Abruzzo is considered a large permanent open-air museum. Discovering its extraordinary natural landscape, walking through its ancient and elegant cities and millenary villages perched on the peaks, the first impression is that of a region that has managed to preserve many of its original characteristics.
The charm of Abruzzo lies in the measured balance between nature that still dominates the landscape and the stratified presence of man: here then is the theory of small villages that dot the area, the architectural strength of churches, castles and palaces, the preciousness of works of art, the multiple expressions of artistic craftsmanship and the millenary peasant and pastoral traditions.
All this invites attentive tourists to explore the Abruzzo territory, in search of those peculiarities that make this region splendid.
A variegated territory of natural landscapes in which sea and mountains come together in a single embrace: we pass from mountain environments, with perennial snow and the presence of rare faunal species such as the Marsican brown bear, chamois and the wolf, symbol of the Maiella national park on the coasts marine characterized by long kilometers of beach, clear waters and pine forests.
The region offers a wide range of proposals and activities aimed at young people: the long coasts of the beaches make this region one of the best destinations in the Adriatic with its wonderful sea which has been awarded several blue flags for years.
PLACES TO VISIT
Sanctuary of the Madonna dello Splendore in Giulianova
Sanctuary of the Madonna dello Splendore is one of the most popular places of worship in the province of Teramo and a destination for pilgrimages all year round.
The sanctuary was erected in the place where on 22nd April 1557 the Virgin appeared to a farmer.
Legend has it that Bertolino, a farmer, was blinded by a dazzling light while resting under an olive tree.
Within that beam of light was the Virgin who asked the farmer to bring back to the community his request to have a sanctuary erected in that place. Bertolino, however, was not believed, he was mocked and what he had seen was questioned.
The Virgin appeared to him again, and this time, the man went to the Governor to advance the Virgin's request. The latter, in front of the farmer's insistence, seized with a fit of anger, ordered a servant to beat him brutally, but the Virgin paralyzed him and made him mute.
The governor and the rest of the community then went there to see with their own eyes what had been told by Bertolino.
Thus it was that the Virgin revealed herself to each of them without distinction, leaving everyone dismayed. A source of pure water gushed out at the base of the olive tree and the first to be miraculously cured by those waters was the servant who had beaten Bertolino who regained the use of body and speech.
Until the beginning of the 1800s, the Sanctuary was first assigned to the spiritual care of the Celestine fathers who lived in the monastery annexed to the church, later the Sanctuary was entrusted to the care of the Capuchin friars.
The Capuchins made changes and embellishments to the Sanctuary: they enlarged the sacristy, built a choir, new rooms in the Convent and erected a bell tower. However, over the years, the Sanctuary has undergone further hardships which have progressively modified its original layout.
In the three-year period 1989-92, a small votive temple was rebuilt surrounded by a green area around the aquifer terminal of the "source of the Madonna" where pilgrims can draw water and bathe for the desire for healing for themselves or for their own Dear. The place where the source is located is embellished with mosaics depicting sacred episodes from the Old and New Testaments.
Sanctuary of Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows (Isola del Gran Sasso d'Italia)
The Sanctuary of Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows in Isola del Gran Sasso is a monumental complex of extraordinary spiritual importance, blending the history of an ancient convent with the modern architecture of a large basilica, all nestled in the evocative landscape at the foot of the Gran Sasso d'Italia.
The historic heart of the site is the Convent of the Passionist Fathers, where Saint Gabriel (born Francesco Possenti) spent the last years of his short life, dying in 1862 at just 24 years of age. His simple "room," steeped in memory and devotion, is still preserved here and can be visited. Next to the convent stands the Basilica Antica, a neoclassical building whose construction, begun in 1908, was completed in 1929. Characterized by a majestic façade with a tympanum depicting the glory of the saint and a Latin cross interior with three naves, this basilica houses the precious octagonal chapel, finely decorated with polychrome marble, which once housed the saint's remains before their translation.
To accommodate the enormous influx of pilgrims, estimated at approximately two million annually, the New Basilica was built, an imposing modern structure of reinforced concrete, glass, and steel, consecrated in 2014. Its bold architecture, with its characteristic "tent" shape, symbolizes the spiritual journey of God's people. The centerpiece of this space, capable of accommodating up to 10,000 people, is the Crypt, inaugurated by Pope John Paul II in 1985, which today houses the gilded bronze urn containing the venerated remains of Saint Gabriel.
Completing the sanctuary experience are significant museum spaces, such as the Museum of Ex-votos, which collects thousands of tangible testimonies of graces received by the faithful, and the Historical Museum, which displays personal objects belonging to the saint, offering an intimate insight into his life and the history of the Passionist congregation. The complex is an unmissable destination for those seeking a moment of reflection, immersed in history and spirituality, in the heart of Abruzzo.
