The heart of Abruzzo (Part I)
07 May 2020
Back in the summer of 2017 in Abruzzo, one day we were deciding on a new place to visit, one that none of us hadn’t been there before. That’s how we all agreed to go to Scanno. From where we were, (a town called Giuliano Teatino, which we will write about it at some point), it took approximately 1h 20min to get to the Lago di Scanno (Scanno Lake).
So, we took the A25 Highway also known as Autostrada dei Parchi in Francavilla al Mare, until the Cocullo exit. Trips on Abruzzo’s highways are quite spectacular, personally I do enjoy it a lot because you can admire all the mountains and all the greenery of the region while you are driving.
Right after Cocullo’s exit and this, we can say it was our first stop of the trip, we passed through a stone tunnel (or as you would say in Italian, galleria scavata nella roccia). It seemed like the mountain opened a big mouth to let us through! That “mouth” has a name, Galleria Foce Giardino and its long 94 metres.
After the stone tunnel we found the greatness! A canyon, a shelter, an oasis and also a natural reserve, a stunning view of the Gole del Sagittario, (the Gorges of the Sagittarius). This place is one of those in Abruzzo that leaves you breathless. It was impressive seeing two massive mountains facing each other, separated at the very bottom by the Fiume del Sagittario (Sagittarius River).
Right after that, our next stop was the Lago di San Domenico (San Domenico Lake). Quite a nice and relaxing lake surrounded by all this greenery. The lake, along with the area around it, including the Eremo di San Domenico (the Hermitage of San Domenico) worth a visit (posts of this place are on its way!). We only stopped by to see the lake and take some pictures.
Lago di San Domenico (San Domenico Lake)
It was on our third stop that we got to our destination (many things to see in Abruzzo :)), the Lago di Scanno. I would say this lake is in my top 5 places in Abruzzo. It’s the perfect spot to relax, disconnect from everything and restore yourself.
The lake is surrounded by hotels, restaurants (trattoria and agriturismo) and there are plenty of things to do. It’s possible to rent boats to cross the lake as much as you want, or if you want to do some sunbathing you can rent recliner chairs right on the shores of the lake, rent bicycles, have a horse ride, the lake itself is swimmable . . . you can do a lot of things!
We left the car right next to the beginning of Sentiero del Cuore (the Heart Path) and started exploring. Right on the shores of the lake, there is a particular church named Chiesa della Madonna del Lago (The Church of the Madonna del Lago), it seems more than a chapel because it’s tiny and its main characteristic is that its rear wall it’s the rock of the mountain.
Some stunning views of the Lago di Scanno
Then we decided to have lunch in one of the many trattoria and agriturismo that surround the lake. We went to an agriturismo (you can call it farmhouse) named Agriturismo Miralago (www.agriturismomiralagoscanno.com), which also includes accomodation and other services such as guided trekking tours and horse rides. The service and the food were great! We had tons of food, starters, two firsts, two seconds, two bottles of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, desserts, some limoncello and montenegro to digest better the massive amount of food and to close, an espresso. All of that for nearly 25 euros each, not bad at all!
All of us after the massive luch in the Agriturismo Miralago
The amazing part of this trip was that we initially planned to visit the Lago di Scanno, and we ended up seeing some other stunning places as well, like the Gole del Sagittario and the Lago di San Domenico. I was particularly impressed by the mountain tunnel!
This is why we didn’t have the time to get to the Osservatorio del Cuore (the Observatory of the Heart), which is the point from where it’s possible to admire the lake in its particular shape, and is a must if you go to Scanno.
Second chapter??
Wait for it!!