Balsorano is one of the gates of the Marsica as it is in contact with Lazio, specificall with the Ciociaria area. Balsorano is currently a municipality that develops on the plain and represents a small town in the Avezzano district, with its 3,600 inhabitants. But the current inhabited area of Balsorano represents the modern part of the town, having been created after the earthquake of 1915.

 

La Valle Roveto con Balsorano nuovo al centro della valle. (Immagine personale)

 

The old residential nucleus from a pile of rubble as it was after the earthquake of Gioia dei Marsi, has meanwhile become a separate hamlet, fully inhabited again, which continues to represent the ancient soul of the municipality and the center of this inhabited area is clearly the immense and splendid Piccolomini castle.

 

Il castello di Balsorano. (Immagine personale)

 

The Piccolomini castle dates back to the 10th century as its first foundation, being erected in its first version by the Berardi counts, ancient counts of Marsica and first counts of Celano. The Piccolomini ascended to the Celanese county in 1462 renovate or rebuild many of the old manors and towers erected centuries earlier by the Berardis and now adapted by them to use in the new times.

The Piccolomini castle is one of these, representing in the new version of the late fifteenth century a cross between the old military fortress manor, the new type of castle used as a noble residence in use in the Renaissance period.

 

Il castello di Balsorano. (Immagine personale)

 

The Piccolomini castle remained over the centuries until 1806, the year of the end of feudalism in the Marsica, the seat of the barony of Balsorano, first an integral part of the Celanese county and then an independent fief. After the end of the barony of Balsorano, the castle and Balsorano itself remained together with the other center of Civitella Roveto, the fulcrum of the Roveto Valley, as the Lefebreve, a French entrepreneurial family, settled here. important paper industry active throughout the 19th century, thus representing an important local point of reference for entrepreneurs in this part of Marsica.

 

Una delle sale interne al castello adibita a sala
ristorante durante una manifestazione locale. (Immagine personale)

 

Today the castle of Balsorano represents in the municipality the main tourist destination of the place, where many Italian and foreign tourists arrive every year to participate in events organized by the municipality of Balsorano. Of course, the castle itself represents a large slice of tourism, but it is not the only attraction of the area as the area where the old Balsorano and Balsorano Nuovo, seat of the municipality is located, are immersed in a grandiose nature arranged within a valley, where the river Liri flows in the center, which has structured the valley itself with its erosive action.

Balsorano with its two old and new settlements stands at the foot of Monte Cornacchia (2003 m) and Monte Breccioso (1976 m), which are the highest mountains of the Serralunga chain, the so-called right-hand chain going towards Fucino.

On the other side, however, the municipality is the grandiose chain of the Ernici, the left-hand chain, with Monte Pizzo Deta standing out above all. Well, these two mountain groups, beautiful to see, are the destination every year of many hikers, mountain enthusiasts, who with their presence in a certain sense decree the high naturalistic quality of the Balsorano area.

 

Monte Pizzo Deta (2041) appartenente alla catena dei Monti Ernici. (Immagine personale)

 

In fact, not many Balsorano know that it is immersed in an enviable territory, grandiose precisely for its naturalistic and geological monumentality. In fact, this is so pure as an environment that many species of animals such as the wolf, the bear, the hawk, or the golden eagle, just to name a few, are found to live here.

 

Monte Serra Alta presso Balsorano. (Immagine personale)

 

Over the centuries Balsorano has always been a territory of passage, so many people have passed and stayed here, appreciating both the nature of the territory and its cuisine, which is very rich and substantial.

Here one of the best qualities of oil is grown both in Abruzzo and in all of central Italy. This ancient oil for cultivation has always been appreciated for having a medium spicy flavor, which appears rich in herbaceous vegetable scents with well-harmonized notes of almond and artichoke, but above all it has a very high content of polyphenols.

 

L’olio della Valle Roveto.

 

Balsorano therefore, thanks to its nature, history and cuisine and the high quality accommodation made up of small hotels, agritourisms and restaurants, lends itself well to a small permanent holiday.