10 Best Things to See and Do in Monti Sibillini, Umbria & Marche

Maybe the most romantic hamlet of Umbria, Castelluccio is mostly known for its flowers and its gorgeous gastronomy. Once here, don’t forget to taste the lentils marked ‘IGP’, for Protected Geographical Indication, and be sure to try them stuffed with water, garlic, celery, salt and pepper. The best time of the year to visit Castelluccio is spring, when the flowers bloom and the plain is turned into a rainbow of colors.

Valnerina, or Valley of the Nera River, is a natural area located in the south-east of Umbria. It is the ideal place to spend a relaxing weekend with the family or partner. There are a lot of activities to do here, but the best is to trek and admire the marvelous panorama of the area.

Visso is the seat of Monti Sibillini park founded by the legend 907 years before Rome. Unfortunately, this town was one of the most hit by the tremendous earthquake of 2016 and, sadly, still today it’s not easy to find tourists strolling through its city centre.

Just few minutes from the town of Visso is Macereto Sanctuary, one of the most important pilgrimage hubs of central Italy. The sanctuary was erected near a small 14th-century chapel where there is a statue of the Virgin Mary, which, according to the legend, has miraculous properties.

Hell’s Gorge is one of the most beautiful places of Sibylline where, if you are lucky enough, you have the chance to see wild, free animals, such as wolves or golden eagles. The most adventurous can also organize trekking in the area to watch them.

Lake Fiastra is an artificial lake with clear blue waters that reflect the surrounding mountains located inland the Monti Sibillini along river Nera. It’s a beautiful place to spend some time in relaxation, but is also the base to explore the neighbors Valle dell’Acquasanta, with its gorgeous waterfalls, and the Bear Cave.

One of the best things to do in the park is to reach Mount Sibilla and ask the locals about the ancient legend of the area. Sibilla has been known since the Middle Ages as a land of fairies, demons and magic linked to the Prophetess Sibyl, who is said to have lived in the homonymous mount. There is nothing more exciting than hearing the ancient legend linked to the area than here.

This nice village is totally worth a visit, not only because of its beauty but also because it’s the only municipality in Europe whose territory is composed by parts of two different national parks. Arquata del Tronto belogs to Monti Sibillini in the north and Gran Sasso in the south.

Piano Grande is a large plain to admire in the springtime when grass and flowers bloom. It is ringed by the slope of the massif’s highest point of Sibillini mounts, the Vettore Mount. You can hike it and reach the top to admire the valleys and rivers below.

One of the most beautiful and aventourous things to do in the Sibillini is to rent a bike (you can easily do that in one of the largest hamlets of the area) and go. The panoramas you’ll see are simply amazing and will make it very difficult to come back home.