Abruzzo & Molise

Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga

Sulmona

Parco Nazionale della Majella

Scanno

Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise

Pescara

Chieti

Vasto & Around

Campobasso

Isernia

Termoli

Abruzzo & Molise

Why Go?

Bisected by the spinal Apennine mountains, Abruzzo and Molise make up Italy’s forgotten quarter, blessed more with natural attractions than cultural colossi. A major national-park-building effort in the 1990s created an almost unbroken swath of protected land that stretches from the harsh, isolated Monti della Laga in the north to the round-topped Majella mountains further south.

Dotted in their midst are some of Italy’s most unspoilt, picturesque mountain villages. Sometimes, a visit here feels like a trip back to the 1950s – a world of wheezing trains, ruined farmhouses and poppy-filled pastures. All this is good news for prospective walkers, who share the region’s ample paths with sheepdogs, mountain goats, abundant bird life and the odd, rarely sighted, human being.

Sulmona is the best base for mountain excursions, Pescara on the Adriatic coast satisfies those with traditional beach urges, while diminutive Molise hides vestiges of the Roman past.

When to Go

• Jan & Feb Grab some skis and head for one of the Abruzzo-Molise ski areas.
• Jul Sulmona holds its medieval festival, while Pescara hosts a major jazz festival.
• May, Jun & Sep Spring wildflowers, summer sun or autumn leaves – perfect conditions for hiking.

Best Places to Eat

A Ristorante Gino

A Ristorante da Paolino

A Osteria dei Sabatini

A Locanda Sotto gli Archi

A Nabucco Osteria Verdi

Best Places to Sleep

A Sextantio

A Albergo La Rua

A Legacy Casa Residencia

A Il Palazzo

A Albergo Antico Borga La Torre

Abruzzo & Molise Highlights

1 Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise Keeping an eye out for rare Marsican bears while hiking in this fabulous wilderness.

2 Saepinum Pacing the wildflower-strewn foundations of one of Italy's most complete provincial Roman towns.

3 Sulmona Joining the passeggiatta (evening stroll) to scope out which Abruzzese trattoria you'll eat in that night.

4 Museo Archeologico Nazionale d'Abruzzo Coming face to face with masterpieces of pre-Roman Italy in this museum in Chieti.

5 Pescocostanzo Breathing in the pure mountain air of this small town with stately foundations.

6 Parco Nazionale della Majella Taking a walk through history on the Sentiero della Libertà.

7 Isernia La Pineta Digging to the 700,000-year-old roots of European humankind at this intriguing archaeological site.

8 Gole di Sagittario Driving the winding switchbacks of this ravishingly beautiful gorge, between Sulmona and Scanno.

Abruzzo

Best known for its dramatic mountain scenery, Abruzzo's landscape is surprisingly diverse. A vast plain extends east of Avezzano, the coastline is flat and sandy, and there are ancient forests in the mountainous Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise.

Many towns retain a medieval look, while the numerous hilltop castles and isolated, sometimes abandoned, borghi (medieval towns) exude a sinister charm, lending credence to Abruzzo's fame as an ancient centre of magic, and the land of a thousand castles.

Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga

About 20km northeast of L'Aquila, the Gran Sasso massif is the centrepiece of the Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga, one of Italy's largest national parks. The park's predominant feature is its jagged rocky landscape, through which one of Europe's southernmost glaciers, the Calderone, cuts its course. It's also a haven for wildlife, home to an estimated 40 wolves, 350 chamois and six pairs of royal eagles. Hiking trails criss-cross the park, and atmospheric castles and medieval hill towns crown the foothills. Some towns within the park, such as Santo Stefano di Sessanio, are making slow recoveries from the 2009 earthquake.

2Activities

The small village of Fonte Cerreto near Assergi is the main gateway to the Gran Sasso. From here a funivia (cable car; GOOGLE MAP ; %0862 40 00 07; www.ilgransasso.it; weekday/weekend €10/15; h8am-5pm Mon-Sat, to 6pm Sun, closed May) runs up to Campo Imperatore (2117m), a high windswept plateau 27km long that is known as Italy's 'Little Tibet'. Up top, there's hiking in summer and skiing in winter. For more information, contact the visitor centre in Santo Stefano di Sessanio.

Corno GrandeHIKING

( GOOGLE MAP )

One of the most popular trekking routes leads up to Corno Grande (2912m), which is the Apennines' highest peak, and should only be attempted by experienced and well-prepared climbers. The 9km via normale starts in the main parking area at Campo Imperatore and ascends 782m. Allow five to seven hours for the round trip, and bear in mind that the trail is graded EE (experienced hiker).

4Sleeping

The park has a network of rifugi (mountain huts) for walkers. Otherwise, there is a handful of hotels near the funivia base station, including Hotel Nido dell'Aquila ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0862 60 68 40; www.nidodellaquila.it; Fonte Cerreto; d from €133; pWs), which has a pool and restaurant.

At the top of the funivia, the Rifugio Campo Imperatore ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0862 40 00 00; www.ilgransasso.it; Campo Imperatore; half-/full-board €59/79; Ws) has been welcoming guests since the 1930s (including Mussolini, briefly imprisoned here in 1943).

Santo Stefano di Sessanio

Known as Sextantio in Roman times, this atmospheric hilltop village has a commanding position overlooking two valleys. Although the 2009 earthquake that struck L'Aquila damaged a number of buildings in Santo Stefano, including the iconic 18m-high watchtower (which completely collapsed), a stroll through the centro storico (historic centre) reveals why the village is regarded as one of the borghi più belli d'Italia (one of the most beautiful towns in Italy).

The town flourished in the 16th century under the rule of the Medici family, and the Medici coat of arms can still be seen on the entrance portal to the main piazza. Subsequently left behind by history, Santo Stefano was untouched by development, making it a perfect place for radical eco-restorer Daniele Kihlgren to carry out his work. He invested in the town, following an agreement with the authorities that no unsympathetic and ugly development would mar his vision.

4Sleeping & Eating

oSextantioDESIGN HOTEL€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0862 89 91 12; www.sextantio.it; Via Principe Umberto; d from €171; W)

This enchanting albergo diffuso has 28 distinctive rooms and suites scattered throughout the village. Designed to 'breathe life into forgotten places' without scrimping on luxury, they marry traditional handmade bedspreads and rustic furniture with under-floor heating, mood lighting and divinely deep bathtubs. The hotel's restaurant, Locanda Sotto gli Archi, serves quality regional fare in a 16th-century dining room.

oLocanda Sotto gli ArchiABRUZZESE€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0862 89 91 16; http://santostefano.sextantio.it; Via degli Archi; meal €35; h7.30-11pm Mon, Thu-Sun & noon-2pm Sun)

Sextantio hotel's restaurant makes imaginative use of an arched, 16th-century dining room. Furniture and crockery is designed to recreate the austere quality of bygone times, and the excellent food uses time-honoured ingredients and techniques native to the region. Expect simple, handmade food such as maccheroni alla chitarra con patate, noci e pepe nero (pasta with potato, nuts and pepper).

8Information

Centro VisiteTOURIST INFORMATION

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0862 89 91 17, 347 3159855; www.centrovisitesantostefanodisessanio.it; Via del Municipio; h10am-7pm summer, to 3pm Sat & Sun winter)

The main visitor centre for the national park, it also houses the Museo della Baronia, a museum exploring the environment, history and culture of the region.

8Getting There & Away

Taking the SS17, Santo Stefano di Sessanio is 27km from L'Aquila, but a more scenic route takes you through Fonte Cerreto on the main 17bis road and across the grand plateau of Campo Imperatore before turning south to Santo Stefano (about 50km).

REBUILDING L'AQUILA

Nearly a decade on from 2009's devastating 6.3-magnitude earthquake that killed 309 people and rendered 65,000 homeless, L'Aquila's skyline is still dotted with cranes and scaffolding. The city's precious centro storico remains a building site, with cordoned-off streets and impassable ‘red zones’, though a sprinkling of new bars and restaurants has breathed new life into some areas. Not surprisingly, L'Aquila's historic buildings have taken second place to rehousing its residents.

