Norcia, cycling in the heart of Italy

Everyone has heard of but few know Norcia ubicarla map. Norcia in Umbria. Indeed, to be precise, Norcia is the heart of Italy and, if one were to draw a dot on the map the center of our beautiful country, his pencil would point right here.

At this point the question arises: why so few people know where it is.

LThe answer is in the Umbrian character. Umbra, in Latin, means shadow, and the distinctive feature that most describes the typical inhabitant of this region is its shadowy available: polite, elegant, generous, but not with the typical radiance that belongs to many Italians expansive but maybe a little ‘too invasive. The Umbro is jealous of his land and, unlike Toscani, does little to promote it. The beauty of Umbria thus remains in the shadows, in fact, hidden from the mass tourism, but open to the curious tourist and attentive, who loves absorbing knowledge slowly, and usually does not yield to the first impulses of a seduction too declared.

I crossed the Umbria far and wide, on two wheels, always finding that sense of peace, silence, pure air. And I could not believe it, to do with reason. How is it possible that such beauty is so prudish? The ancients said that Nature loves to hide, and the area of Norcia, with its surrounding mountains of sweets, covered with beech and oak forests, is a paradise for those who love cycling.

LThe first track that catches your eye is the Norcia Spoleto, a stretch of bike path along sixty kilometers, built on the route of the old railway. The full article can be found at this link. This is a ride that I feel I can recommend to everyone: it is undemanding and is close to places of historical and artistic interest as Cascia or Cerreto di Spoleto, at the crossroads of major tourist routes. The stretch along the river Corno, where you can do rafting (6 km south of Norcia, near Serravalle) to cool off between a pedal and the other.

IThe fittest can try their hand on the dirt roads of the Sibillini Mountains. Here there is an area of very wide paths for all levels, from half a day to two days (with stops in shelter or camping out outdoors when the weather permits) all within a protected area, where you can see wild boars, wolves and chamois.

The mountains are discovered, from 1,500 meters up, with grazing areas alternating with small forests of beech, oak and pine. What struck me most is the amplitude of the views. Umbria has a magnitude of horizons that leaves you breathless, but is always sweet, never giving the harshness of alpine debris. I found many points where gather information and maps, especially in Norcia, but once outside, in the small villages perched, or on top of the pastures, people are always available to show you the way.

SIf you can earn the trust of local, there is always someone who trusts you where to find a great cheese and salami of wild boar, truffles and even chocolate, which here is famous for unmatched quality.

There are a thousand journeys to discover, once you get to Norcia, but especially the many paths where you can lose yourself, pedaling down to the fields and valleys covered with flowers.

Reportage Carlo e Sissi Muttoni

Foto Carlo  Muttoni