The Cammino Naturale dei Parchi (Natural Path of Parks) was created in 2016, in parallel with the proclamation by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism (MiBACT) of the National Year of Paths and at the same time as the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, with the aim of creating a different route from those we are used to, which here in Italy often lead to Rome. It is, in fact, a journey on foot that leaves Rome, the eternal city that has always been a destination for pilgrims and tourists, and starts from the Roman countryside, heading towards some of the small wonders of Central Italy hidden among the valleys, hills and woods that stretch across the mountain ranges crossed along the route.
The name chosen for the route is inspired by the “Caminos Naturales” programme launched in the 1990s in Spain by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for the promotion, enhancement and socio-economic development of rural areas. It is a new way to protect the landscape and preserve secondary and rural roads, as well as to discover, at a leisurely pace, authentic corners of lesser-known Italy (only because they are little known) that run alongside the historic religious pilgrimage routes that cross our country.
The Cammino Naturale dei Parchi (Nature Trail of the Parks) was conceived by a group of technicians and park rangers from the protected areas of the Lazio Region to facilitate, by promoting slow tourism, the discovery of inland areas, parks and nature reserves, the villages of the Apennines and the rich biodiversity that characterises those territories, which are home to populations of wolves, deer, golden eagles and Marsican brown bears.
The route has been designed not only for experienced hikers, but for anyone who wants to enjoy an experience that is beneficial for both body and soul, in contact with nature. Slow walking permeates the participants’ sense of things and conception of life, their behaviour and their mental and physical well-being. It creates a relationship with the environment and the surrounding area, while encounters with people enrich the human relationships and social life of those who walk, increasing their knowledge and respect for both nature and the lands of men.
The Cammino Naturale dei Parchi route connects the various protected areas between Rome and L’Aquila, creating a network that passes through different regions, promoting the protection and enhancement of cultural, environmental and religious heritage, and encouraging the development of sustainable tourism. This route also passes through the areas affected by the recent earthquakes in central Italy: an opportunity to express, through our physical presence, the bonds of solidarity that unite us.
The route is therefore modular and divided into 25 stages, grouped into 4 weeks, passing through 42 villages in Lazio and Abruzzo.