Putting a time frame on the rest of L’Aquila’s revival is difficult. An estimated 485 historical buildings were damaged in the quake and forecasters are suggesting that a minimum of €600 million will be required to restore them to their former glory. The notoriously sluggish revival has been dogged by squabbling and scandal; given the financial deadlock to date, it’s unlikely the city will return to anything like business as usual before 2021.

L’Aquila’s finest sight, the Basilica di Santa Maria di Collemaggio ( GOOGLE MAP ; www.basilicacollemaggio.it; Piazzale di Collemaggio) remains closed, although you can admire its two-tone jewel-box walls from the outside.

The Basilica di San Bernardino ( GOOGLE MAP ; www.basilicasanbernardino.it; Via San Bernardino; h7am-12.30pm & 3-7.30pm) reopened in May 2015, six years after sustaining major damage in the 2009 earthquake. Also open for viewing is the city’s impressive Fontana delle 99 Cannelle (Fountain of 99 Spouts; GOOGLE MAP ; Piazza San Vito).

Sulmona

Pop 24,500

An underappreciated city of fantastic restaurants, medieval charm and half-discovered mountain magic, Sulmona sits strategically on a plateau surrounded by three national parks, making it the ideal base for outdoor excursions in Abruzzo. It's easy to reach from Pescara or Rome, and simple to navigate once you arrive (trails fan out from the city limits). The city can trace its history back to the Roman town of Sulmo, where the poet Ovid (of Metamorphoses fame) was born in 43 BC. It is also known within Italy for its confetti – the almond sweets, not the coloured paper scattered at weddings.

1Sights

Most sights are on or near the main street, Corso Ovidio, which runs southeast from the Villa Comunale park to Piazza Garibaldi, Sulmona's main square. A five-minute stroll away is Piazza XX Settembre, with its statue of Ovid – a popular meeting point.

Piazza GaribaldiPIAZZA

( GOOGLE MAP )

The large town square is home to Sulmona's extensive Wednesday and Saturday morning market: you'll find fresh fish, veg, fruit and flowers, as well as the ubiquitous porchetta van, selling pork in a roll. Along Corso Ovidio is a striking series of arches, all that remains of a 13th-century aqueduct. In the centre of the piazza, the Renaissance Fontana del Vecchio (Fountain of the Old One) is said by some to depict Solimo, the founder of Sulmona.

To the northeast, the 14th-century Chiesa di San Filippo Neri displays its impressive Gothic portal against a backdrop of often snow-covered mountains. To the southwest, beyond the aqueduct, lies the Rotonda, once the monumental entrance and apse of the Chiesa di San Francesco della Scarpa, but cut off from the functional church when salvaged from the 1706 earthquake. It's used for exhibitions and other events.

Palazzo dell'AnnunziataPALACE

( GOOGLE MAP ; Corso Ovidio; h9am-1pm & 3.30-6.30pm Tue-Sun)

The most impressive of Sulmona's palazzi (mansions), founded as a hospital in 1320 but rebuilt many times over, sits above the remains of a 1st-century-BC Roman domus (villa). The building has a harmonious blend of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. Inside is the Museo Civico and in the same complex is the heavily baroque Chiesa della SS Annunziata.

Museo CivicoMUSEUM

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0864 21 02 16; Palazzo Annunziata, Corso Ovidio; €3.15, incl Museo Diocesano di Arte Sacra €5.25; h9am-1pm & 3.30-6.30pm Tue-Sun)

Inside the Palazzo dell'Annunziata is the four-in-one Museo Civico, with sections dedicated to archaeology, religious art, Abruzzese-Molisiano culture and the remains of the Roman domus (villa) over which the palazzo stands. The brilliant Abruzzese-Molisiano folk costumes are particularly worth seeing. Signs are in Italian.

Cattedrale di San PanfiloCATHEDRAL

( GOOGLE MAP ; Piazza del Duomo; h7.30am-noon & 3-7pm)

Slightly out of the centre, the Gothic-meets-baroque cathedral is like many things in Sulmona: understated and underrated. The fantastically restored interior guards some precious old artefacts, including a 14th-century wooden crucifix. The highlight, however, is a subterranean room (opened in 2009) containing the relics of hermit turned pope, Pietro da Morrone (1215–96), including his slippers and a piece of his heart. The original church built here deliberately replaced a temple of Apollo and Vesta.

Museo dell'Arte ConfettieraMUSEUM

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0864 21 00 47; www.pelino.it; Via Stazione Introdacqua 55; h8.30am-12.30pm & 3-7pm Mon-Sat)F

This museum is housed in the Fabbrica Confetti Pelino (established 1783), Sulmona's most famous manufacturer of confetti. With its antique sweet-making equipment, the reconstructed laboratory looks more like an old-time science lab than a sweet-making plant.

SULMONA'S SACRED SURROUNDS

Located 5km north of Sulmona at the foot of the Monte Morrone, the village of Badia and its environs are filled with religious significance.

Eremo di Sant’Onofrio al MorroneCHRISTIAN SITE

( GOOGLE MAP ; Contrada Morrone)

This cliff-clinging hermitage with its 15th-century ceiling, 13th-century frescoes, narrow oratory and arched porticoes cowers under a massive rock face in the Morrone Mountains. It was here in a grotto beneath the present church that Pietro da Morrone was apparently told he was to become pope in 1294. It’s a steep 20-minute walk from a car park just outside Badia to reach the hermitage. The views of Sulmona and the Valle Peligna below are superb.

Opening hours vary; check ahead with the tourist office ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0864 21 02 16; www.comune.sulmona.aq.it; Corso Ovidio 208, Palazzo Annunziata; h9am-1pm & 3.30-7.30pm) in Sulmona.

Santuario di Ercole CurinoARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE

( GOOGLE MAP )F

Sitting below the Sant’Onofrio hermitage, this sanctuary was originally thought to be the house of Sulmona-born poet Ovid when it was first uncovered in the 1950s, but statues later found confirmed it as a Roman-era shrine to Hercules. The sanctuary's former foundations cover a couple of mountainside terraces and include a preserved mosaic floor sheltered in a wooden hut. Precious votive offerings found here are kept at Chieti's Museo Archeologico Nazionale – Villa Frigerj.

Abbazia di Santo Spirito Al MorroneABBEY

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0864 3 28 49; www.santospiritoalmorrone.beniculturali.it; Badia; adult/reduced €4/2; h9am-1pm Mon-Fri)F

It’s hard to miss this massive 13th-century Celestine abbey in Badia, close to the sheer western slopes of the Morrone mountains. Notable for its monumental staircase, religious frescoes and old pharmacy, its main sights can be seen on English- and Italian-language tours. Damaged in an earthquake in 1706, it has been restored several times, done time as a prison and now houses local government offices, the HQ of Majella national park, and regular art expos and music concerts.

zFestivals & Events

Giostra Cavalleresca di SulmonaCULTURAL

(www.giostrasulmona.it; hJul)

On the last weekend in July, gaily caparisoned horse riders gallop around Piazza Garibaldi in this spectacular display of pageantry and equine skills, revived from Renaissance times. There are a series of jousts between different neighbourhoods, then between Italy's most beautiful villages, and lastly between riders from across Europe in the Giostra Cavalleresca d'Europa. A daily procession accompanies the tourneys.

4Sleeping

Excellent, charismatic locandas (inns) and albergo diffusos (diffused accommodation; generally with one central reception) are easily found in Sulmona's medieval heart.

oLegacy Casa ResidenciaB&B€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %377 9766036; www.legacycasaresidencia.com; Vico dell'Ospedale 54; d/apt €75/135; paW)

A beautifully curated and professionally run B&B right in the centre of Sulmona with a choice of double rooms or mini-apartments. All the accommodation skilfully combines convenience and comfort with the distinct sense that you're in the heart of traditional Italy. The apartments can be let on self-catering and (discounted) weekly bases and cooking and hiking packages are available.

