Skiing in Abruzzo – snow report
The most popular ski resorts, the updated snow report and useful information on how to find lifts or book accommodation for your winter holiday
Mountain setting
A city surrounded by mountains
The Valle Peligna is enclosed by some of the highest peaks of the Apennines.
Sulmona sits in the middle of the Peligna basin. To the east rises Monte Morrone, which tops 2,000 metres right above the city; behind it lies the Majella massif, with Monte Amaro (2,793 m), the second-highest peak in the Apennines. To the south the road climbs towards the Altopiano delle Cinquemiglia and the ski resorts of the Alto Sangro.
Monte Morrone
Sulmona’s own mountain, dear to Celestine V: on its slopes stand the Abbey of Santo Spirito and the Hermitage of Sant’Onofrio. Trails start almost from the city and climb all the way to the ridge.
The Majella and Campo di Giove
Campo di Giove, at about 1,060 m, is the village at the foot of the Tavola Rotonda: you ski here in winter, and in summer it is a starting point for hikes towards Monte Amaro.
Passo San Leonardo
The pass (1,282 m) between the Majella and the Morrone, about 18 km from Sulmona via Pacentro: meadows, beech woods, snowshoeing and the climb to Monte Amaro. See Passo San Leonardo.
Altopiano delle Cinquemiglia
The great plateau above 1,200 m that leads to Rivisondoli, Pescocostanzo and Roccaraso: snow in winter, pastures and horses in summer.
Tip: in summer the city often goes above 30 °C, while the air stays cool up high: Sulmona is perfect for sleeping in town and heading into the mountains every day.
Snow
Ski resorts near Sulmona
Two large ski areas less than an hour’s drive away.
Roccaraso – Alto Sangro
~40 km · about 40 minutes
Campo di Giove – Majella
~20 km · about 25 minutes
Cross-country skiing
Pescocostanzo, Passo San Leonardo
Historic train
Sulmona – Roccaraso
Roccaraso and the Alto Sangro
The Roccaraso, Rivisondoli and Pescocostanzo ski area is the largest in central and southern Italy: over 100 km of slopes and around twenty lifts between about 1,300 and 2,142 metres, with the Aremogna, Pizzalto, Monte Pratello and Gravare areas. From Sulmona you drive up the SS 17 across the Altopiano delle Cinquemiglia. Roccaraso slopes, lifts and ski passes.
Campo di Giove
On the western side of the Majella, the Campo di Giove lifts rise from the village towards Guado di Coccia and the Tavola Rotonda, up to about 2,350 metres: one of the highest points reachable by lift in Abruzzo. The high slopes are very scenic and less crowded than those of the Alto Sangro; opening depends heavily on snow cover, so check before you go.
Cross-country skiing
The best-known cross-country loops in the area are on the Pescocostanzo and Alto Sangro plateau; with good snow, a loop of about 3 km is also tracked on the Passo San Leonardo plateau.
Note: from November to April you need winter tyres or snow chains on board. Before setting off, check the snow report, the weather and the webcams.
Outdoor sports
Cycling, horse riding, snowshoeing and mountaineering
Activities for every season start right from the city.
🚵 Cycling
For road cyclists the classic climbs are Pacentro and Passo San Leonardo (about 18 km of climbing), Campo di Giove and the Altopiano delle Cinquemiglia. Mountain bikers ride the trails of the Morrone and the Majella; in summer you can hire bikes and e-bikes in Roccaraso.
🐴 Horse riding
The Majella Park has a network of trails open to horses, such as the HT17 from Pian dell’Orso, above Pacentro, to Passo San Leonardo. At the foot of the Morrone, in the Valle Peligna, riding centres offer guided rides; the pastures of the Cinquemiglia are a classic for horse trekking.
❄️ Snowshoeing
In winter you can snowshoe on the Passo San Leonardo plateau and towards Roccacaramanico, in the woods of Campo di Giove and around Roccaraso and Pescocostanzo. Local guides often run guided snowshoe walks. Snowshoeing in Abruzzo.
⛰️ Mountaineering and ski touring
Monte Amaro (2,793 m) is climbed from Fonte di Nunzio, near Passo San Leonardo, or from Campo di Giove; in winter the Rava della Giumenta Bianca is the most famous ski-touring route on the Majella. Ski touring in Abruzzo.
Safety: in snow, the Majella and the Morrone become high-mountain terrain. Check the Meteomont avalanche bulletin, carry a transceiver, shovel and probe (required by law in snowy terrain with avalanche risk) and, if you lack experience, go with a mountain guide.
Main sights
What to see in Sulmona
A medieval aqueduct, Gothic palaces and the places of Celestine V.
Piazza Garibaldi and the medieval aqueduct
One of the largest squares in Abruzzo, crossed by the arches of the aqueduct built in 1256 by Manfred of Swabia to bring the waters of the Gizio river into the city. It is the setting for the market, the Giostra Cavalleresca and the Madonna che scappa.
Santissima Annunziata complex
On Corso Ovidio, the palace and church of the Annunziata are the symbol of the city: the palace façade blends Gothic and Renaissance, while the church was rebuilt in Baroque style after the 1706 earthquake.
Cathedral of San Panfilo
The cathedral, dedicated to the patron saint, stands at the northern end of the old town, near the Villa Comunale park; it has a Romanesque crypt.
