
Where is Majelletta?
Italy, europe
3.6 km
1,897 m
easy
Year-round
Okay, adventure seekers, listen up! Wanna tackle a seriously scenic climb in the heart of Italy? Then Majelletta, nestled in the Abruzzo region's Parco Nazionale della Majella, needs to be on your radar.
This beauty tops out at 1,897m (6,223ft), and the views? Unreal! Up top, you'll find a mountain refuge (Rifugio Bruno Pomilio), a huge parking area, and enough communication towers to make your head spin. Oh, and it's the launching point for another road that takes you even HIGHER, to 2,072m!
The 3.6 km (2.23 miles) paved road (Strada Provinciale 64) is in great shape these days. It climbs 250 meters, so you're looking at an average gradient of around 7% with some sections hitting double digits. Expect this route to be closed from November to April because of snow, so plan accordingly.
This climb has some serious cycling history too, having featured in the Giro d'Italia back in the day. It's even got a juicy story about a famous cyclist collapsing here once. How's that for bragging rights?
Road Details
- Country
- Italy
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 3.6 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,897 m
- Difficulty
- easy
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