Stage 15 · L'Aquila → S. Spirito a Majella
- Distance
- 107 km
- Elevation gain
- 1,560 m D+
- Suggested days
- 2
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Surface
- 100% asphalt, 0% gravel · 56% on cycle routes
- Terrain
- L'Aquila basin, Majella
- Hospitality
- Mountain hut
GPX 1.1 file with the track, elevation and the abbeys as waypoints. Tracks are calculated on real roads and cycle routes (OpenStreetMap): check them on the ground before you set off.
Stage map
Map of the stage L'Aquila → S. Spirito a Majella: track, start, finish, places to stay and abbeys
Hover the profile to see the spot on the map
Tracks calculated on real roads and cycle paths (OpenStreetMap); elevations from SRTM data — to be checked on the ground
Main climb: 9.9 km at 6.6% (up to 1,156 m)
Other climb: 8.2 km at 5.0% (up to 547 m)
This stage on Komoot
The same track is on the project's Komoot profile: save it in the app and ride it with voice navigation.
Overview
An evocative mountain stage from the Aquila basin towards the heart of the Majella, across the Navelli plateau and Celestine landscapes, to the hermitage of Santo Spirito a Majella.
Notes from the road
The Navelli plain opens flat and golden, saffron marking the fields in autumn. The wind gives no truce all the way to the stone villages under the Gran Sasso. You then climb toward the Majella through ever-denser woods. The hermitage, wedged into the rock, asks patience and cash to enter.
What to see
L'Aquila, Navelli plateau with its saffron fields, stone villages (Navelli, Capestrano), Majella massif, Celestine hermitages, hermitage of Santo Spirito a Majella set into the rock
Where to sleep
Refuges and lodgings near Roccamorice and the Majella (50-75€); local agriturismo (55-85€); small hotels in the villages (60-90€)
Where to eat
Arrosticini, maccheroni alla chitarra with ragù, mountain cheeses, Navelli saffron, game, black truffle
Tips
A demanding stage (85 km, 1,050m gain) in remote territory: careful navigation and a morning start are essential. Services are rare: carry plenty of water and food. The hermitage at sunset is unforgettable. On the real track it is 107 km and 1,560 m of climbing: better over two days, stopping at Popoli (around km 70).
Water & supplies
Fountains in Navelli and Capestrano, at mid-stage; the Navelli plateau is open, sunny and windswept, with 15-20 km between bars. The Santo Spirito hermitage is isolated: last food shops in the foothill villages, so bring dinner if sleeping at the refuge. Poor coverage at altitude on the Majella.
Places to stay on this stage
- Agricampeggio Colle dei Lupicampsite
Sant'Eufemia a Maiella (PE), Contrada San Giacomo — 900 m- Price:
- Tent pitch with sink and 230V hook-up; farm-campsite rates
- Open:
- Summer season (approx. June–September), tel. 333 9655454
- Facilities:
- 40 shaded pitches with sink and drinking water, swimming pool, playground, Majella trails from the gate
- Source:
- https://colledeilupi.it/ · https://www.parks.it/parco.nazionale.majella/operatore.php?progressivooperatore=391
In the heart of the Majella National Park, on the L'Aquila–S. Spirito route: a perfect base for the Celestinian hermitages (S. Spirito a Majella and S. Bartolomeo). At the nearby Passo San Leonardo (1,282 m) there is also the Celidonio hotel-refuge.
Abbeys on this stage
- Finish abbey: S. Spirito a Majella
An amateur, non-profit project. The tracks are indicative: everyone rides independently, at their own risk.