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Home , Abruzzo, Molise

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Abruzzo &

Why Go? Parco Nazionale del A stunning mountain region little known to foreign visitors, Gran Sasso e Monti is an area of unspoiled natural beauty and rural, della Laga ...... 603 back-country charm. Only an hour from , it feels like ...... 603 a world apart with its great Apennines peaks, still, silent Parco Nazionale valleys and pretty hilltop towns. To the south, Molise off ers della Majella ...... 608 more of the same, albeit on a smaller, less dramatic scale. Scanno ...... 609 The landscape is extraordinary. In the region’s three na- Parco Nazionale tional parks, thick forests and fl owering meadows give way d’Abruzzo, e to high barren plains and snowcapped granite peaks, and Molise ...... 610 wolves and bears roam free in the vast beech woods. A mec- ...... 611 ca for outdoor enthusiasts, it off ers wonderful hiking, skiing ...... 613 and mountain biking, while the coast boasts some beautiful ...... 614 sandy beaches. Nestled in this verdant land, cultural gems await discov- ...... 615 ery. ’s baroque centre and Sulmona’s historic ...... 615 palazzi (mansions) testify to past glories, while isolation ...... 616 has ensured the survival of age-old customs such as Cocul- Albanian Towns ...... 617 lo’s bizarre snake charmers’ procession. W h e n t o G o Best Places to Eat L’Aquila » Locanda Sotto gli Archi °C/°F Te m p Rainfall inches/mm 30/86 8/200 (p 607 ) » Hosteria dell’Arco (p607 ) 20/68 6/150

» Il Panzotto (p 614 ) 10/50 4/100 » Ristorante Clemente (p 607 ) 0/32 2/50

-10/14 0 Best Places to Stay J FDNOSAJJMAM » Sextantio (p 607 ) May ’s Jul Sulmona’s Jun–Sep Spring » Locanda Alfieri (p 616 ) bizarre snake square fills with wildflowers, » Le Torri Hotel (p 608 ) festival involves prancing horses summer sun and » B&B Villa del Pavone (p613 ) a statue, proces- and jousting dur- autumn leaves – sion and writhing ing this medieval perfect condi- » Residenza Sveva (p 616 ) nest of snakes. tournament. tions for hiking. ABRUZZO L’AQUILA: AFTER THE 603 Best known for its dramatic mountain scen- SHOCK WAVE ery, Abruzzo’s landscape is surprisingly di- verse. A vast plain extends east of , Destruction from the devastating the coastline is fl at and sandy, and there earthquake that struck northern Abru- are ancient forests in the Parco Nazionale zzo in 2009 – 10km from the regional d’Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise. capital L’Aquila – is still very much in Many towns retain a medieval look, evidence. After three years, much of while the numerous hilltop castles and iso- L’Aquila’s centro storico (historic lated, sometimes abandoned, borghi (medi- center) is still off limits to visitors: eval towns) exude a sinister charm, lending rubble surrounds buildings damaged credence to Abruzzo’s fame as an ancient beyond repair, scaff olding fronts those centre of magic, and the land of a thousand slowly undergoing restoration, and the castles. military patrols cordoned-off streets. Many of the 65,000 made homeless by the earthquake remain in housing Parco Nazionale del Gran estates built to accommodate them on the edge of the city. Sasso e Abruzzo and neighbouring Molise About 20km northeast of L’Aquila, the are particularly vulnerable to earth- Gran Sasso massif is the centrepiece of the quakes as they sit on a major fault line Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti that follows the Apennines from della Laga, one of ’s largest national up to . parks. The park’s predominant feature is At the time of research there was ABRUZZOABRUZZO & MOLISE its jagged rocky landscape through which no indication as to when restorations Europe’s southernmost glacier, the Calde- to L’Aquila’s historic centre would be rone, cuts its course. It’s also a haven for complete. wildlife, home to an estimated 40 wolves, 350 and six pairs of royal eagles. Hiking trails criss-cross the park and at- at and heads to the sum- mospheric castles and medieval hill towns mit. The trail should be clear of snow from crown the foot hills. early June to late September/early October. PARCO NAZIONALE DEL GRAN SASSO E MONTI DELLA LAGA DELLA E MONTI SASSO GRAN DEL NAZIONALE PARCO o , six kilometres If attempting the ascent, or any other serious west of Santo Stefano di Sessanio, is one route, be sure to arm yourself with the CAI such imposing castle dominating the skyline 1:25,000 map Gran Sasso d’Italia (€10). above the Plain. There’s not much The park has a network of rifugi (moun- to see inside, but the views are stupendous, tain huts) for walkers. Otherwise, you can and from a distance the castle makes an im- bed down at Camping Funivia del Gran pressive photograph. Sasso (%0862 60 61 63; Fonte Cerreto; camping Fonte Cerreto is the main gateway to per person/tent/car €7/8/1.50; hmid-May–mid- the Gran Sasso and Campo Imperatore Sep), a modest camp ground in Fonte Cerre- (2117m), a high windswept plateau 27km to. At the top of the cable-car lift, the Hotel long and known as ‘Italy’s Little Tibet’. Campo Imperatore (%0862 40 00 00; Campo A funivia (cable car; %0862 60 61 43; €14 Mon- Imperatore; half-board from €70), where Mus- Fri, €16 Sat & Sun; h8am-5pm Mon-Sat, to 6pm Sun, solini was briefl y imprisoned in 1943, also closed May) runs up to the Campo from Fonte has a hostel (dm per person €30, incl dinner €45) Cerreto. Up top, there’s hiking in summer and that off ers basic year-round digs. skiing in winter (see the boxed text, p609 ). Fonte Cerreto is just off the A24 motor- For more information contact the park way (clearly signposted). It’s best to have office (%0862 6 05 21; www.gransassolagapark. your own transport to navigate the park. it, in Italian; Via del Convento 1; h10.30am-1pm Mon-Fri & 4-6pm Tue & Thu) in . One of the most popular trekking routes Sulmona is the surprisingly straightforward climb up POP 25,220 (at 2912m, it’s the Apennines’ Sulmona lies in a picturesque location, nes- highest peak). The 9km via normale (nor- tled in a valley with the Morrone massif as a mal route) starts in the main parking area backdrop. A lively and prosperous provincial