La Locanda di GinoB&B€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0864 5 22 89; www.lalocandadigino.it; Via Serafini 1; s/d/tr/q €80/90/130/140; W)

Above the Ristorante Gino, one of Sulmona's best, this handsome family-run locanda has two double and two quadruple rooms. Blonde wood, white walls and bedspreads and tall windows with great views of the Chiesa di Santa Maria della Tomba and old city provide a bright and stylish bolthole in the centre of Sulmona.

Albergo StellaHOTEL€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0864 5 26 53; www.albergostella.info; Via Panfilo Mazara 18; s/d/ste €70/85/130; paiW)

A bright little three-star place in the centro storico (historic centre), the Stella offers nine airy, modern rooms and a smart, ground-floor restaurant-wine bar (meal €25). Discounts of around 20% are available for stays of more than one night, and for small groups, there's a nearby apartment that sleeps up to eight.

5Eating & Drinking

Gelateria La RotondaGELATO€

( GOOGLE MAP ; Corso Ovidio 161; medium cone/cup €3; h9am-11pm)

Sulmona's favourite place for a mid-afternoon gelato, this busy little gelataria takes its name from the Rotonda, the monumental remains of the original Chiesa di San Francesco della Scarpa, next door.

oRistorante GinoABRUZZESE

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0864 5 22 89; www.lalocandadigino.it; Piazza Plebiscito 12; h12.30-2.30pm)

Occupying handsome arched chambers that have been used as an inn or wine shop for centuries, the restaurant of La Locanda di Gino is up there with Sulmona's best. Proudly advertising the provenance of its produce (red garlic of Sulmona, lentils from Santo Sefano di Sessanio, saffron from an Abruzzese collective), the menu is a paean to the best of Abruzzo.

oLa Cantina di BiffiABRUZZESE€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0864 3 20 25; Via Barbato 1; meal €33; h12.30-2.30pm & 8-11pm Tue-Sun)

Dedicated to the food and wine of Abruzzo, this stone-walled cantina (wine cellar) features an open kitchen and daily blackboard of lip-smacking temptations. Seasonal treats such as new-season asparagus on poached egg with grana cheese share space with classics such as spaghetti carbonara with thick lardons of guanciale (cured pig's cheek).

Il Vecchio MuroABRUZZESE€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0864 5 05 95; Via M D'Eramo 20; meal €28; h12.45-2.30pm & 7.45-10.30pm, closed Wed Oct-Apr)

One of Sulmona's best restaurants, the 'old wall' is notable for spot-on Abruzzese fare such as wholewheat pasta with lentils and guanciale (cured pork jowl). The rest of the menu – especially the bits involving sausage and mushroom – is delicious, and even the pizza is well above average. You can eat inside, or outside in a covered garden.

Nin-HarraPUB

( GOOGLE MAP ; %347 7198184; Corso Ovidio 139; h6pm-1am Sun-Thu, to 2.30am Fri & Sat)

Great tunes (either playlists pieced together by the affable bar staff or live performances) meet great draught beer and great atmosphere at this beer garden/pub tucked behind Sulmona's main drag.

8Information

Tourist Office Molto helpful staff. The office also sells local bus tickets.

8Getting There & Away

Bus

Buses leave from a confusing array of points, including Villa Comunale, the hospital and beneath Ponte Capograssi. The tourist office will point you in the right direction.

ARPA (%800 762622; www.arpaonline.it) buses go to and from L'Aquila (€13, 1½ hours, up to eight daily) and Pescara €6, one hour, four daily).

Train

Trains link Sulmona with L'Aquila (€5.80, 1¼ hours, frequent), Pescara (€5.80, 1¼ hours, frequent) and Rome (€11, 2¾ hours, 10 daily). The train station is 2km northwest of the historic centre; the half-hourly bus A runs between the two.

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

THE FREEDOM TRAIL

During WWII, with the Allies advancing swiftly through southern Italy, the inmates at one of the country’s most notorious POW camps – Fonte d’Amore (Campo 78), 5km north of Sulmona – began to sniff freedom.

Their excitement wasn’t unfounded. When the Italian government surrendered in September 1943, the camp’s Italian guards deserted their posts and promptly disappeared. Their boots were quickly filled by German soldiers invading Italy from the north but, in the confusion of the changeover, many POWs escaped.

Using the Apennines as a natural refuge, the prisoners fanned out into the surrounding mountains. With the help of local partisans, most fled east across the Majella range from German-occupied Sulmona to Casoli on the Sangro river, which had been held by the Allies since September 1943. The rugged and dangerous escape route – nicknamed the Sentiero della Libertà (Freedom Trail; GOOGLE MAP ; www.ilsentierodellaliberta.it) – was used multiple times by escaped Allied POWs during the exceptionally cold winter of 1943–44, when the Allied advance was temporarily halted by German troops dug in along the Gustav Line (a fortified defensive line built by the Germans across central Italy in 1943 to stem the Allied advance).

Having to negotiate well-guarded checkpoints and rugged, mountainous terrain, not all the escapees made it. On a windswept mountain pass known as Guado di Coccia, halfway between Campo di Giove and the small mountain village of Palena, a stone monument memorialises Ettore De Conti, an Italian partisan captured and executed by the Germans in September 1943. It acts as an enduring symbol of the underground resistance.

Today, the Sentiero della Libertà has been turned into a historic long-distance hiking trail that cuts across the peaks and plateaus of the Parco Nazionale della Majella. Well-signposted with red and white markers, the 60km-long path starts at the eastern suburbs of Sulmona and is usually tackled over three to four days with stops in Campo di Giove and Taranta Peligna. Since 2001, a commemorative communal march along the trail has been held in late April attracting up to 700 people. See the Sentiero della Libertà website (Italian only) for entry details.

The foreboding fences and watchtowers of the now disused Campo 78 still rise above the village of Fonte d'Amore.

Parco Nazionale della Majella

History, geology and ecology collide in 750-sq-km Parco Nazionale della Majella, Abruzzo's most diverse park, where wolves roam in giant beech woods, ancient hermitages speckle ominous mountains, and 500km of criss-crossing paths and a handful of ski areas cater to the hyperactive. Monte Amaro, the Apennines' second-highest peak, surveys all around it from a lofty 2793m vantage point.

From Sulmona the two easiest access points are Campo di Giove (elevation 1064m), a small skiing village 18 tortuous kilometres to the southeast, and the lovely town of Pescocostanzo, 33km south of Sulmona along the SS17.

8Getting There & Away

ARPA (%800 762622; www.arpaonline.it) buses run from Sulmona to Roccaraso (€4, one hour, three daily), near Pescocostanzo, via Castel di Sangro, and to Campo di Giove (€2.30, 45 minutes, four daily).

Pescocostanzo

Pop 1110 / Elev 1395m

Set amid verdant highland plains, Pescocostanzo is practically alpine. It's a surprisingly grand hilltop town, whose historical core has changed little in more than 500 years. Much of the cobbled centre dates from the 16th and 17th centuries when it was an important town on the 'Via degli Abruzzi', the main road linking Naples and Florence.

Sights & Activities

Of particular note is the Collegiata di Santa Maria del Colle, an atmospheric church that combines a superb Romanesque portal with a lavish baroque interior. Nearby, Piazza del Municipio is flanked by a number of impressive palazzi, including Palazzo Comunale, with its distinctive clock tower, and Palazzo Fanzago, designed by the great baroque architect Cosimo Fanzago in 1624; look out for the carved wooden dragons under the roof.

History apart, Pescocostanzo also offers skiing on Monte Calvario and summer hiking in the Bosco di Sant'Antonio, a nature reserve characterised by its beech forest, 9km northwest of town.

