The view of the castle, the church and the medieval village; the dawns and sunsets which tint pink the rocks and the snow on the mountains of Abruzzo; reflecting on the fantastic scenery and natural wonders which are offered here including some extremely rare plants and animals – from the “campanula cavolinii” to the “gracchio corallino” which nests in the cavities of the walls of the Madonna della Pietà; these are not the only attractions of the Rocca Calascio: in fact here you could spend weeks immersing yourself in the natural beauty of the Parco Nazionale.

Only 25 km away by car, you can find all the paths which reach the highest peaks of the Massiccio del Gran Sasso: Corno Grande and Corno Piccolo, mount Prena and mount Camicia, Pizzo Cefalone, Pizzo Intermesole and mount Corvo. There are many places unique for their wild beauty, besides the forests and the plateau of the Voltigno (the Vallone d’Angora), there is also Rionne, with its jagged rocks surrounding perennial vegetation.

If you want, you can hire from the Rifugio della Rocca a type of mountain bike – light and with shock absorbers in front – and set out on the discovery of a massive area with many roads offering routes ranging in difficulty from the simple to the more demanding. For small groups and for those booking in advance it is also possibile to be accompanied on excursions by one of our guides, not only on foot but also by bike. At Santo Stefano di Sessanio, and in the summer at the Rifugio as well, there is also the opportunity for you to take a horse for marvellous walks in the area, up to Campo Imperatore where the fields remain in flower even after the summer has ended.

If you want, you can hire from the Rifugio della Rocca a type of mountain bike – light and with shock absorbers in front – and set out on the discovery of a massive area with many roads offering routes ranging in difficulty from the simple to the more demanding. For small groups and for those booking in advance it is also possibile to be accompanied on excursions by one of our guides, not only on foot but also by bike. At Santo Stefano di Sessanio, and in the summer at the Rifugio as well, there is also the opportunity for you to take a horse for marvellous walks in the area, up to Campo Imperatore where the fields remain in flower even after the summer has ended.

Cross-country skiing, walking skis and snow poles can be hired by booking through Rifugio della Rocca, or directly at Castel del Monte. Cross-country ski instructors and guides for the winter hikes are available on request. Many guests of the Rifugio practise langlaufing on the peaks of mount Camicia and mount Prena, Corno Grande, Pizzo Intermesoli and mount Sirente.

So great is the allure of a stay at Rocca Calascio that it compels you to stay here even though a few places of interest may be slightly harder to reach from here than if you were to stay somewhere else.In either summer or winter it is possible to organise crossings on foot, by bike or by ski. There is also a minibus service to bring you back to the Rifugio, after a hike for example; this service is for small groups and needs to be booked in advance.

Fans of paragliding and hang-gliding often launch themselves from the Rocca but more do so from the summit of mount Cocozzo, facing the village of Calascio, which is a natural “diving board” for flying around the valley of the river Tirino, a thousand metres further down, a riverbed that collects at its sources all the purist and freezing underground water of the mountainof Gran Sasso, where you can go “no-kill” fishing, canoeing and diving in the lake of Capo d’Acqua. In the sweltering heat of the summer a dive in crystal clear water at 10°C is an experience you’ll never forget…