You don’t need to be a religious devotee to enjoy the ‘Spirit Path’ tour but you certainly have to be fit to be able to walk in the mountains for 7-8 hours a day. The organisers say that the tour follows the route of the hermit Pietro da Morrone, who became Pope Celestine V in the 13^th century. It starts in the beautiful town of Sulmona, crosses mountain paths and goes through lovely small villages with breathtaking views all the way.

Eremo San Bartolomeo

There are about 100 of hermitages in Abruzzo with many of them dating back to medieval times. They were build for worship, solitude and immersion with nature. Nowadays some pilgrims come to the mountain retreats for religious festivities or to pray. I am lucky enough to live near one of the most beautiful medieval retreats (which is included in the tour), eremo San Bartolomeo in Legio that was carved in the bare rocks in the 13^th century. I come here a few times a month to enjoy the views and quietude, with only birds keeping me company. It feels like taking a step back in time.

The ‘Spirit Path’ tour costs only €65 per person and includes a guide for 4 days trekking and one night stay in a forresters’ lodge. Organisers can help you to book rooms for the rest of the itinerary in a local agriturismo or suggest mountain refuges where you can stay in dormitory-style rooms for free.

Eremo di Sant’Onofrio

To keep your travel as green as possible pack light, so you don’t need to use the shuttle service and luggage transport offered by the organisers. And while trekking spare a thought for those hermits and monks, who walked those mountains well before you: they wore hand-made robes and sandals, ate what God sent and walked everywhere. Now, that’s what I call the ultimate green traveller!

There will be three ‘Spirit Path’ tours this summer: June 27-  July 1, July 25-29, August 19 – September 2. For more information and to book the tour click here.