Gole di Popoli

The Pescara River cuts through the rocky defile of Popoli Terme between Monte Morrone and Monte Rotondo. The gorge marks a meeting point between the Majella and Gran Sasso landscapes and is one of the town’s distinctive natural features.

Why it matters

The gorge’s deep incision separates the Majella from the Gran Sasso and gives the Pescara a passage through the Apennines. This landscape links the mountain massifs with the lower valleys and helps explain Popoli’s position between them. The gorge also forms part of the natural setting of the Sorgenti del Pescara reserve and Majella National Park.

What to notice

The steep limestone walls frame the river corridor. The gorge’s slopes support hop-hornbeam woodland, with holm oak and downy oak on the surrounding hillsides. The Svolte di Popoli, a winding road on the side of Monte Rotondo, is associated with the area’s motoring history.

Context and history

The gorge is also known as the Gole di Tremonti, after the village on its edge. Its river passage and position between the Peligna valley and the Val Pescara have made it a defining feature of the landscape around Popoli. The adjoining slopes connect the Pescara springs with the neighbouring mountain environments of the Majella and Gran Sasso.