In Escher’s Footstep - Scanno to Sulmona

​A few photos of the beautiful Il Palazzo where we spent the night and had breakfast in the morning.  These are a view from the window and the palace’s chapel which was right outside our bedroom door.  



One of the unexpected pluses about our lodging was the bike garage they gave us access to where we stored our bikes overnight. It had a bike stand, tools, lube, pumps and everything else you would need.  So everyone did a bit of bike maintenance.  


Then on the road again heading towards Villalago.  Here is looking back at Scanno. 


After passing Scanno Lake we reach Villalago.  Another picturesque village where there seems to be a lot of hikers getting ready to hit the multitude of mountain trails in the area.  


Jim had second breakfast and stayed with the bikes while Shawn, Doug and I hiked up the steep stairs and alleyways to the top of the village.  The view was expansive. 


 It was funny there was a fitness center in a stone building near the top.  It felt like we had just done a stair stepping workout to get there.  People must be extremely fit in Villalago!  There were several references to The Dutch artist, Escher, who had visited the town in the past and did some drawings of the village.  It was pretty cool to stand in the spot of where he did the drawing. Little had changed in the past century.  


Then we continued on our way with a fast downhill run through the stunning Sagittarius Valley.  Narrow gorges, lakes with blue green water and tumbling streams.  

 

We stopped at the eremo of San Domenico.  A lovely spot a church, the grotto he lived in and the history of his devotion.  


Then we came to a junction in the road where the choice was to stay at the relatively level road and continue to our final destination of Sulmona or take a hard right turn with a four kilometer climb up to Castrovalva.  The big surprise was the weak link (me) said let’s go up.  So we did.  It was well worth it for the views from above and another dive into M. C. Escher history and also for the really fun descent on a beautiful road back to the main route.  




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