Casonnetto Refuge: The Only CAI Refuge in Puglia

At an altitude of 700 metres, on the slopes of Monte Cornacchia, at 1,151 metres, the highest peak in Puglia, stands the Casonnetto CAI Refuge in Castelluccio Valmaggiore: the only refuge of the Italian Alpine Club (CAI) in the entire region. It is more than just a stopping point for hikers. It is a living outpost in a territory that continues to surprise those who arrive at the unhurried pace of people who truly want to take in their surroundings.

Where It Is and How to Reach It

The refuge is located in the Difesa Grande area, within the municipality of Castelluccio Valmaggiore, in the Lago Pescara–Monte Cornacchia–Bosco Cerasa natural area, surrounded by more than 600 hectares of woodland, pastures, and Apennine ridges overlooking the Alta Valle del Celone. From the Arni car park, it is about a 15-minute walk. The refuge is set within one of the most unspoilt landscapes of the Monti Dauni, in the heart of the Daunian Apennines, far from the crowds of mass tourism and close to a natural environment that follows its own rhythm.

The Refuge: Simple, Welcoming, and Functional

The Casonnetto Refuge, also known as the Matrella Refuge, is a small building designed to be genuinely useful. The ground floor features two connecting rooms, one with a fireplace and restroom facilities accessible to people with disabilities. On the first floor, reached by a masonry staircase, are two rooms for overnight accommodation. There is nothing superfluous here: simplicity is part of the experience.

A CAI Foggia Outpost for the Monti Dauni

The refuge was established through the commitment of CAI Foggia to provide practical support for those wishing to rediscover the mountains of the province, particularly the Monti Dauni. The local section manages it as a reference point for its members and for CAI groups from across Italy, from Molise to Campania, from Basilicata to the rest of Puglia (Apulia), who hike the area’s trails.

Since 2025, the Casonnetto has been part of the “Climate Sentinel Refuges” project promoted by the CAI and the National Research Council (CNR): a network of Alpine and Apennine refuges that collect environmental data and contribute to the scientific monitoring of climate change. This recognition gives the refuge a significance that extends well beyond the local area.

A Stop Along the Sentiero Italia CAI and the Frassati Trail

The Casonnetto Refuge is an official stop on the Capitanata section of the Sentiero Italia CAI, Italy’s longest hiking trail, which crosses the peninsula from north to south through villages, forests, and Apennine ridges. Long-distance hikers will find here a reliable base in a little-travelled yet highly valuable natural setting.

The refuge is also a stop on the Frassati Trail of Puglia, the route linking Biccari, Castelluccio Valmaggiore, Celle di San Vito, and Faeto, the four municipalities of the Alta Valle del Celone, along a spiritual and scenic itinerary that connects medieval villages, beech forests, and panoramic viewpoints over the southern Apennines.

Trekking Through Medieval Villages and Unspoilt Nature

For those who enjoy trekking among the medieval villages of the Monti Dauni, the Casonnetto is an ideal starting point for reaching the area’s peaks: Monte Cornacchia, Monte Serrone, Monte Sidone, and Monte Altissimo. The CAI Foggia trail network, including the “I Monti Dauni di cresta in cresta” route, allows visitors to explore a landscape that changes with every season: dense with beech and Turkey oak in autumn, open and windswept in summer, and silent beneath the snow during the colder months.

Slow Tourism in Inland Puglia

The Alta Valle del Celone is one of the most authentic destinations for slow tourism in inland Puglia. Here, the mountains have never been merely a picturesque backdrop: they are part of the rural economy, the memory of farming communities, and the routes once followed by shepherds. The Casonnetto fits naturally into this setting as a meeting point between nature, history, and local communities.

Castelluccio Valmaggiore, with its compact historic centre and sweeping views over the surrounding valleys, is one of those villages best understood by wandering its streets slowly and without haste. The refuge, with its lit fireplace and simple upstairs rooms, offers the most direct way to become part of that experience.

Continue Exploring the Alta Valle del Celone

The Casonnetto Refuge is just one of the places that shape the landscape of this valley. Discover the other places to visit in Castelluccio Valmaggiore and the Alta Valle del Celone: the villages of Celle di San Vito and Faeto, local traditions, the gastronomy of the Daunian Sub-Apennines, cultural itineraries, and the intangible heritage of a territory that still has much to tell.