The Great Raw Italian Odyssey - PARTE QUATTORDICI - Cruising over Marsica to the Heights of Marsia

The push across the Apennines deepens. Starting from the windmill ridges past Collarmele, we climb to the castle town of Celano, drop through San Pelino to join the ancient Via Romana, and navigate through historic Scurcola Marsicana and Tagliacozzo. From there, we tackle a steep, narrow mountain ascent through dense beech forests up to the secluded heights of Marsia. Join us for this raw, historical, and high-altitude chapter of the odyssey. The fourteenth chapter of the odyssey cuts straight through the historic heart of the Marsica region. Leaving behind the wind-scoured ridges of Goriano Sicoli, this leg navigates a complex tapestry of mountain climbs, ancient Roman roads, historic battlefields, and dense beech forests, culminating in a steep ascent to the isolated mountain outpost of Marsia. The Departure: Collarmele to the Heights of Celano Picking up speed past the windmill ridge, the road passes through Collarmele before climbing sharply into Celano. Perched dramatically over the vast, drained basin of Lake Fucino, Celano greets you with the towering presence of Castello Piccolomini. The ascent offers sweeping views of the surrounding Apennine wall before the road bends downward through Paterno and San Pelino. The Middle Passage: Via Romana, Scurcola, & Tagliacozzo At San Pelino, you swing onto the historic Via Romana, tracing an ancient passage toward Cappelle and Scurcola Marsicana—site of the famous 1268 medieval battle. The route continues through Tagliacozzo, a town steeped in Renaissance history where stone arches and narrow streets hug the limestone cliffs. The Arrival: The Mountain Ascent to Marsia Leaving Tagliacozzo, the odyssey takes a sharp turn onto a narrow, isolated mountain road. The asphalt twists aggressively upward through thick beech forests, climbing high into the Carseolani mountains until reaching Marsia. Sitting at over 1,400 meters, this secluded plateau feels completely removed from civilization—a raw, high-altitude sanctuary before the final descent into Lazio and toward Rome.