Campo Imperatore Plateau – Campo Imperatore Summit loop from Castel del Monte

Bike touring routes & trails

Campo Imperatore Plateau – Campo Imperatore Summit loop from Castel del Monte

Hard

5.0

(3)

riders

Campo Imperatore Plateau – Campo Imperatore Summit loop from Castel del Monte

08:29

115km

2,230m

Cycling

Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: July 30, 2026

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After 99.0 km for 565 m

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

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5.08 km

Capo la Serra Pass

Highlight • Mountain Pass

It marks the watershed between the Campo Imperatore plateau and the town of Castel del Monte

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24.6 km

The Campo Imperatore plateau is so special because it is one of Europe's most alien and untouched landscapes. The plateau is over 15 kilometers long and lies at an average altitude of 1,800 to 2,000 meters. This creates a unique combination of extreme vastness, raw nature, and cultural history.

The main reasons why this area is unique:
Europe's 'Little Tibet': Due to the vast treeless plains, the grazing herds of horses and sheep, and the immense mountain ranges surrounding it, you absolutely do not feel like you are in Italy here. The horizon is nowhere interrupted by modern buildings, which gives a rare sense of ultimate emptiness and space.
The setting for iconic films: The alien landscape has been used as a film set by countless Hollywood directors. Major classics and westerns such as Once Upon a Time in the West and The Name of the Rose were filmed here.

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28.1 km

Piana of Campo Imperatore

Highlight • Natural Monument

Vast Apennine plateau of tectonic origin, the plain of Campo Imperatore is fascinating because of the immense green valleys.

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32.2 km

Campo Imperatore Summit

Highlight • Summit

This is the arrival point of the Campo Imperatore road. Located at an altitude of 2,100 meters, various stages of the Giro d'Italia have arrived here: the stage won by Marco Pantani in the 1999 Giro stands out for its importance. Various hiking trails start from here, including the one that leads to the western peak of Corno Grande, the highest point of the Gran Sasso chain of Italy.

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32.3 km

Church of Our Lady of the Snow, Campo Imperatore

Highlight • Religious Site

The Chiesa della Madonna della Neve on Campo Imperatore is the highest consecrated church in Italy. The small stone church is located at an impressive altitude of 2,130 meters in the Gran Sasso massif, right next to the historic hotel.

A special story: the praying Pope

Although the church originates from the fascist regime, the best-known anecdote is connected to a man of peace: Pope John Paul II.

The Polish Pope was an avid hiker and ski enthusiast. To escape the hustle and bustle of the Vatican, he regularly went incognito to the Abruzzo mountains, where he could walk, pray, and enjoy nature in peace.

On June 20, 1993, he paid a discreet visit to Campo Imperatore. During that visit, he officially consecrated the Chiesa della Madonna della Neve. For the inhabitants of the region, this was a special moment, as they knew how strongly John Paul II felt connected to these mountains.

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45.3 km