What is visitvalnerina.it? An independent guide to the Nera valley

If you’re planning a trip to Umbria and you’ve landed on this page, a fair question deserves a straight answer: what exactly is visitvalnerina.it?

The short version: it’s an independent travel portal dedicated to the Valnerina — the valley of the Nera river — and its villages. The slightly longer version, with no embellishment, is in this article: what you’ll find here, what this portal is not, who runs it and how it pays for itself.

The Valnerina in a few lines

The Valnerina is the valley carved by the Nera river in Umbria’s green heart, between Terni and the Sibillini mountains: walled villages like Scheggino and Vallo di Nera, the gorges of Ferentillo and Arrone, the Lombard abbey of San Pietro in Valle, Norcia — the birthplace of St. Benedict, famous for its norcineria —, Cascia with the shrine of St. Rita, the Castelluccio plains and the abbey of Sant’Eutizio at Preci. On its rapids, the Nera is one of Italy’s rafting capitals.

What you’ll find on this portal

• The Nera river: gorges, rapids and river sports, from the mills of the past to today’s rafting — discover the section.
• What to see: ten stops among the villages and gateways of the valley, from Norcia to the Marmore Falls and Lake Piediluco — see the itinerary.
• The abbeys: San Pietro in Valle, the Lombard gem hidden in the gorges of Ferentillo — read more.
• The places of the valley: a journey along the Nera, from Arrone to Castelluccio and down to the Marmore Falls — follow the journey.
• Events and traditions: the blooming of Castelluccio, Nero Norcia and the Palio della Rana — see the calendar.
• Local businesses: the public pages of hotels, restaurants, guides and artisans of the area — browse the activities.

What this portal is not

Honesty first, so here is what visitvalnerina.it is not:

• It is not an official website: it is an independent portal, not affiliated with the municipalities of the Valnerina, the managing bodies of the valley’s cultural and religious sites, the Sibillini Mountains National Park, the owners of trademarks homonymous with the place name, or any of the entities and operators mentioned.
• It does not manage river sports, excursions or rental services and does not sell them: for water levels, prices and official information, refer to authorised guides and operators.
• It does not sell tickets for museums, abbeys or any other attraction, and does not handle bookings.
• Event dates and programmes are indicative — they are set year by year — and monument opening hours vary with the seasons: before you travel, always check the official channels.

Who is behind it, and how it is financed

visitvalnerina.it is an independent project designed and managed by Made by West. The portal is financed by the subscriptions of local businesses: each activity can create its own landing page here and publish articles, services, offers and menus. The editorial guides — like this one — are written independently; business pages are managed directly by the businesses, each responsible for their own content. The images used come mainly from Wikimedia Commons and are credited on the credits page.

Planning your visit

The Valnerina is a perfect base for exploring green Umbria, a short distance from Spoleto, Terni and the Marmore Falls:

• By car: A1 motorway to Orte, Terni–Perugia expressway, then the SS209 Valnerina road climbing the whole valley to Norcia.
• By train: Rome–Ancona line to Terni or Narni–Amelia, then bus or car up the valley.
• By plane: Perugia Sant’Egidio ≈ 80 km · Rome ≈ 120 km.

Mini FAQ

Is this the official site of the Valnerina?
No. It’s an independent, unofficial portal — which is exactly why it says so openly, on every page.

Can I book rafting or buy tickets for the abbeys here?
No. The portal informs and inspires; access, prices and bookings are handled by the official operators.

Who writes the content?
The editorial guides are written by the portal; subscribed businesses publish and manage their own pages and posts, each responsible for what they publish.

Whose photos are these?
Mostly images from Wikimedia Commons, credited on the credits page. Where a photo can’t be loaded, a graphic placeholder appears.

I have a business in the area — can I be on the portal?
Yes: take a look at the page dedicated to businesses.

In short

visitvalnerina.it is an independent guide to the Valnerina: it exists to tell the story of the Nera valley and to connect travellers with the local businesses that make it alive — without pretending to be something it isn’t.

Use it to get inspired and plan your days; rely on official channels for hours, prices and bookings. And if you’re passing through Umbria between Rome and the Apennines: the Valnerina is worth the detour.

Start exploring from the home page of the portal.

Cover photo: «Castelluccio Classic — Fioritura di Castelluccio di Norcia» by Stefano Avolio, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.