Walking holiday in the Majella, Italy
| country: | Italy |
| location: | Abruzzo |
| trip type: | Self guided, introductory / moderate walking holidays |
| departures: | Any time between 26 Apr-31 Oct (min 3 nights) |
| price: | From £345 (4 days) - £645 (8 days) ex flights, sharing twin room |
| offers: | 7 nights for the price of 6 throughout September & October |
the amazing things you'll be doing
In the heart of Italy’s spectacular and little known region of Abruzzo, the beautiful Majella National Park encircles the mountain massif of Monte Amaro, which at 2793m, is the second highest peak in the Apennine range. Mountain streams tumble down deep gorges and hidden valleys, where secluded rock hermitages from the Middle Ages can be found, and alpine meadows and forests of beech give way at the massif’s highest reaches to an almost desert landscape, with pockets of year-round snow.
The Park is home to deer, chamois, wild boar, wolves, otters, and a very small number of bears.
Explore the Majella on foot on an independent break, choose to travel whenever you like, and stay as long as you wish (minimum 3 nights). Holidays include comfortable single-centre accommodation in a traditional village or town, a hire car (carbon neutral of course!), breakfast and a lavish packed-lunch every day, a Handbook containing masses of local information as well as a wide range of self-guided walks suitable for all abilities and ages (including children), the option to join 3 organised walks per week, and the full support of a knowledgeable locally based manager. There are no fixed itineraries – you are free to walk as much or as little as you like.
Walking
The self-guided excursions include short, medium and full day walks in the Orfento, high on the sides of the gorge or alongside the rushing stream. Further down the valley you can admire amazing rock formations and splash in the River Orta. The forests and meadows of the Lama Bianca offer shady paths and open grassland, amazing flowers in the spring and wonderful colour in the autumn. Follow in the steps of pilgrims, ancient and modern, to visit the sanctuary of San Bartolomeo, nestled in a hidden valley, or climb high to reach the secluded and dramatic cave church of San Giovanni, last refuge of Pope Celestine V.
On organised walks you may find yourself exploring a Romanesque church and a ruined castle, stepping through patches of snow in high summer in the rocky cirque of Le Murelle or standing on the grassy crest of Monte Morrone (2061m) - the rare Abruzzan bear still roams its wooded slopes.
Village and accommodation
Decontra is situated at 810m altitude in an area of upland meadow on the lip of the mighty Orfento Gorge, and has magnificent views. The village has only been connected to the outside world since the 1970's - until then it had no electricity, and no road. Today, the village has around 80 inhabitants, both young and old. The excellent village restaurant "Il Cervo" also has a bar.
In Decontra we stay at Number 31, in a newly restored traditional village cottage which offers a self-contained unit of sitting room, 2 charming double bedrooms and a bathroom. It is very comfortable, rustically furnished, with vaulted ceilings and magnificent views from all rooms. It has an extensive garden, including two pergola-covered terraces, and, in season, a natural stone plunge-pool. Anyone wishing to guarantee Number 31 for a one-room booking may do so for a small supplement. Also offering two rooms is the delightful terraced cottage “Il Pollaio” (The Hen House!) which has two bedrooms with lovely views, a bathroom and its own well-equipped kitchen. It is ideal for families and those wishing to cook for themselves on some evenings. Breakfast supplies will be provided. We also stay at the beautifully restored Agriturismo Pietrantica which has comfortable rustic en-suite bedrooms. Upland Escapes guests at Il Pollaio and at the Agriturismo are very welcome to enjoy the gardens and pool of Number 31.
Anyone who might prefer the local amenities of a town to the sleepy isolation of Decontra will find a warm welcome at the newly restored B&B Antico Borgo, perched on the steep spur of the medieval quarter in the town of Caramanico Terme. Several of the en-suite rooms have wonderful mountain views and there is a delightful grassy terrace on which to relax in the shade of a tree with a good book. Alternatively, enjoy the modern facilities and comfortable en-suite rooms of the Hotel Pescofalcone, which has rooms with balconies and views across the town to the mountains beyond.
Children under 2 years old: Free. Children aged 2-11 years old: 25% discount.
Family groups and parties of friends – book a group of 6 people or more on an independent break, and one of you will receive a completely FREE holiday! (conditions apply).
Solo traveller prices available. We can book train travel or help research flights.
Travel by train From London there is an overnight train to Pescara
The Park is home to deer, chamois, wild boar, wolves, otters, and a very small number of bears.
Explore the Majella on foot on an independent break, choose to travel whenever you like, and stay as long as you wish (minimum 3 nights). Holidays include comfortable single-centre accommodation in a traditional village or town, a hire car (carbon neutral of course!), breakfast and a lavish packed-lunch every day, a Handbook containing masses of local information as well as a wide range of self-guided walks suitable for all abilities and ages (including children), the option to join 3 organised walks per week, and the full support of a knowledgeable locally based manager. There are no fixed itineraries – you are free to walk as much or as little as you like.
