Abruzzo - 84 Attractions You Must Visit

The Abbazia di Santo Spirito del Morrone is a former monastery some five kilometers outside of the town of Sulmona, at the base of Monte Morrone, in the Province of L'Aquila, region of Abruzzo, Italy. This was the main abbey of the Celestine order, a Benedictine order offshoot. By the 19th century, the abbey was deconsecrated, functioning more recently as a prison. In the last decades, restoration has proceeded and it now serves as a Museum.

The Cinquemiglia plateau was a mountain community comprising the upper valley of the Sangro river and the Maggiore plateau. The territory of the mountain community was largely included in the national park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise. It also included the major ski resorts in central- southern Italy : Pescocostanzo , Rivisondoliand Roccaraso , which was later added to that of Pescasseroli.

The Central Apennines are characterized by a rich diversity of ecosystems and wildlife. Among the most important habitats are its beech woods, open hillsides and alpine grasslands. The Apennines is the second main mountain range of Italy and stretches for hundreds of kilometers from the north to the south along the Country’s main axis. These mountains are one of the last refuges of the big European predators such as the Italian wolf and the marsican brown bear, now extinct in the rest of Centra

Alba Fucens, the ancient Roman city at the base of Monte Velino (Province of Aquila), is an archaeological jewel that one should most definitely explore. In fact, the ruins that emerged from excavations initiated by Fernand De Visscher in 1949 are truly remarkable. It is chiefly remarkable for its finely preserved fortifications and so more.

The basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio is a religious building of the Aquila , located just outside the city ​​walls , on the homonymous hill. Founded in 1288 at the behest of Pietro da Morrone - crowned pope here with the name of Celestino V on 29 August 1294 - it is considered the highest expression of Abruzzo architecture , as well as the symbol of the city and was declared a national monument in 1902.

The Basilica of San Bernardino is a religious building of the Aquila, located in the quarter of Santa Maria. It was built, with the adjacent convent, between 1454 and 1472 in honor of St. Bernardino of Siena, whose remains are kept inside the mausoleum of the Saint built by Silvestro dell'Aquila. The facade, erected in the following century by Cola dell'Amatrice with Michelangelo's influences, is considered the highest expression of Renaissance architecture in Abruzzo.

The Bosco di Sant'Antonio nature reserve is a protected natural area located in the municipality of Pescocostanzo, in the province of L'Aquila. It was established in 1986 and since 1992 is part of the Majella National Park and stretches for 550 ha between the ridges of Monte Pizzalto and Monte Rotella. Immersed in numerous centuries-old beech trees, it houses the hermitage of Sant'Antonio. Due to its characteristics, it is an ideal place for horse riding, hiking and cross-country skiing.

The Cammino dei Briganti is a long-distance circular path that runs between Abruzzo and Lazio , straddling the historical-geographical regions of Marsica and Cicolano . About 100 kilometers long, it does not exceed 1,200 m asl except for the optional stage of the Duchessa lake.

Campo Felice is a beautiful karstic plateau in the central Appennines, included in the province of L'Aquila, Abruzzo, central Italy. It is geographically bounded by the Velino-Sirente chain, with the other plains of Piani di Pezza and Altopiano delle Rocche located nearby. Campo Felice is situated at some 1500 m above the sea level, and has the shape of a basin. Vegetation is scarce, mostly composed by beech woods in the surrounding mountains slopes.

Campo Imperatore is a mountain grassland or a large plateau at over 1,500m above sea level. It is about 30km long and just under 10km wide and is overlooked by the tallest peak of the Gran Sasso National Park, the Corno Grande. The area is most popular for its winter skiing, though it’s lovely to walk or drive here during the warmer months.

The Capannelle Pass is a mountain pass in Italy. It sits at an altitude of 1300 meters above sea level in the Province of L'Aquila in Italy's Abruzzo Region. It is located on the Italian State Highway 80 which passes near the Gran Sasso in the Apennines. One of the picturesque locations in this area and it is famous among the tourists. The rain and the snow showers increases the beauty of this location. The Capannelle Pass is an important transportation point linking the Province of Teramo with

The waterfall of the Ninfe is part of a series of waterfalls of the Scerto stream, including the waterfall of the Tre Cannelle, which are located within the National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise, in the integral nature reserve of Camosciara, among the municipalities of Civitella Alfedena and Pescasseroli. The waterfall is deeply embedded in the rocks due to the waters of the Scerto stream, which have a slight degree of acidity, and which flow on a bed of Dolomite rocks.

The waterfall of Zompo lo Schioppo represents the highest natural waterfall in the central Apennines after that of the Rio Verde di Borrello; in fact, the waters precipitate from a height of over 80 meters and then flow downstream towards the town of Morino. The flow rate of the waterfall, originating from karst phenomena, depends on the amount of rainfall that occurs during the year.

The Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore is an ancient Catholic basilica that is considered to be the largest of the churches dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Rome. It is one of the city’s four major basilicas. Built on a pagan temple dedicated to the goddess Cybele. The basilica displays varied architectural styles, from early Christian to Baroque. The entire building was restored and renovated during the eighteenth century.

The Cima di Monte Bolza is a mountain of the Gran Sasso d'Italia in the Apennines. It is the highest and eastern tip of a ridge with two peaks, the Cima di Monte Bolza and the Monte Bolza, this is the western tip of the ridge two kilometers away. This mountain with two peaks lies alone in the south of the high plateau Campo Imperatore. The peaks are climbed a lot as they offer a magnificent view of the Corno Grande, the highest peak of the Gran Sasso, up close.

The hermitage of San Domenico is a small church, located in the territory of the municipality of Villalago, in the Sagittario valley, on the shore of the homonymous Lake of San Domenico. It includes a cave dug into the limestone, in which according to tradition, around the year 1000 the Benedictine monk San Domenico lived.

Forte Spagnolo is a fortress of the Aquila, built during a grandiose project of military strengthening of the territory that took place during the Spanish domination in southern Italy in the first half of the sixteenth century: never used for purposes war, it was used in the seventeenth century as the residence of the Spanish governor and later as accommodation for French soldiers in the nineteenth century and German soldiers during the last world war, while in 1902 it was declared a national mo

Fucine Lake, or Lago Fucino in Italian, was the source of misery since ancient times. The lake had no natural outlet, causing the lake’s water to spill over and frequently flood the surrounding villages. The local inhabitants pressed Julius Caesar to drain the lake and reclaim the valley, but before Caesar could draw up a plan, he was assassinated.

The Funivia del Gran Sasso D'Italia is a cable car that connects the tourist resort of Fonte Cerreto to the western side of Campo Imperatore, in the heart of the Gran Sasso d'Italia massif. The valley station is located a short distance from the original from 1934 , which was converted into a restaurant. The mountain station is located between the hotel in Campo Imperatore. One of the famous tourist destinations in this area and also the re are so many activities in this area.

The Giardino Botanico Mediterraneo di San Salvo is located in Marina di Chieti, in the province of Chieti. It is a protected area of about 8 hectares, that is 80000 m2, where the predominant biotype is one of the last specimens of the dune system of the Adriatic, characterised by its typical structure made up of strips parallel to the coastline.