San Paolo – Rocca di Monte Calvo – Macera della Morte – San Martino
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San Paolo – Rocca di Monte Calvo – Macera della Morte – San Martino

A majestic itinerary along the Sentiero Italia CAI, where Marche and Abruzzo meet. From the pass of San Paolo, ascend through beech forests, ancient mule tracks, and boundless panoramas up to the 2073 m of Macera della Morte, a peak dominating three regions.
Along the way, the ruins of Rocca di Montecalvo, the legendary Sleeping Beech, and the signs of transhumance tell a past of journeys and borders. An intense excursion, between history and nature, that rewards with a view that remains in the heart.

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Mulattiere Acquasantane
Mulattiere Acquasantane

On the steps of transhumance, between Marche and Abruzzo

An itinerary that combines history, nature, and borders.
From the pass of San Paolo, head southeast along the ancient route that for centuries saw shepherds with their flocks, in the seasonal rite of transhumance. The path, now part of the Sentiero Italia CAI, crosses environments of rare beauty, suspended between the sky and the silence of the beech forests.

In the first kilometers, you walk under the slopes of Rocca di Montecalvo, an ancient medieval stronghold of the Guiderocchi, now reduced to a few ruins wrapped in moss and mystery. From here, the view opens onto the Castellano Valley, a mosaic of woods and clearings that marks the natural border between Marche and Abruzzo.

The route alternates between stretches of wide cart tracks and paved mule tracks, smoothed by time, leading towards Monte Libretti. Further on, the vegetation becomes dense: the forest welcomes travelers and cyclists with its cool shade and the scent of the undergrowth.
At Fonte Scentella, a huge “Sleeping Beech” crosses the path: a natural monument, lying with the majesty of one who has witnessed centuries of travelers. Wooden steps allow you to pass over it without deviating from the path.

After passing Colle Pidocchi, the trail opens into a gentler path up to Cima Fonteguidone, where you leave the beech forest behind to enter a high-altitude landscape. The grassy ridge of Macera della Morte (2073 m) is conquered slowly, following tracks that wind between meadows and sandstone rocks.
Upon reaching the Termine (2022 m), you find yourself at a unique point: here, Marche, Abruzzo, and Lazio meet. One more step, and you are at the summit — where the wind carries with it the echo of shepherds, borders, and centuries.

Those who wish can continue south, descending towards Colle di Arquata or following the detour to San Martino, where a small wooden house welcomes travelers with a hot coffee. Just below, the Bridge over the Castellano marks the passage to Abruzzo, crossing the threshold between the Papal States and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

Technical Details

  • Length: 11.6 km (one way, San Paolo – Macera)

  • Maximum altitude: 2073 m

  • Minimum altitude: 982 m

  • Difficulty: Medium – E

  • Recommended period: March – November

  • Average time round trip: 6-7 hours

  • Signage: White-red (Sentiero Italia CAI)