Atri
A small jewel of the Teramo hinterland, Atri lies on a ridge between the Vomano and Piomba rivers, with a spectacular view of the sea, in an area engraved by the characteristic gullies protected by the "Calanchi di Atri" Guided Nature Reserve.
Considered a city of great prestige since the 11th century BC, thanks to the Dukes of Aquaviva it is one of the most characteristic villages in the province of Teramo.
Atri has very ancient origins: probable site of a pre-Roman fortified settlement, it was a Roman colony whose importance and vivacity are testified by the numerous finds that have come to light in recent years.
The most evident signs of the Roman Atri are those of the imperial era, one of the moments of maximum splendor of the city. There are many remains of monuments from the Roman period: in the center of the city, in the Crypt of the Cathedral, a quadrangular pool was found below the altar.
In the 19th century the city underwent a new urban layout with the construction of the two main public buildings: the Teatro Comunale, inaugurated in 1881, and the Palazzo della Città, now the seat of the Court, erected in 1882, both in a classical style.
The monument, however, par excellence is the splendid Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta already existing in the 12th century, transformed and enlarged from the seventh-eighth decade of the 1200s. The cloister leads to the Capitolare Museum which houses valuable paintings, medieval and Renaissance goldsmiths, wooden sculptures, a collection of Abruzzo ceramics and much more.
Remarkable is the Church of Santa Reparata. With a cruciform plan, it was erected next to the cathedral.
Due to its varied beauty and the many opportunities it offers, Atri is considered one of the most sought-after tourist destinations by tourists.
Do not miss the folkloric night of the Faugni: every year at dawn on 8 December, in a mix of pagan and peasant tradition, high bundles of reeds tied by vegetable laces are lit and carried in procession, in memory of the peasant custom to light propitiatory fires before the winter solstice.
Civitella del Tronto
Located in the Val Vibrata, perched on a rock stands Civitella del Tronto, one of the most evocative villages in the heart of Abruzzo. A mixture of history and art, located on a rocky cliff, below the imposing Bourbon fortress that dominates everything from above. Its fortress has gone down in history as the last bastion of the Bourbons and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies; it was the last stronghold to fall, on 20 March 1861, three days after the proclamation of the unification of Italy to the Piedmontese troops after an ambush that lasted 146 days.
Even today it is possible to relive that glorious past walking through the streets of the historic center adorned with historic buildings embellished with chiseled portals. One of the attractions of the village is La Ruetta, the narrowest street in Italy, which can be crossed by one person at a time; in the past used by the soldiers who defended the Fort, taking the enemy by surprise.
Civitella is known for its numerous medieval and Renaissance buildings, the central streets, via Mazzini and via Roma which are dotted with stately homes such as the Palazzo del Conte de' Ermes, the churches of San Francesco (the fourteenth-century rose window and the wooden ) and of San Lorenzo, the Franciscan Convent of the Madonna dei Lumi and the stupendous abbey of Montesanto.
Impossible not to visit the Fortress, one of the most important military engineering works in Italy, inside which the Museum of Weapons and Ancient Maps was inaugurated in 1988, which exhibits maps, weapons and other relics related to the history and vicissitudes of the stronghold.
Civitella is the place to visit if you want to spend a few hours outside our relais.
Campli
Located on a hill between the valleys of the Fiumicini and Siccagno streams, there is a charming village, a real treasure chest: Campli.
As evidenced by the archaeological finds found, it has very ancient origins but only in the Middle Ages did it reach its maximum splendor when it was governed by the Farnese family.
The village of Campli is considered a real city of art for its wealth of monuments. Walking through the streets of the city you can visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria in Platea, guardian of important artistic works, the National Archaeological Museum, located in the ancient convent of San Francesco which houses the remains of the Necropolis of Campovalano, the Palazzo Farnese, admirable example of architectural structure dating back to the medieval period and the Scala Santa, built in 1776 on the occasion of the Jubilee.
It is a staircase of 28 steps in olive wood, accompanied by paintings that depict the most touching moments of the Passion of Christ; in fact it was traveled by the faithful on their knees in order to obtain the plenary indulgence of their faults, just as it happened on the Scala Santa in Rome.
Campli also has its own culinary tradition and has a rich calendar of festivals and popular events to attend. Not to be missed, in August, is the Porchetta Festival: one of the first festivals born in Abruzzo and dating back to 1964. In those days it was customary to cook the porchetta, inserted into a wooden pole, in the wood-burning ovens used for bread; and still today, the porchettari of Cample, all pupils of the masters of the tradition, prepare the porchetta with the systems of ancient teaching.
