Discover Sellecchia

Sellecchia offers several concrete points of interest for a trip: the Church of Santa Rita and its former name, routes to the Santuario di Greccio, and the nearby Sorgente Ragna. The Cammino di Francesco also offers a view of Franciscan sites and landscapes in the municipality of Greccio. Local history, route planning, and landscape thus offer different perspectives for planning a trip.

The Church of Santa Rita and its history of names

The Church of Santa Rita is located in Sellecchia and was formerly called Santa Maria. This sequence of names connects its present-day designation with a former name for the same church; it points to a change in the church’s history, not to two different destinations. For travelers interested in church history, this provides a specific local point of reference: Santa Rita is the church’s current name, while Santa Maria belongs to its earlier history.

The Cammino di Francesco in Greccio

In the municipality of Greccio, the Cammino di Francesco connects the Franciscan sites of the Valle Santa. Its route passes through hermitages, valleys, and unspoiled forests. The route therefore encompasses several kinds of places and landscapes rather than being limited to a single church building. For trip planning, the Cammino answers a different question from Santa Rita: it directs attention to a broader Franciscan context, while the church offers a specific connection to a name and place. This distinction can help you choose the focus of your stay without treating the two topics as the same.

Routes to the Santuario di Greccio

A route from Sellecchia reaches the foot of the Santuario di Greccio after about five kilometers. The distance is approximate and refers to the route to the foot of the sanctuary. It provides a specific distance to a particular destination for planning purposes. The old mule track Via Pié di Monticchio also leads to the Santuario and runs along the edge of the forest. The two route descriptions emphasize different things: the first gives the approximate distance from Sellecchia, while the second names a path and describes its surroundings. Check the route and trail conditions before setting out, as they can change.

Additional points of reference

In Sellecchia, the route described turns onto Via dei Frati, where another ascent begins. One set of directions leads from the Greccio FS station along the road to the Sellecchia crossroads.

Sorgente Ragna lies near Sellecchia at an elevation of 450 m, close to the road to the San Francesco monastery. An aqueduct from the spring carried water to Sellecchia. This places a named landscape feature alongside the former water supply to the village. The elevation gives a sense of the spring’s location, while the aqueduct adds a historical perspective on the relationship between the spring and the village.

Find hotels in Sellecchia

When looking for a hotel in Sellecchia, you can first decide whether you want to focus your stay on the local connection to Santa Rita, the route to the Santuario, or the broader Franciscan landscape. Then compare the location and published details of a specific hotel with your own plans.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Poggio Vittiano, Montebuono, Cottanello, Piedicolle, Montasola, Colle Di Tora, Monte San Giovanni In Sabina, Configni

For the broader travel overview: Rieti.