Abruzzo has three national parks: the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga, the Maiella, and the Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise park, founded in 1922 and the oldest in the Apennines. Between them they protect wolves, chamois and the Marsican brown bear. A few years ago I summited Corno Grande, the highest peak of the whole Apennine chain at 2,912 metres, and it’s still one of my standout memories.
Rather than list every sight in the region, I’ll only point you to the places I’ve actually written about.
Nature you can visit with my guides
- Lake Scanno, the heart-shaped lake born when an ancient landslide off Monte Genzana dammed the river Tasso. The famous view is from the Sentiero del Cuore path…it’s all in my Scanno guide.
- Campotosto Lake, the largest lake in Abruzzo at over 1,300 metres, ringed by a 42-kilometre shoreline. See my Campotosto Lake guide.
- The Gran Sasso high plains, the mountain country I know best. Start with Rocca Calascio and Santo Stefano di Sessanio.
- Corno Grande and Corno Piccolo from the north, with Prati di Tivo at their feet. My Pietracamela guide covers the base village.
- The calanchi of Atri, steep clay gullies protected in a nature reserve of about 400 hectares. See my Atri guide.
- The Maiella and the Orfento valley, gorges and walking paths in the second of our parks. Start from Caramanico Terme, or from Guardiagrele on the mountain’s first slopes.
- Punta Aderci, dunes and quiet beaches near Vasto, the first coastal reserve created in Abruzzo. It’s in my Vasto guide.
- The Trabocchi coast, which begins at Ortona and runs south past the old fishing platforms. See my Ortona guide.
The Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise park deserves guides of its own…Pescasseroli is one of my favourite villages, and those pages are on my list. For now I’d rather send you only where I’ve already done the work.
Travelling with children? My family guide to Abruzzo covers the outdoors with kids in tow.