4Sleeping

oAlbergo La RuaHOTEL€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0864 64 00 83; www.larua.it; Via Rua Mozza 1/3; d €85; W)

Hikers should head straight for this charming little hotel in Pescocostanzo's historic centre. The look is country cosy, with low, wood-beamed ceilings, parquet floors and stone walls and fireplaces. Superfriendly owner Giuseppe is a mine of local knowledge on the town's distinctive domestic architecture, fine jewellery and dialect, while his brother Luigi is an experienced guide who can organise treks.

5Eating

oRistorante da PaolinoABRUZZESE€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0864 64 00 80; www.ristorantedapaolino.com; Strada Vulpes 34; meal €35; h1-3pm & 8pm-midnight Tue-Sun)

Be sure to book ahead at this bustling and popular little inn-restaurant in the heart of Pescocostanzo. Pasta dishes make expert use of local ingredients in season, such as truffles and chestnuts. Follow up with secondi of rabbit, veal or beef, and perhaps a creamy pudding to finish.

Il Gallo di PietraABRUZZESE€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0864 64 20 40; www.ilgallodipietra.it; Via del Vallone 4; meal €40; h11am-2pm & 7-11pm Mon-Sat)

Attached to Le Torri Hotel ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0864 64 20 40; www.letorrihotel.it; Via del Vallone 4; s/d/tr €160/180/230; aiW), this classy restaurant offers cosy indoor dining or alfresco dining in the garden. The food is Abruzzese rustic-refined, featuring meaty primi and secondi such as polenta con ragu di maialino (polenta with young pork stew) and agnello speziato al Trebbiano d’Abruzzo (spicy lamb cooked in Abruzzese white wine).

8Information

Tourist Office (Pro Loco Pescocostanzo; GOOGLE MAP ; %0864 64 10 54; www.visit-pescocostanzo.it; Via delle Carceri 6; h9am-1pm & 3-6pm Mon-Fri Sep-Jun, 9am-1pm & 4-7pm daily Jul & Aug) Off the central Piazza del Municipio. Also see the Parco Nazionale della Majella's comprehensive website (www.parcomajella.it).

8Getting There & Away

ARPA buses run from Sulmona to Roccaraso, 6km south of Pescocostanzo.

Pacentro

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Set on a knoll above the Sulmona plateau in the foothills of the Parco Nazionale della Majella, Pacentro is a gorgeous hill town, its three slim Renaissance towers evoking those of Tuscany's San Gimignano. It has never expanded far beyond its medieval boundaries and remains free of the unsightly modern sprawl that encircles some of its bigger neighbours. Largely off the standard tourist circuit and – unlike Pescocostanzo and Scanno – not affiliated with a ski resort, its pleasantly tangled streets remain quiet and authentic. It's a good place to mingle with the locals, taste home cooking in low-key trattorias, or use as a base for some nearby national park walks.

Of interest to modern visitors are the 14th-century Cantelmo Castle with its famous three towers, the mannerist-meets-baroque Chiesa Santa Maria della Misericordia, and a slew of grand nobles' houses that beautify the lanes between Piazza del Popolo and Piazza Umberto I.

4Sleeping

B&B In Centro a PacentroB&B€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %349 7841697; www.incentroapacentro.it; Via San Marco 5; s/d from €35/60; W)

This lovely family-run B&B is, as the name suggests, right in the medieval heart of Pacentro. The immaculate interior teems with photos and mementoes of the owner's parents and grandparents, and the breakfast terrace offers stunning views across Pacentro to the mountains beyond.

8Information

Centro Informazioni Parco Nazionale MajellaTOURIST INFORMATION

(Majella National Park Information Centre; GOOGLE MAP ; %0864 4 13 04; www.parcomajella.it; Piazza del Popolo 7, Palazzo Tonno; h9am-1pm & 4-8pm Jul & Aug, shorter hr rest of yr)

8Getting There & Away

Pacentro lies 10km east of Sulmona along the SS487. Regular ARPA (%800 762622; www.arpaonline.it) buses run between the two towns (€2.40, 35 minutes, nine daily).

Scanno

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A tangle of steep alleyways and sturdy, grey-stone houses, Scanno is a dramatic and atmospheric borgo (medieval town), known for its finely worked filigree gold jewellery. For centuries a centre of wool production, it is one of the few places in Italy where you can still see women wearing traditional dress – especially during the week-long costume festival held at the end of April.

Be sure to take the exhilarating drive or bus ride up to Scanno from Sulmona through the rocky Gole di Sagittario, a World Wildlife Fund reserve and gorge, and past tranquil Lago di Scanno, where there's a scattering of bars and cafes, and you can hire boats in summer.

zFestivals & Events

Costume FestivalCULTURAL

(www.costumediscanno.org; hApr)

Traditional Abruzzese dress is on show during Scanno's annual costume festival towards the end of April. It comprises a full black skirt and bodice with puffed sleeves, a headdress of braided fabric topped with an angular cap, and filigree jewellery including star-shaped charms, given as betrothal gifts by shepherds before they departed on the long transhumanza (sheep migration).

4Sleeping & Eating

oIl PalazzoB&B€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0864 74 78 60; www.ilpalazzobb.it; Via Ciorla 25; s/d €55/100; pW)

This elegant and gently welcoming B&B occupies the 2nd floor of Casa Parente, an 18th-century palazzo in Scanno's centro storico (historic centre). The six rooms are stylishly decorated with antique furnishings, and breakfast is served under a frescoed ceiling. The building was commandeered for a military hospital by the Germans in WWII.

Pizzeria Trattoria Vecchio MulinoTRATTORIA€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0864 74 72 19; Via Silla 50; pizza/meal €8/28; hnoon-3pm & 7pm-midnight, closed Wed winter)

This old-school eatery is a good bet for a classic wood-fired pizza, lentil soups, pastas (perhaps ravioli with mushroom and ricotta) and roasted salsicce (sausage). In summer the pretty streetside terrace provides a good perch from which to people-watch. Keep an eye out for seasonal treats like fresh porcini salad.

8Information

Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0864 7 43 17; Piazza Santa Maria della Valle 12; h9am-1pm Mon-Fri & 5-8pm Tue & Thu yr-round, & 9am-1pm & 3-6pm Sat & Sun Jul-Sep)

In the village centre.

8Getting There & Away

ARPA (%800 762622; www.arpaonline.it) Buses run to and from Sulmona (€3.20, one hour, seven daily).

TAKE TO THE PISTES

Abruzzo and Molise might lack the glamour of the northern Alps, but skiing is enthusiastically followed and there are numerous resorts in the high places of Abruzzo (and, to a lesser extent, Molise). Bank on about €38 for a daily lift pass.

Campitello Matese In Molise's Monti del Matese, Campitello offers 40km of pistes, including 15km for cross-country skiers.

Campo di Giove At the foot of the Parco Nazionale della Majella, this resort offers Abruzzo's highest skiing, at 2360m.

Campo Felice A small resort 40km south of L'Aquila with 40km of pistes (30km downhill, 10km cross-country).

Campo Imperatore Twenty-two kilometres of mainly downhill pistes and more than 60km of cross-country trails in the Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga.

Ovindoli Monte Magnola One of Abruzzo's biggest ski resorts, with 30km of downhill pistes and 50km of cross-country trails.

Pescasseroli A popular outpost deep in the Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo with 30km of downhill slopes.

Pescocostanzo Good for ski hiking as well as downhill skiing. It's celebrated for its medieval architecture.

Roccaraso-Rivisondoli Near Pescocostanzo, this is one of the best-equipped resorts, with 28 ski lifts, two cable cars and more than 100km of ski slopes.

Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise

Italy’s second-oldest national park is also one of its most ecologically rich. Established by royal decree in 1923, it began as a modest 5-sq-km reserve that, little by little, morphed into the 440-sq-km protected area it is today. The evolution wasn’t easy. The park was temporarily abolished in 1933 by the Mussolini government. It returned to the fold in 1950 only to face further encroachment from housing construction, road building and ski developers.

