Navelli

Arriving in this delightful village, you will be enchanted by its delicate beauty. It’s situated on a hill about 30 kilometres from L'Aquila, in an area of low-lying inland Abruzzo plateaus that bears its name. Navelli is a succession of narrow streets, winding lanes and steps carved into in the same grey stone with which the walls of the dwellings are built.

The town is famous for a product that has become, over time, a symbol of its territory: the saffron. Once used in medicine and cosmetics, this rare and very precious spice is the core of the local economy. Today, it is of great importance not only for its trade, but also for the beauty of the flowering period, which attracts thousands of tourists every year. In October, the flowers are picked at dawn and still worked by hand with gestures that have been repeated unchanged since time immemorial. Beauty, tradition and flavour: the essence of Navelli is the deep red colour of the saffron.

Navelli will gratify your taste as well as satisfying your eyes and soul. There are many artistic and religious beauties dotting this treasure of inland Abruzzo such as: Palazzo Santucci, built on the ruins of the ancient medieval fortress; the Church of San Sebastiano, in Abruzzo Romanesque style and built on the remains of the primitive Church of San Pelino; the Church of Santa Maria in Cerulis (11th century), the oldest in Navelli; Porta Castello, where the oldest part of the village begins and Palazzo Cappa, where the San Pasquale chapel is proudly displayed.

Stop in the hamlet of Civitarenga to visit the Monastery of Sant'Antonio, with its Renaissance church, the medieval square tower, the church of Sant'Egidio and the small ghetto that housed Jews from the 13th century until around 1510.

Saffron and chickpeas are the basic ingredients of Navelli's cuisine. Among the first courses: gnocchetti and chickpeas; sagnette and chickpeas and saffron risotto. Among the main courses, lamb chops with saffron are special. Also worth mentioning are the almonds, which are the main ingredient for excellent desserts such as “cauciunitti” and “nocci interrati” (almonds with sugar). And, to conclude, an unmissable saffron liqueur.

Navelli is part of the Club of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy.

What else to see:

• Palazzo Onofri (1498)
• Porta Villotta 
• Porta Santa Maria (1475)
• Porta San Pelino
• The Suffrage Church
• Palazzo Piccioli 
• Palazzo Mancini-Marchi-Piccioli, with the San Gennaro chapel
• Palazzo De Roccis, characterised by beautiful mosaic floors
• The 18th-century Church of the Rosary