Campo Di Giove – Trails, Nature and History in the Maiella

Campo di Giove lies at an elevation of 1,064 metres on the southwestern slope of the Maiella and is the highest inhabited place in the entire Maiella National Park. Mountain pastures, pine forests and extensive beech woods with valuable flora and fauna characterise the surrounding area. The town therefore combines a high-altitude landscape with a wide range of themes for a trip to Abruzzo: hiking, wildlife watching, history and winter sports.

High-Altitude Landscape and Nature

Its location makes Campo di Giove a starting point for numerous guided hikes and activities exploring Maiella National Park. On trail P1, after about three hours you reach a ridge at an elevation of 2,390 metres. Shortly afterwards comes Fondo di Femmina Morta, an area characterised by sinkholes. In addition to botanical rarities found at high elevations in the park, visitors can observe species including the wallcreeper, dotterel and Apennine chamois.

The Sentiero tematico dell'Orso also focuses on wildlife. The nature trail is located near Campo di Giove by Lago Ticino, a small karst lake. The approximately 4-kilometre circular trail is dedicated to the Marsican brown bear. Pine Cube is a wooden and glass structure specially designed for this purpose, enabling direct observation of typical local wildlife such as bears, wolves, roe deer and chamois while offering an immersive nature experience.

Hiking Trails with Historical Connections

The Campo di Giove–Palena section of the Sentiero della Libertà is considered its “centrepiece”. It leads from the historic centre of Campo di Giove at 1,070 metres to Guado di Coccia at 1,674 metres. Another connection is trail P3 to Pacentro. It follows an old route of historical and religious interest that was already used by the local population before the year 1000.

Along trail P3, in the Vacerita area, lie the ruins of the church of S. Angelo dei Placunti, also known as S. Angelo di Plaquido. The origins of the Madonna di Coccia sanctuary probably date back to the Early Middle Ages. Today's Madonna di Coccia monastery was created by rebuilding over the ruins of an 18th-century building. In this way, individual trails connect the landscape with its religious past, so the historical links extend beyond the town centre.

Campo di Giove's medieval past is still visible in the townscape and architecture. Casa Quaranta houses the Museum of Peasant Traditions and Arts. Those interested in the town's development, traditional ways of life and the relationship between the village structure and mountain landscape will find various points of interest here to help shape their own travel plans.

Winter Sports in Campo Di Giove

The high elevation is also a defining feature in winter. The Campo di Giove ski area has the highest slopes in Abruzzo. They run from Tavola Rotonda at 2,350 metres through the Quartarana beech forest to the Campo di Giove base station. For skiing, there is a chairlift to the Guado di Coccia area and a drag lift.

The Porrara black run is a technically challenging descent. It leads from Serra Campanile at 1,787 metres over 2,100 metres with a vertical drop of 700 metres downhill. These different focuses can be decisive when choosing accommodation in Campo di Giove: you can plan your stay around a location that encompasses guided hikes and nature activities as well as historic trails and winter sports.

Getting There and Further Destinations

TUA bus services from Chieti, Pescara and Sulmona serve Campo di Giove, with a stop in the town. For travelling without your own vehicle, this connection is a practical reference point when planning your journey.

Further destinations: Castel Di Sangro, Villalago, Castelvecchio Subequo, Montereale, Collettara, Pacentro, Campotosto and Mascioni.

To the main travel overview: L-Aquila.