Explore Le Marche
With a mountain lake reddened by the blood of the devil, a narrow pass known as the gorge of hell and a cave reputed to have been the lair of an enchantress, the Monti Sibillini are not only the most beautiful section of the Apennines, but they teem with ancient legends too. Wolves, chamois and brown bear all have a home in the national park and even if you don’t come across one of these, you may be lucky enough to see an equally rare golden eagle instead.
The best way to experience the park is by walking, cycling or horseriding, and if you’re up for a challenge there’s Il Grande Anello dei Sibillini (The Great Sibylline Ring), 120km of signposted footpaths that take nine days to walk, or four to five days to cover by mountain bike. Maps and accommodation details, including mountain refuges, are listed on w sibillini.net. There are shorter trails too, through meadows filled with wild flowers, for which the most agreeable bases are the medieval hill-villages that crown the Sibillini foothills. Most villages are served by buses, but they’re generally few and far between and it’s definitely best to have your own transport.
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Hiking in the Monti Sibillini
Hiking in the Monti Sibillini
To tackle the best of the Sibillini treks, drive or take a taxi 8km east from Montemonaco to the quiet village of Foce. The hike up to Lago di Pilato and Pizzo del Diavolo (Devil’s Peak) is fairly tough; allow a whole day, take the Kompass Monti Sibillini map (the ominously, and rather aptly numbered, sheet no. 666), which can be bought locally, and only attempt it in good conditions during the high summer months as the snow doesn’t melt until June. Here, guarding the entrance to Umbria, stands Monte Vettore (2476m), the highest of the Sibillini peaks.
If you’re going to attempt a climb up Monte Sibilla, the Rifugio Sibilla 1540 (w rifugiosibilla1540.com) is the best base. It lies about 6km east of Montemonaco along the path that eventually leads to the cave of the sibyl Grotta della Sibilla. The Kompass map is essential here, too, as the path is only barely visible.
