Pretare (Arquata del Tronto)

What to see in Pretare

In Pretare the main sights are the historic churches, the 16th-century stone lintels in the oldest streets and, outside the village, the remains of an old lime kiln. Some buildings still show earthquake damage: for the church of San Rocco, for example, repair works were approved only in 2026.

The church of San Rocco, dedicated to the patron saint, stands in the center of the village. Inside are a carved and painted 17th-century Crucifix and the statue of San Rocco with his dog. The church is built of local stone, with a gabled roof and a plastered facade ending in a curve. The facade has a simple portal with an inscription on the lintel, two single-light windows and a semicircular window. The bell tower beside it is in reinforced concrete and dates from the late 1960s. In June 2026 the project for repair and seismic upgrading was approved. The project provides for rebuilding the walls of all the facades and the bell tower.

The church of Santa Maria Vetere dates from the 15th century. It holds a fresco by Fabio da Mevale from 1579, commissioned by the Dominicans to thank the Virgin of the Rosary after the Battle of Lepanto. The village also has the church of Santa Gemma. The via antica, the first core of the village, and the via del Crocifisso show the oldest part of Pretare. Here the church of the Crocifisso and some houses have stone lintels decorated with friezes from the 1500s.

The old kiln stands outside the village, along the winding road that climbs to Forca di Presta. It looks like a truncated square tower, made of stone blocks and red bricks. It is no longer in use. It was built near a limestone quarry and produced quicklime: rock was loaded from the top and lime came out at the bottom, without ever stopping the furnace. The ground around it is concave, a sign of erosion by rivers and glaciers. The nearby Valle dell'Acero also has moraine deposits.

The fairy legend is the best-known feature of Pretare. According to the tale, where the village now stands there was Colfiorito, a village buried by a landslide willed by the Sibyl. Much later shepherds arrived. At night the fairies, handmaidens of the Sibyl, came down from the cave on Vettore to dance the saltarello with them, and each represented an element of nature. One night they stayed too long and fled at dawn in such a hurry that they left their footprints on the mountain: this is how the Strada delle Fate (Fairies' Road) on the flank of Vettore is said to have formed. The village version also features Guerin Meschino, the knight of Andrea da Barberino's romance, who breaks the Sibyl's spell and frees the fairies.

The show “La Leggenda delle Fate” has been staged every three years, in mid-August, since its first edition in 1956. The actors are young people from Pretare, and almost all of them are performing for the first time. The 2026 edition was called “Fatae” and took place on 14 and 15 August at the sports field: dance theater with orchestra and electronics, in a version that reaches as far as the wounds of the 2016 earthquake.

Nature and trails near Pretare

The trails near Pretare climb the south side of Monte Vettore and toward Forca di Presta. The village is also crossed by the European path E1. In the surrounding woods people gather mushrooms, and roe deer, squirrels and wild boar can be seen.

The Sentiero dei Mietitori (Reapers' Trail) starts along the road between Pretare and Forca di Presta, about 4 km before the pass. It is marked by a signpost and a rainwater cistern. The trail partly follows the old route of the reapers who went to work in the fields of Umbria and Lazio. At first it is a dirt track through a pine wood, with the drinking water of Fonte le Càcere, then it leaves the woods near Colle Pisciano (1,310 m), above the Passo del Galluccio. It is just under 9 km one way, has hiking-level difficulty and takes 3-4 hours. Landslides from the 2016 earthquake have left a difficult passage of about 15 meters. It is best avoided when it rains or when there is avalanche risk.

The normal route up Monte Vettore starts from Forca di Presta. It is about 10 km round trip, with a big elevation gain, difficulty E (hiking) and about 5 hours of walking. In winter the climb requires an ice axe and crampons. The routes on the south face, toward the Grotta delle Fate and along the gullies, are mountaineering routes instead: they have exposed sections and a risk of rockfall, so they are only for experienced and equipped people.

For an easy walk, one option is to go from Forca di Presta to Forca Canapine along the Grande Anello dei Sibillini. It is a short route with little elevation gain, and in winter, with snow, it can be done on snowshoes. The Rifugio degli Alpini, along the way, is currently unusable. Before any outing at altitude it is worth checking the weather and trail conditions.

Where to stay in Pretare

There are very few places to stay in Pretare. For more choice it is best to look across the whole municipality. The full list of accommodation is on the page about where to stay in Arquata del Tronto.

Where to eat in Pretare

The choice of places to eat is limited too. Other addresses are on the page about restaurants in Arquata del Tronto. In August, in festival years, the “Cena delle Fate” (Fairies' Dinner) serves the traditional dishes of Pretare.

Local products of Pretare

The typical dish of Pretare is the Zuppa delle Fate (Fairies' Soup). Small diamond-shaped potato gnocchi are made, fried and served in beef broth with wild mountain spinach. The recipe was almost lost. It is the signature dish of the “Cucina delle Fate”, which revives the humble mountain cooking of the past.

During the Cena delle Fate, part of the circuit of local traditional cuisines, the Polenta dei Mietitori is also served, along with local products such as mushrooms, wild berries, cheeses and lentils. To buy local products, the shops are listed on the page on Arquata del Tronto local products and shops.

Weather and how to get to Pretare

Pretare is reached by car from the Via Salaria: leave it at the Trisungo junction and drive about 5 km. The village is about 30 km from Ascoli Piceno and 170 km from Rome. As the crow flies it is less than 3 km from Arquata del Tronto. From Pretare the road climbs to Forca di Presta, which leads on to Castelluccio, Norcia and Visso. From the Passo del Galluccio the road instead goes down toward Montegallo, Montemonaco and Amandola. Those who want to see the other hamlets will find information on Pescara del Tronto and, for the main village, on the page about things to do in Arquata del Tronto.

At 920 m Pretare has a mountain climate. In winter, anyone driving up to Forca di Presta has to allow for snow and ice. The road may stay closed for a few hours or for days, or winter tires or chains may be required. In winter dense fog sometimes forms at the pass, and when there is heavy snow people go cross-country skiing. In winter 2026 an avalanche from Vettore closed the road between Pian Grande and Forca di Presta for a period, on the Umbrian side. It is worth checking the bulletin on the morning of the trip.