Castel San Pietro Terme is a well-known leisure destination thanks to its spa, an 18-hole golf course, the nearby medieval hamlet of Dozza and numerous hiking routes in the midst of nature.
A stroll through the small town’s delightful streets and squares gives a sense of tranquillity and well-being.
This easy hike consists of an 11.42 km loop that takes about three hours to complete.
The route starts in the San Martino in Pedriolo car park: from here you head towards the Sillaro stream. Then follow the signs for Cammino di Sant'Antonio (Dozza detour) until you reach the Church of San Martino in Pedriolo, after which you come to some lakes.
Beyond the lakes, the trail takes you upwards along a 4-kilometre ridge that passes over the characteristic local calanchi (clay gullies); here you can admire a small bell tower, the Campanile di Fiagnano, which overlooks a spectacular natural amphitheatre of calanchi and the surrounding hills and mountains. After this detour the trail drops to the Sillaro stream and follows it down to the valley floor before taking you to a bridge. Cross the bridge to return to the starting point by passing through the village.
Castel San Pietro Terme offers a perfect place to slow down and relax.
A constant quest for ‘good living’ has transformed this town - located near Bologna - into a hub of well-being: its historic spa offers therapeutic programs that make excellent use of the sulphurous, ferrous and bromine-iodic waters of the Fonte Fegatella, the beneficial properties of which have been known since Medieval times.
Specialised treatments and spa programs available in the wellness center adjacent to the facility offer the ultimate in relaxation and well-being.
The third stage of our itinerary is an easy hike that initially winds along the valley floor of the Sillaro stream before moving up into the Dozza hills, draped in vineyards and olive groves. Just over 20 km long, the trail heads out of Castel San Pietro Terme towards the park that flanks the Sillaro stream before reaching the Brigata Maiella path (about 1.8 km), at the end of which you leave the Sillaro valley floor to pick up the Cammino di Sant'Antonio.
This is the start of an uphill stretch overlooking a series of eye-catching clay gullies (the characteristic calanchi). Once past the Church of San Martino, a sign for the Strada dei vini (Wine route) marks the beginning of an area of yellow sands, a geological phenomena caused by iron oxide deposits from the Pleistocene era. The trail proceeds for a further 1.3 kilometres as far as Rio Sabbioso, a tributary of the Sillaro. You then follow this for a further 1.2 kilometres until you come to the Sillaro riverbed. If the water is low enough, you can ford the stream to take a shortcut into the old town centre of Castel San Pietro. Otherwise, just take the lane that follows the stream back up the valley: after about 700 meters you’ll come to the pedestrian bridge you crossed at the start of the hike. From here you can backtrack to the starting point.
Along the way, you simply have to stop and see the perfectly intact medieval hamlet of Dozza! Dozza is also renowned for its biennial Muro Dipinto (Painted Wall) event held since the 1960s. Over the years, the participants have covered the village walls with exquisitely designed murals, true open-air works of art.
