Among the most beautiful villages of Abruzzo: from Navelli to Celano, in the quiet of ghost villages

The Navelli plain is a plateau in the heart of the Gran Sasso, in Abbruzzo. In this area of breathtaking nature there are many small towns, villages, which still retain their medieval architectural conformation today. Many of these are uninhabited or very little frequented, and walking it seems that time has stopped. Starting from Navelli you can discover a village, especially in the upper part, completely silent, with nature that is slowly recovering its place between the arches and the ancient walls. The village is famous in particular for the production of saffron which boasts the DOP designation. Continuing on, you reach the Sirente Velino Natural Park, a protected natural area which is based in the municipality of Rocca di Mezzo, a summer but above all winter tourist resort for mountain lovers. Continuing on, you will find Fontecchio, also a village in the area that maintains the characteristic medieval streets and buildings, sparsely inhabited and silent. The most important monument here is a fourteenth-century fountain in the small town center, near a clock tower, also medieval. There are many shops of the time still standing. On the opposite side of the park and of Rocca di Mezzo you approach Celano and its gorges, a naturalistic place that is not very safe today for a visit. Dominant building over the village of Celano is the Piccolomini castle which stands out imposingly over the entire territory of the Marsica.