FAO Staff Coop FEBRUARY 2020 In cooperation with

ROCCA CALASCIO MARCH 28 – 29, 2020

Leave your agendas and duties for a weekend and step back at the Middle Ages for a unique hiking experience -and much more- in , with StarTrekk.

Join us in Stepping back in time on 28/29 March, 2020: an amazing weekend in Abruzzo, visiting three magical places, as literally coming out of fairy tales: 1) The medieval village of Santo Stefano di Sessanio, with overnight stay at the "scattered hotel” Sextantio. 2) The incredible underground world of the Stiffe Caves. 3) The fascinating Castle of Rocca Calascio.

1) Leaving on Saturday morning from Rome by private coach, we will reach the heart of the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park and get to Santo Stefano di Sessanio, a Middle Ages jewel perched at 1,251 meters, considered one of the most beautiful villages in . A local Environmental Guide will take us around the old village inhabited by 120 people only, developed with the wool economy and reborn thanks to tourism. Here time will start to slow down as a soundless stillness lingers among stone alleys and porches, while snow may be falling and chimneys smoking. Maybe it was this picture that, at the beginning of the new millennium, caught the attention of Daniel Kihlgren, a young, visionary Swedish entrepreneur. Kihlgren, fascinated, bought part of the abandoned houses of the historic center, restructured them and, preserving their old style, transformed them into a project of "scattered hotel" in a timeless space, which launched the village as a destination for unconventional tourism. Well, it will be right at this unique hotel, the Sextantio Albergo Diffuso, that we will have dinner and spend the night. Here guest rooms, taverns, reception area and restaurant all use original buildings restored. Yet, not restored to look like a modern hotel, as Kihlgren was a purist and was determined to stay as close to medieval history, traditions and culture as possible and went to enormous lengths to do so: beds are covered in locally made blankets, using materials and techniques that have been part of Abruzzo life for centuries; furniture was procured from galleries, private collections, abandoned properties. Even the food served in the restaurant, the tavern and the tea- and liquor rooms use ingredients and cooking methods that would have been used in medieval times. Modern technology and comforts are hidden or blend in so beautifully, they somehow don’t seem out of place. The walls have been stripped back of any modern decorations to show the smoke-stained original stone or plaster. So, having been assigned one of these authentic rooms, we will have some free time to have lunch in one of the village taverns and then to move by coach with destination Caves of Stiffe.

2) Located at the top of the gorge that overlooks the small town of Stiffe, the caves are a spectacular karst phenomenon thanks to the crossing of an underground stream formed by waters coming from the Altopiano delle Rocche that sink into The Pozzo Caldaio at 2,600 meters from the entrance of the cave. The stream re-emerges inside the cavity originating suggestive rapids and waterfalls. The guided tour of the caves, whose internal temperature is 10°C, lasts about an hour and winds along tunnels and walkways through canyons, siphons and large rooms where the roar of the waters is tumultuous. Spectacular are the concretions dating back hundreds of thousands of years, which create evocative drapes while stalactites and stalagmites, formed by water slow dripping, give rise to columns worthy of a temple, up to 3 meters high. Particularly striking is The Waterfall Room where the water falls with a jump over 20 meters high and The Black Lake 5 meters deep, near the oldest part of the caves which conceals fossil remains of bats enclosed in the concretions. Retired at the hotel for the evening, after dining in the old restaurant, you can lit up you room fireplace, draw yourself a long bath - using the bubble provided- fall asleep to a crackling fire and wake up to sunrise over the mountains of the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park, feeling like you have indeed stepped back in time.

