Discover Roccacasale: Trails, History and Regional Cuisine

Roccacasale is a destination for travellers who want to combine landscapes, traces of history and regional traditions. Its location offers an almost complete view over the valley below. At the same time, extensive wall remains of a pre-Roman settlement can be seen on the 724-metre-high hill of Colle delle Fate. Those looking for a holiday apartment in Roccacasale can make this combination of landscape and history the starting point for planning their own trip.

Trails to Colle delle Fate

One specific touring option is the Colle delle Fate family hiking trail. It begins at Castello di Roccacasale and ends at Colle delle Fate. Families who want to choose a clearly named route together thus have a fixed starting and endpoint for their planning, without having to assume any other characteristics of the trail.

A mule track also leads from Roccacasale to the 724-metre-high hill of Colle delle Fate in about 40 minutes. Extensive wall remains of a pre-Roman settlement can still be seen there. The altitude and approximate time estimate help you fit this outing into your daily itinerary. Those interested in older traces of settlement will find a specific point in the landscape where history remains visible.

Castle, Church and Memorials

Within the enclosed Castello di Roccacasale, significant remains of stone buildings can be seen. These may include the foundations of another tower and a large wall with triangular openings that were probably once windows of the actual palace. The architectural traces make Castello di Roccacasale an interesting destination for a trip focused on history.

The Church of San Michele Arcangelo also offers several points of interest. It has a three-aisled interior dating from the 16th century, which was later completely remodelled. On 8 May 1579, the church was consecrated by the Bishop of Valva, “Vincentis Dozellus”, with a plenary indulgence. A stone statue of Saint Michael stands on the façade; another, coarser statue from the 13th century is set into the rear of the church building.

Further memorials lead into the more recent history of the town. Since 1911, the summit of Monte della Rocca has been called La Crocella, after parish priest Don Tobisi Silvestri replaced the wooden cross there with an iron cross. In addition, a statue made of bronze and marble commemorates Blessed Mariano da Roccacasale. It is dedicated to the religious brother Fra Mariano da Roccacasale, who was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1999.

Festivals and Regional Cuisine

The patron saint of Roccacasale, San Michele Arcangelo, is celebrated on 8 May and 29 September. The religious celebrations include a procession. The civic programme generally includes concerts by brass bands or orchestras performing popular music. Those who want to take religious traditions and local cultural life into account when planning their trip will find a clear point of reference in these two dates.

Roccacasale’s culinary offerings include traditional dishes such as Gnucchitt, Sagn Ammasset, Pulenn and Fregnacc. Typical local products also include wine, oil, olives, potatoes, beans and tomatoes. These are joined by significant production of pecorino cheese and various types of mushrooms, including the most widespread chiodini. When planning your trip, you can consider these dishes and products as a specific culinary focus.

Roccacasale as the Starting Point for Planning Your Trip

Once the historical focus of your trip has been decided, you can search specifically for a holiday apartment in Roccacasale.

For comparison with other destination pages, you can also refer to Collettara, Preturo, Villalago, Montereale, Tagliacozzo, Prezza, Ateleta and Cocullo.

For the overview of the wider area: L-Aquila.