Pizzo dell'Arco hike from Tallacano

The Pizzo dell'Arco hike route

The classic loop starts from Tallacano, where the car is left. The village lies at an elevation of 660 m. It is about 25 km from the provincial capital: take the Salaria road to the locality of Centrale in Acquasanta Terme, then follow for about 9 km the road that climbs to Tallacano, where it ends.

The ascent follows trails 520 and 519, passes the junction for Sasso Spaccato and leads to the ridge. On the ridge the route continues east on trails 516 and then 517 (416 and 417 in the old numbering) to a junction, from which a short detour leads to the summit. Back on trail 517, the route continues on a path that is not always clear down to the village of Cocoscia. Trail 502 (402 in the old numbering), first a cart track and then a footpath, descends to the Tallacano cemetery. The last short section is on the road, back to the starting point.

There are other approaches. From the hamlet of Santa Maria in Acquasanta Terme, the route starts from the parking lot near the Lu Vurghe sulfur springs, then descends and crosses the Tronto river. The route is not always well marked and the CAI waymarks should be followed carefully. A longer loop starts from San Vito and passes through Venamartello. It crosses abandoned villages and settlements hit by the 2016 earthquake.

Pizzo dell'Arco technical details

• Summit elevation: 1,011 m.
• Loop from Tallacano: 8.9 km, about 650 m of ascent and descent, about 4 hours and 35 minutes of walking.
• The highest point of the route is at about 1,066 m, the lowest at about 614 m.
• Difficulty E (hiking), moderate physical effort.
• The trail is fairly clear and marked with CAI waymarks. Some sections are overgrown and require a minimum of experience.
• A longer variant takes in Capo Castello, Monte Vicito and Sasso Spaccato.

In the upper part the sandstone slabs can be slippery when wet. Great care is needed, keeping well away from the edge of the cliff. The best period runs from April to October. In Tallacano winters are cold, with heavy snowfall, and spring and fall are rainy. Summer is hot, especially from July to mid-August. Check the weather before setting out.

Pizzo dell'Arco map

The peak rises above Acquasanta Terme, north of the town, on the side facing the Tronto valley. The classic loop starts from Tallacano, reached from the Salaria road. The starting point is at coordinates 42.798455 N, 13.386916 E. Monte Ceresa, which gives the group its name, is the highest peak in the area.

Points of interest on the Pizzo dell'Arco hike

The summit and the view. The view extends from the Adriatic Sea to Monte Ascensione, the Monti Gemelli, the Corno Grande of the Gran Sasso, the Monti della Laga and the Sibillini.

The woods on the ascent. On the Santa Maria side the trail runs among centuries-old chestnut trees, including a large hollow specimen in the middle. Higher up the chestnuts give way to oaks, up to the crest of the ridge.

The sandstone ridge. The section on the large slabs dropping sheer to the Novele valley is among the most striking in the Monte Ceresa group. Opposite are the southern foothills of the Monti della Laga.

Cocoscia and Tallacano. Cocoscia is a hamlet crossed along the loop. Tallacano has houses of local stone dating from around the 16th century. Trail 502 crosses the centuries-old chestnut groves of the Carpineto. The 2016 earthquake badly damaged the old houses of the village. It also caused collapses at the village church and the small cemetery chapel, so visits to the buildings cannot be taken for granted.