Scanno Lake

It happened on a winter’s night

One dark and stormy night, so the legend goes, a traveller was on his way by donkey-drawn cart to Scanno.

In the village of Villalago a family offered him hospitality and (I’m sure of it) a bowl of steaming pasta e fagioli. But in spite of the worsening weather he decided to press on.  Who knows, perhaps he was driven by the image of his own cosy hearth and the pale, anxious faces of his wife and small children as they awaited his return. Or maybe he was just one of those stubborn individuals who never realize when they’re on a winning streak.

In any event, leaving comfort and safety behind, he stepped outside into the blizzard. As he struggled on, leading his donkey by the reins, the snow flakes, like icy darts, came swirling so thick and fast he could barely see.  He was about to give in to despair when he thought he saw a light in the distance and decided to battle on towards it.

A miracle

Then something strange happened.  All of a sudden the snow turned to soft, warm rain.  And stranger still, the traveller then found himself walking on a sunlit grassy meadow carpeted with spring flowers. The thought must have crossed his mind that he’d died and gone to heaven but then suddenly, not far off, he saw the lights of Scanno. 

With a hopeful heart and renewed strength he hurried on until he reached the walls of the town.  Just then the temperature suddenly dropped and the blizzard started up again, more terrible than before. With his last remaining strength he trudged on towards his door and made it inside.

By the next day the blizzard had passed.  The sky was clear and bright, the fresh snow glistened and our traveller decided to take a walk.  He realized with amazement that the grassy plain he’d found himself on the previous night was actually Scanno lake, and the light that had guided him came from a votive shrine, with a statute of the Madonna, on the shore.  Overcome with gratitude, he decided that there, where the shrine was, he would build a church.

And here it is today, the Chiesa della Madonna del Lago.

The church, consecrated in 1702, has undergone a few changes over the years, a major one being to accommodate the shore road that now runs straight under it. The statue of the Madonna was also stolen from inside the sanctuary and replaced with a new one. But, whether or not you believe the legend, the church is picturesque and from its balconies there is a splendid view of the lake.

Scanno beach

Unlike San Domenico and Barrea, Scanno is a natural lake, thought to have come into existence thousands of years ago by a landslide which blocked the river and flooded the plain. It nestles among the foothills of the Marsicani mountain range and perhaps its greatest claim to fame is that, from some viewpoints, it is decidedly heart-shaped.

The church is at the southern, Scanno, end of the lake, where there is a stony beach with umbrellas, as well as pedalos and small craft for hire. There are grassy nooks with shade, a restaurant with an outdoor patio, a bar, a kiosk selling overpriced souvenirs, snacks and ice cream, and an enormous carpark flanked by grassy picnic areas. Little wonder that most people gravitate towards this end of the lake.

A perfect place for families, I think, noting one of at least three generations: there is something for everyone.

The beach is a hub of activity so I choose the more peaceful, grassy area behind it. From there I spy on happy Italians on holiday, a pastime that never bores.

Sometimes, though, my gaze wanders towards the church and I find myself imagining that night in the bleak midwinter, when Scanno lake became a grassy meadow, bejewelled with spring flowers.

All you need to know.

Motorway Pescara-Rome A25, exit at Cocullo. then strada statale 479 for Anversa-Scanno. From the lake, near the souvenir chiosk, you can follow the Path of the Heart (Sentiero del Cuore) as far as the Hermitage of St. Egidio, for a good view of the heart-shaped lake.