The Sentiero della Libertà from Sulmona to Casoli

There's a trail in Abruzzo that almost no one walks alone, and yet it carries a story that stays with you. The Sentiero della Libertà retraces the escape route that, after the armistice of 8 September 1943, dozens of Allied prisoners who had fled the Fonte d'Amore camp near Sulmona took to reach the front lines beyond the Maiella, helped by the local farmers and shepherds. Today the vast majority of those who know it tackle it only during the late-April commemorative march, when for a few days the mule tracks fill up. For the rest of the year the trail returns to what it was: a thin line inside a wild mountain.

From Sulmona

The starting point is Sulmona, the city of Ovid, with its Piazza Garibaldi and its medieval aqueduct. From here you approach the area of Fonte d'Amore, where prison camp number 78 once stood, today a place of memory. From there the route climbs towards the pass leading to the eastern side of the Maiella. You ascend towards Campo di Giove, passing through the villages of Pacentro and Cansano, pushing into the woods and clearings that look out over the valley, up to this little mountain village at the foot of the massif's highest crests.

From Campo di Giove the trail continues towards the slope that descends slowly to the Aventino river and the area of Taranta Peligna and Lama dei Peligni, villages overlooking the eastern Maiella. The crossing touches places where the limestone rock opens into deep ravines, cliff hermitages and caves that were refuge for shepherds and fugitives. The arrival is at Casoli, a village dominated by its castle and overlooking the lake of the same name, the last stage before what during the war meant freedom.

The route

The route is no stroll: it unfolds over several days and is meant for trained walkers, with stretches of real mountain, considerable elevation gain and long stages. It's best tackled over several days, relying on the villages along the way, where you'll find small guesthouses, farm stays and family-run bed and breakfasts. Don't expect grand services: this is one of the most authentic and least touristic areas of the Apennines, and that's part of the charm.

To reach the starting point, Sulmona is accessible by train on the line connecting Rome and Pescara, and it's also a rail junction towards L'Aquila. Casoli, at the finish, is more isolated and is best reached by car or by the local transport serving the Sangro-Aventino area. For this reason many arrange a transfer or leave a car at the finish. Within the Maiella National Park it's wise to check trail conditions at the visitor centres, because the signage exists but in some stretches requires attention and, especially out of season, a good trail map is useful.

When to go

The best months are June, July and September. In high summer the higher altitudes stay cool and afternoon storms are to be expected, but it's precisely outside the late-April march that the trail offers its most intimate dimension: no queues, no organized groups, just the sound of the wind in the beech forests. September, with its still-long days and colours beginning to change, is perhaps the loveliest moment, when the few walkers can be counted on one hand.

Practical tips

A practical tip: carry enough water and study in advance the points where you can resupply, because between one spring and the next several hours of walking on exposed terrain can pass. And if you can, stop to talk with the village elders: many still remember their grandparents' tales of those prisoners passing through, and hearing those stories on the spot gives the trail a meaning no guidebook can convey.

Practical guides for L'Aquila

• Where to stay in L'Aquila
• What to see in L'Aquila in 2 days
• Where to eat in L'Aquila
• How to get to L'Aquila