August 6, 2024 - Daily Distance: 20 km - Total Distance: 306 km

Today we wake up early again and head down to the town to join the Tratturo Magno. Today's route will be particularly easy to follow, as this part of the tratturo is well-marked and easily recognizable.

We move across a plateau along a comfortable dirt road, and soon the first surprise arrives. After climbing a small hill that overlooks the plateau, we come across the ruins of the Roman city of Peltuinum. Specifically, the tratturo crosses what was once the city’s western gate, the only part still recognizable. We are so captivated by the sight of the ruins that, without realizing it, we pass by the most impressive parts of the site: the temple and the theater. Oh well, it will be a good excuse to return to visit Peltuinum in the future.

The city of Peltuinum was founded in the 1st century BC by the Romans to regulate transhumance, but over the centuries it was destroyed due to various events. The western gate is better preserved because it was repurposed as a customs post to count the sheep during transhumance, becoming a key point of passage.

We arrive just as the sun is rising. The photos we take do justice to the beauty of the surrounding landscape. All three of us remain silent, struck by the atmosphere of the place. Each of us gets lost in our thoughts, walking among the ruins and imagining what the place must have looked like in ancient times.

After capturing the moment with a few shots, we resume our journey through the countryside. After about two kilometers, the tratturo becomes clearly visible again: it has been fenced off and turned into a nursery for the Forestry Corps.

From there on, we are greeted with pleasant country roads that gradually lead us to the town of Onna. Every now and then we glance around for the L’Aquila, but it seems we won’t see it today.

After a brief stop to eat and rest next to a railway line, we continue along a dirt road that runs alongside the tracks until we reach Onna. The journey is smooth until the small town.

Onna deserves some reflection. This small village, a suburb of L’Aquila, was completely destroyed by the 2009 earthquake. Almost all the houses collapsed, causing many casualties. Currently, the town is under reconstruction following a particular approach: the houses are rebuilt with modern techniques but adhere exactly to the original volumes and geometries. The streets and houses, though new, retain the irregular appearance of the past. The result is a curious and almost surreal atmosphere.

Additionally, almost all the original inhabitants have not yet returned, and so we find ourselves as the only ones staying in the town for the night. We hope that over time things will improve and that Onna will come back to life as it once did.

Track of the day