Attractions and Places To See around Casalanguida - Top 9

Spiritual rock sanctuary hidden in a green valley. The Grotta di San Michele Arcangelo (also known as the Eremo di San Michele) is a unique and ancient sanctuary in a rock just outside the village of Liscia. The church is built around a natural karst cave about 10 meters deep. According to local legend, the archangel Michael himself stopped in these woods around Monte Sorbo before travelling on to the famous Monte Sant'Angelo in Puglia. Inside the serene, rocky hollow, a small spring flows along the stone walls. The water collected here in a stone basin has been considered sacred and healing by pilgrims since ancient times. The combination of the white limestone facade, the rugged nature of the Treste valley, and the spiritual silence makes this one of the most fascinating hidden treasures of the Abruzzese hinterland.

Centuries-old Franciscan monastery hidden in the greenery. The Convento di Sant'Antonio is located in an idyllic, quiet spot just outside the hilly village of San Buono, deep in the hinterland of the province of Chieti. This Franciscan monastery complex was originally built in 1575 on the orders of the local prince Giovannantonio Caracciolo. The church immediately stands out with its monumental stone architecture and characteristic double bell tower. What makes this place so unique for outdoor enthusiasts is its serene and calming location. Inside the complex, there is a beautiful, authentic cloister (chiostro) with a central well. Today, the complex houses, among other things, the local art and archaeology museum. The spacious, shaded front courtyard is ideal for parking your bike and enjoying a well-deserved break in nature.

Historic Franciscan monastery in an oasis of peace. The Convento di San Pasquale (officially the monastery of Santa Maria degli Angeli) is hidden in the greenery on the hill of Vallaspra, just outside the medieval town of Atessa. This impressive complex was founded as early as 1408 by the blessed Tommaso da Firenze. It is built entirely of natural stone and exudes a serene, historic atmosphere. Although the interior and the beautiful monastery garden with the central well (from 1709) are unfortunately often closed to the public due to varying opening hours, the complex is an absolute sight to behold from the outside. Under the large portico at the front, you can still admire a centuries-old fresco of the Pietà. Moreover, the quiet, shady surroundings are perfect for a well-deserved break during your sporting tour. Fun fact: the monastery used to lend its name to the well-known local herbal liqueur "Amaro San Pasquale", which was originally prepared by the monks with herbs from this valley.

The Municipality of Casalbordino is located in the heart of the Abruzzo coast, surrounded by natural landscapes ranging from green hills to the nearby Adriatic Sea. This village rich in history and traditions offers visitors a peaceful atmosphere, embellished by historical monuments such as the Sanctuary of the Madonna dei Miracoli and the well-preserved historic center. An ideal starting point for exploring the natural trails and pristine beaches of the Punta Aderci Nature Reserve, Casalbordino is a perfect stop for those seeking a mix of culture, nature and relaxation. The Municipality of Casalbordino is also the ideal point for recharging your e-Bike and earning DINAclub points. Find out how at https://dinaclub.repower.com/ To discover the territory, an itinerary ready to pedal: https://www.komoot.com/it-it/tour/1960674336?share_token=aRGQ3DKyO6qGmhKY6dUjiEIHlVUYrNS95KJuOGIG2UAOFgkev8&ref=wtd

Convent of S.Maria degli Angeli (S.Pasquale) in Vallaspra di Atessa (CH) In the name Vallaspra, Valle-aspra, one can sense the peculiarity of a wild and fruitless nature, but also the sedimentation of a troubled historical and religious with long periods of splendor and apostolate. The history of the Vallaspra convent is linked to the Franciscan spirit and the incessant work of evangelization of the observant Friars Minor. Way back in 1408, Tommaso da Firenze, lay friar and secretary of Father Nicola da Osimo, commissioner of the province of Sant'Angelo in Puglia, stopped his wanderings in the Frenta area, in front of an ancient Cona depicting the Madonna of Sorrows with the Dead Christ and on the sides Saint John and Saint Francis on the right, Mary Magdalene and Saint Anthony of Padua on the left, venerated in a barren and wild place, precisely Vallassero di Atessa. Conquered by the evocative sacredness of the place and the profound meaning of this Pietà, Frà Tommaso began the construction of the first nucleus of the convent, which was completed and inaugurated just ten years later, in 1430. The convent of Vallaspra dedicated by Frà Tommaso to Santa Maria degli Angeli , not only in the dedication, but above all in the architectural structures, preserves the cleanliness of the Franciscan forms. The church, with a central nave and a side one, was enriched, in the early 1700s, with a chapel dedicated to San Pasquale Baylon (Spanish), a lay Franciscan, canonized in 1860, in honor of the Contestabile Colonna; the latter changed the title of the convent and San Pasquale simply, rather than Vallaspra, indicates the locality and the monastic complex. Over the centuries the structure was a woolen mill (the Franciscan habit was produced there); operating for more than a century and closed in 1675, it was linked to the intense period of traffic along the herd arteries. Over the years, the Convent of S.Pasquale became an important center of theological studies. Today, the Convent transmits a strong sense of belonging, of religious, spiritual and cultural identity; characteristics, the latter, which make it a solid, safe reference center, as well as a pole of aggregation, prayer and apostolate.

Monastic complex located in Atessa. The style is Renaissance/Baroque and its origins date back to the 15th century. the convent is entirely made of stone and there is a nursery in its garden.

According to oral tradition, it seems that San Michele, who left from the East to defeat paganism, stopped in a wood near Liscia before arriving on the Gargano; this wood is located around Monte Sorbo, an area that in ancient times had a high anthropic density, as can be seen from the remarkable archaeological material found here and coming from Italic tombs. Still on the subject of legend, it is said that a man from Palmoli, a village in the upper Vasto bordering Liscia, intent on grazing cows near the Treste river, noticed that a young bull got lost every day and then returned in the evening. One day, however, the farmer, intrigued by this mysterious behavior, decided to follow his animal and saw that the vegetation opened up, as if by magic, as it passed, as if to indicate a direction to follow; this strange path led him to a cave where he saw the bull kneeling in front of a wooden image of St. Michael the Archangel, which miraculously made water gush out so that man could quench his thirst and recover from the discovery to witness this event supernatural. In memory of these events that occurred in Liscia, the Marquesses of Avalos, in the eighteenth century incorporated the cave inside a small church, perhaps, to regulate the large influx of pilgrims who are here recalled by popular devotion to the Archangel Michael, a cult that is lost in the mists of time.

Beautiful convent, surrounded by oak woods. There is also a picnic area.