Starting From
440 €
12 places available
Sku:
isy0003
Departure from23 October 2026
Group
Round trip
Hiking
3 days
Duration: 8 Hours
Easy
Operated by HikeLife
Departure calendar
What You’ll See on Your Trip
Piana di Navelli
San Pio delle Camere
San Pio delle Camere
Bominaco
Trip Itinerary
More information regarding the time and meeting point for the first/last day will be provided after the booking.
Afternoon arrival in the Navelli Plain and check-in at an authentic saffron village accommodation. Welcome greeting and meeting with the Guide for an introductory stroll through stone alleys and historic buildings. Followed by a traditional welcome dinner and overnight stay.
Activity: Arrival, welcome greeting, check-in, and introductory village walk
Logistics: Accommodation check-in. Dinner and overnight.
Duration: 1 hours
Height difference: 30 m
Dawn wake-up call, breakfast, and transfer to saffron fields across the high plateau between San Pio delle Camere and Navelli. Together with the farmers of the Consortium for the Protection of Zafferano dell'Aquila DOP, join the hand-harvest of delicate purple blossoms into wicker baskets before sunlight opens them. In the late afternoon, gather with local producers around the table to manually separate red saffron threads, observing the delicate drying process over oak wood embers. End the day with a festive community dinner tasting traditional chickpea and fresh saffron soup.
Activity: Guided field harvest in San Pio delle Camere and Navelli, manual flower separation workshop, oak-ember drying demonstration, and community dinner
Gourmet Stop (INCLUDED): Traditional farmers' dinner featuring chickpea and fresh PDO Zafferano dell'Aquila soup.
Duration: 4 hours
Height difference: 200 m
After breakfast, luggage check-out and guided walking tour through medieval Navelli: visit Baronial Palazzo Santucci, Santa Maria in Cerulis Church, San Sebastiano, and the baroque Madonna del Rosario Church. Transfer to Civitaretenga to see Saint Egidio Church and San Salvatore Mother Church. Finally, reach Bominaco to admire the frescoed San Pellegrino Oratory ("the Sistine Chapel of Abruzzo") and Santa Maria Assunta Church. Optional hike up to Bominaco Castle for Gran Sasso views. Farewell greetings and end of services.
Activity: Guided cultural tour of Navelli, Civitaretenga, and Bominaco religious monuments
Logistics: End of services in early afternoon.
Duration: 4 hours
Height difference: 300 m
Travel Tour Overview
Navelli Plain: Land of Villages and Saffron
An itinerary through the medieval village of Navelli, San Pio delle Camere, and the plain's historical hamlets, enveloped in ancient tranquility, rich in treasures and surrounded by breathtaking nature.
Our experience includes a tour among the plateau's historical treasures, visiting ancient churches, Navelli's historic alleys, San Pio delle Camere, and Civitaretenga, before immersing ourselves in the saffron harvest. As centuries pass, every autumn (October and November) the miracle of purple blossoms unfolds across the Navelli Plain and San Pio countryside: delicate petals emerging from dark soil.
Together with members of the Consortium for the Protection of Zafferano dell'Aquila DOP, you will participate in the dawn harvest across the high plateau fields between San Pio delle Camere and Navelli before sunlight opens the blossoms. Picked carefully by hand into wicker baskets, the flowers are brought together in the evening for delicate stamen separation and traditional drying over oak embers. The day ends with a warm community dinner featuring local chickpea and fresh saffron soup.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
- PDO Saffron Field Experience: Dawn harvesting in purple fields around San Pio delle Camere and Navelli alongside local Consortium farmers.
- Traditional Craftsmanship: Hands-on experience observing manual flower separation and wood-ember drying.
- Authentic Flavors: Community dinner with local producers featuring chickpea and fresh saffron soup.
- Historic Hamlets: Guided walk through medieval Navelli, San Pio delle Camere, Palazzo Santucci, and Civitaretenga.
- The "Sistine Chapel of Abruzzo": Visit Bominaco's frescoed San Pellegrino Oratory and Santa Maria Assunta Church.
- Full Support & Assistance: Guided group tour with Guide, assistant, and support van, or self-guided freedom with GPX tracks and included luggage transfer (individual upon request).
What’s Included in Your Trip
- 2 Dinners
- Phone assistance
- Breakfast
- Travel document
- Saffron Experience
- Tour Operator Guarantees
- Guide
- Overnight stay in a Double Room
- Stay in a 3-star establishment or similar
- Please read the Terms and conditions before making your booking
Must-Know Details
By Train: L'Aquila/Popoli
By Car: A25 Popoli A24 L'Aquila
By Airplane: Pescara Airport
Open to travelers of all ages. You will travel either independently or in a group, with full support from the agency. On a group vacation, you may meet people from different countries with habits different from your own. For a cycling holiday, you might find yourself riding with people on e-bikes as well as those on traditional bikes. Respect everyone's space and enjoy yourself. The tour is organized by local guides and operators, carefully selected for you
Remember to bring a valid passport or ID card with an expiration date of at least 6 months from the departure date. The itinerary may be subject to changes before and/or during the trip. On a group tour and in certain specific villages, it may be necessary to use dispersed accommodation due to the lack of large facilities. Please inform us of any food intolerances at the time of booking; we will do our best to accommodate them, but we cannot guarantee it. Tourist taxes to be paid locally.
Euro
No
Passaport/Id card
Emergency Services Number: 112
220v
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Departure Dates
23 October 2026
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