The park has managed to remain at the forefront of Italy’s conservation movement, reintroducing and protecting wild animals such as the Abruzzo chamois, Apennine wolf, lynx, deer and – most notably – Marsican bear (the park has Italy’s largest surviving enclave of these threatened animals).

Today the park extends over three regions, with over half of it covered in thick beech forest. Thanks to its long history, it receives more visitors than other parks – around two million annually.

1Sights & Activities

Right in the middle of the park, the red-roofed town of Pescasseroli has the open, airy feel of a large village. Narrow streets and medieval churches suggest a rich history, but the lure of the wilderness is never far away. The Centro di Visita di Pescasseroli ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0863 911 32 21; www.parcoabruzzo.it; Viale Colli dell'Oro, Pescasseroli; adult/reduced €6/4; h10am-5.30pm) is interesting, but for a better rundown of the park's flora and fauna, head 17km southeast to Civitella Alfedena, whose wolf museum doubles as an info centre.

Situated on a hilltop 6km from Pescasseroli is Opi, a borgo più bella d'Italia (one of Italy's most beautiful towns). It's one of the highest settlements in the park (1250m), makes an attractive base and is home to the little Centro Visita del Camoscio ( GOOGLE MAP ; www.parcoabruzzo.it; Via Affacciata, Opi; h9am-1pm & 3.30-7.30pm summer, 10am-1pm & 3.30-6.30pm winter), a wildlife sanctuary that studies the Apennine chamois.

On the park's eastern edge and about 17km from Opi is the picturesque Lago di Barrea, with the venerable and handsome town of Barrea positioned on a rocky spur above the lake.

At nearby Civitella Alfedena, a seductive hamlet reached via a bridge across the lake, you can learn about the Appenine wolf and other fauna (and flora) at the Museo del Lupo Appenninico (Appenine Wolf Museum; GOOGLE MAP ; %0864 890141; Via Santa Lucia, Civitella Alfedena; adult/reduced €3/2; h10am-1.30pm & 3-6.30pm Apr-Sep, to 5.30pm Oct-Mar).

Hiking opportunities abound, whether you want to go it alone or with an organised group. There are numerous outfits, including Ecotur ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0863 91 27 60; www.ecotur.org; Via Piave 9, Pescasseroli; h9am-1pm & 4-7.30pm), offering guided excursions. Between May and October, there are horse treks with Centro Ippico Vallecupa ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0863 91 04 44; www.agriturismomaneggiovallecupa.it; Via della Difesa Monte Tranquillo, Pescasseroli; rides 1hr/full day €20/80).

WALKING & WILDLIFE

With about 150 well-marked routes, signalled by white and red marks daubed on trees and rocks, the Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise is a mecca for hikers. Trails range from easy family jaunts to multi-day hikes over rocky peaks and exposed highlands. The best time to go is between June and September, although access to some of the busier routes around Pescasseroli is often limited in July and August. To book entry to trails, contact the Centro di Visita in Pescasseroli or the Museo del Lupo Appenninico in Civitella Alfedena.

Don't set off without the official hiking map (€12), available at all local tourist offices. Note that the time estimates given are one way only.

Two of the area's most popular hikes are the climbs up Monte Amaro di Opi (1862m; Route F1) and Monte Tranquillo (1841m; Route C3). The Monte Amaro di Opi route, a 2¼-hour hike, starts from a car park 7km southeast of Pescasseroli (follow the SS83 for about 2km beyond Opi) and rises steeply up to the peaks, where you're rewarded with stupendous views over the Valle del Sangro. There's quite a good chance of spotting a chamois on this walk.

The Monte Tranquillo route takes about 2½ hours from a starting point 1km south of Pescasseroli (follow signs for the Hotel Iris and Centro Ippico Vallecupa). If you still have your breath at the top, you can continue northwards along the Rocca ridge before descending down to Pescasseroli from the north. This beautiful but challenging 19.5km circuit takes six or seven hours.

You may be lucky enough to spot an Apennine wolf or a Marsican brown bear on your hike: this might sound like a scary prospect, but the animals are extremely shy, the only possible threat being from a female bear protecting her cubs. Lynx, chamois, roe deer, wild boar, golden eagles and peregrine hawks also inhabit the park, and flora includes the rare lady's slipper orchid.

4Sleeping & Eating

oLa Fattoria di MorganaAGRITURISMO€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %334 1564908; www.lafattoriadimorgana.it; Via Fonte Dei Cementi Snc, Opi; per person €40)

It's hard to imagine a lovelier place in which to base yourself than this agriturismo below the stunning village of Opi. Surrounded by forest-clad mountains, you'll not only have gregarious farmers Simon and Claudia for company, but also their menagerie of ducks, goats, pigs, horses and adorable Abruzzo sheepdogs, usually including litters of puppies. It's worth the extra €20 for Claudia's excellent cooking.

oAlbergo Antico Borga La TorreHOTEL€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0864 89 01 21; www.albergolatorre.com; Via Castello 3, Civitella Alfedena; half-board per person €50; pW)

Housed in an atmospheric palazzo incorporating Civitella Alfedena's oldest (medieval) tower, this attractive and spotless hotel is deservedly popular with hikers. Also in-house is the Ristorante La Torre, serving delicious Abruzzese food, after which the owner might treat you to his homemade (and eye-wateringly strong) digestivo.

Il Duca degli AbruzziITALIAN€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0863 91 10 75; Piazza Duca degli Abruzzi 5, Pescasseroli; meal €25; hlunch & dinner)

This handsome hotel-restaurant is located on a quiet square in Pescasseroli's centro storico. Everything is homemade and utterly delicious: try the truffle pasta or potato gnocchi, and follow up with baked cod or grilled pork, washed down with Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.

8Getting There & Away

Pescasseroli, Civitella Alfedena and other villages in the national park are linked by ARPA (%800 762622; www.arpaonline.it) buses to Avezzano (€5, 1½ hours, six daily) from where you can change for L'Aquila, Pescara and Rome. Buses also head to Castel di Sangro, where there are connections to Sulmona and Naples.

Pescara

Pop 120,400

Abruzzo's largest city is a heavily developed seaside resort with one of the biggest marinas on the Adriatic. The city was heavily bombed during WWII, reducing much of the centre to rubble. It's a lively place with an animated seafront, especially in summer, but unless you're coming for the 16km of sandy beaches, there's no great reason to hang around. One attraction not to miss is the Museo delle Genti d'Abruzzo, which has plenty that will appeal to kids too.

1Sights

Pescara's main attraction is its long stretch of beachfront, and the shopping precinct around pedestrianised Corso Umberto. From Piazzale della Repubblica, the beach is a short walk down Corso Umberto. The only vaguely old streets in Pescara are on the south side of the Aterno-Pescara river, occupying the site of the former Roman town of Aternum.

Museo delle Genti d'AbruzzoMUSEUM

( GOOGLE MAP ; %085 451 00 26; Via delle Caserme 24; adult/reduced €6/3; h8.30am-2pm Mon-Sat)

Located on a quiet road parallel to the river on the opposite bank from the centre, this wonderful museum illustrates Abruzzo peasant culture. The information is mainly in Italian, but the objects in the 16 themed rooms speak eloquently for themselves. There are shepherds' capes, carnival masks, outlandish silver saddle pommels and even a conical stone hut, and the section on Scanno costume and jewellery is outstanding. Hours can vary; call ahead to be sure.

Museo Casa Natale Gabriele D'AnnunzioMUSEUM

( GOOGLE MAP ; %085 6 03 91; www.proloco.pescara.it/arte_cultura.php; Corso Manthonè 116; €2; h9am-1pm Tue-Sat & 3-5.30pm Tue & Thu)

The birthplace of controversial fascist poet Gabriele D'Annunzio is small but excellently curated, with nine rooms displaying furniture, documents, photos and his death mask displayed in a polished glass case.

zFestivals & Events

Pescara JazzMUSIC

(%box office 085 454 09 69; www.pescarajazz.com; tickets from €15; hmid-Jul)

This international jazz festival is held over nearly two weeks in mid-July at the Teatro D'Annunzio and Porto Turistico. Previous highlights have included big-name stars such as Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock and Stan Getz.

