Opi

Access

Opi is accessible from Pescasseroli via the Strada Statale Marsicana, which crosses the National Park and connects the village to the towns of Alfedena and Barrea. The nearest airports are those of Pescara and Rome Ciampino. The reference railway stations are in Castel di Sangro and Avezzano, from which the village can be reached by bus or car. Access by car requires caution because of the mountain road, but offers spectacular views of the park landscape.

Introduction

Opi is a mountain village in Abruzzo located at an altitude of 1,250 metres in the heart of the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, within the province of L'Aquila. It stands on a rocky promontory overlooking the Sangro river valley, surrounded by a natural amphitheatre formed by Mount Marsicano (2,245 m), Mount Amaro di Opi (1,862 m) and Mount Petroso (2,249 m). This village, among the smallest in Italy, preserves a medieval defensive structure: the houses, arranged in double rows and adhering to each other, formed a natural wall that made it a stronghold of the Marsicano territory. The village, inhabited today by about 375 people, is one of the 'Most Beautiful Villages in Italy' and awarded the Orange Flag of the Italian Touring Club

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Description

The territory of Opi represents a historical and naturalistic reference point of primary importance: the idea of the National Park was born here, with Val Fondillo and the Camosciara reserve considered the original core of the protected area. Nature is the protagonist here with beech forests, chamois, Marsican bears and Apennine wolves, offering a habitat of extraordinary biodiversity. The area is criss-crossed by hiking trails that connect the village with the Macchiarvana plateau, Mount Marsicano and Val Fondillo itself, a destination for walkers and naturalists. The historical centre, which inspired Escher's engravings during his trip to Abruzzo in 1929, preserves the church of Santa Maria Assunta and the chapel of St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of the village.
The history of Opi has its roots in the Middle Ages, when it was fortified to control the transits along the Sangro valley. The local economy, traditionally linked to sheep farming and woodworking, has now turned towards nature and sustainable tourism. Handicraft activities and small typical productions, such as honey and sheep's cheese, still persist. Places of interest include the Museo della Foresta e dell'Uomo (Museum of the Forest and Man), which tells the story of the life of lumberjacks and mule drivers in the old sawmills of Val Fondillo, and the Museo Naturalistico del Camoscio (Naturalistic Museum of the Chamois), which allows visitors to get up close to the iconic Apennine ungulate.

Information

Area: 49.91 km²
 Altitude: 1,250 m above sea level
 Highest elevation: Monte Petroso, 2.249 m
 Inhabitants: 373 (2025)
 Name in dialect: Opjë
 Inhabitants' name: Opiani
 Patron saint: San Giovanni Battista (24 June)
 Neighbouring communes: Civitella Alfedena, Pescasseroli, Scanno, Settefrati, San Donato Val di Comino
 Website: www.comune.opi.aq.it