Discover Balsorano Nuovo: Churches, Festivals and Hiking Trails

Balsorano Nuovo combines sacred art, local festivals and trails leading to higher elevations. Churches, historical landmarks, Easter traditions and hiking trails give your stay different focal points. If you choose a hotel or other accommodation, you can plan your trip accordingly.

Churches and Historical Art

The Chiesa della Santissima Trinità is located in Piazza Scacchi in Balsorano Nuovo. The church was consecrated in 1939; it was founded between 1934 and 1937 after the old church was destroyed by the 1915 Marsica earthquake. The statue of San Giorgio is kept inside.

The Convento di San Francesco contains a marble high altar with an altar frontal decorated with mother-of-pearl dating from the early 18th century, a wooden statue of Saint Paschal from the 15th century, original coats of arms of the Piccolomini-Silveri family from 1600 in the altar balustrade, and a 1725 crucifix.

The Chiesa Madonna delle Grazie has a cylindrical tower that serves as an apse. About 50 metres away stands a square tower with at least two surviving above-ground floors and a vaulted underground room. In the hamlet of Ridotti, the Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Sassi dates from the 13th century; it contains a fresco depicting Purgatory from the first half of the 18th century.

Sant’Angelo and the Higher Elevations

The Eremo di Sant’Angelo is a cave sanctuary at an altitude of 917 metres above the Vallone di Sant’Angelo. The cave contains three chapels. The Chapel of the Madonna dello Spirito Santo contains a painting dated 5 May 1533. From the main piazza of Balsorano Nuovo, a path leads towards the Serra Lunga mountains to the Santuario di Sant’Angelo. The Eremo di Sant’Angelo can be reached on foot in approximately 60 minutes.

Town Centre, Museum and Castle

The Parco della Rimembranza di Balsorano is located in the centre of the settlement known as the “new” part of Balsorano, which was built further down the valley after the 1915 Marsica earthquake. The former railway station houses the Museo della pastorizia; it displays spontaneous art as well as the activities of shepherds and pastoral communities among the people of the Marsica region over the centuries. Castello Piccolomini in Balsorano has an approximately pentagonal floor plan.

Festivals and Religious Traditions

Balsorano Nuovo celebrates its patron saint, San Giorgio, on 23 April. The statue of Maria SS.ma Assunta is brought to Balsorano Nuovo on 2 August and returned to Balsorano Vecchio on 15 August. The gastronomic event “Calici e musica sotto le stelle” has been held for several years on 10 August as part of the San Lorenzo festival at Castello Piccolomini and in the medieval town centre of Balsorano Vecchio. The procession of Sant’Antonio Abate passes through the town’s streets, accompanied by devotional music and singing; traditional “cicerocche” are distributed during the procession.

Easter Pastries and Regional Cuisine

Easter traditions in Balsorano include Piccillat: a twice-risen, orange-flavoured sweet pastry made mainly from flour, sugar and lard. They also include Calascinetti, ravioli filled with various cheeses and pepper; aged Pecorino, cow’s-milk cheese and Grana Padano are used.

Hiking Trails and Rail Connection

There are routes of varying lengths and elevations for hiking. The InCastro route connects the three municipalities of Balsorano, San Vincenzo Valle Roveto and Morino with the Zompo Lo Schioppo nature reserve. Classified as “escursionistico”, CAI hiking trail 628 begins in Serra Alta in the municipality of Balsorano, ends in Serra Comune in the municipality of Sora, and is 4.8 kilometres long in total. The Cappella di San Giovanni is located in Località Solagna delle Riconche at an altitude of 1,000 metres above the hamlets of Collepiano and Case Marconi. Balsorano is connected to the rail network via the Avezzano–Roccasecca railway line.

More Destinations for Planning Your Trip

Collettara, Stiffe, Pescasseroli, Calascio, San Giovanni Valle Roveto Superiore, Capitignano, Introdacqua and Carapelle Calvisio

To the higher-level travel overview: L-Aquila.