Would you like to meet a free-roaming deer while walking through the streets of a village? In Villetta Barrea, Abruzzo, it is possible.
Villetta Barrea is a small village perched on a rocky spur in the beautiful region of Abruzzo and immersed in the nature of the Abruzzo National Park. The village is an ideal destination for nature lovers and mountain hikers.
The Abruzzo village will amaze you above all by the presence of its unusual inhabitants, the deer. In fact, Villetta Barrea is known as the 'village of the deer' due to the presence of numerous deer that roam freely in the village, which you will easily encounter along its streets.
Among stone houses, cobblestone alleys, small churches, nature trails, lakes and deer, a visit to the village will be a unique experience.
Let's discover together what else this hidden gem of Abruzzo has to offer!
Villetta Barrea: historic center and places of interest
Villetta Barrea is a small village of only 600 inhabitants a few kilometres from L'Aquila that is really worth a visit. A walk through the centre will take you back in time. Here you can lose yourself in a labyrinth of stones made up of small houses set one on top of the other, long narrow streets and flights of stairs.
The village has a fortified appearance and was founded by a group of Benedictine monks around the year 1000. In the village there is a Castle built in the 14th century, of which only a tower remains today, which houses the Parish Church Museum. In Villetta Barrea you can also visit several old churches. The Church of San Rocco, which houses beautiful 18th century works, and the Studio, a unique convent-fortress.
Inside an old 15th-century mill you can visit the Water Museum, where the water cycle and wool processing are explained. Of great importance is the Museum of Transhumance, a true testimony of the main activity that for years sustained the economy of the small village.
Searching for deer in Villetta Barrea
Natural Areas and Trails near Villetta Barrea
During your visit, you will be fascinated by the panorama and the lush nature that surrounds the village. Villetta Barrea overlooks Lake Barrea and is crossed by the River Sangro, framed by mountains and forests.
The pedestrian walk along the Sangro River is one of the most beautiful things to do in Villetta Barrea. Along the way, you can admire beautiful views of the village and maybe even meet a deer nearby. From here, you can walk to the shores of Lake Barrea, near the village park. At the lake it is possible to bathe and in summer you will find equipped beaches.
Not to be missed is a visit to the Camosciara Nature Reserve, 3 km from the village. In this protected area, which stretches over more than 130,000 km, besides the possibility of spotting deer, you can also encounter chamois, wolves, bears and the golden eagle. Formed by a rocky limestone amphitheatre, the Camosciara is home to countless paths through waterfalls, streams and forests that will leave you speechless. Among the most evocative, we suggest the one that leads to the Cascate or Waterfall delle Ninfe and the Cascate delle Tre Cannelle.