3) In the morning, after a rich and 0 km breakfast at the hotel, we will step out for a 6 km trek along panoramic ridges leading up to a castle of ancient charm: Rocca Calascio, listed by The National Geographic magazine among the 15 most beautiful castles in the world. The location is so striking that it was chosen to shoot important movie scenes, including "The Name of the Rose", played by Sean Connery and "Lady Hawke" with a very young Michelle Pfeiffer and a regretted Rutger Hauer. The fortress was built in the 12th century by order of King Roger of Altavilla after the Norman conquest. From the height of its 1,460 meters high, the medieval Rocca Calascio allows you to admire, on clear days, three national parks: the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga Park, the Majella Park and the National Park of Abruzzo,Lazio and Molise. Just below the fortress, we will descend to the small octagonal Renaissance church of Santa Maria della Pietà, a small temple erected to thank the Madonna for saving the population from a band of brigands. After visiting the peculiar monument, we will continue the descent crossing the built-up area of Rocca Calascio, where it will be possible to stop at the Rocca Refuge for some rest and a snack. Afterwards, we will continue to step down along the path to , where the StarTrekk coach will be waiting for us to return to Rome and take us back to reality.

PROGRAM

Saturday 28 March 7:30 am departure by GT Gran Turismo private coach from Rome, Anagnina metro station. Arrival at 11:00 in Santo Stefano di Sessanio and start of a charming urban trek inside the medieval village along with a local Environmental Guide who will illustrate us history and traditions of the place. Transfer to the Sextantio Albergo Diffuso and allocation of rooms. Free lunch in one of the trattorias of the village, suggested the Locanda del Lago. In the early afternoon transfer by coach to the Stiffe Caves and guided tour of the caves. Early in the evening return to the hotel, dinner at La Locanda sotto gli Archi Restaurant and overnight stay.

Sunday, March 29th After breakfast at the hotel, departure for a beautiful trek (snowshoeing, in case of snow) which, crossing an easy and very scenic path, from Santo Stefano di Sessanio will lead us to the discovery of the Rocca Calascio Castle, for a guided tour. Technical data excursion: duration 4 hours, distance 6 km, height difference 270m, difficulty T / E (easy/medium).

MEETING POINT Departure from Rome: Saturday 28 March at 7:30 am, appointment at Anagnina Metro Station - Via Tuscolana (Rome direction), by private GT Gran Turismo coach. Return to Rome, Anagnina Metro Station: Sunday 29 March in the evening.

TOUR LEADERS:

AEV Pierluigi Picconi: 3475077183

AEV Terry De Simone: 3339850892

COST € 200 per person with a double room accomodation. The fee includes: - One night at the Albergo Diffuso Sextantio (4 stars) in a double room - Dinner at the Sextantio Hotel Restaurant “La Locanda sotto gli Archi” - Breakfast at the Sextantio Hotel - Visit of Santo Stefano di Sessanio village with Environmental Guide - Entrance tickets to the Stiffe Caves with Environmental Guide - Sunday excursion to the Rocca Calascio Castle, also with Environmental Guide - Complete assistance of two AEV StarTrekk leaders for the entire period - Round trip from Rome by private GT Gran Turismo coach.

The fee does not include: - Federtrek membership card (€ 15) - Saturday and Sunday’s lunch - Rent of snowshoes in case of snow (€ 10).

RESERVATIONS To book the event the following is kindly required: A deposit of €60 on the IBAN: IT61Z0306967684510724312088 registered to STARTREKK. Please send email with the money transfer receipt to the address: [email protected], indicating: - First and last name - Date of birth - Mobile phone number - Any food intolerances - Federtrek card number. By March 15th 2020: payment of the balance on the above IBAN. Once the minimum number of participants is reached and the event confirmed, we herewith specify that the amount paid can only be returned with a notice of cancellation of at least 15 days before departure.

RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT Anti-slip and water-repellent mountain boots, clothing suitable for low temperatures (-5 ° / 0 °), fleece, jacket, hat, gloves, rain cape, trekking poles, gaiters in case of snow. Camera, binoculars, water bottle.

MEMBERSHIP CARD Event reserved for Federtrek members. For those who have not yet subscribed their membership card, possibility to apply on the departure day at €15 (yearly card). To speed up the issuing of the card, kindly print the relevant form from the following link and take it with you already filled in and signed up: hhtp: /www.startrekk.it/pdf/tessera.pdf

Visit our website: www.startrekk.it

For more information: Please contact FAO Staff Coop – Room E016 – email [email protected] – phone 0657053142 (ext. 53142) or [email protected]

Kindly note that FAO Staff Coop is in no way responsible for services provided by third parties, who respond directly to clients.