The Gole di Celano (“Gorge of Celano”) is a ravine in the Parco Regionale Naturale del Sirente – Velino in the Abruzzo region. This 12 kilometer hike takes you from Celano to Ovindoli.
Gole di Celano
Useful information
From Celano, one first drives downhill toward Pescina. At Cappuccini, follow the sign to La Foce, where the gorge begins. The walk to Ovindoli takes about 3 hours.
History and description
The Gole di Celano is one of the few ravines in Italy. The gorge runs between two rock walls that reach a height of 190 meters. The average width is 5 to 6 meters and the narrowest stretches are 3 meters wide. The total length is about 12 kilometers.
The mountain on the eastern side is the Serra di Celano and the one on the western side is Monte Etra.
The starting and finishing points are at Celano and Ovindoli. Ovindoli is at an altitude of about 1,300 meters, while Celano is about 500 meters lower.
What to see
The Fonte degli Innamorati (“Fountain of the Lovers”), a waterfall about halfway along the hiking trail.
Along the way one passes the ruins of a Benedictine Monastery.
The last (but also the most difficult) stretch on the way to Ovindoli is the most picturesque, reaching the Valle d’Arano.
Animal species that can be seen along the way are the royal eagle, the royal owl, the peregrine falcon and the rock swallow.