Grande Anello di Arquata: the Loop Trek Through Arquata del Tronto

The stages of the Grande Anello di Arquata

The official division of the Grande Anello di Arquata comes in three versions, in 2, 3 or 4 stages. All stages are waymarked, and for each one the managing association provides the GPS track.

In 4 stages, starting from the SAE area (emergency housing area) of Pretare:

• Stage 1, from Pretare to Spelonga via Piedilama, Trisungo and Faete: 8.5 km, altitudes between 585 and 945 m, elevation change of +465 m and −470 m.
• Stage 2, Spelonga – Colle d'Arquata: 15.1 km, between 945 and 1,695 m, +750 m and −695 m.
• Stage 3, Colle d'Arquata – Grisciano – Tufo – Pescara del Tronto: 7.5 km, between 640 and 1,095 m, +150 m and −450 m.
• Stage 4, Pescara del Tronto – Arquata – Pretare: 16.6 km, between 730 and 1,290 m, +760 m and −590 m.

In 3 stages, again from Pretare:

• Stage 1, Pretare – Spelonga: 8.5 km, the same as the first stage of the four-stage version.
• Stage 2, Spelonga – Colle d'Arquata – Grisciano: about 22 km, between 735 and 1,695 m, +750 m and −960 m.
• Stage 3, Grisciano – Tufo – Pescara del Tronto – Camartina – Pretare: 16.5 km, between 730 and 1,290 m, +800 m and −620 m.

In 2 stages, starting from the old bridge at Trisungo:

• Stage 1, Trisungo – Faete – Spelonga – Colle – Grisciano: 24.1 km, between 585 and 1,695 m, +1,200 m and −1,400 m.
• Stage 2, Grisciano – Pescara del Tronto – Arquata – Pretare – Piedilama – Borgo – Trisungo: 24.9 km, between 585 and 1,300 m, +900 m and −970 m.

The difference between the versions lies mainly in the length of the days: in four stages no day exceeds 16.6 km, while in two stages the walk covers about 24-25 km a day, with over a thousand meters of ascent on the first day.

The route of the Grande Anello di Arquata

In the four-stage version the loop starts from Pretare and descends toward Piedilama, passing the ruins of an old mill, which is unsafe and should not be approached. Halfway along is Fonte Sant'Egidio, a pool of drinking water welling up at the foot of a large rock, with the statue of the patron saint of Piedilama: the inhabitants considered the spring miraculous. After Piedilama the mule track climbs to Colle Forcella, from where the view ranges from Monte Vettore, to the north, to Pizzo di Sevo, to the south. Before Trisungo the route passes the wayside shrine dedicated to the Madonna delle Grazie and San Francesco, blessed in 2020; it then climbs to Faete and, through a centuries-old chestnut grove, reaches a viewpoint over the main village of Arquata and its Rocca (fortress), before arriving in Spelonga among dry stone walls.

From Spelonga the second stage climbs to the small church of Sant'Emidio, at about 970 m, and to the church of the Madonna dei Santi, at 1,128 m among chestnut trees, still a destination for local residents on Ferragosto (the mid-August holiday). A long gravel road with views of the Vettore leads to Monte Comunitore; from Passo il Chino, at 1,581 m, the route coincides with the Sentiero Italia and descends among sandstone formations to the church of the Rocchetta, at 1,108 m on Monte Rocca, and to Colle d'Arquata.

The third stage is the shortest. On the descent toward Grisciano, which lies in the municipality of Accumoli, in the province of Rieti, the walls that marked the old border between the Kingdom of Naples and the Papal States can be seen. A footbridge crosses the Tronto river, then the chestnut groves of Colle Rapino lead to the junction with the Cammino nelle Terre Mutate, which is followed as far as Tufo; from here the provincial road reaches Pescara del Tronto, where six drinking fountains and the public washhouse kept running even during the earthquake of August 24, 2016.

The last stage climbs among truffle grounds and carefully crosses an ancient landslide overlooking the Monti della Laga, Faete and Spelonga. It touches the spring known as la Botte, at 1,000 m, which once supplied water to the main village of Arquata, then the ruins of the Casa del Conte Gallo, Fonte Cappella and the locality of Picchio 7, at 1,280 m, a natural balcony over the Tronto valley once used as a fire lookout point. The circuit closes through the Pretare pine forest and past the old Fornace (kiln).

The earthquake also left its mark on the route. The main village of Arquata is a red zone with access prohibited, and the route does not enter it. At Piedilama the trail crosses the only red zone on the loop: for about 300 m it is necessary to stay on the route, follow the red-and-white flags and the GPS track, keep away from the buildings and not take photos.

How to plan the Grande Anello di Arquata

The Grande Anello di Arquata is classified EE, so it requires hiking experience and fitness for several days of walking. Some passages call for specific care: below the Vena del Poggio, on the second stage, for about 100 m large boulders overhang the road and stones sometimes fall; the ancient landslide on the fourth stage should be crossed with caution; in spring the ditch with a footbridge between Pretare and Piedilama carries more water.

Drinking water is not in short supply: fountains are found in Pretare, at the Trisungo bridge, at the entrance to Faete, in the square of Spelonga, near the Madonna dei Santi, in Colle d'Arquata, in Grisciano, at the Tufo washhouse and in Pescara del Tronto, as well as springs along the trails. The Palombini fountain, near Borgo, has non-drinkable water.

Some sections run on paved road, for example about 2 km on the provincial road from Colle toward Spelonga and about 3 km between Tufo and Pescara del Tronto. The managing association warns that in some places vegetation may grow back and the waymarking may be inadequate: carrying the GPS track helps, especially at junctions in the woods. Checking the weather before setting out is always a good idea.

Arquata del Tronto was hit by four earthquakes between 2016 and 2017 and reconstruction is still lagging: services in the hamlets are few. It is advisable to phone the bars and grocery stores where a stop is planned the day before, to make sure they are open. For another multi-day circuit in the area there is the Grande Anello dei Sibillini; other itineraries are collected under multi-day hikes in the Sibillini.

Where to stay along the Grande Anello di Arquata

For each stage end in the official division, at least one place to sleep is indicated: in the four-stage version the overnight stops are Spelonga, Colle d'Arquata, Grisciano and, at the end of the circuit, Borgo or Trisungo. There are still no beds in Pretare, because reconstruction has not started, so from the last stage the route continues along the provincial road to Borgo or Trisungo. Grisciano is also slightly off the route of the third stage, which ends in Pescara del Tronto: the way there goes back about 1 km along the provincial road, descends for 0.5 km on a gravel track and follows the Statale Salaria highway for about 1 km.

The earthquake made most of the buildings in the municipality unusable, so accommodation should be contacted well in advance. If the one at the end of a stage is full, the others can be asked whether they offer a shuttle service during the period of the visit. In the stage-end hamlets without a restaurant there is at least one grocery store.