Abruzzo
Abruzzo is the Italy that time and the tour buses forgot: wild, green, and gloriously affordable.
Just east of Rome, across the spine of the Apennines, Abruzzo is the greenest and most mountainous region in central Italy, a third of it protected as national parks, home to the highest peaks south of the Alps, and still roamed by wolves and bears. It runs from the Gran Sasso massif down through medieval stone villages and vineyards to a long, mild Adriatic coast. They call it "the green heart of Europe," and for once the slogan holds: this is a region of wild nature, deep tradition, and a slower, older way of life that much of Italy has lost.
Region Profile
Landscape
The most mountainous region in central Italy: the Gran Sasso and Maiella massifs, the highest Apennine peaks, and three national parks covering a third of the territory, still home to wolves and the Marsican brown bear. From those summits the land tumbles through vineyards and medieval hill villages to a long, sandy Adriatic coast. Mountains, wilderness, and sea, all within an hour or two.
General Vibe
Deeply traditional, self-reliant, and proud: "forte e gentile," strong and gentle, as the local saying goes. The interior is old Italy at its most authentic: silent stone villages, century-old festivals, hearty food, aging tight-knit communities. The coast is livelier and more modern. Warm to those who settle in, but this is a region that rewards learning Italian and embracing a slower life, not one that performs for visitors.
Weather
A region of two climates. The Adriatic coast is mild and sunny, with warm summers and gentle winters. The interior is alpine: hot mountain summers but cold, snowy winters, with ski resorts in the high Apennines. Spring and autumn are glorious almost everywhere. The higher you live, the harder the winter.
Affordability
One of the most affordable regions in all of Italy. The coast around Pescara is modest by Italian city standards; the interior villages are among the cheapest places to buy property in the country, the land of the one-euro houses and hilltop homes for the price of a car. Rural and mountain property is cheap, though the low prices come with renovation and remoteness to weigh. Exceptional value, and the region earns it.
Connectivity
Better connected than its wild reputation suggests, thanks to its position just east of Rome. Pescara has the region's only airport, with European links, and is the coastal rail and road hub; the A24/A25 motorways run straight over the mountains to Rome in about two hours, and rail reaches up the Adriatic coast. The catch is the interior: deep in the mountains, villages are car-dependent and a real distance from any of it. The coast is easy; the hills ask for a car and patience.
Cities in Abruzzo
