Italy, in the imaginary of a tourist, can be divided in three parts: the north, the south and... Rome!
It seems trivial, yes, and it actually is! The north is Venice, Milan, Verona the art cities. The south is the Amalfi coast, Sicily, the sunny and lively beaches. And then there is Rome, that hides all and everything around for miles. Rome is in the region of Lazio: do you know or do you ever heard of any other travel destination in this region? And what about Abruzzo, the region at the opposite side of Rome's one, on the Adriatic coast? Very few tourists pass through this area, mostly mountainous, not well connected to the main highways, but, above all, far from the "foreign tourist path" that goes from venice to the italian capital, passing through Florence.
So, what if you should, let's say... get lost and find yourself on the Adriatic side of Italy? Well, everything's not lost! You can take the chance to visit some really charming and not touristy places in the region of Abruzzo: L'Aquila is its capital, a city that is still trying to hide the wounds of the earthquake, in the end as close to Rome as Florence; Pescara is instead its main city and biggest port of the coast; and the Abruzzo National Park is the gem of this area, with its fascinating lakes and mountain landscapes and its cute medieval villages that have nothing to envy to the most renowned little towns of Tuscany...
L'Aquila
Born in the Middle Ages from the union of several villages, L’Aquila is situated near the ancient Roman city Amiternum. Devastated by military actions and earthquakes, the city has been rebuilt several times, which is why some buildings, such as the Cathedral of Saints George and Massimo, present architectural styles attributable to periods very far apart. Today the capital of Abruzzo bears the marks of the last seismic event which occurred in 2009, however the most representative monuments have already been reopened to the public.
The Basilica of Collemaggio, characterized by the beautiful facade decorated with geometric motifs in tan and white flowers, was the first building to go practicable after the earthquake. Founded in 1287, is the most important religious monument in the city. A few months after, also Piazza Duomo was re-opened to the public , the most important of the capital of Abruzzo, surrounded by three beautiful religious buildings: the Cathedral of Saints George and Massimo (which has Romanesque, neo-classical and late Baroque styles) the Archbishop’s Palace and the Church of Santa Maria del Suffragio, known as the Church of the Holy Souls, that has become emblematic of the earthquake due to the partial collapse of the elegant cylindrical dome.
Only slightly damaged, the Fontana delle 99 Cannelle is the true symbol of L’Aquila: the ninetythree stone masks (all different from each other) and the six individual spouts are the lords of the ninety-nine castles which, according to legend, contributed to the foundation of the city.
Only slightly damaged, the Fontana delle 99 Cannelle is the true symbol of L’Aquila: the ninetythree stone masks (all different from each other) and the six individual spouts are the lords of the ninety-nine castles which, according to legend, contributed to the foundation of the city.
Pescara
Pescara, in central Italy, is the city on the coast of Abruzzo region that gave birth to the poet Gabriele D’Annunzio. The city is divided in two by the omonymous river.
In 1926, Pescara, the part of the city on the south of Pescara river, and Castellamare Adriatico, the part of the city on the north of the river, were unified in a single city, the current Pescara. The main street of the city is Corso Umberto I, the rectangle that it forms with Corso Vittorio Emanuele II and Via Nicola Fabrizi encloses the main shopping district, while Corso Manthonè, the course of the old town has, for many years, been the center of the nightlife. City hall and the administration of the province are in Piazza Italia and located in the heart of the city is the Vittoria Colonna Museum of Modern Art. But the most-frequented tourist site of Pescara is the birthplace house of Gabriele D’Annunzio.
In 1926, Pescara, the part of the city on the south of Pescara river, and Castellamare Adriatico, the part of the city on the north of the river, were unified in a single city, the current Pescara. The main street of the city is Corso Umberto I, the rectangle that it forms with Corso Vittorio Emanuele II and Via Nicola Fabrizi encloses the main shopping district, while Corso Manthonè, the course of the old town has, for many years, been the center of the nightlife. City hall and the administration of the province are in Piazza Italia and located in the heart of the city is the Vittoria Colonna Museum of Modern Art. But the most-frequented tourist site of Pescara is the birthplace house of Gabriele D’Annunzio.
Abruzzo National Park
The Abruzzo National Park was established in 1923 to protect nature and to save certain wild animals from extinction. It is in the heart of the central Apennines between the Abruzzi, Lazio and Molise and its some 50,000 hectares are home to 25 towns. The scenery here is characterized by mountain chains, karst phenomena, rivers (including the Sangro River) and streams. It is the ideal place to spend pleasant days in close contact with nature and to admire uncontaminated landscapes, a rich flora and varied fauna.
Inside the park you can visit the Naturalisticic Museum, the Animal park home to certain local fauna (born in captivity or injured, treated and rehabilitated at the centre) and the Apennine garden with many flora species, located in Pescasseroli, also birthplace of philosopher Benedetto Croce, while the Museum of the Apennine Wolf is in the village of Civitella Alfedina and the Bear Museum is located in Villavallelonga. The park can be visited with organized excursions or along cycling, cross-cuntry skiing and horse-riding paths.
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