The best walks and hikes around Poggio Catino

The San Michele site is accessible but haunted. The Pozze del Diavolo is accessible if you want to wade through flowing water. Very disappointing!!

The hike follows ancient paths, quickly immersing itself in the dense vegetation of holm oaks and oaks. The route, typically classified as Hiking (E), offers an intense experience rich in historical and naturalistic points of interest. The Hermitage of San Michele Arcangelo: History and Rock Faith The trail leads to the Hermitage of San Michele Arcangelo, one of the oldest and most significant rock sanctuaries in Sabina, with origins dating back to the 4th century. This place of worship is literally carved into the rock face and is reached via a final climb that culminates in an evocative portal. Inside the cave, the small church still preserves fragments of frescoes, the most famous of which depicts the Archangel Michael in his armor, a symbol of the eternal struggle between good and evil. The isolated and panoramic location invites contemplation. The Hermitage of San Leonardo: The Ancient Hermit Cave Continuing the loop, you reach the Hermitage of San Leonardo, a place that embodies the profound hermit spirituality of the Early Middle Ages. This site is known as the Grotto of San Leonardo, a natural cavity used as a refuge and place of prayer since the 8th century. Its historical importance lies precisely in its being an example of rock worship, where monks sought isolation in the rock. In the immediate vicinity of the hermitage, the geological composition of the wall has created a cliff that, while today a reference point for sport climbing, adds an element of natural majesty to the spiritual context, testifying to the wild beauty of the place. The Medieval Mill: Hydraulic Heritage After leaving the hermitages, the trail descends towards the valley floor of the Galantina stream. Here you come across the remains of the Medieval Mill, a testament to the ingenuity and economy of the past. The ancient hydraulic structure, of which the foundations and sometimes the stone millstones are still visible, was essential for grinding grain and for the life of the Roccantica community, harnessing the driving force of the water flowing in the stream. ​The Revotano Abyss: The Mysterious Chasm ​The itinerary continues towards its geological culmination: the Revotano Abyss. This imposing karst sinkhole, of extraordinary dimensions, is one of the most spectacular natural phenomena in the Sabine Mountains. It is a deep chasm formed by the collapse of the ceiling of an underground cave, so large that it is classified as a tiankeng. ​The Revotano is surrounded by an aura of mystery, fueled by a famous legend that tells of divine punishment and the sinking of an entire village. Visitors can admire the abyss from the vantage point, but the more adventurous and experienced can descend to its bottom, a unique ecosystem with a humid microclimate that favors unusually lush vegetation. The loop ends by returning to the Old Tancia Provincial Road, concluding an experience that spans millennia of history and the power of nature.

You can park your car before starting the excursion

very nice village from where some paths start

Laying of the Summit Book together with the CAI Subsection of Guidonia and the CAI Section of Monterotondo

View with Mount Terminillo and Gran Sasso in the background

The Osteria del Tancia was built towards the end of the Middle Ages, around the 15th century. It arose in a strategic position, on the pass of Mount Tancia, the highest peak of the Sabine Mountains, at about 800 meters above sea level. For centuries, the Osteria del Tancia represented the most important stop along the Via del Tancia, which was the main connection between the Rieti basin and the Sabina Tiberina. This road was frequently traveled by merchants, shepherds who practiced transhumance, pilgrims and bandits.

beautiful place, worth seeing