Articles > Abruzzo

Abruzzo. Abruzzi.* So good they named it twice. From the alpine peaks of the Gran Sasso, to the wild wolves in the national park; from its craggy medieval hill towns, to its 120 miles of Adriatic coastline - this region has everything the italophile could wish for.

So why haven’t we all heard about Abruzzo? Well, this sparsely populated region is shrouded by the Apennines, and for years was overshadowed by its entrepreneurial northern neighbours. But now - with regular flights to Pescara - Abruzzo is emerging from the shadows. Many have hailed it as the ‘new Tuscany,’ but the region has a charm of its own.

The energetic town of Pescara is a meeting point for travellers. A stepping stone to the Adriatic for the ancient Romans, its modern day motor and railway links have turned the city into an industrial and business capital with a bustle and punch more typical of northern Italian towns.

Pescara would win few beauty contests. Much of the local building is more commercial than artistic but - with an eye on becoming an Adriatic Riviera hotspot - Pescara is changing. In the last five years, the centro storico has smartened itself up, with much of the action gravitating around Corso Manthone and Via Delle Caserme. Come here in the day to stroll the pedestrianised streets with their Liberty style facades (including the birthplace of Italy’s great poet, D’Annunzo). Come here in the evening and join Pescara’s designer-clad beau monde as they bar-hop before heading into the nightclubs.

Travel south down the coast from Pescara, and the natural beauty of Abruzzo reveals itself. Beach umbrellas disappear as you reach the coast of the trabocchi. Craggy fishermen weave tales of these fantastical wooden fishing platforms, which have been there from time immemorial. Many say they were created by local farmers too timid to take a fishing boat out to sea. What is true is that they are unique in Europe and, most importantly, you can buy your fish netted fresh from the trabocchi.

Inland from the coast runs the Sangro valley. Perched above is Lanciano. Every year this town plays host to 600,000 pilgrims who come to visit San Legonziano. The church marks the site of a of an 8th century miracle - a doubting monk was given a divine response when the host turned to flesh and the wine to blood. The relics are held in the church to this day.

Across the piazza is a shrine to a more popular legend. A Lanciano woman’s husband was in love with another. A local witch told her if she fried a Eucharist and fed it to him, he would fall in love with her again. The frying oil turned to blood, and from that day the inhabitants of Lanciano earned the dubious nickname: ‘the people who fried Christ’.

Many Sangro valley farmers left their hill towns after the war to look for work in the big cities. In recent years there has been a concerted attempt to revitalise the villages. Gesso Palena’s medieval centre was bombed by the Germans in 1943, but has recently been restored as a rustic museum - home to an annual blues festival and Passion Play. And at Roccascalegna, the fabulous St Peter’s church and castle which balance on top of the hill are a beacon for the village.

As the river Sangro forges down the valley, it pauses to form the lake at Bomba. The water is a great setting for family holidays. With its backdrop of the Maiella Mountains national park, there is plenty to do here. You can cruise the lake on the Valsangro Boat with the garrulous Captain Alberto pointing out fish jumping from the water, and spotting diving herons. You can water ski, canoe, or simply sit by the shore and watch the sun go down to the sound of a frog chorus. If you enjoy trekking, head up into Monte Palano, with its oak and chestnut tree woods underscored by a colourful explosion of cyclamen, wild roses, broom and rare orchids. There are also pre-Roman ruins of a fort which trace the ridge at the mountain top.

Further up the valley, sitting alongside the tip of the lake, is Villa Santa Maria. Five hundred years ago a San Francisco Carucciolo was made patron saint of chefs here. In 1936 the town opened on of Italy’s finest cookery schools in his honour and Villa Maria adopted the moniker ‘the home of cooks’. Locals boast that over a quarter of the town are either trainee or qualified chefs, and joke that if you are hungry just knock on a few doors and you’ll find a good meal. Behind the church is a museum dedicated to chefs, with stories of alumni who have taken Italian cuisine across the world.

At the top of the Sangro valley is the entrance to Abruzzo’s treasured Parco Nazionale. Founded in 1923, the park covers 300 square miles, and is home to some of Europe’s rarest animals. A good starting point for a visit is the medieval borgo of Barrea. With characteristic terracotta tile roofs and beautifully kept local stone buildings, the old town sits above a deep blue lake.

Across the valley from Barrea is the hillside town Civitella Alfedena. Known as the ‘village of the wolves’, at the moment there are three animals kept here in an enclosed area, and a museum dedicated to the Appenine wolf. From Alfedena it’s a short drive down to Pescasseroli. This town is an unusual mixture of alpine buildings and a traditional centro storico. It’s base camp for trekkers and nature lovers, who can arrange for local guides to take them up into the mountains.

Heading away from the national park towards Abruzzo, Italy’s highest mountain, the Gran Sasso starts to dominate. This is the high point of the Apennines, 9560ft of majestic rock, resembling the limestone alps of the Tyrol. Sitting below are the plains of Campo Imperatore – the famous locale where Mussolini was imprisoned for months in summer of 1943.

On the edge of the plains is Abruzzo’s celebrated village Santo Stefano. Under the guiding hand of visionary entrepreneur and conservationist Daniel Kihlgren, this once unknown borgo is now celebrated throughout Italy. Looking down on Santo Stefano is Rocca Calascio, a stony hamlet, whose picturesque limestone homes posing above the verdant plain is a draw for film makers - including the Hollywood epic Ladyhawke.

