Abruzzo

Introduction

Abruzzo is an Italian region in the central east of the country, bordering the Adriatic Sea. In April 2009 it suffered a major earthquake with the epicentre near to the city of L'Áquila which did terrible damage to some excellent historic buildings there and in nearby villages.

Geography

Abruzzo is framed by the massif of the Apennines to the west and 130 kilometres of cliffs and shores of the Adriatic coast to the east. A land of rolling farmlands, beech woods and hills extend in between. More than one third of its area is set aside as National Parks (two of which are shared with other regions), giving it the title 'The Greenest Region of Europe'. It is comprised of the provinces of L'Áquila, Pescara, Chieti and Teramo. The last three have an Adriatic coastline. L'Áquila Province is largely mountainous and located inland.
Abruzzo's terrain varies from sandy beaches, dunes, coves, cliffs, fertile farmlands, lowland pastures, hills, woods, valleys, canyons, waterfalls, narrow gorges, karstic plateaus, high-altitude meadows and steppes to rocky mountain peaks at 3,000 metres above sea level.

Cities

• Pescara - the capital
• L'Áquila
• Sulmona
• Pietracamela - a picturesque medieval art town with a deep rooted tradition of wool production
• Castelli - a colourful hill art town with a centuries long fine ceramics and pottery tradition
• Pineto - a coastal town famous for its pine woods on the beach

Sights and Activities

Abruzzo offers ideal opportunities for hiking, walking, cycling, mountain biking, climbing, kayaking, canoeing, windsurfing, swimming.

• National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise - the eldest and largest National Park in Italy which ensures the survival of several distinctive species of fauna and flora
• National Park of Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga
• National Park of Maiella
• Regional Park of Sirente Velino
• Campo Imperatore - a vast high altitude plain dubbed 'Tibet of Europe' because of its resemblance to Asian steppe
• Plain of Navelli - a plain famous for its production of Red Gold saffron
• Trabocchi - fishing huts built of wood arranged on platforms supported by stilts where fishermen cast their net
• Tholos - ancient shepherd stone huts used on the slopes of Maiella
• Torre di Cerrano - a watchtower on the Adriatic coast built against Moorish pirates
• Lake Vivo
• Lake Scanno
• Lake Bomba
• Lake Campotosto
• Lake Fucine

Weather

The Abruzzo region has two types of climate: the first is strongly influenced by the presence of Abruzzo's Apennine Mountain range-Central, dividing the climate of the coastal and sub​​-Apennine hills of the interior mountain ranges of the highest; while coastal areas have a Mediterranean climate with hot and dry summers and mild winters and rainy hills presenting the climatic characteristics of type sublittoral where temperatures decrease progressively with increasing altitude and precipitation with altitude instead

Getting There

Abruzzo is easily reached by air, rail and road from most parts of Italy and Europe. Its main airport is in Pescara. It lies only 2 hours' drive east from Rome and is easily reached from Rome Ciampino Airport and Rome Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport too.

By Plane

Abruzzo International Airport (PSR) is the main gateway. Ryanair has flights to/from London, Eindhoven, Barcelona/Girona, Cagliari, Frankfurt, Milan and Venice. Other airlines fly to/from Hamburg, Turin, Katowice, Naples, Nice, Olbia, Palermo, Berlin, Tirana, Heraklion, Marrakech, Palma de Mallorca, Paris, Bucharest, Brussels, Catania, Kiev and Lviv.

By Train

Ferrovie dello Stato (FS), Italy's national railway company, has services throughout the country. Destinations include Ancona (2 hours), Bari (3 hours) and Rome (3.5 hours). The minor line from Riete in Latium through L'Áquila and Sulmona is well worth a ride in its own right.

By Car

The A14 from Bologna to Taranto crosses Abruzzo.

By Bus

ARPA (Italian website) has buses to/from Naples (4.5 hours) and Rome (almost 3 hours).

By Boat

Pescara has crossings by ferry to Hvar and Split, but only during the summer months of June to September. Check Jadrolinija or SNAV for details.

External Links

• Official Governmental Website
• Abruzzo Tourism Website