House ‘La Vecchia Stalla’
In the mountains we try to promote sustainable tourism, respectful of nature and people. We source our products locally as much as possible, and we encourage our guests to take local guides to create a positive impact on the local economy.
La Vecchia Stalla is our Mountain Lodge on a refreshing 1,000m sea-level in the Sibillini National Park. This protected nature reserve is truly off the beaten track and at the same time only 30 km from Ascoli.
The Sibillini are a rugged but water-rich chain of mountains on the edge of both Marche and Umbria. The whole area is a protected nature reserve and if you are lucky you might even see bears, wolves, eagles, or capricorn which have recently been re-introduced to the area.
Our mountain lodge La Vecchia Stalla in Astorara village is an over 100 years old, massive stone building, its thick walls will keep you cool in summer and warm in winter. It sits in the last village below the Sibillini’s biggest mountain - Monte Vettore, towering at 2,500 m. We have only just finished restoring the house and are proud to be presenting it in its old / new glory.
The house has two double rooms with some space for extra beds, if needed. Both rooms have all mod-cons including private bathrooms. From the roof window over your bed you can see the top of Monte Vettore glow pink at sunrise. To see what the house looks like have a look at the Photo Gallery.
The Sibillini National Park is served by an excellent network of trails for hiking, trekking and mountain biking alike. Many tours start right outside the house and often one walks for hours without encountering anybody. For climbers there are several spots nearby, including extensive basalt bouldering in the forest. The village is also an ideal base for day trips to neighbouring Umbria or the paragliding-mecca Castelluccio.
The Sibillini are also famous for the many folk-tales of witchcraft and magic spawned around its name-giving oracle who, according to legend, lived in a cave up on a mountain, now called Monte Sibilla.
After an eventful day in the mountains we are happy to serve you a homemade meal. Otherwise there is the hearty cuisine of the area to discover: the local lentil stew is famous and so are the sausages made from boar. Do not leave without having tried a plate of spaghetti with truffles and olive oil.
Come and discover a part of Italy that is only just beginning to be known by the world!
Hiking: The Sibillini National Park offers an extensive network of trails, well marked but not overrun.
Trekking: If you are looking for long distance walking, there are crest treks with stunning views and historical trails, in use for centuries
Mountain Biking: A new network of trails on and off-road have just been created on the area. We’re happy to show you around.
Pool: There is a swimming pool in the next village, some 3k m away.
Paragliding: The special thermals in Castelluccio allow paragliders to stay up for hours. Take a course.
Astorara in the Sibillini National Park
