Umbria, cycling towards Norcia: from Preci to Castelluccio

The journey begins in the verdant Valnerina. After a short stretch on the provincial road, turn towards Norcia, the birthplace of St Benedict, patron saint of Europe. A few ups and downs on the side of a small hill and there is Preci, a charming mediaeval village, developed inside a fortress. The small town, included in the list of Italy's most beautiful villages, is embedded in the wilderness of the Sibillini Mountains National Park, and experienced its golden age in the 16th century, with the local surgical school specialising in the extraction of kidney stones. Affected by the earthquake of 2016, which severely damaged the Abbey of Sant'Eutizio and rendered the historic centre unusable for some time, Preci is a place that leaves its mark.

Continue pedalling and take on the first challenge: an 8-kilometre climb, which climbs significant gradients. But the effort is repaid by the rare beauty of the landscape. Here you are at Norcia, the ancient Nursia, from the Etruscan name of the goddess of fortune Northia. The heart of the town will fascinate you, from Piazza San Benedetto, with the central statue of the saint, to the Basilica, with its tall bell tower. 

Local excellence, the beer of the Benedictine monks, perfect to accompany the real star of the table: the pork, a dish so strong that it gave rise to the name of a profession, namely that of the pork butcher (norcino), the person who slaughters the pig and processes its meat.

Having digested dinner, when you wake up you will be ready to go again. A long climb awaits you, leading to the Piana di Castelluccio. Arriving at the slopes of Monte Vettore, if you are lucky enough to make the journey between late May and mid-July, you will witness the colourful spectacle of the flowering: a mosaic of colours that breaks the colour monotony of the pasture for a few weeks, with tones and shades ranging from yellow ochre to red. The flower species that tint the Pian Grande and Pian Perduto are many, including narcissus, gentian, violet, poppy, violet, clover and many other varieties. The coniferous forest in the shape of Italy, which rises on the slopes of Poggio Croce, is unique.

You have completed your journey and one more restful stop is what you deserve. The pork butcheryis part of the historical tradition of the place, but the star of the table is the lentil, which lives in symbiosis with the plants and colours the fields, together with the other species, during the flowering period.