Discover Italy’s best kept region and its ‘strong and gentle’ people
It is hard not to fall in love with Abruzzo, the land of great Poets, Artists and Shepherds.
I would like you to join my narrating journey, starting from the tale of the creation of the Gran Sasso and the Majella mountains, a legendary story that perfectly explains the soul and traditions of the region. It is told that the goddess Maia escaped from Frigia (the former name for Anatolia) to protect her only child, a handsome giant who had been injured in a battle and was being chased from his enemy. Maia reached the shores of Abruzzo and climbed the Gran Sasso Mountain to hide her son in a cave. Unfortunately, a few days after, the giant died and the beautiful Maia buried him on top of the magnificent mountain peak. On the last night of May, due to the excruciating pains, Maia died as well and was finally buried just in front of her son. From then on, this mountain takes the name of Majella.
Even nowadays you can experience this touching legend: in fact looking from east to west of the Corno Grande (the Gran Sasso’s highest peak) you can admire ‘The Sleeping Giant’ and, from a different angle, his mother ‘The Sleeping Beauty’. This is the magical and sweetest miracle of nature!
Abruzzo is breathtaking, extremely wild in some areas yet elegant and always surprising, it is the perfect choice to make your journey unforgettable. This little region (only 11.000 sqkm), in the centre of Italy, is called ‘the green lung of Europe‘ due to its 3 National Parks, 1 Regional Park and several natural reserves. The Abruzzo National Park is the eldest park in Italy, it was created in 1922 together with the Gran Paradiso National Park, however the region also features a beautiful coastline, several natural and artificial lakes, as well as rivers and wild streams. Medieval villages, modern cities, excellent food and wine, centuries-old traditions and culture enrich Abruzzo and make it an amazing all-year-round destination.
Each of the 4 provinces (L’Aquila, Chieti, Pescara, Teramo) has hidden places to discover, through my tales I will take you to Abruzzo and its magical itineraries. We will get lost among Chieti’s underground and pre-roman ruins, you will learn the meaning of transumanza and how it inspired some wonderful excursions. You will learn about some unique typical products like saffron from L’Aquila; the traditional jewels that symbolize culture and architecture; you will be familiar with original museums like the D’Annunzio House in Pescara and finally you will explore the southernmost glacier, the Calderone in the province of Teramo.
Abruzzo is also a region of excellent food and varied wine routes, it is widely known for the arrosticini (roasted mutton meat sticks) and pecorino cheese, the trabocchi coast and its brodetto alla vastese (fish soup). Food festivals regularly happen almost every month, also in winter season, typical pastries and delicious spirits can be found for any occasion. Abruzzo is a home to wine production, whose variety and quality is considerable and globally recognized. You will learn about the king of Abruzzo, the red and full-bodied Montepulciano as well as the Pecorino, so tasty and fruity
To sum up, Abruzzo is a land of dramatic contrasts where silence and authentic life are the real treasure. Welcome to the land of discovery, stay tuned for the next episode!