4Sleeping

Villa del PavoneB&B€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %085 421 17 70; www.villadelpavone.it; Via Pizzoferrato 30; s/d/tr €60/80/100; paW)

You'll find this lovely home away from home on a quiet residential street, about 300m behind the train station. A model of old-fashioned pride, it's laden with gleaming antiques and chichi knick-knacks. Outside, the lush garden, presided over by a resident peacock, is the setting for excellent breakfasts in the warmer months.

Hotel VictoriaHOTEL€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %085 37 41 32; www.victoriapescara.com; Via Piave 142; s/d €95/124; paiW)

A top-notch hotel in a handsome building in the city centre, the Victoria is a memorable place with Impressionist paintings etched onto bedroom doors, curvaceous balconies and an excellent downstairs cafe. Best of all, though, is the service, which goes above and beyond the call of duty. Bonuses include a fitness centre and a spa.

5Eating & Drinking

Head to Corso Manthonè and the surrounding streets for the greatest density of interesting bars.

Caffè LetterarioCAFE€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %085 6 42 43; Via delle Caserme 62; lunch buffet €10; h9am-6pm Sun-Wed, to 3am Thu-Sat)

This popular lunchtime spot has huge floor-to-ceiling windows and exposed-brick walls. The menu changes daily, or you can do as the locals do, and enjoy the fabulous value of the lunchtime buffet (€10 with starter, water and coffee; it includes poached veal, greens, cold cuts, baked vegetables and much more). There's live music Thursday to Saturday nights.

oOsteria dei SabatiniABRUZZESE€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %380 6463551; Via Piave 61; meal €30; h12.30-3pm & 7.30-11.30pm Tue-Sat, 12.30-2.30pm Sun)

Bringing Abruzzo's mountain cuisine to the coast, this osteria serves some of Pescara's best food. Hearty simplicity is to the fore in dishes such as pasta alla gricia (pasta with cured pork jowl and pecorino) frittatina alle ortiche di montagna (mountain-nettle frittata) and filetto di maiale al ginepro del Gran Sasso (pork fillet in Gran Sasso juniper).

There are great Abruzzese wines, too.

8Information

Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION

( GOOGLE MAP ; %085 42 90 01, 800 502520; www.proloco.pescara.it; Corso Emanuele II 301; h9am-1pm & 4-7pm Jun-Sep, 9am-1pm & 3-6pm Oct-May)

Run by Abruzzo Turismo.

8Getting There & Around

Air

Abruzzo International Airport ( GOOGLE MAP ; %895 8989512; www.abruzzoairport.com; Via Tiburtina Km 229) Pescara's airport is 3km out of town and easily reached by bus 38 (€1.10, 20 minutes, every 15 minutes) from in front of the train station. Ryanair flies to London Stansted, and Alitalia flies to Milan and Rome-Fiumicino.

Boat

Ferries leave from the Marina di Pescara ( GOOGLE MAP ; %085 45 46 81; www.marinape.com; Via Papa Giovanni XXIII), immediately south of the Ponte del Mare (the footbridge over the mouth of the Pescara river).

SNAV ferries run several times per week between Pescara and two destinations on the Croatian island of Hvar.

Contact Agenzia Sanmar ( GOOGLE MAP ; %085 451 08 73; www.sanmar.it; 1 Località Porto Turistico) at the port for ferry information and tickets to Croatia.

Bus

ARPA ( GOOGLE MAP ; %800 762622; www.arpaonline.it) Buses connect Pescara with Rome (€17, three hours, 11 daily), Naples (€26, four hours, five daily), Sulmona (€6, one hour, 11 daily), L'Aquila (€8, 1½ hours, 10 daily) and towns throughout Abruzzo and Molise.

Pescara has a local bus system, but its attractions are closely clustered enough to explore on foot.

Train

Direct trains run from Pescara Centrale to Ancona (from €11, 1¼ to 2¼ hours, frequent), Bari (from €20, 2¾ to 4¾ hours, frequent), Rome (from €15, 3½ to 5½ hours, seven daily) and Sulmona (€5.80, 1¼ hours, 20 daily).

Chieti

Pop 51,300

Overlooking the Aterno valley, Chieti is a sprawling hilltop town with roots dating back to pre-Roman times when, as capital of the Marrucini tribe, it was known as Teate Marrucinorum. Later, in the 4th century BC, it was conquered by the Romans and incorporated into the Roman Republic.

The comune of Chieti splits into two parts: Chieti Scalo is the new commercial district, while hilltop Chieti Alta is of more interest to travellers thanks to two fine archaeology museums and handsome streets lined with dignified buildings and dotted with Roman remains.

1Sights

oMuseo Archeologico Nazionale d'Abruzzo – Villa FrigerjMUSEUM

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0871 40 43 92; www.archeoabruzzo.beniculturali.it; Via Costanzi 2, Villa Comunale; adult/reduced €4/2; h9am-8pm Tue-Sun)

Housed in a neoclassical villa in the Villa Comunale park, Abruzzo's chief archaeological museum displays a comprehensive collection of local finds, illuminating Chieti's three millennia of existence. While the primary focus is on the vanished worlds of the Marrucini, Aequi, Marsi, Sabini and other tribes that inhabited central Italy prior to Roman expansion, there are also plenty of Roman artefacts. Of particular note are impressive coin hoards and classical sculpture – including a colossal seated Hercules from the 1st century BC.

Museo Archeologico Nazionale d'Abruzzo – La CivitellaMUSEUM

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0871 6 31 37; www.archeoabruzzo.beniculturali.it; Via Pianell; adult/reduced €4/2; h8.30am-7.30pm Tue-Sat, to 1.30pm Sun)

'La Civitella' is a modern museum curled around a Roman amphitheatre, built at the city's highest point in the first century AD, and restored in 2000. Exhibits charting the history of Chieti and the area since Paleolithic times include relics of the pre-Roman Marrucini and statuary and everyday items from early Imperial Rome.

4Sleeping & Eating

Chieti is oddly under-supplied with restaurants, although street food such as focaccia stuffed with porchetta (roast pork) is cheap and excellent.

Agriturismo Il QuadrifoglioAGRITURISMO€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0871 6 34 00; www.agriturismoilquadrifoglio.com; Strada Licini 22; s/d/tr €40/50/70; pWs)

About 3km downhill from Chieti's historic centre, this picturesque agriturismo is set in a farmhouse with rustic rooms, panoramic views over surrounding woods and farmlands and a lovely, rambling garden. Meals are around €20. To get here, follow signs to Colle Marcone.

Grande Albergo AbruzzoHOTEL€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0871 4 19 40; www.albergoabruzzo.it; Via Herio 20; d from €59; pW)

Well located on the lip of Chieti Alta, this flamingo-pink albergo offers panoramic views of coast and mountains. The Grande's rooms are more dusty than grand these days, but there are other perks – such as the outdoor terrace, left-luggage facility, on-site restaurant and bar, and free parking.

8Information

Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION

(Abruzzo Promozione Turismo; GOOGLE MAP ; %0871 6 59 67; Via Spaventa 47; h8am-1pm & 4-7pm Mon-Sat Jul-Sep, shorter hours rest of year)

Chieti's tourist office can provide information and accommodation listings for the town and surrounding area.

8Getting There & Away

ARPA ( GOOGLE MAP ; %800 762622; www.arpaonline.it) buses link Chieti Scalo with Pescara (€2.20, 20 minutes, frequent).

