The best traffic-free bike rides around Montazzoli

Historic Franciscan monastery in an oasis of peace. The Convento di San Pasquale (officially the monastery of Santa Maria degli Angeli) is hidden in the greenery on the hill of Vallaspra, just outside the medieval town of Atessa. This impressive complex was founded as early as 1408 by the blessed Tommaso da Firenze. It is built entirely of natural stone and exudes a serene, historic atmosphere. Although the interior and the beautiful monastery garden with the central well (from 1709) are unfortunately often closed to the public due to varying opening hours, the complex is an absolute sight to behold from the outside. Under the large portico at the front, you can still admire a centuries-old fresco of the Pietà. Moreover, the quiet, shady surroundings are perfect for a well-deserved break during your sporting tour. Fun fact: the monastery used to lend its name to the well-known local herbal liqueur "Amaro San Pasquale", which was originally prepared by the monks with herbs from this valley.

The scenic road leading to Pennadomo is a journey of rare beauty that winds through the wild landscapes of the province of Chieti, offering spectacular views of the spectacular limestone cliffs that characterize the village. The route allows you to admire the intense blue of the lake and the jagged profile of the surrounding mountains from above, transforming the journey into an unforgettable visual experience amidst vertical rock faces and pristine nature.

Here you'll find three large crosses depicting the crucifixion of Jesus and the two thieves. For those living in Bagnaturo and Sulmona, they're a constant visual reference: looking up at the mountain from below, they stand out clearly against the ridge. Beyond their spiritual significance, this site is renowned for the incredible panoramic view it offers of the Peligna Valley; once you reach them, you feel as if you're standing on a natural terrace suspended in the void. The crosses are often illuminated for special occasions or religious holidays, making them visible even at night from across the valley below.

Lake Bomba is an artificial basin created on the Sangro River by an earth dam located in the municipality of Bomba.

Pietraferrazzana is the smallest town in Abruzzo with its 130 inhabitants in a handkerchief of rock

beautiful route to reach Pennadomo

Convent of S.Maria degli Angeli (S.Pasquale) in Vallaspra di Atessa (CH) In the name Vallaspra, Valle-aspra, one can sense the peculiarity of a wild and fruitless nature, but also the sedimentation of a troubled historical and religious with long periods of splendor and apostolate. The history of the Vallaspra convent is linked to the Franciscan spirit and the incessant work of evangelization of the observant Friars Minor. Way back in 1408, Tommaso da Firenze, lay friar and secretary of Father Nicola da Osimo, commissioner of the province of Sant'Angelo in Puglia, stopped his wanderings in the Frenta area, in front of an ancient Cona depicting the Madonna of Sorrows with the Dead Christ and on the sides Saint John and Saint Francis on the right, Mary Magdalene and Saint Anthony of Padua on the left, venerated in a barren and wild place, precisely Vallassero di Atessa. Conquered by the evocative sacredness of the place and the profound meaning of this Pietà, Frà Tommaso began the construction of the first nucleus of the convent, which was completed and inaugurated just ten years later, in 1430. The convent of Vallaspra dedicated by Frà Tommaso to Santa Maria degli Angeli , not only in the dedication, but above all in the architectural structures, preserves the cleanliness of the Franciscan forms. The church, with a central nave and a side one, was enriched, in the early 1700s, with a chapel dedicated to San Pasquale Baylon (Spanish), a lay Franciscan, canonized in 1860, in honor of the Contestabile Colonna; the latter changed the title of the convent and San Pasquale simply, rather than Vallaspra, indicates the locality and the monastic complex. Over the centuries the structure was a woolen mill (the Franciscan habit was produced there); operating for more than a century and closed in 1675, it was linked to the intense period of traffic along the herd arteries. Over the years, the Convent of S.Pasquale became an important center of theological studies. Today, the Convent transmits a strong sense of belonging, of religious, spiritual and cultural identity; characteristics, the latter, which make it a solid, safe reference center, as well as a pole of aggregation, prayer and apostolate.

Monastic complex located in Atessa. The style is Renaissance/Baroque and its origins date back to the 15th century. the convent is entirely made of stone and there is a nursery in its garden.