Ceselli: canyoning, rafting and trekking
The village of Ceselli (Scheggino) in the Valnerina valley is an ideal destination for canyoning enthusiasts
Ceselli (alt. 317 m) is a small settlement in the Valnerina, on the right bank of river Nera, overlooking the valley of the same name. A hillside castle dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries, it defended the feudal monastery of San Pietro in Valle and was, according to oral tradition, entrusted to the vassals of the dukes of Spoleto. The village grew in the valley with the typical hillside houses that have entrances to the barns and dwellings on different sides and storeys. In the village we suggest visiting the church of Saint Michael the Archangel, dating back to the 14th century, and modified several times over the centuries up to its current 19th century facade.
The interior presents a single nave and side altars, with remains of frescoes from the 15th and 16th centuries around the apse and the bell tower, which was built on the remains of the castle's tower. Further along the SS209 Valnerina road and up into the mountain, outside the settlement, is the small Romanesque church of San Vito, venerated in popular tradition as a bulwark against rabies. Near the graveyard, along the old Spoleto road is the Romanesque church of San Sabino o Savino, bishop and Umbrian martyr, killed in Spoleto. The interior, with its single nave, presents traces of frescoes partly dating back to the 1500s. A district of the town of Scheggino, known for its Activo Park amusement park, truffles and the sense of peace and quiet that characterise many of the villages in this part of the Valnerina, the settlement of Ceselli has been a separate municipality since 1875. Its position on the bank of the river Nera, nestled among steep slopes where well oxygenated water flows and sometimes foams into rapids, makes it an ideal destination for all water sports, (rafting, canoeing, kayaking, canyoning...), no-kill fishing and hiking. A departure point for those wishing to explore the Forra del Casco, a stimulating descent through canyons, waterfalls and rapids in a still-wild nature, Ceselli is also at the heart of a network of paths to discover by bike or on foot, such as the historical Pious IX trail, which leaves Osteria di Ceselli and follows in the steps of the then-Archbishop of Spoleto, fleeing the revolutionary tremors of 1831, as well as the Via di Francesco.