The Aurunci Mountains

The Aurunci Mountains, a karst limestone range, lie on the border of Lazio and Campania. To the west, the Via Appia runs through the Itri Valley, which Goethe must have passed through on his first Italian journey. To the north-east, the Autostrada del Sole A1 runs through the hinterland. Since 1997, the area has been designated as the Aurunci Mountains Natural Park. This low mountain range sees few visitors, even though it’s excellent for hiking and mountain biking; there are numerous marked roads, hiking trails and tracks that offer quite a challenge. The national park map provides a good overview of hiking trails, mountain bike routes, historical sites and points of interest.

The most spectacular view is from the coast of the Gulf of Gaeta, south of the mountains. Near Formia, steep slopes interspersed with rocky cliffs rise directly from the sea to an altitude of over 1,400 m, where they merge into a karst plateau. The highest peak, Monte Petrella, reaches 1,533 m.

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A worthwhile half-day tour leads up to the Redentore, a large statue of Jesus overlooking the bay. From the coast near Formia, the winding Via del Redentore leads past Maranola with its fortress up to a picnic area on Monte Lapillo. From there, follow the road to the right to a car park overlooking the Pornito hut. A path, initially fitted with railings, leads to the right below Mt Altino, climbing up to the rock church of Santa Maria Romana. This church is reached after about an hour. It was built into the mountain under a rocky overhang and is a great spot for a break with a fantastic view. The path continues to the saddle south of Mt Altino and from there it’s just a few metres to the Redentore, which you reach after about 1.5 hours.

The entire coastline from Gaeta and Formia via Baia Domizia and Mondragone all the way to the island of Ischia—which is often lost in the haze—now lies before the hiker. To the east are Mt Sant’Angelo and Mt Petrella, which are also easy to reach via the well-maintained path.