Vasto & Around

On Abruzzo's southern coast, the hilltop town of Vasto has an atmospheric medieval quarter and superb sea views. Much of the centro storico (historic centre) dates from the 15th century, a period in which the city was known as 'the Athens of the Abruzzi'; it's also distinguished as the birthplace of the poet Gabriele Rossetti.

Two kilometres downhill is the blowzy resort of Vasto Marina, a strip of hotels, restaurants and campgrounds fronting a long sandy beach. About 5km north of town along the coast is the beautiful Spiaggia di Punta Penna and the Riserva Naturale di Punta Aderci ( GOOGLE MAP ; www.puntaderci.it).

In summer the action is on the beach at Vasto Marina. In the old town, interest revolves around the small historic centre, with its landmark Castello Caldoresco, located on Piazza Rossetti, and the low-key Romanesque Cattedrale di San Giuseppe. The Renaissance Palazzo d'Avalos hosts four museums, including the Museo Archeologico.

1Sights

Palazzo d'AvalosMUSEUM

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0873 36 77 73; www.museipalazzodavalos.it; Piazza Pudente; palazzo & museums adult/reduced €5/3.50; h10am-1pm & 6-11pm Jul & Aug, shorter hours rest of year)

The Renaissance Palazzo d’Avalos houses four museums: the Museo Archeologico (adult/reduced €3/1.50), with its eclectic collection of ancient bronzes, glasswork and paintings; the Pinacoteca Comunale (€4/2), featuring paintings by the Palizzi brothers and other 19th-century artists; the Galleria d'Arte Contemporanea (€3/1.50) with 80 works by contemporary Italian and Spanish artists; and the Museo del Costume (€3/1.50), with donated Abruzzese folk outfits dating back to the early 19th century.

Cattedrale di San GiuseppeCATHEDRAL

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0873 36 71 93; Piazza Pudente; h8.30am-noon & 4.30-7pm)

The facade is a lovely low-key example of 13th-century Romanesque architecture; the rest of the building was destroyed in 1566 when the city was sacked by the Turks, and later rebuilt.

4Sleeping & Eating

oResidenza AmblinghHOTEL€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0873 36 27 02; www.amblingh.it; Via Portone Panzotto 13, Loggia Amblingh; ste €190; W)

Central Vasto's most stylish accommodation, this residenza offers beautifully decorated suites, some with sea views and all making luxurious use of the stone-walled rooms of a handsome 18th-century palazzo. It's on the Loggia Amblingh, Vasto's scenic Adriatic-facing promenade.

Sunrise Agri FoodITALIAN€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0873 6 93 41; Loggia Amblingh 51; meal €25; hnoon-3pm & 7.30pm-midnight Wed-Mon)

This friendly, slightly brash little place offers swoonworthy sea views and delicious home cooking, with seafood particularly recommended (and apt, with the Adriatic spread out before you). The frittura mista (mixed fried seafood) is a good bet. To get here, follow the passeggiata (evening stroll) sign to the right of the Museo Civico.

8Getting There & Away

The train station (Vasto-San Salvo) is about 2km south of Vasto Marina. Trains run frequently to Pescara (€4.80, one hour) and Termoli (from €2.60, 15 minutes). From the station take bus 1 or 4 for Vasto Marina and the town centre (€1.10).

Molise

Of Italy’s 20 regions, Molise probably ranks 20th in terms of name recognition. In fact, until 1970, it was part of Abruzzo, the adjacent region it closely resembles. Mountains and hills rather than people crowd the interior, while flatter plains guard a short 35km stretch of Adriatic coast. Although Campobasso is the largest city, its brightest attractions are Termoli, a higgledy-piggledy coastal town characterised by its trabucchi (fishing platforms), and Isernia and Saepinum, for glimpses of the Palaeolithic and Roman past. Molise has suffered steady depopulation since the late 19th century, adding to its sense of isolation.

8Getting There & Away

Molise has no international airport. Typically, visitors arrive by road from Campania, Puglia or Abruzzo.

Campobasso

Pop 49,300

Molise's regional capital and main transport hub is a sprawling, uninspiring city with little to recommend it. However, if you do find yourself passing through, the pocket-sized centro storico (historic centre) is worth a quick look.

Although rarely open, the Romanesque churches of San Bartolomeo ( GOOGLE MAP ; Salita San Bartolomeo) and San Giorgio ( GOOGLE MAP ; Salita San Bartolomeo) are fine examples of their genre. Further up the hill, at the top of a steep tree-lined avenue, sits Castello Monforte, while below is the small Museo Sannitico.

1Sights

Castello MonforteCASTLE

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0874 6 32 99; www.incima.eu; Viale delle Rimembranze; h9am-1pm yr-round & 3.30-7.30pm Apr-Sep, 3-5pm Oct-Mar)F

At the top of a steep tree-lined avenue sits this squat, quadrangular tower, much of which was built in the 15th and 16th centuries after the original Norman castle was damaged by earthquake in 1456. The views towards the Appenines are spectacular.

Museo SanniticoMUSEUM

(Samnite Museum; GOOGLE MAP ; %0874 41 22 65; Via Chiarizia 12; adult/reduced €4/2; h9.30am-7pm Wed-Mon)F

Samnite ceramics found in Castello Monforte are now on show at the small Museo Sannitico, along with weapons, armour and sculptures from local archaeological sites. The Samnites were the pre-Roman nation that once controlled the area around Campobasso.

4Sleeping & Eating

Most travellers pass through Campobasso. If you do need to overnight here, there are good B&Bs and hotels to be found in the old town, near the junction of Vias Ziccardi and Cannavina.

Trattoria La Grotta di Zi ConcettaTRATTORIA€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0874 31 13 78; Via Larino 9; meal €28; hnoon-2pm & 7.30-10.30pm Mon-Fri)

Equally good for a spot of lunch or dinner, this old-school stone-walled trattoria serves delicious homemade pasta and superb meat dishes.

8Information

Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION

(Chamber of Commerce; GOOGLE MAP ; %0874 41 56 62; Piazza della Vittoria 14; h8.30am-12.30pm Mon-Fri & 3.30-4.30pm Mon & Wed)

8Getting There & Away

Trains run to/from Isernia (€3.10, 50 minutes, up to 14 daily) and Termoli (€4.40, 1¾ hours, five daily).

Buses run to/from Termoli (€3.20, 1¼ hours, 10 daily), Naples (€10, 2¾ hours, four daily on weekdays) and Rome (€12.10, three hours, five daily).

DON'T MISS

SAEPINUM

One of Molise’s hidden treasures, the Roman ruins of Saepinum ( GOOGLE MAP ; h9am-7pm) are among the best preserved and least visited in the country. Unlike Pompeii and Ostia Antica, which were both major ports, Saepinum was a small provincial town of no great importance. It was originally established by the Samnites but the Romans conquered it in 293 BC, paving the way for an economic boom in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. Some 700 years later, it was sacked by Arab invaders.

The walled town retains three of its four original gates and its two main roads, the cardusmaximus and the decamanus. Highlights include the forum, basilica and theatre – where you'll find the Museo Archeologico Vittoriano ( GOOGLE MAP ; adult/reduced €2/1; h8.30am-2pm & 2.30-5pm Tue-Sun).

It's not easy to reach Saepinum by public transport, but the bus from Campobasso to Sepino (€1.20, six daily weekdays) generally stops near the site at Altilia, although it's best to ask the driver.

Isernia

Pop 21,800

With roots stretching back to the pre-Roman Samnites and beyond (to our proto-human ancestors), the city known to the Romans as Aesernia is historically rich. This may not be immediately apparent, as earthquakes and a massive WWII bombing raid have spared little of its original centro storico. But spend some time and you'll discover an undemonstrative old town harbouring sights such as the Fontana Fraterna, a 19th-century fountain built of ancient Roman stones; the 14th-century Cattedrale di San Pietro Apostolo and various Roman and medieval arches and statuary. Among all that, you'll also stumble across some wonderful trattorias doing real Molisan food for the locals.

