks of mounts Godi and Marsicano and, further away in the distance, the Camosciara and Monte Petroso. A vivid green in spring and autumn, the meadows resound with the songs of larks and wheatears in spring, while in winter they are dotted with the footprints of wolves, foxes and other animals. At lunchtime, we stop for a shepherd-style light lunch, to then descend to the valley in the early afternoon to have a relaxing wellness retreat. Scanno is also the village of goldsmiths and visiting an atelier to see how the silver filigree “presentosa” pendant is made is truly a formative and fascinating experience. In the evening, dinner and overnight stay.

5 hours’ cycling · 45 km · 800 m descent · 800 m ascent

Anversa degli Abruzzi, Castrovalva and Cocullo

After breakfast we set off on a relaxing e-bike ride into the Sagittario Gorge, a canyon carved by the river of the same name between spectacular limestone rock walls, in places more than 1,500 m high. In addition to providing a safe haven for species of wildlife such as the golden eagle and wallcreeper, the Gole del Sagittario Nature Reserve is also home to a number of endemic plant species such as the Sagittarius cornflower (Centaurea scannensis) and to the extremely rare greater ephedra (Ephedra nebrodensis). We continue to Castrovalva, a remarkably well-preserved ridge village, then to Anversa degli Abruzzi and Cocullo, stopping for lunch at an organic agritourism. In the early afternoon, collection of luggage and end of activities.

4 hours’ cycling · 32 km · 600 m descent · 900 m ascent