L'Aquila
L'Aquila, the capital of Abruzzo, located at approximately 700 meters above sea level, is a city of profound historical and artistic value, today a symbol of an impressive architectural renaissance following the 2009 earthquake. In December 2025, the city will boast a largely restored historic center, where 80-90% of the private buildings have been completed, restoring the splendor of noble palaces and monumental squares.
The city's iconic monument is the Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio, a masterpiece of Abruzzo Romanesque architecture with its famous pink and white checkerboard façade and the Holy Door, site of the first jubilee in history, the Celestinian Pardon. Another pillar of the city's spirituality is the Basilica of San Bernardino da Siena, which stands out with its imposing staircase and a rare, beautiful, pure-gold wooden ceiling.
The city's identity is tied to the legend of its foundation from 99 castles, celebrated by the Fountain of the 99 Spouts, located near Porta Rivera, where every carved mask is different from the next. The urban skyline is dominated by the Forte Spagnolo, a 16th-century fortress whose interior spaces partially reopened on December 20, 2025, housing the famous fossil skeleton of the mammoth.
Social life revolves around Piazza Duomo, one of the largest urban spaces in Italy, and the Fontana Luminosa, a meeting point located at the entrance to the historic center, from which the city's porticoes branch off. The regional art collections are housed at the MuNDA (National Museum of Abruzzo), currently housed in the former slaughterhouse, awaiting its final return to the castle.
Beyond its physical heritage, L'Aquila is experiencing a period of strong cultural revival: it was officially designated the Italian Capital of Culture for 2026, a recognition that is leading to a busy program of events and urban regeneration projects in 2025 aimed at consolidating its role as a hub of innovation and knowledge.
Montorio al Vomano
Montorio al Vomano, located at approximately 260 meters above sea level, is known as the "gateway to the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park" due to its strategic position connecting the Teramo coast to the Apennine peaks. The village is deeply connected to the Vomano River, which has shaped its history and economy, from the ancient Roman salt routes to the hydroelectric power plants of the 20th century.
In 2025, one of the main attractions will be the new Piazza Diamante, characterized by the Dancing Fountain, a modern work that offers light, music, and water displays, which has quickly become a symbol of the city center's vitality. The religious and architectural heritage is concentrated in the historic center, where the Collegiate Church of San Rocco stands out, known for its two construction phases and its rich 17th-century portal, and the Church of the Zoccolanti, which preserves an evocative Rococo interior with stucco altars.
Other essential stops include the Palazzo Marchesale Camponeschi-Carafa and the remains of the Forte di San Carlo, which bear witness to the fiefdom's medieval and Renaissance past. The town is also famous for its recreational and gastronomic traditions: it is known as the town of Stù, an ancient card game revived during the holidays, and hosts regular events such as the Sagra della Porchetta (pork roast) and the Sagra della Trippa (tripe festival), which continues to attract numerous visitors in August in 2025.
Montorio is currently undergoing a major reorganization of its services, with the renovation of the former historic dispensary scheduled for completion by 2025. It will become the new headquarters of the 118 emergency service to strengthen healthcare in the mountain area.
The Trabocchi Coast (Province of Chieti and Pescara)
This stretch of coastline, a candidate for UNESCO World Heritage status, is unique. Its main feature is the trabocchi, ancient and ingenious wooden fishing boats jutting out into the sea. Today, many of these have been transformed into charming restaurants where you can enjoy lunch or dinner suspended over the water. The parallel "Via Verde," a cycle path reclaimed from the former railway line, offers an exceptional way to explore this rugged and fascinating coastline.
Teramana Coast (Province of Teramo)
Known as the "Garden Coast," it offers wide, sandy beaches ideal for families. Towns such as Alba Adriatica, Giulianova, and Roseto degli Abruzzi are renowned for their crystal-clear waters and efficient services. The lush pine forest running parallel to the sea offers a pleasant refuge during the hottest hours of the day and the opportunity for peaceful walks in the shade.
Rocca Calascio
Located at nearly 1,500 meters above sea level, this castle is one of the symbols of Abruzzo worldwide, thanks in part to its appearance in films such as Ladyhawke and The Name of the Rose. The imposing and isolated fortress offers 360-degree views of the Campo Imperatore plateau and the Tirino Valley, offering unique experiences, especially at sunrise and sunset.
Stiffe Caves
A complex of karst caves crossed by a veritable underground river. The guided tour winds through stalactites, stalagmites, and waterfalls that create a charming and refreshing atmosphere, a unique natural experience in Italy, where water is the absolute protagonist.
