Cammino di San Domenico Abate

A pilgrimage in the heart of Abruzzo

The Cammino di San Domenico Abate is an annual walking pilgrimage that takes place on the eve of May 1st, traversing one of the most scenic stretches of the Abruzzo hinterland. The route connects Villalago, the village of Anversa degli Abruzzi, and Cocullo, in the province of L'Aquila, winding through the spectacular Sagittario Gorges and the Lago Pio Nature Reserve in Villalago.

The initiative blends spiritual devotion with hiking and environmental appreciation: walkers follow mountain trails immersed in a landscape of extraordinary beauty, featuring rocky cliffs, dense forests, and the ancient villages of the Peligna Valley. The journey serves as a spiritual preparation for the Feast of Saint Dominic the Abbot and the Snake Handlers' Rite of Cocullo, which takes place the following day.

Faith, nature, and tradition

The walk is organized by the A. Di Nola Association of Cocullo in collaboration with mountain guides, hiking groups such as "I Folletti d'Abruzzo," and the Ambiente e/è Vita association, which manages the Lago Pio Nature Reserve. In Anversa degli Abruzzi, the route also connects to the town's literary heritage, a place that inspired Gabriele d'Annunzio's tragedy "The Torch under the Bushel" and is home to a Literary Park dedicated to him.

Along the way, pilgrims traverse areas of great natural value, with opportunities to observe the local flora and fauna. Upon arriving in Cocullo, participants witness the "capture of the snakes," a central moment of a species conservation project that the town has been running for over fifteen years.

The Snake Handlers' Rite

The pilgrimage culminates in the May 1st celebrations in Cocullo, featuring the Feast of Saint Dominic the Abbot and the traditional Snake Handlers' Rite. Following mass in the Church of Saint Dominic, the statue of the saint—draped almost entirely in live, non-venomous snakes—is carried in a procession through the village streets. It is one of the most evocative and well-known folk traditions in Abruzzo, drawing over fifteen thousand visitors to Cocullo.

An experience of devotion and slow travel

The Cammino di San Domenico Abate is an opportunity to authentically experience the hinterland of the province of L'Aquila, combining spirituality, slow tourism, and territorial discovery. The pace of the walk, the beauty of the Sagittario Gorges, and the deep-rooted identity of the celebrations make this a highly anticipated event for pilgrims and hikers from across Central Italy.