Monti Sibillini National Park
In the heart of the Apennine Mountains, on the border of Marche and Umbria, there is a mountain range that will surprise you with the amazing beauty of natural scenery, an ancient legendary history and incredibly rich culture. Craftsmen, known all over Italy for their cuisine and crafts live in local towns and villages.
In 1993, an area of about 70,000 hectares of pristine nature was declared a natural reserve and is called the Monti Sibillini National Park. Blue transparent rivers stream from the eastern slopes of the mountains to the valleys, beautiful plains are spread on the western spurs, and in the beginning of summer they turn into floral carpets of incredible shades and beauty made out of mountain flowers. Relic trees grow in the pristine forests that became the home for a lot of wild animals and birds.
Visitors of the incredibly beautiful Monti Sibillini National Park will be able to:
- get acquainted with ancient history, visit museums and see ancient castles;
- enjoy amazing natural pictures, study relic species of plants and learn about the life and behavior of unique wild animals;
- have an active vacation and do climbing, delta- and paragliding;
- visit small historical towns with unique sights, see ancient monasteries, castles and towers;
- get acquainted with the rich culture of the region, taste delicious local cuisine and buy rare handmade souvenirs.
The most popular route in the national park is called the "Great Sibylline Ring" and it has a length of 120 km. For the convenience of travelers, the route is divided into 9 stages, they can be covered by mountain bike, car and on foot. Along the whole route there are comfortable restaurants and hotels.
Interesting facts
Places located in the park have long been associated with the habitat of sorcerers and wizards. Many myths and legends were composed about them. One of them is about the prophetess Cumaean Sibyl, who is revered in these parts as a good sorceress.
Sybyl with other priestesses lived in the cave of the mountain of the same name next to the miraculous lake filled with aqua vitae. The wizards were always young and beautiful. They descended from the mountains, taught girls to spin and weave thin sheep's wool, and on holidays they danced with the guys. In the morning before sunrise they had to return to the cave. But one day the sorceress forgot about the approaching dawn, and having remembered, they rushed to the cave, splitting along the path of the rock. Since then the crumbling track has been called the Path of Fairies.
Historical Monuments of Monti Sibillini
In addition to natural attractions, the Monti Sibillini neighborhood has wonderful monuments of history and architecture.
Tourists will be able to see medieval churches and monasteries, abbeys and monuments of the 10th century BC in the ancient town of Visso.
Traveling around the Ring, you should visit the beautiful town Norcia, founded in the Roman times, famous for its temples, castles and fortresses. In addition, Norcia is famous for its meat delicacies. You can taste dishes prepared from the meat of wild boar while visiting local caves and restaurants. And the rarest black truffles are collected in the woods near the city.
How to get to the park
You can get to Monti Sibillini National Park by bus or by car from the cities of Macerata, Tolentino, Foligno or Spoleto. You also need to lay out the route along the Great Ring and determine the wonderful places that you want to visit in advance.
