The Cammino dei Briganti: A Wild Loop Between Abruzzo and Lazio
A 100 km circular route through the Monti della Laga and Cicolano, crossing abandoned borghi and beech forests where post-Unification outlaws once hid.
Foto: Marica Massaro (CC BY-SA 4.0) — Wikimedia Commons
The Cammino dei Briganti is a circular trail of roughly 100 kilometres between Abruzzo and Lazio, in the area of the Monti della Laga and the Cicolano. It takes its name from the post-Unification brigands who found refuge in these rugged mountains, and walking it today means crossing one of the wildest and most depopulated territories of central Italy.
The route begins at Sante Marie, a small village in the Cicolano district of the province of L'Aquila, and proceeds clockwise through narrow valleys, beech forests and high-altitude pastures. The stages pass through borghi where in many cases the number of remaining inhabitants barely fills one hand: Cartore, Nesce, Corvaro. These are places where time stopped around the post-war years — stone houses, public fountains, not a shop in sight.
The landscape is that of the most authentic Apennine: rounded mountains covered in forest, valleys carved by streams, clearings where horses graze freely. There are no technical passages or mountaineering difficulties, but the stages are long and the ground sometimes uncertain. You walk on mule tracks, forest paths and unpaved mountain roads.
The hospitality is the trail's greatest strength: every stage has an accommodation point — a hostel, an agriturismo, a private home — where you sleep and eat with local produce. Dinner is often the best moment of the day: you eat with residents, hear stories of brigands and emigration, and drink homemade wine.
The route takes 5–7 days to complete. The best seasons are May–June and September–October. In summer the heat in the lower valleys is intense; in winter snow closes the higher passes.
The Cammino dei Briganti has grown in recent years but remains a niche trail, far from the crowds of the Via degli Dei or the Camino de Santiago. You walk here to meet the mountain and the people who still inhabit it — two things that, in this corner of Italy, are inseparable.
Practical guides for L'Aquila
Practical info
When is the best time to visit The Cammino dei Briganti?
The recommended time is May, June, September and October, when it is less crowded.
Is The Cammino dei Briganti crowded?
The Cammino dei Briganti is a almost deserted destination compared with the more touristy ones.
Where is The Cammino dei Briganti?
The Cammino dei Briganti is located in Cicolano, Abruzzo–Lazio, Italy.
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