Are you avid walkers? Do you love the fresh breeze at high altitudes, far from the chaos and noise of city life? Well, this is a place for you. The itinerary we suggest here will delight all lovers of trekking.
We bring you to the green heart of Umbria, in a land that will amaze you. There are three possible starting points: from Piazzale Vasi, within the Marmore Waterfall tourist area, one of Europe's highest. The waterfall's name derives from its white rocks, rich of calcium carbonate, which look a bit like marble (marmo in Italian).
We find ourselves at the end of the Valnerina or Nera River valley, an area characterized by the presence of typical animals such as the mallard, crag martin, and river kingfisher. From here, the path climbs up to the Giuseppe Federico Gmelin Belvedere, an observation point named after a German painter and engraver from who lived between the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th. We thus continue towards Pennarossa, from where it is possible to enjoy a beautiful vista over the mountain and its environs.
An alternative of this itinerary starts instead from San Liberatore, a small town in Terni province. The town developed around an ancient Benedictine convent, which was then converted into a Franciscan monastery. Today, sadly, only the church of Santa Croce survives.
If you decide to set off from here, don't miss the Batteria natural park, which owes its name to an anti-aircraft cannon (batteria antiaerea). Some traces of the military installation are still visible today.
From Pennarossa, we descend towards Colle Raso, near the medieval village of Collestatte, another potential starting point of the trekking itinerary. The village's perimeter wall, still preserved in good state, encloses the Manassei palace, seat of the local town council, the church of San Pietro, and the 16th century belltower. A few miles away are the remains of one of the naves of the church of Santa Maria, a building dating from the high middle-ages.
