Route: Monteleone Sabino
Area: Rieti Province, Lazio region, Central Italy
Date of walk: 31st May 2023
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 1.0 mile
Ascent: 50 feet
Weather: Sunny and warm
Monteleone Sabino is fairly close to Toffia and Frasso Sabino so we were able to visit three villages and towns on this penultimate day of our holiday in the Sabine Hills. As with our earlier walks, the place was completely tourist free and we only passed by a few elderly locals, with whom we exchanged the customary ‘buongiornos’. The town, home to about 1,200 residents, is set on a hilltop and protected by huge walls. There are lovely views from a small terrace at the start of the walk and from a path at the edge of the town
After another enjoyable and interesting short stroll along narrow alleys and cobbled streets we drove over to the nearby Church of Santa Vittoria which is on the road to Rocca Sinibalda. The structure dates to at least the 11th century and its bell-tower and facade date to after the 15th century under the patronage of the Orsini family. It’s a lovely small building and is worth a short detour though note that the interior can’t usually be visited as the doors are kept locked
During our time in the Sabine Hills area we visited seven ancient small villages and towns – Posticciola, Colle di Tora, Castel di Tora, Rocca Sinibalda, Toffia, Frasso Sabino and (today’s walk) Monteleone Sabino. These general comments apply to all of them, and no doubt to the many other old villages in the region. Anyone following our footsteps is advised to park outside the old areas for two reasons: firstly, traffic regulations are in place which restrict entry to locals and, secondly, the streets are very narrow and winding, and inevitably peter out. Once in, it would be hard to get out. These quiet communes do not cater for mass tourism and although there may be the occasional village shop, local bar or restaurant there is no guarantee that it will be open for business. I’ve provided the customary route maps of our walks, but it’s not necessary to follow a set route. There are numerous alleys, staircases and narrow passageways and it’s best to follow whichever of these looks to be the most tempting
Click on the icon below for the route map
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
Ginestra Sabino, yet another ancient hilltop village, seen from Monteleone Sabino
A small terrace at the start of the walk around Monteleone Sabino
The Sabine Hills from the terrace
We walk through the main street in Monteleone Sabino
A view from the village walls
Street scenes in Monteleone Sabino...
We walk along a terrace with views of Ginestra Sabino...
We retrace our steps back to the start
On the way back we make a detour to visit the Church of Santa Vittoria, dating back to the 11th century
Later that day, from the garden of our rented villa, a rainbow over the Sabine Hills...
Dawn on our last day in Italy - the rose garden at the villa...
Later in the day, a few of the butterflies and moths among the wildflowers in the grounds
