Enchanting Itineraries between Mountains and Unspoiled Nature
Campo Imperatore, the Abruzzo amusement park for motorcyclists in central Italy: a wonderful scenery to discover by motorcycle, a stone's throw from the sky and less than two hours from Rome. Campo Imperatore also called “Piccolo Tibet” is the most beautiful plateau in Italy to be discovered by motorcycle. Those who have never been to Abruzzo put them at the top of the list of places to see at least once in their life, because such a landscape will never forget it. We called it a “Luna Park” because you can reach it from every side and walk in every direction, as long as you arrive at the Astronomical Observatory to enjoy the movie panorama. Going up from Assergi to the pass of the Fossa di Paganica, or from the medieval village of Castel del Monte to the pass of Capo la Serra, or from Farindola to the Vado di Sole, the horizon extends, the spaces widen, the size becomes immense when you overlook Campo Imperatore. Located in the heart of the Gran Sasso massif, within the Gran Sasso National Park and Monti della Laga, you travel at a variable altitude between 1500 and 1900 meters.
The plateau is characterized by the presence of circular ponds of modest depth among which stands out the Lake of Pietranzoni located in the center of the plateau with a wide view behind the Corno Grande. It deserves a stop for a breath at high altitude and lots of photos. In the south-east area of Campo Imperatore, called Fonte Vetica, surrounded by Monte Camicia we find the only wooded area of the plateau. Nearby we find the so-called 'slaughterhouse area' which are fixed refreshment points that sell cold cuts, sausages, fresh meats and the well-known Abruzzo arrosticini, such as the famous Ristoro Mucciante. The place is famous, as well as for its arrosticini, for the curiosity of its history: it was built to host the “Way Station Cafè”, the autogrill of the Texaco gas station where the protagonists of the film “Autostop rosso sangue” by Pasquale Festa Campanile stop to refuel, during a trip to California. Once the filming of the film was over, Mr. Mucciante, who had a meat kiosk not far away, took over the place and made it the refreshment that is now known throughout Abruzzo and beyond. No need to suggest a stop, to enjoy a breathtaking view and an excellent meal thanks to the special areas equipped with tables, stoves and barbecue. Accessibility to the plain is guaranteed all year round thanks to the Gran Sasso cable car, which from Fonte Cerreto allows you to reach the hotel in Campo Imperatore, a ski resort. During the winter, very often, car accesses are closed due to snow, so it is always necessary to check the opening of the roads. The plateau is famous in the history of Italy for being the last prison of Benito Mussolini in 1943, before being liberated by the Germans. His room in the Hotel Campo Imperatore, with the original furnishings perfectly preserved, is now a paid museum and is visited by curious and nostalgic people. The same hotel is still fully functional today and nearby we find the small church of Our Lady of the Snow.
Another noteworthy itinerary, by motorcycle and beyond, is the Passo delle Capannelle. Sung by Carlo Emilio Gadda, loved by cyclists and motorcyclists, the Passo delle Capannelle is an interesting crossing of the Abruzzo Apennines. The road, which climbs between the Gran Sasso and the Monti della Laga, runs along what is called the Strada Maestra del Parco, and which connects Montorio al Vomano with Aminternum (L'Aquila). Gran Sasso, Campo Imperatore and Paganica. These are just some of the places linked to the path of the Passo delle Capannelle, an author's road that branches into the beating heart of Abruzzo. At 1,300 meters above sea level and with a maximum slope of 6%, the pass extends along a total length of 60 kilometers, connecting Montorio to Vomano and Arischia directly. More generally, however, the SR577 fits into the magnificent natural context that connects Amatricee L'Aquila, two cities linked by the memory of the earthquakes of 2009 and 2016. A path that follows, at least in part, that of the Capannelle would even go back to Roman times: the Via Cecilia, in fact, connected Amiternum (L'Aquila) with Interamnia (Teramo). Land of transhumance, on which there were small shepherds' huts (hence the name), was for a long time a land of 'hunting' for bandits. Here, in fact, the paths of those who had to move from one side of the Gran Sasso to the other were concentrated, and therefore the attacks were the order of the day.
The path of the Passo delle Capannelle starts from Campotosto, a beautiful town in the Abruzzo mountain that rises near the lake of the same name. Although not very well known, this body of water – about 14 square kilometers – is the second largest artificial lake in Europe. Its genesis dates back to the early part of the twentieth century, when three dams were erected to allow the operation of nearby hydroelectric plants. V-shaped, it has two branches, that of Campotosto and that of Mascioni. We take the SR577 that runs along Lake Campotosto along the entire eastern shore, and begin to travel the approximately 24 kilometers that separate us from the Capannelle Pass. The road is not particularly difficult, it is easy to travel and allows you to admire the peaks of the Gran Sasso in the distance. Once you have passed the pass, the road becomes more winding, as the difference in height that descends towards L'Aquila's stretch increases significantly. Continue along the SS80, reaching another 24 kilometers at L'Aquila, the capital of Abruzzo.
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