The push to Rome enters the high Apennines. Starting from Manoppello, we drive through the historic centers of Popoli, Corfinio, and Raiano, before tackling the steep, winding mountain roads up to Goriano Sicoli. After conquering the high pass, we descend past a massive ridgeline of spinning windmills onto the open valley floor. Join us for this raw, high-altitude crossing of the Italian interior.

The thirteenth chapter of the odyssey is a masterclass in high-altitude mountain driving. Having reached the foothills at Manoppello, this leg plunges deep into the heart of the central Apennines, navigating historic valley towns, climbing severe mountain passes, and descending past sweeping wind farms toward the high interior plateaus on the road to Rome.

   The Departure: Through the Heart of Popoli
   Rolling out of Manoppello, the road carves westward along the interior valley before bringing you directly into Popoli. Here, the drive takes you straight through the historic center, navigating narrow stone-paved streets flanked by medieval architecture and natural sulfur springs, marking your true entry into the rugged interior of Abruzzo.

   The Middle Passage: Corfinio, Raiano, and Goriano Sicoli
   Leaving Popoli behind, the route cuts across the high plains to pass through Corfinio—ancient capital of the Italics—and the cliffside village of Raiano. From here, the asphalt tilts upward in earnest, tackling a punishing, twisting mountain road that climbs into the windswept heights to reach Goriano Sicoli. This is raw Apennine driving at its finest: tight hairpins, steep gradients, and sparse, dramatic landscapes where human presence feels carved directly into the rock.

   The Arrival: The Windmill Ridge Descent
   Emerging from the high-altitude pass near Goriano Sicoli, the road hits another severe mountain stretch before spilling out onto a sweeping descent. As you drop back down toward the main valley floor, the horizon opens up to reveal a massive landscape dominated by modern windmills spinning across the ridgelines, bridging ancient mountain isolation with the vast, open infrastructure of the trans-peninsular route.