Cittareale: Hiking, Winter Sports and History

Cittareale offers a range of reasons to visit: CAI hiking trail 472 to Monte Boragine, winter sports in Selvarotonda, and religious and archaeological history. You can choose your focus based on activity, season or cultural interest. The combination of outdoor activities and historical themes gives you more than one reason to visit the town.

Hiking and Winter Sports

CAI hiking trail 472 connects Cittareale with Monte Boragine. Check trail conditions before setting out. In Selvarotonda, near Cittareale and the sources of the Velino, there are opportunities for alpine skiing and cross-country skiing. The cross-country ski trails run through oak woods and centuries-old beech forests. The options differ in focus: a hiking route to Monte Boragine on the one hand, and trails through the forest on the other. Since seasonal operating conditions may change, check current information before planning winter sports. For orientation, note that hiking trail 472 leads from Cittareale to Monte Boragine, while the winter sports facilities are in Selvarotonda.

Culture and Religious Traditions

The Museo Civico di Cittareale opened in 2009. The church of Capo d'Acqua was elevated to parish church in 1153. Another religious tradition is the annual solemn procession at the Santuario della Madonna di Capodacqua, which brings together people from across the valley. The dates refer to historical developments, while the procession is an annual tradition. If you are interested in the procession, check the latest arrangements locally.

Archaeological Traces

Excavations in Cittareale uncovered the remains of two ancient houses. One had an atrium and cubicula, or bedrooms. A large Republican-era building dating to around 100 BC was also uncovered in archaeological excavations in Cittareale. It has been interpreted as a public institution modelled on the Villa Publica in Rome. The Roman Villa Publica was used for the census, the recruitment of troops and athletic and military exercises for local youth. A building that had already been destroyed was used as a late antique necropolis between the end of the 4th and the 7th century. The archaeological themes thus range from ancient houses and Republican architecture to late antiquity. The periods differ considerably: the Republican building is dated to around 100 BC, while its use as a necropolis belongs to a much later period.

Orientation in the Municipality

The municipal capital is about five kilometres from the geographical centre of the municipality of Cittareale. This approximate distance offers a point of reference for locating the places and topics mentioned within the municipality.

Discover more destinations: Poggio Mirteto, Stimigliano, Belmonte In Sabina, Cantalice, Pian De' Valli, Fiumata, Cittaducale, Montenero Sabino.

For the broader travel overview: Rieti.