This is one of the most interesting parks in Italy due to both its natural and cultural aspects. The Sibilla Appenninica, an ancient inhabitant of the Sibillini Mountains has left its traces along the paths, in the caves and in the memory of those who live in these ancestral lands. The Sibyls were priestesses of the God Apollo who lived an ascetic lifestyle in inaccessible areas. They had the power of the oracle and only the most fearless, courageous men risked their lives to reach them and find the right answers. In the Middle Ages, the figure of the sibyl took on an obscure and mysterious character and was eventually synonymous with the malicious witches of the Inquisition. The Sibyl’s fairies, beautiful and faithful servants with goat-like feet, would leave their shelters at night to go to the villages perched on the mountain ridges to teach the art of weaving to young women or to seduce young men and then run up the peaks at the first light of the rising sun.
The verdant slopes of the park are shaped by the presence of this tradition. Following in the footsteps of these fascinating legends, you will find yourself following the paths, creeping into caves and learning about age-old rural memories that will deeply enrich your experience in nature. With more than ten peaks with an altitude of over 2000 metres, the park is home to a great diversity of animal species, including wolves, deer, golden eagles and peregrine falcons. At the Laghi di Pilato, an expanse of the purest water hidden in the heart of Monte Vettore at an altitude of 1941 metres, you can see a species of crustacean called the Chirocephalus Marchesonii, a small red shrimp that swims belly-upwards. It is very small and not easy to spot, but we suggest you try because it will be the only time you can see it. The Chirocephalus is an endemic species and its only natural habitat, worldwide, is the waters of Laghi di Pilato.