Navelli, the Saffron Village

Upon arrival in Navelli in the afternoon, you will be warmly welcomed at your accommodation (for larger groups, distributed lodging may be required). Meet your guide and take a walk through the historic center before enjoying a traditional dinner. Return to the accommodation and overnight stay.

Wake up at dawn, enjoy breakfast, and head to the saffron fields located on the plateau below the village of Navelli. Together with members of the Consortium for the Protection of Saffron of L’Aquila DOP, you will witness the saffron harvest, which takes place during the last week of October and involves all the saffron producers of the cooperative. This process is repeated every morning at dawn, before the sunlight opens the flowers. The work is done by hand, with the collected flowers placed into wicker baskets. By evening, the producers gather at one of their homes to separate the stigmas from the stamens and the bell-shaped flower. This work must be done by hand and completed by evening, or the saffron risks spoiling and the harvest may be compromised. Subsequently, you will observe the drying phase, where the stigmas are placed on a sieve over a wood fire. This is the most delicate stage; if the stigmas stay too long over the fire, they risk burning, and if they do not dry properly, they may spoil within days. This must be done on the same day as the harvest. At the end of the day, enjoy a communal moment where the producers prepare a local specialty: a chickpea soup, another regional product, using the freshly harvested saffron. Return to the accommodation and overnight stay.

After breakfast, we will load our luggage into the car and head out for an exploratory walk through the medieval center of Navelli. We will visit the Santucci Baronial Palace, the Church of Santa Maria in Cerulis, the Church of San Sebastiano, and the Madonna del Rosario, an example of Baroque architecture. We will then proceed to Civitaretenga, the only hamlet of Navelli, to admire the ancient Church of Sant'Egidio and the Mother Church of San Salvatore. Next, we will head towards the Sistine Chapel of Abruzzo. Located in the Navelli Plateau, along ancient roads once traveled by monks, pilgrims, and shepherds, the small village of Bominaco houses the Oratory of San Pellegrino, known as the Sistine Chapel of Abruzzo. This astonishing gem will leave you speechless as you step through its door. Optional for the adventurous: For those seeking a panoramic view, there is the option to climb up to the Bominaco Castle, which offers spectacular views of the Gran Sasso and the Navelli Plateau. At the end of the visit, we will bid farewell and depart for our respective destinations. End of services.