The best MTB trails around Scafa

Refuge open only in summer.

The Cathedral of Saints Valentine and Damian (real name) in San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore (PE) is not only the spiritual center of the village, but also a tangible testimony to its millennia-old history. Its roots date back to around the year 1000, when the village, initially known as Castrum Petrae, became the burial place (and subsequent transfer of the bodies) of the Holy Martyrs Valentine and Damian, elevating the site to a pilgrimage destination and decreeing its name change. The current building is the result of a long process of destruction and rebirth, typical of Abruzzo towns. The most crucial moment was the great Maiella earthquake of 1706, which devastated much of the area and necessitated almost complete reconstruction. It was following this earthquake that the church took on its most distinctive character. The interior, in fact, is a magnificent example of sumptuous 18th-century Baroque, the result of restoration work carried out between 1777 and 1791. Here, the wide single nave unfolds beneath a richly decorated barrel vault, punctuated by pilasters with Corinthian capitals, creating an atmosphere of great elegance and sumptuousness. In stark contrast to this interior grace, the exterior boasts a powerful salient façade flanked by twin bell towers. This end block was added only more recently (between 1920 and 1931), designed by architect Antonio Liberi, giving the cathedral the monumental appearance we know today. Guardian of the remains of the patron saints and a symbol of the village's resilience after natural disasters, the cathedral perfectly embodies the faith and history of San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore.

beautiful beech forest with a gymkhana path

beautiful wooded stretch on the Serramonacesca Passo Lanciano route

WARNING Coming from Sant'Eufemia, you'll see the sign for trail B4; on the right, it says "Fonte Lama Bianca 0.15," but below, there's another sign: "NO MTB." The trail shortly after becomes very dangerous for bicycles (even if you're pushing your bike). It's best to avoid it.

Very scenic ride, quite challenging

If you go beyond the end of the paved road, after the telecommunications facilities of the blockhouse, you'll find a paved road that ends on another stretch of gravel road, leading to a sort of small terrace, where you can admire a 360° panorama. A short distance away, you can see a small chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Snows... from there, you'll find trails for hiking or, for a while, for a gravel bike ride.

The Hermitage is wonderful, you can access it by crawling between two stones and inside it, you experience a mystical atmosphere. You must bring a water bottle with you because on the path, which involves a walk of about half an hour, there are no fountains available.