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Regions Italy : Abruzzo - Hotels Abruzzo Many foreign travelers prefer the "picture postcard" beauty of the
north, but to travel to Abruzzo and other southern regions is to witness an
age-old Italian lifestyle that has not changed for centuries. Here you'll
find ancient beechwood forests inhabited by wolves and bears, century-old
pathways still used by colorfully-attired shepherds and their flocks,
ominous castles which now guard nothing but desolate stretches of wilderness
where the only sign of life might be a soaring royal eagle or a lone family
of mountain goats.
Though Italians traditionally think of Abruzzo as a remote, mountainous region, its eastern border is marked by vast sandy beaches stretching along the Adriatic north and south of Pescara. Venture west from here and you will indeed soon enter the hills, which rise quickly to become the infamous Abruzzo mountains, dotted with some of the least visited hill towns in Italy. This is what our grandmothers called God's country, site of the vast and extremely well administered Abruzzo National Park, one of the most important in all of Europe. Nearby is the newly-designated Maiella National Park, along with several regional parks. Flora and fauna abound in these protected areas, where thick forests and flowering meadows give way to barren high plains and snow-capped granite peaks. Europe's southernmost glacier, the Calderone, extends from Corno Grande to Corno Piccolo, in the shadow of Gran Sasso, tallest peak on the Italian peninsula. The region is essentially hilly and mountainous and stretches from the Apennines to the Adriatic Sea. It embraces the highest and hugest massifs of Central Italy, with landscapes of rugged and intact beauty, and peaks which often are higher than 2,000 meters. In this part of the Adriatic, the long sandy expanses are replaced by steep and rocky coasts. There are wide amphitheaters near L’Aquila and Sulmona and in the dried hydrographic basin of the Fucino. Geological karst formations with grottoes and “Doline” are present. The National Park of Abruzzo, in the western part of the region, harbors numerous animal species, such as the Marsican Bear and the Gray Wolf. Art: The region is rich in remains of the Roman civilization, which can be found at Minternum near L’Aquila, Alba Fucens, Iuvanum a Montenerodomo. Art saw its most creative period during the Middle Ages. Noteworthy cathedrals and abbeys, with a patent local imprint, were erected between the eleventh and the nineteenth century. The most important example is Santa Maria di Collemaggio, in L’Aquila. Sculpture attained a special development. An important and typical goldsmith's craft, which produced splendid objects, dates back to the sixteenth century. Precious Renaissance examples can be found in Sulmona and L’Aquila. Museums: In L’Aquila, one can visit the National Museum of Abruzzi, with sections for paleontology, archaeology and medieval art (painting, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, lace, sacred ornaments, glass windows). Pescara has the Museum of the Folk Traditions of Abruzzo, which holds a didactic archaeologic exhibition. The Pinacoteca Civica in Teramo displays beautiful majolicas. Chieti’s National Museum of Antiquities houses important relics of the ancient Italics, Greeks and Romans, including some remarkable pieces such as the Warrior of Capestrano, of the fourth century B.C. To be visited: Sulmona, Roccaraso and Scanno: the Highland of the Five Miles and the National Park. Longest Bridle Track In Italy On Gran Sasso - A 300km trail running through the provinces of L'Aquila, Pescara and Teramo, and eight of the 11 tourist-environment districts of the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga national park, the highest in the Appenines. That's the bridle track of the Gran Sasso. Abruzzo NewsA Superb Hotel in Pescara: Victoria HotelThe modern Victoria Hotel is set in the heart of Pescara, next to Piazza della Rinascita, and offers a luxury wellness centre and free parking. The beach just 250 metres away. Hotel Victoria is a few minutes' walk from the railway station and just 1 km form the ferry harbour for Croatia. The Abruzzo international Airport is also within easy ... More Italy News |