Cappadocia: Nature, Culture and Activities at Around 1,000 Metres

Cappadocia is a mountain village in the Marsica area at an altitude of around 1,000 metres. The specific reasons to stay range from natural and historical sites to caves and hiking routes, as well as cycling routes and seasonal winter sports.

Natural Setting and Mountain Village Character

Cappadocia is considered a natural gateway to the Parco dei Monti Simbruini. The source of the Fiume Imele can be reached from Verrecchie. The river passes through Natura 2000 sites and protected areas, including the Parco naturale regionale Sirente Velino. Verrecchie links the source area of the Fiume Imele with the route to the old mill.

A route from Cappadocia leads to the mill in the Verrecchie district and then towards a small lake near Piccola Svizzera, where sport fishing takes place.

Culture, History and Caves

Santa Margherita was extended and remodelled in the 17th century from an older medieval building. Near the Chiesa di San Biagio, there are also the ruins of an early medieval abbey and the remains of the original parish church dedicated to Santa Margherita.

The Grotta di Beatrice Cenci is located in Petrella Liri, a district of Cappadocia, on provincial road 23 Alto Liri. Its finds range from the Italic and Roman periods through the Neolithic to zooarchaeological finds from the Bronze Age. It includes a visitor route approximately 250 metres long on a suspended steel footbridge.

The old mill in Verrecchie now houses the “Museo della civiltà contadina”. Photographs and equipment there illustrate traditional occupations and the rural way of life in Abruzzo.

Cycling, Caving and Winter Sports

The cycling routes include the circular route “Pedalando tra le Città delle Grotte”. In Cappadocia, it reaches an altitude of over 1,000 metres and offers views of the Valle di Nerfa and the Simbruini mountain range. The proposed Liris cycling route is approximately 153 kilometres long. At this distance, choosing a starting point for a specific stage becomes a planning step in its own right.

For the Liris cycling route, the stations along the Avezzano–Roccasecca railway line can be used to reach the desired starting point for the excursion. The Ovido di Verrecchie is one of the Speleotour Center’s preferred locations; the association teaches caving at various levels of training.

Seasonal winter sports include the Camporotondo ski area. There, a chairlift and a conveyor belt make it possible to ski up to 1,600 metres on Monte Cese. A chairlift transports people while seated, whereas a conveyor belt assists the ascent on a moving belt; both uphill transport facilities belong to the Camporotondo ski area.

Seasonal and Culinary Highlights

The “Sagra dei fagioli, cotiche e salsiccia” is scheduled for late July, while the “Sagra della Polenta” is scheduled for October or November; the two culinary events therefore take place in separate periods.

Other Places in Abruzzo

In addition to Cappadocia, you can also explore Roccaraso, Barrea, Casentino, Rocca Pia, Cansano, Scanno, Pescasseroli and Ateleta.

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