The Sirente-Velino Regional Park offers a wide selection of sporting experiences among pristine scenery.

We have prepared a programme which includes road cycling and trekking. See here

Below are more ideas.

Hiking

There are circular trails from Secinaro, from 1 to 4 hours, or you can start from Piana del Sirente for many more trails, including one to the peak.

Here are few ideas.

From Secinaro

Chalet and Lago di Tempra – 14km, 4 hours

The valley ascending from Secinaro is wide, deep, and limestone carved out by a seasonal stream. It is covered by a recently grown woods of hornbeam, hazel, dogwood, flowering ash, and nettle trees scattered amongst the rocks. Before the Chalet, there is a picnic area, drinking fountain, and pond created by the Park to aid reproduction of native amphibians.

This is the realm of the charcoal burners who constructed giant piles of wood covered in earth among the trees, allowing the slow combustion of wood with little oxygen to produce charcoal. Past the parking lot is a broad meadow where hay was cut to feed mules and other livestock. Near Tempra Lake is a lovely beech grove and some impressively large maples.

Map (15Mb) and traces

Cycling

We have developed a number of circular rides, from 30km to 100km, all on roads with little traffic and stunning scenery.

If you prefer mountain bikes, there are many trails, including a 200km loop in the Park

Horse riding

A cinque chilometri da Bici, Biscotti e Bonta’ troverete una scuderia, da dove partire per escursioni a cavallo. Un’estesa rete di ippovie vi portera’ ai piani del Sirente o alla valle dell’Aterno

Wine tasting

In meno di mezz’ora, potere trovare tre vigneti e cantine, ognuna con una filosofia distinta e ognuna che vi offrira’ una degustazione dei loro vini, anche abbinati a prodotti di aziende agricole locali.

Culture: from Ovidius to the Maxxi

We are in the centre of Italy, at the crossroads of the Tiburtina which connects the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Adriatic, with the north-south medieval highways of wool (Florence-Puglia) and power (Naples-Northern Italy). An hour’s drive away, L’Aquila, masterfully rebuilt after the 2009 earthquake, is a little jewel; to the south Sulmona is also full of history; between the two, the Aterno valley is dotted with small villages and medieval towers