Pian De' Valli at Terminillo: Cross-Country Skiing, Nature Trail and Culture
Accommodation in Pian De' Valli
Discovering Pian De' Valli from several perspectives
Pian De' Valli at Terminillo can be experienced from several perspectives. Winter sports, a nature trail, mountain biking and history shaped by religious traditions exist side by side here. When planning your trip, it is therefore particularly interesting to consider which of these facets should define your stay: exercise in the snow, a route focusing on astronomy or an exploration of places whose history dates back to the 20th century.
Cross-country skiing and altitude
The Funivia Pian de' Valli–Terminilluccio cable car is 761 m long and runs from an altitude of 1,630 m to 1,868 m. Another point of reference for winter sports is Piazzale Tre Faggi in Pian de’ Valli. It is one of three access points to the Terminillo cross-country ski slopes. From the centre of Pian De Valli, a prepared cross-country ski trail leads for about 3 km through beech groves to the Cinque Confini plateau.
The Cinque Confini cross-country skiing circuit is 3,300 m long; 2.5 km of it is artificially lit and covered with snow. The different distance specifications help distinguish an approximately 3 km route from a 3,300 m circuit and align your daily planning with the desired route format.
Nature trail and mountain biking
Another focus is the Sentiero Planetario del Monte Terminillo. The 7.7 km nature trail is dedicated to astronomy and connects Piazzale dei tre Faggi in Pian de’ Valli with the CAI “Angelo Sebastiani” mountain refuge. This makes the trail suitable for visitors who want to combine an outing in the landscape with a focus on natural science.
For mountain bike tours, the “Pian de' Valli–Campeggio–Acquevalli” route is the main attraction. It leads via the Sentiero delle Fonti and Fonte Acquevalli back to Pian de Valli. The return to the starting point is explicitly part of the route and makes it clear that the trail forms a loop of its own.
Churches, remembrance and the Way of Saint Francis
The Chiesetta del Terminillo is dedicated to the Alpini who fell in East Africa. It was blessed and opened for worship on 18 July 1937. The Tempio di San Francesco was consecrated on 22 August 1964. It is located at an altitude of 1,623 m and was built to commemorate Pope Pius XII’s declaration of 18 June 1939, by which Saint Francis of Assisi was declared the patron saint of Italy.
The Tempio di San Francesco also contains an apse mosaic created in 1975. It is considered one of the largest modern mosaics with a single motif in the world. A high-altitude variant of the Way of Saint Francis leads to the votive temple of Pian de' Valli at Terminillo. The Chiesetta degli Alpini is one of the attractions of Pian de Valli in Rieti.
Choosing accommodation according to your own interests
When choosing a hotel in Pian De' Valli, you can align the character of your stay with the specific themes of the area: cross-country ski trails, nature trail, mountain bike route or religious sites.
Discover more places
More destinations: Longone Sabino, Colli Sul Velino, Castel di Tora, Montasola, Cantalupo In Sabina, Cittaducale, Poggio Nativo, Torricella In Sabina
To the higher-level travel overview: Rieti.