On a plateau below the Gran Sasso mountain range is L’Aquila. The capital of Abruzzo is peppered with remnants from its rich past. It is best known for the curious co-incidence of the number 99: exactly 99 churches, 99 piazze and 99 fountains that grace its streets.

The city is a departure from the wilds of the mountains. With its remaining walls, gates and streets leading up to Piazza Doumo that hosts a daily morning market – you can find stalls selling local cheese, fruit and hams here. The 16th century castello is set in a charming park built by the Spanish to defend against rebellious townsfolk - its thick walls house the National Museum of Abruzzi. Before leaving L’Aquila, make a pilgrimage to the 13th Century fountain of the 99 spouts. A symbol of the city, each of the distinct stone faces fires a steady stream of water from an, as yet, unknown source.

* Both the plural form Abruzzi and the singular form Abruzzo are correct - most locals say Abruzzo.

Food
Abruzzo is rich in culinary traditions. The much loved Abruzzese feast is the Panada, a spread with multiple courses which can last for hours. Traditional Abruzzese dishes include Maccheroni alla Chitarra (made by rolling a sheet of pasta through a set of closely strung strings to create a spaghetti-like pasta) Palotte Cacio e Ova (cheese and egg balls) and Scarpelle (potatoes fried with egg).

Other specialities to look for when travelling:

Truffles – Quadri in the Sangro valley is known as the town of truffles. Stop by at Luigi’s shop Il Tartufo di Quadri (Via Roma 8, Quadri) and choose from a fabulous selection of truffle products, from honey with white truffle, to truffle and nut combinations. From June to August fresh black truffles are on sale,; from October to December the coveted (and expensive) white truffle is in season.

Honey – Tornarecchio’s symbol is the bee. This town produces over ten percent of Italy’s honey. There are 34 honey companies in Tornarecchio - many have signs outside and if you knock on the door they will show you how it’s prepared. Even the town Mayor, Iacovanelli, is part of a family who have been making honey for 200 years. The bees take part in “transumanza” and travel around Italy so they can be with the best flowers, but from May to October they return to Abruzzo.

Pasta al Farro. Giacomo Santoleri’s organic farm is known for its production of one of the earliest agricultural products known to man: Farro (emmer wheat). Farro can be used as grain in minestrone, broth or risotto. Santoleri also produces a pasta made with farro flour as well as extra-virgin olive oil. Azienda Agricola, Piane di Caprafico, Guardiagrele. Tel 00 39 0791 897492

Wine

Abruzzese wines have a profound regional identity. In the last decade they have stepped out of the (unjustified) shade of more famous neighbours, to take their place among the top wines of Italy. Abruzzo is Italy’s 5th largest producer, with around half the production registered as DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata). Their signature vino is Montepulciano D’Abruzzo. In Abruzzo this is the name of the vine (the Tuscan montepulciano is made with sangiovese grape) and they have been planting the grape here for over 200 years. Top of the range montepulciano has a brilliant ruby red colour, a dry, mellow, pungent and slightly tannic taste. It is a robust wine that ages well.

Nicola Santoleri produces a DOC Montepulciano D’Abruzzo and Trebbiano D’Abruzzo from his vineyard near Guardiagrele. His father planted the vines in 1962, and under Nicola’s care, the Santoleri wines have gained a reputation for discreet quality. In recent yeas Nicola has moved towards more “natural” production to give colour and intensity to the Montepulciano. The Santoleri cantina in the centro storico Guadiagrele is a charming, beautifully lit vault. If you are in the area, it’s worth calling to arrange a visit - especially if Nicola himself is there to take you round. www.nicolasantoleri.it Tel 00 39 0871 893301

The Zaccagnini winery was founded in 1978. With 14 wines including 6 DOCs the brand now produces 500,000 bottles a year. The Zaccagnini cantina sits on the hills above the vineyards at Contrada Pozzo, and the elegant and high-tech vinery building reflects Marcello Zaccagnigni’s pursuit of quality. It also marks Marcello’s interest in modern art, with several sculptures by Joseph Beuys gracing the new cantina. Marcello and his oenologist cousin Concerzio have turned out a top class reserve Montepulciano, and a fabulous Clematis dessert wine which debuts this year after three years in French oak barrels. The production is limited to an annual 4,800 bottles, but it is worth going out of your way for. To get to the vineyards take Autosrada 25 exit Torre de’ Passeri and follow road signs for Bolognano. www.cantinazaccagnini.it Tel: 00 39 085 8880195

Trekking

Known as the ‘Region of Parks’, one third of Abruzzo’s territory is given over to environmental protection - including the Abruzzo, Maiella and Gran Sasso-Laga national parks.

“The oldest and most diverse is the National Park of Abruzzo,” says Paolo, one of the young guides from the Ecotur in Pescasseroli. “This is the only place you can find the last 40 or so Marsican Bears left on the planet. This brown bear is unique to the park and, though smaller than other bears, an adult male weighs up to 500 pounds” “We are also home to 50 Apennine wolves,” he continues. “That may seem a small number, but it’s the right balance for the rest of the wildlife in the park. We also have roe deer, red deer and many wild boar.” Paolo leads groups on bear watch (with a 7 in 10 chance of seeing the rare Marsican) and runs ‘wolf-howling’ sessions – a soundtrack of howling wolves is played and the wild wolves respond. “Unfortunately that’s the closest you will get to a wolf in the park (apart from the 3 kept at Alfedena). They are very difficult to spot - I only catch sight of five every year”.

To book a tour with Ecotur call: 00 39 0863 912760 informazioni@ecotur.org

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