This is part of the mid and southern regions of Italy and encompasses the provinces of L’Aquila, Chieti, Pescara, Teramo. Abruzzo National Park is one of the more important parks anywhere in Italy. This area and park contain some of the prettiest scenery found anywhere in Italy.
This region would be called ‘the old country’, the area seems to be untouched and forgotten by the fast pace of the new Italy. The east side of Abruzzo is the Adriatic sea.
You will find sandy beaches, most notably in Pescara, and some boast this area to serve the finest food in Italy, in particular, pasta and their famous fish specials. Abruzzo region is rugged and yet untouched by the mass tourism of other parts of Italy and this area should be on your “must-see” for Italy.
Abruzzo region goes from the Apennines to the Adriatic Sea, containing the highest massifs of Central Italy, with landscapes of rugged beauty, and peaks, usually higher than 2,000 meters. The National Park of Abruzzo, located in the western area of this region, is home to several types of animals and also flora.
L’Aquila, Italy – Travel and Tourism
L’Aquila is the capital or main city of this region and contains an imposing 16th-century castle, plus other monuments. Some of the more notable include the Fontana Delle 99 Cannelle, a fountain with 99 spouts and the pink and white marble Basilica di Santa Maria di Collemaggio with its Holy Door and Gothic interior.
Driving from the city of L’Aquila you can take an excursion to the Gran Sasso d’Italia, the tallest peak of the Apennines and from there you can take a cable-car to Campo Imperatore. This region offers many great ski resorts, like the Terminillo area.
In Sulmona, a medieval town known for its confetti, visit the 11th-century cathedral of San Panfilo and the 13th-century church of San Francesco delle Scarpe. Celano has a 14th-century castle but is mainly visited because of the Gole di Celano, a deep gorge.
Pescara, Italy – Travel and Tourism
Pescara has over 6 miles of seaside promenade, wide sandy beaches and a large number of bathing stations. It is a very popular resort located in the area of the Adriatic. For a tour or trip you may want to take the beautiful seaside drive that links Francavilla through the Pescara pinewood to the resort of Montesilvano.
Things to see in Abruzzo, Italy – Travel and Tourism
In Penne visit the churches of San Domenico and of the Annunziata, the Cathedral, the church of Santa Maria in Colleromano.
In Atri, a splendid Romanesque Cathedral and other Romanesque churches. From Atri, you may easily reach the sea at Pineto Degli Abruzzi.
The southern uplands of the Abruzzo region are covered with a great forest of beech and belong to the National Park of Abruzzo. Nearby Scanno has two charming churches, S.Maria Della Valle and S.Maria di Costantinopoli as well as a lake, a great place for picnicking.
When traveling in this region, remember that Abruzzo is one of the most sparsely populated regions on the Italian peninsula. A great place to take a holiday or vacation if you want the untouched and unspoiled Italy you always heard and dreamed about.
This Abruzzo region is one of the prettiest in Italy. Bordered by the Apennines to the west and fringed by the Adriatic on the east, it has some of Italy’s most unspoiled scenery. In the Gran Sasso, it has the highest mountain of the Apennine range. Stand atop the Gran Sasso and you have views of both the Adriatic and the Tyrrhenian Seas, across the entire width of Italy.
You could journey through the Abruzzo’s valleys for days, never passing another tourist, and when you travel up to the mountain plains of the Abruzzi, you will see entire abandoned hill towns. Don’t go to Abruzzo to be in a hurry, go to Abruzzo to slow down and enjoy the old-time beauty and passion of Italy of old.