inspirational tour
This is not just an itinerary: it is an experience that invites you to slow down and listen.
In the Plains of Navelli, every step traverses a landscape shaped over centuries, where art and agriculture are not separate, but part of the same story.
Here the journey becomes inspirational walk: The journey through saffron fields, abbeys and villages alternates moments of exploration with pauses for reflection, in order to truly connect with the land.
4-DAY ITINERARY
The Navelli Plain is a place where art meets the land, in a dialogue that has lasted for centuries. Here, Benedictine monks and farming communities shaped the landscape with abbeys, churches, and agricultural systems that still characterise the valley today. Navelli is famous for its Saffron, the ’red gold“ of Abruzzo, cultivated with ancient methods and enclosed in a heritage that intertwines agricultural rites and community identity.
Among the fields and villages, treasures such as the’Abbey of Saint Peter at Oratorium in Capestrano, guardian of medieval frescoes and the mysterious “Sator”. A short distance away, in Bominaco, the’Oratory of San Pellegrino It welcomes visitors with one of Europe's most extraordinary 13th-century fresco cycles, a medieval Sistine Chapel that tells of faith, time, and life with still vibrant colours.
Walking through Navelli, Civitaretenga and the other villages of the plain, visitors encounter Renaissance palaces, churches adorned with wooden altars and carved portals. This itinerary is a journey through the colours and scents of the land, which blend with the artistic traces left over the centuries by shepherds, farmers and noble families.
Day 1 – Navelli and Civitaretenga
Theme: Roots and Cycles of the Earth
You walk through the alleyways of Navelli, letting yourself be guided by the slow rhythm of the village.
The meeting with the saffron producers becomes a key moment: not just a tasting, but a retelling of ancient gestures, seasonality, and patience.
👉 Inspirational experience: Meeting with producers from the L'Aquila DOP Saffron Protection Consortium.
Between the second half of October and the first half of November It is possible to participate in saffron harvesting or 'sfioritura' (the process of separating stigmas), experiencing an authentic agricultural way of life.
In the afternoon, there is the possibility of an e-bike excursion starting directly from the village of Navelli to discover its plateau.
Day 2 – Capestrano and Ofena
Theme: spirituality and landscape
The visit to San Pietro ad Oratorium is a moment of silence and observation: here the journey truly slows down.
In the afternoon, amongst Ofena's olive groves, you can stop for a tasting of the region's olive oil and wine, and visit the Church of San Pietro in Criptys.
👉 Inspirational experience: Meeting with some members of the Pro Loco of Capestrano for the visit of San Pietro ad Oratorium and with the Pro Loco of Ofena for the visit of San Pietro in Criptys.
Day 3 – Capestrano village
Theme: Identity and memory
The village is traversed without haste, up to the Convent of St. John.
Here the journey connects to the deepest history of the territory, between spirituality and identity.
In the afternoon, you can relax in the village or, for those who want to fully experience these territories, you can enjoy: canoeing on the River Tirino, the clearest river in Italy, boat trips on Lake Capodacqua to discover ancient submerged ruins, or e-bike excursions or trekking in the Tirino Valley.
🎨 Day 4 – Bominaco
Theme: Art and Wonder
The Oratory of San Pellegrino is not merely visited; it is observed, heard, and experienced.
The frescoes become an immersive story.
A short trek to the castle, to round off the trip with an open view of the valley.
Our story began in the 1940s, in the mountains of Abruzzo, when we started cultivating our land with love and respect, following the rhythms of the earth and the seasons. Every seed planted and every ear of corn harvested tells the story of our family's passion, always convinced that authenticity comes from...
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