Comino Valley

Overall distance: 40 Km

Road Fund: Asphalt, dirt road

Difficulty: Challenging

Sora, a town embraced by the Liri and Fibreno rivers, marks the beginning and end of this exceptional route at the gateway to the Comino Valley. A route of about forty kilometers, mostly on paved road with sections of dirt road.

Pretty Sora becomes the base for exploring the pre-Apennines and immersing oneself in the territory of the Marsican bears. The Abruzzo National Park awaits us with open arms.

But it is essential to turn one's gaze to the hill of San Casto, crowned by the medieval castle and majestic church, towering over the old town in a fascinating alternation of architectural styles, from antiquity to twentieth-century gentility. Dusk paints the buildings as works of art, a stunning sight.

Another wonder is revealed when we head toward Pescosolido, a village with symbolic contours with its tower and church, giving a breathtaking view of the Mainarde, even more fascinating under the snow. But it is downward that the Vallone Lacerno creeps into the scenery, carving a canyon in the vegetation where a small stream has shaped and reshaped the rock.

These are the refuges of brigands, and still echo the intrigues of Chiavone and Mammone, evidence of which survives in museums.

With firm legs and trained muscles, we tackle the elevation changes that separate Pescosolido from Campoli Appennino. An unmistakable aroma in the air announces to us the realm of truffles, protagonist of a variety of tasty gastronomic products. And don't worry if you should encounter a bear: the Marsican bear finds its habitat here, housed in a wildlife area.

Lake Posta Fibreno has been waiting for us for millennia. We reach it via a partly unpaved road to discover another unique naturalistic setting. Set in a Regional Nature Reserve and dedicated to a museum, the lake holds a peculiarity: the mysterious "rota." But what exactly it is, you will only find out on the spot, as well as learn what the "naue" is and how waterfowl build their floating dwellings.

The castles of Vicalvi and Alvito keep us company as we resume our journey toward Fontechiari. Vicalvi towers with a red cross carved into its chest and the legend of Aleandra's ghost that never left its walls.

A detour of a religious nature, perhaps off the main route, leads us to the convent of St. Francis, as the Saint of Assisi is said to have dwelt in these lands. But it is the hermitage of St. Onofrio that fascinates the visitor, nestled under a cliff in the middle of the forest. And we cannot forget the Napoleonic cemetery of Fontechiari with its circular shape. Still a precious old town and a medieval tower before plunging into a pleasant countryside area and being carried away by the winding waters of the Fibreno River from Carnello to the Basilica of San Domenico.

Broccostella looks down on us from the top of its ancient village, with the church of Madonna delle Chiaie, nicknamed "of the miracle" because of a bomb left unexploded on the altar.

And so we pedal through the picturesque area of the Lungofibreno Tremoletto Natural Monument, guided by the crystal-clear waves of water, small waterfalls and lush, evergreen vegetation. Relax, we have almost reached the end of our journey.