Abruzzo is situated in central Italy and it stretches from the heart of the Apennine to the Adriatic Sea, on a mainly mountainous and wild land.
In the mountains, between unpolluted peaks and rocky walls, are tourist resorts and well-equipped facilities for skiing and winter sports, like Pescasseroli, Rivisondoli and Roccaraso.
The natural landscape of the high and steep peaks of the Gran Sasso, the Laga Mountains and of Mount Majella, slopes down to a wide range of hills, until it finally reaches the Adriatic coast. The route that spans from the Gran Sasso to the sea crosses territories that are rich in history, traditions and art, and never stop surprising their visitors.
Between the mountains and the hills, are narrow valleys and memorable natural paths, including the amazing and fascinating Aterno valley, dotted with old little towns.
Many are the natural reserves, like the National Parks of Abruzzo, of Gran Sasso and of the Lega Mountains, or that of Mount Majella, which ensure protection to the typical vegetable and animal species of the area, like golden eagles, wolves and Marsican brown bears.
The Adriatic coast is characterized by long and sandy beaches to the north and pebbly beaches to the south.
Also, the small villages of the hinterland, as well as the monasteries and castles of the region, are very charming and they form different routes in the greenest region in Italy.
The provinces of the region are: L’Aquila (regional capital), Pescara, Teramo, Chieti.
The most artistically important town in the region is L’Aquila, on a slope of Gran Sasso, characterized by a priceless artistic heritage: from the magnificent Basilica di San Bernardino to the sixteenth-century castle, from the Basilica di Santa Maria di Collemaggio to the Fontana delle 99 Cannelle (99 spout fountain), embellished with a stone mask for every spout.
This city, famous for “la Perdonanza” offers endless routes to discover history, art and faith. Unfortunately, the earthquake of April 6th 2009 badly hit the town and the surrounding area, causing considerable damage to its precious artistic treasures.
On the Adriatic side, distinguished by long and sandy beaches, we can see Pescara, the town that preserves the memory of the poet Gabriele D’Annunzio, an important tourist resort.
Among the several and typical tourist seaside resorts of region are Tortoreto, Giulianova, Silvi Marina, Roseto, and to the south Ortona, Vasto and San Salvo.
Chieti, situated on a hill near the coast, has a wonderful eleventh-century cathedral; the National Archaeological Museum is very interesting also, rich in prehistoric finds and vestiges of Greek and Roman civilization.
Another important town is Teramo, with its medieval cathedral and the remains of the Roman theater and amphitheater.
There are countless old small towns, repositories of a country life that still keeps its traditions alive through local folklore and crafts.
One of the most picturesque towns is Scanno, with its narrow alleys, baroque gateways and old buildings; this typical small town of the Sangro Valley is situated near an enchanting lake.
Sulmona, the hometown of poet Ovidio, is rich in history and traditions, and encloses precious artistic vestiges as well as the famous Hermitage of Pope Celestino V.
The variegated landscape of Abruzzo proposes different types of holidays, all of them exciting and surprising.
The highest peaks of the Apennine and the renowned tourist resorts of Roccaraso, Rivisondoli, Pescasseroli and Campo Imperatore, welcome ski, snowboard and snow rafting enthusiasts with modern facilities and a large number of slopes, while cross-country tracks are in the amazing scenery of the National Park of Abruzzo, Latium and Molise.
You can practice many sports close to nature: walks and excursions on foot, mountain biking or trekking routes in protected areas or in particularly valuable natural sites, like the splendid Sagittario Gorge, Zompo lo Schioppo falls, or lakes Penne and Serranello, where you can take sight of rare bird species.
From Gran Sasso to Sirente, the environment of the mountains is particularly good for mountaineering and climbing.
Those who love horse-riding will find endless possibilities to join horse-riding excursions, while in the National Park of Gran Sasso and Laga Mountains they can ride on a trail for hundreds of kilometers amid marvelous natural surroundings.
Along the coast, you can practice all sea sports, like sailing, canoeing, fishing, windsurfing, thanks to well-equipped beaches and modern facilities. There is also room for cycling trails in pinewoods and beech groves; after that, you can spend great nights of entertainment among the clubs, pubs and restaurants of the several sea resorts.
Several are the religious itineraries that lead to places of worship in unpolluted environments, including the famous Hermitage of Celestino V, a monastery embedded in a rocky wall, or the Romanesque and Gothic church of Santa Maria di Propezzano in Vomano Valley.
Gluttons can go through olive groves and vineyards, from the Adriatic coast to the hinterland, up to Peligna Valley, to visit farms and taste wines, oil and delicious local products.
Finally, folk and religious festivals and events are unmissable: from the famous Perdonanza Festival in L’Aquila to the Serpari fair in San Domenico a Cocullo, from the Living Nativity scenes in Rivisondoli to the many fairs in the small towns of the region.
Abruzzo has a rich food tradition, made up of the single traditions of every province.
The maccheroni alla chitarra are very renowned (home-made pasta cut on a machine with thin steel blades); scrippelle are thin strips of pasta to eat with soup, typical in Teramo; on the coast, most dishes are made with fish.
As for the main courses, the typical recipe of Chieti is scapece, pickled fried fish; anywhere you go you will find plenty of lamb, kid, mutton, but also loin of pork and ventricina, salami produced in the area.
A typical meal in Abruzzo is accompanied by a selection of the best wines of the region: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Sangiovese and Trebbiano d’Abruzzo.
Among the desserts, often made with almonds, we highlight nougat, sugared almonds (a specialty of Sulmona), cicerchiata, small balls of fried dough covered in honey, and mostaccioli.
