Parco Fluviale del Nera: Itineraries: Ferentillo

Ferentillo - San Pietro in Valle Abbey

Trail Conditions: On foot

Departure: Ferentillo
Duration: 3 hour/s 30 minutes
Difficulty Level: E - Hiking (level)
Length: 7.8 km

Along an interesting religious itinerary
The itinerary, charming due to the multiple landscape views, has a primarily historic and religious value. Starting from Ferentillo you can hike over part of the old mule track connecting Spoleto and Monteleone, which used to be extremely important in the past for its strategic and commercial relevance, as it was already highlighted in the previous itinerary (it is suffice to recall that it was the link among three valleys: the Spoletina, the Valne- rina and the Leonessa valley). Past Gabbio, you can ascend up to the town of Lorino (706 m. amsl), a rural hamlet (villa) with the Church of San Giovanni Evangelist (late-Romanesque, 13th – 14th century) overtopped by a quaint natural cliff, where once stood the ancient high-medieval castle that was destroyed around the year 1000 during a war between local powers. After having ascended up to the Forca (802 m. amsl), you can descend to the wonderful Abbey of San Pietro in Valle (364 m. amsl), the real flagship of this itinerary. Embedded in a particularly beautiful corner of the Valnerina, this jewel offers itself to the visitor with all its charm. Built in the Longobard era by Duke Faroaldo II in the area where hermits Lazzaro and Giovanni lived, in the past it exerted its strong influence on the religious, political and social evolution of the whole valley. The church displays its Romanesque forms (8th – 11th century) and is the most important monument of the Ternan Valnerina: recently renovated, redecorated and supplied with adequate parking, the place hosts a restaurant and a period residence with room availability. Here ends the first stage of the Abbey's ring. From San Pietro you can reach Macenano (315 m. amsl) and Colleponte (253 m. amsl), two villages of medieval origins which together formed the ancient Castle of Capo la Terra.