Statue of Ovid
In Piazza XX Settembre stands the bronze statue of the Latin poet, born in Sulmona in 43 BC: it is the city’s meeting point.
Abbey of Santo Spirito al Morrone
At the foot of the Morrone, a few kilometres from the centre, it was founded in 1293 by Pietro da Morrone, the future Pope Celestine V. After the monastic orders were abolished it served as a poorhouse, barracks and prison until 1993; today it is a museum of the Ministry of Culture.
Hermitage of Sant’Onofrio and Sanctuary of Hercules Curinus
Above the abbey, the hermitage clinging to the rock where Pietro da Morrone lived; a little lower down, the remains of the Roman sanctuary of Hercules Curinus. You walk up on a steep path with views over the whole Valle Peligna.
Sulmona’s sugared almonds
The city is famous for its confetti, the sugared almonds, and for the flower arrangements made from them in the shop windows of the centre; a historic factory also houses a museum devoted to the confectioner’s art.
Tip: Corso Ovidio links Piazza XX Settembre, the Annunziata and Piazza Garibaldi: you can see it all on foot in half a day.
Exploring the city
Old town and surroundings
Corso Ovidio
The main street, with sugared-almond shops, cafés, noble palaces and churches: it runs through the whole old town.
Piazza Garibaldi
The open space beneath the aqueduct, with the Fontana del Vecchio and the market.
Pacentro
About 8 km away, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, dominated by the Caldora castle: it is the starting point towards Passo San Leonardo.
Badia Morronese
The district at the foot of the Morrone with the Abbey of Santo Spirito, where the trails to the hermitage begin.
Suggested routes
Itineraries from Sulmona
Art in the morning, mountains in the afternoon.
Itinerary 1 — Sulmona in 2 hours
- Piazza XX Settembre and the statue of Ovid
- Corso Ovidio and the Annunziata complex
- Piazza Garibaldi and the medieval aqueduct
Itinerary 2 — In the footsteps of Celestine V
- Abbey of Santo Spirito al Morrone
- Sanctuary of Hercules Curinus
- Walk up to the Hermitage of Sant’Onofrio
Itinerary 3 — A day on the snow
- Morning on the slopes of Roccaraso or Campo di Giove
- Afternoon snowshoeing at Passo San Leonardo or Pescocostanzo
- Back to Sulmona for dinner and a stroll in the centre
Itinerary 4 — Summer in the high mountains
- Climb Monte Amaro from Fonte di Nunzio (a full day, for experienced hikers)
- Or an easy loop through the beech woods of Passo San Leonardo
- Evening in Pacentro or in the centre of Sulmona
Suggestion: more routes in the Majella hiking guide, the three-day Majella trek and the maps and GPX tracks.
Calendar
Events in Sulmona
Religious rites, knights and historic trains.
The Madonna che scappa
On Easter morning, in Piazza Garibaldi, the statue of the Madonna runs towards the risen Christ and drops her black mantle: a moment the whole city looks forward to.
Giostra Cavalleresca
At the end of July the knights of the city’s districts compete in Piazza Garibaldi after a parade in Renaissance costume; a few days earlier the Giostra d’Europa is held, with guest cities from other countries.
Historic trains on the Transiberiana d’Italia
On certain dates, including in winter and during the Christmas markets, historic trains leave Sulmona and climb towards Campo di Giove, Roccaraso and Castel di Sangro on the Sulmona–Carpinone railway.
Tip: dates and bookings for the historic trains are on the Fondazione FS website; for the Giostra, book grandstand seats early.
Local food
What to eat
Mountain cooking and produce of the Valle Peligna.
- Sulmona confetti — the most famous speciality, also made into flower arrangements
- Sulmona red garlic — with a red skin and a strong flavour, grown in the valley
- Arrosticini — skewers of mutton grilled over embers
- Pasta alla chitarra — with lamb or mutton ragù
- Sheep’s cheeses — pecorino and ricotta from farms on the Majella and the Morrone
- Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Cerasuolo — from the vineyards of the Valle Peligna
Tip: more dishes on the page about typical Abruzzo cuisine.
Mobility
Getting around
The old town is easy to explore on foot; for the mountains you need a car or the local buses.
On foot
Ideal in the old town
Bus
TUA lines to Roccaraso and Pescara
Train
Historic trains to Campo di Giove and Roccaraso
Car
Essential for the valleys
Origins and identity
History of Sulmona
From the Paeligni to Ovid and Celestine V.
Sulmo was one of the towns of the Paeligni, an Italic people of the valley, and later became a Roman municipium. The poet Publius Ovidius Naso was born here in 43 BC; in the Tristia he wrote «Sulmo mihi patria est», and the initials SMPE still appear on the city’s coat of arms.
In the Middle Ages Sulmona was an important centre of the Kingdom of Sicily and then of Naples. In 1256 Manfred had the aqueduct built; on the Morrone lived the hermit Pietro da Morrone, elected pope in 1294 as Celestine V.
The 1706 earthquake destroyed much of the city, which was rebuilt in Baroque style alongside the Gothic palaces that survived.
Did you know? Sulmona is the city of confetti: the tradition is documented as early as the 15th century and is still tied to weddings and celebrations today.