Walking
The self-guided excursions include short, medium and full day walks in the Orfento, high on the sides of the gorge or alongside the rushing stream. Further down the valley you can admire amazing rock formations and splash in the River Orta. The forests and meadows of the Lama Bianca offer shady paths and open grassland, amazing flowers in the spring and wonderful colour in the autumn. Follow in the steps of pilgrims, ancient and modern, to visit the sanctuary of San Bartolomeo, nestled in a hidden valley, or climb high to reach the secluded and dramatic cave church of San Giovanni, last refuge of Pope Celestine V.
On organised walks you may find yourself exploring a Romanesque church and a ruined castle, stepping through patches of snow in high summer in the rocky cirque of Le Murelle or standing on the grassy crest of Monte Morrone (2061m) - the rare Abruzzan bear still roams its wooded slopes.
Village and accommodation
Decontra is situated at 810m altitude in an area of upland meadow on the lip of the mighty Orfento Gorge, and has magnificent views. The village has only been connected to the outside world since the 1970's - until then it had no electricity, and no road. Today, the village has around 80 inhabitants, both young and old. The excellent village restaurant "Il Cervo" also has a bar.
In Decontra we stay at Number 31, in a newly restored traditional village cottage which offers a self-contained unit of sitting room, 2 charming double bedrooms and a bathroom. It is very comfortable, rustically furnished, with vaulted ceilings and magnificent views from all rooms. It has an extensive garden, including two pergola-covered terraces, and, in season, a natural stone plunge-pool. Anyone wishing to guarantee Number 31 for a one-room booking may do so for a small supplement. Also offering two rooms is the delightful terraced cottage “Il Pollaio” (The Hen House!) which has two bedrooms with lovely views, a bathroom and its own well-equipped kitchen. It is ideal for families and those wishing to cook for themselves on some evenings. Breakfast supplies will be provided. We also stay at the beautifully restored Agriturismo Pietrantica which has comfortable rustic en-suite bedrooms. Upland Escapes guests at Il Pollaio and at the Agriturismo are very welcome to enjoy the gardens and pool of Number 31.
Anyone who might prefer the local amenities of a town to the sleepy isolation of Decontra will find a warm welcome at the newly restored B&B Antico Borgo, perched on the steep spur of the medieval quarter in the town of Caramanico Terme. Several of the en-suite rooms have wonderful mountain views and there is a delightful grassy terrace on which to relax in the shade of a tree with a good book. Alternatively, enjoy the modern facilities and comfortable en-suite rooms of the Hotel Pescofalcone, which has rooms with balconies and views across the town to the mountains beyond.
Children under 2 years old: Free. Children aged 2-11 years old: 25% discount.
Family groups and parties of friends – book a group of 6 people or more on an independent break, and one of you will receive a completely FREE holiday! (conditions apply).
Solo traveller prices available. We can book train travel or help research flights.
Travel by train From London there is an overnight train to Pescara
how this holiday makes a difference
 One of the main factors in choosing the location of our holidays is the village in which we stay. It is our aim to seek out small communities where traditional ways of life survive, although they are often on the retreat.Our intention is to bring new income and impetus to the community – without overwhelming it! Our guests enjoy learning about the environment and culture, and the locals benefit both economically, and from the knowledge that their way of life is valued. Decontra has no shops, but is visited regularly by mobile vendors, who ensure that the locals never run out of provisions. Our Managers support these vendors by buying fresh bread, fruit and vegetables, and locally produced cheeses and cured meats from them. In spring and autumn, and during the week, business is quiet for Decontra’s tiny village restaurant, so the presence of our visitors all through the week from May to October generates valuable custom, ensuring that it remains a thriving business to the benefit of all, including local food suppliers and restaurant staff living in the village. We are working closely with our local family-run accommodation providers to bring benefits to the community by way of business when they need it. We work with the ebb and flow of their busy times and the Italian holiday periods to ensure that we not only boost their high season bookings, but much more importantly, during their lean periods we are there to provide valuable shoulder-season income. Exploring the heart of the Majella National Park on foot, we encourage visits to the botanical gardens to improve understanding of and sensitivity to the remarkable local flora. The locally based Forest Protection League has an otter breeding programme to reintroduce these elusive animals to the Nature Reserve of the Orfento Gorge which lies directly below the village of Decontra. We encourage organised visits to the Otter Breeding Centre to support the programme and develop understanding of the project. It may also be possible to visit a project working to introduce wolves to the area. All our car hire is “carbon-neutral”: Carbon emissions are fully offset through a scheme in place with the Carbon Neutral Company. Our brochure production and distribution is also carbon neutral through a similar scheme, and we offer all our clients the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions caused by their flights too. We also provide details on how this holiday can be reached by train, thereby avoiding flying altogether. Our brochure and all other literature and correspondence uses recycled paper, and we operate a rigorous recycling and energy saving policy both at our UK office and all our destinations, as well as encouraging our local suppliers to do the same. |
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