Scalelle (Stairs) of Caramanico Walk B6

Updated August 2021

Explore the pristine Orfento River whilst admiring sweeping views of the Orfento Valley and dramatic limestone cliffs.

STARTING POINT: Visitor Centre – Parco Majella, Caramanico (you must go to the visitor centre to fill in a registration form before doing walks in this area)

END POINT: Ponte di Caramanico (Caramanico Bridge) – to walk back into Caramanico centre is another 15 minutes

TRAVEL TIME: 1hr 30 minutes (total)

LENGTH: 4km

DIFFICULTY Italian Alpine Club rating: E – Escursionistico (Hiker – Intermediate)

RECOMMENDED TIME OF YEAR: All year-round. Not recommended after heavy rains or in the hot midday summer sun.

WATER FOUNTAIN: At the start of the walk. There is also a bar near the Visitor Centre.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF WALK

Before the walk, you need to go to the Visitor Centre (in the hamlet of Santa Croce – a 10min walk from the centre of Caramanico and a lovely hamlet to explore) to fill out a registration form. It’s a short and painless process. You can also buy some excellent maps, books and souvenirs at the Centre. There is also a museum here that has great artefacts and the history of the local area. This walk also intersects with the longer 73km, 4 day Path of the Spirit (Sentiero dello Spirito) walk.

The walk starts next to the Visitor Centre. Follow the B6 sign passing the Park’s otter and bird enclosures.

The walk is short and downhill. At the beginning of the walk, there are lovely views of the Orfento Valley and limestone cliffs. The forest is made up of black pine and cypress trees that have been part of a reforestation project since the 1930s.

You will come across an overhanging rock that was used as a shelter in WWII by POW escapees retold in the memoir of New Zealander soldier John E. Broad “Poor People, Poor Us’. Part of this walk also makes up the larger Il Sentiero della Libertà (Freedom Trail Path) that runs from Sulmona to Palena.

Rocky outcrop where John E Broad took shelter during WWII

It’s a short 20-minute walk to the Ponte Cataldo – and to the Orfento River. Do not swim in the river as this is a pristine environment. The walk then snakes its way alongside the river with a series of wooden bridges. The river gives off a beautiful turquoise colour reflecting the trees and sulphur that is found in this area. The sulphur has also made Caramanico well known as a spa town (hence the name Caramanico Terme – terme meaning baths).

The walk ends at the river. You can return the way you came, back to the Visitor Centre or continue on to Ponte di Caramanico – S (Bridge of Caramanico) climbing about 100 stairs. From the bridge you can walk another 15 minutes into the town centre.