Mt. Sibillini National Park – The Lion Voyager

Destination

Mt. Sibillini National Park - Italy

TheLionVoyager

A true temple of nature in the middle of Italy

one of the most beautiful areas on the centre of Italy located between the regions of Marche and Umbria

Exploring the sibillini national park

The Monti Sibillini National Park, dominated by Mount Vettore (2,476 mt), has been established in 1993, it extends for about 70.000 hectares between Umbria and Marche, it’s the paradise for hikers and climbers, the perfect destination for adventures into the wilderness.
There are plenty of places to see and visit in this area, the Park is home of some outstanding natural sights, and beautiful towns such as Visso, Ussita, Norcia and Castelluccio.
Among the many things to do and see, I recommend you my favourite three places that I think you should not miss:
Mount Vettore and Lake Pilato: the highest mountain of the Park, here you can find fantastic paths and the glacial Pilato Lake, the water is really limpid and clear, but is strictly forbidden to touch the water and have a bath. The reason is that if you get too much close to the water you could squash the eggs of a rare creature: the Chirocefalo dei Marchesoni (a red little shrimp that lives only in this lake).
Castelluccio di Norcia: Very famous for their flowering, if you are in this area between mid-May and mid-July, you can admire the fields of lentils and poppies bloom, the views from the top of the hill are fantastic. The Gorges of Infernaccio: offer the hiker a breath-taking landscape, they are natural gorges formed by the river Tenna. These are located in the municipality of Montefortino in the province of Fermo, and are among the most picturesque gorges in the Umbria-Marche Apennines.
The Infernaccio Gorge is a popular place for walking, especially for the refreshment offered by it during the summer months. From here you can visit the hidden waterfall, the source of the River Tenna and the Hermitage of San Leonardo. In order to arrive at the starting point of the Infernaccio gorge path, you’ll need to take the location of Rubbiano as a reference, near Montefortino town.

Lake Fiastra & Lame Rosse

Lake Fiastra is definitely a place to discover if you are spending time in Le Marche, located about 70 kilometres southwest of Ancona. It’s an artificial lake with clear blue waters that reflect the surrounding mountains located inland the Monti Sibillini. It’s a beautiful place to spend some time in relaxation, but is also the base to explore the neighbours towns.
After a few days of exploring Le Marche, hiking in the Sibillini Mountains or shopping at local outlet stores it’s time to take a break, switch off and relax. With a wonderful drive through the mountains to get to this lake, where you can swim, take boat rides and enjoy the peace that this valley has to offer you. If you’re visiting in the summer, when the temperature can reach over 30 degrees, then nothing can beat a dip in this refreshing lake.
Lake Fiastra is only a short drive from the beautiful, medieval villages of San Ginesio, Caldarola and the town of Sarnano. If you have some time to spare they are great places to stop and explore.
The best and must view to see of the lake, is the panoramic view from above, from the village of Ruffella, there is an amazing terrace overlooking the lake, it’s the best spot.
Just next to the lake, you can find one of the most famous and fascinating places in the Sibillini Mountains, the Lame Rosse. Their unusual and unique shape, is due to the long and slow wind erosion over a period of millions of years, they are the Grand Canyon of the Marche, a truly unique place of this region.
The round trip path is around 8km and will take you around 3 hours of hike from Lake Fiastra to arrive to the rock formations. They are really beautiful and look like something you would see in Utah or Arizona in the western United States. The trail leading up to the formations is not too difficult, just remember to bring some water and a snacks as there are no bars or shops around.