Region 

Abruzzo is located in central-eastern Italy with the Apennines to the west and the Adriatic Sea to the east. It is a region which, together with Molise, acts as a hinge between Northern and Southern Italy. One third of the region consists of National Parks and it is known for being one of the least populated of all the Italian regions. Abruzzo has a coastline of approximately 120 km with sandy beaches and resorts. In the Gran Sasso it has the highest mountain of the Apennine range. The region is rich in castles and medieval towns such as Aquila (where Roman remains can be found), Santo Stefano di Sessanio (in the XV century a possession of the Medici family of Florence), Cocullo (the town of the snake charmers), Navelli (the ‘capital’ of saffron), and Lanciano (town of the Eucharistic Miracle that occurred twelve centuries ago) to name but a few.

Abruzzo’s property market is not as developed as that of Tuscany or Umbria and this is reflected in property prices which can be up to 50% lower than in Tuscany for a similar property. However, Abruzzo real estate is beginning to appeal greatly particularly to the British and American market of holiday home seekers and those in search of a rural idyll and retreat in this unspoilt corner of Italy which boasts many of the charms of Tuscany and Umbria without the fashionable locations’ price tags. While renovation projects in Abruzzo are incredibly popular because of their often ridiculously low selling price, there are also a number of opportunities to purchase slightly more expensive new or already renovated properties in Abruzzo too.

Abruzzo has numerous National Parks and therefore has some of Italy’s most unspoiled scenery. The Abruzzo National Park represents a magnificent jewel among the natural resources of Abruzzo; founded in 1923 with the aim of protecting the local flora and fauna, it is the largest National Park in Italy. From the botanical point of view, the Park is characterized by its extensive forests with the beech-woods marking the Park’s tree heritage. The Park is also famous as the habitat and shelter of one of the animals which symbolize the Park, that is the Abruzzo chamois. They live in herds in open country and are diurnal, and thus are a great attraction for tourists. Though its numbers are smaller than the chamois, the true emblem of the Abruzzo National Park is the Marsican Brown Bear, a member of a sub-species native to the mountains of the Apennines and now reduced to small numbers (about one hundred animals).

The two most important mountain groups in the region are the Gran Sasso d’Italia and the Maiella. The highest mountain in Italy is the Gran Sasso massif, where the Corno Grande peak reaches an altitude of 2912 m. But if this altitude, though not insignificant, is hardly equal to the average height of the Alps, it is above all its steep and severe aspect which marks this group. From this vantage point you can gaze west to the Mediterranean and east to the Adriatic. Hiking holidays in the Gran Sasso are a superb way to explore Abruzzo.

The 130 km long Abruzzo coastline can be divided into two sections. To the north the coastline is flat and sandy, the southern coastline is characterised by cliffs and rocks punctuated by small and large sandy beaches. Most of the Adriatic beaches fall gently into the water and are ideal for families with children and for swimmers looking for calmer waters. In high season (from the end of July until the beginning of September, peaking around the 15th of August), these beaches are full because of their popularity among Italians. However in May, June, the beginning of July, September and October, these beaches are ideal for a quiet and relaxing beach holiday. From Alba Adriatica to Ortona you will find long white sandy beaches, behind which rise hills with mulberry trees, strawberry trees and broom. Between Martinsicuro and Silvi in the Teramo province, there is an area known as "the seven sisters". This term is used to describe 7 beach resorts. Alba Adriatica, Giulianova, Roseto degli Abruzzo, Pineto and Silvi are all very nice and at these beaches you will find everything you are likely to need. The smell of liquorice is particularly intense in the Pineto area, here you will find a beach with a small pine forest. The trees, shaped by the wind into their characteristic parasol shape, provide welcome shade. Silvi is a well known seaside resort but the sea is not the only attraction: from "Silvi alta", the part of the town that is located on a 250 metre hill, you can enjoy views over large parts of the central Adriatic and can even see the Yugoslav coast on a clear day. There are excellent facilities in the Pescara province, along with leisure activities. There is also a modern yacht harbour in Pescara, which organizes events such as sailing competitions during the summer months. There are several beach resorts with good facilities along the 15 km stretch of coast between Montesilvano, Pescara and Francavilla. Pescara is also a well-known venue for national and international beach volleyball tournaments. From Ortona to Vasto and on to San Salvo, the coast becomes quite different, the bays cut further into the land. Shingle beaches and rocks interchange with small sandy coves. You will find small dunes in several locations such as in Lido di Casalbordino. While some are covered with typical Mediterranean scrub, in other places they appear to stretch out into the sea and form small sheltered bays. But perhaps the nicest stretch of the Abruzzo coast is to be found in the south: between Lido di Casalbordino and Punta Aderci. The deep-blue waters of this section offer a wealth of aquatic flora and fauna. This area is also a nature reserve.
You will find the famous Trabocchi coast - UNESCO Cultural Heritage of the World Site - between Ortona and San Salvo. Here you can discover the unique remains of an almost long-gone fishing era, the Trabocchi, peculiar wooden lake dwellings.