Routes
Lapped by the crystalline waters of the Adriatic and by the long silver ribbon of its beaches, Abruzzo offers everything you can expect from a holiday that extinguishes stress and rekindles enthusiasm: its one hundred and thirty kilometers of coastline with suggestive beaches sandy melt as if by magic with the rolling green hills of the hinterland and then become majestic and imposing peaks like those of the Gran Sasso.
Abruzzo is also called the "Green Region of Italy" for its four natural parks and numerous nature reserves where it is easy to admire the chamois, the eagle and the wolf. The medieval villages perched on the hills, the necropolis scattered in the landscape, the cities of art and the castles offer the variety to really make your holiday complete without forgetting the sport and the healthy fun of the seaside resorts.
Teramo
The city of Teramo has ancient origins, it was the capital of the Praetotium, name given to the surrounding territory under Roman rule. Under the dominion of the Emperors Augustus and Hadrian lived a golden period of which were witnessed by the baths, the theater, the amphitheater and other monuments submerged by the new city. During the 1400s it was torn by the struggles between the families of the Melatini, the Antonelli, the Spennati and the Mazzaclocchi families. Then passed under Francesco Sforza and Alfonso d'Aragona. In 1798 it passed to the French until 1815 when it returned under the Spaniards and then followed the history and the fate of the south.
Atri
Atri was a city of great prestige in the ancient world, from the eleventh and twelfth centuries BC It was the only city on the Adriatic coast to beat money before Rome, as well as an important center of trade, thanks to its port on the Adriatic, hence the thesis that the name of the sea itself derives from the ancient Hatria. In Roman times, he fought alongside Rome in the wars against Hannibal. The city lived its period of maximum splendor with the Duchi d'Acquaviva. The glorious past of Atri is testified by the archaeological finds scattered throughout the surrounding territory.
Castelli
At the foot of the Gran Sasso rises Castelli, the "city of ceramics" in which for centuries the fine art of working this noble material has been handed down from father to son. Home to famous ceramist masters who served the kings of Naples and the princely houses of Rome, in Castelli you can visit many artisan shops where you can also make excellent purchases.
San Gabriele
Located in the territory of Isola del Gran Sasso, the sanctuary of San Gabriele, patron saint of Abruzzo, is a very popular religious destination on various occasions throughout the year. The ancient part of the sanctuary dates back to 1908 and is built in neoclassical style, while the modern part is made in contemporary style. In the old sanctuary, in addition to the sepulcher of the saint, whose remains are kept in a bronze urn, you can visit the Hall of the Gifts and a collection of relics of the life of the saint.
Civitella del Tronto
The fortress of Civitella del Tronto is one of the most impressive works of military engineering in Italy: it stretches for more than five hundred meters in length on a rocky ridge. All its luminous history is linked to the strategic position it has had, for a few centuries, as a stronghold of garrison of the northern borders of the various Neapolitan realms. The fortress and the connected village suffered more sieges, but what has gone down in history is the unfortunate defense against the Sardinian Piedmontese army in 1860/61, which ended with the surrender on March 20, 1861, the last Bourbon stronghold to bow to the nascent unity Italy.
Gorges of Salinello
Not far from Civitella del Tronto, it is possible to go hiking in the Salinello Gorges. A natural environment that combines history, culture and nature between the two slopes of the Monti Gemelli: Montagna di Campli and Montagna dei Fiori. The maker of this natural monument was the Salinello Torrent which, acting on the entire mountain, has built over millions of years, a "gorge" several kilometers long, about 200 meters high and of a width varying from no more than five meters to tens of meters, determining waterfalls, caves and cavities.
Campli
Campli is situated on a hill between the valleys of the Fiumicino and Siccagno torrents. Rich in architectural monuments that make it a real city of art, Campli is home to a section of the National Archaeological Museum which houses the remains of the Necropolis of Campovalano. Famous the Scala Santa, so called because, after 1776 spread the custom of granting the indulgence to those who walked on her knees.