But the main historical draw is La Pineta, a 700,000 year-old archaeological site that is one of Europe's oldest proto-human links and has an intriguing museum.

1Sights

The hills surrounding Isernia are peppered with sights rich in history, from Pietrabbondante's ancient Samnite theatre-temple complex ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0865 7 61 29; http://archeologicamolise.beniculturali.it; Località Calcatello, Pietrabbondante; adult/reduced €2/1; h10am-7.30pm May-Aug, to 3.30pm Sep-Apr, closed Mon) to Abbazia di San Vicenzo al Volturno ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0865 95 52 46; www.sanvincenzoalvolturno.it; h9am-2pm Tue-Sun), an ancient abbey graced by precious 9th-century frescoes.

oMuseo Paleolitico di IserniaMUSEUM

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0865 29 06 87; Contrada Ramiera Vecchia; adult/reduced €4/2; h8am-7pm Tue-Sun)

Built around the adjacent 730,000-year-old archaeological site of La Pineta, this intriguing museum includes piles of elephant and rhino bones, the remains of ancient lions, fossils, and stone tools left by our ancestor, Homo erectus. Uncovered by road workers in 1978, La Pineta is basically a huge abattoir, in which butchered kills were hidden from predators in the mud. Excavations are ongoing, and in 2014 archaeologists found the tooth of a young child dated to around 586,000 years ago.

4Sleeping & Eating

Isernia's outstanding, great-value trattorias are one of its foremost attractions.

Residenze Portacastello GraffolusB&B€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0865 23 45 79; www.residenzeportacastello.it; Vico Storto Castello 42; s/d/apt €55/65/75)

A renovated, early-17th-century stone building in Isernia's historic heart is the setting for this welcoming and well-run B&B. Spread over three floors, the seven rooms and two apartments (with kitchenettes) feature parquet floors, whitewash and stone walls, good-quality beds and (in some) fireplaces.

Nabucco Osteria VerdiOSTERIA€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0865 41 34 58; Corso Marcelli 160; meal €23; hnoon-11pm Tue-Sat, to 2.30pm Sun)

Typical of the generosity and unabashed home-style cooking of Isernia's best osterie, this friendly place is a great way to experience the food of Molise. Secondi (perhaps tagliata di manzo, strips of beef with rocket and parmesan) are mainly meaty, but primi such as gnocchi in rosemary sauce or paccheri with gorgonzola and porcini gives vegetarians enough to work with.

O’PizzaiuoloOSTERIA€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0865 41 27 76; www.ristoranteopizzaiuolo.it; Corso Marcelli 253; pizza/meal €7/23; hnoon-3.30pm & 7.30pm-midnight)

For dinner hit Osteria O'Pizzaiuolo in the old town for epic cavatelli (small pasta shells) with sausage and broccoli, or beef with black truffles.

8Information

Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION

( GOOGLE MAP ; %338 3976081; www.prolocoisernia.com; Piazza San Pietro Celestino V; h9am-6pm Mon-Sat)

Includes a small civic museum.

8Getting There & Away

Bus

From the bus station ( GOOGLE MAP ; Piazza della Repubblica) next to the train station on Piazza della Repubblica, ATM runs buses to Campobasso (€3.50, one hour, three daily), Termoli (€4.90, 1½ hours, one daily), and Castel San Vincenzo (€1.50, 35 minutes, three daily), a 1km walk from Abbazia di San Vincenzo al Volturno. Get tickets from Bar Ragno d'Oro on Piazza della Repubblica.

From Isernia, SATI buses serve Pietrabbondante (€1.65, 35 minutes, three to four daily) and Agnone (€2.05, one hour, three to four daily).

Train

Trains connect Isernia with Sulmona (from €8.35, three to four hours, one to two changes, two daily), Campobasso (€3.10, one hour, 14 daily), Naples (€6.75, two hours, four direct services daily) and Rome (€11.30, 2¼ hours, seven direct services daily).

Termoli

Pop 33,700

Despite its touristy trattorias and brassy bars, Molise's top beach resort retains a winning, low-key charm. At the eastern end of the seafront, the pretty borgo antico (old town) juts out to sea like a massive pier, dividing the sandy beach from Termoli's small harbour. From the sea wall you'll see several typical Molisan trabucchi (fishing platforms).

1Sights

Cattedrale di Santa Maria della PurificazioneCATHEDRAL

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0875 70 80 25; Piazza Duomo; h7.30-11.50am & 4.30-8pm)

Termoli's majestic 12th-century cathedral is a masterpiece of Puglian-Romanesque architecture. The cream-coloured facade features a striking round-arched central portal. The remains of an earlier basilica and a pagan temple (to Castor and Pollux) lie beneath the current structure.

Castello SvevoCASTLE

(Swabian Castle; GOOGLE MAP ; %0875 71 23 54; Largo Castello; hby request)

Termoli’s most famous landmark, Frederick II’s 13th-century Castello Svevo guards the entry to the tiny borgo.

4Sleeping & Eating

Locanda AlfieriB&B€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0875 70 81 13; www.locandalfieri.com; Via Duomo 39; s/d/tr €53/99/130; aW)

An albergo diffuso with rooms scattered throughout the centro storico (historic centre), this is a great base from which to explore Termoli, the Isole Tremiti and Molise. Room styles vary from 'creative' traditional to modern-chic (some with uber-cool showers with mood lighting).

oResidenza SvevaHOTEL€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0875 70 68 03; www.residenzasveva.com; Piazza Duomo 11; r from €129; aW)

This elegant centro storico albergo diffuso has its reception on Piazza Duomo, near the cathedral, but the 21 rooms are squeezed into several palazzi in the borgo. The style is summery with plenty of gleaming blue tiles and traditional embroidery. There's also an excellent, elegant seafood restaurant, Svevia ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0875 55 02 84; www.svevia.it; h12.30-2.30pm & 8-10.30pm Tue-Sun), on site.

Ristorante Da NicolinoSEAFOOD€€

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0875 70 68 04; Via Roma 13; meal €35; h12.30-3pm & 7.30-11pm Fri-Wed)

Well regarded by locals, this discreet restaurant near the entrance to the old town serves some of the best seafood in town. Highly recommended is the brodetto alla termolese (fish soup of Termoli) and the stuffed squid.

8Information

Tourist Office ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0875 70 39 13; www.termoli.net; 1st fl, Piazza Bega 42; h8am-2pm & 3-6pm Mon & Wed, 8am-2pm Tue, Thu & Fri) Helpful but hard to find, Termoli's tourist office is tucked away in a dodgy-looking car park behind a small shopping gallery, 100m east of the train station.

8Getting There & Away

Boat

Termoli is the only port with year-round ferries to the Isole Tremiti. Tirrenia Navigazione ( GOOGLE MAP ; %049 61114020; www.tirrenia.it) runs a year-round ferry and Navigazione Libera del Golfo ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0875 70 48 59; www.navlib.it; hApr-Sep) operates a quicker hydrofoil in summer. Buy tickets online or at the port (east of the old town).

Bus

Termoli's bus station ( GOOGLE MAP ; Via Martiri della Resistenza) is beside Via Martiri della Resistenza. Various companies have services to/from Campobasso (€3.20, 1¼ hours, 10 daily), Isernia (€4.90, 1½ hours, five daily), Pescara (from €5.40, 1¾ hours, up to nine daily) and Rome (from €16, 3½ to five hours, up to five daily).

Train

Direct trains serve Bologna (from €46, four to 5½ hours, 10 daily), Lecce (from €42, 3½ to 4½ hours, 10 daily) and stations along the Adriatic coast.

2Driving Tour
Cut to the Heart

Start: Sulmona

End: Riserva Naturale di Punta Aderci

Length: 245km to 310km; one week

A cobbled oasis of food, culture and history in mountainous southern Abruzzo, 1Sulmona is the place to start. With its attractive historic centre, welcoming vibe and great trattorias, it's an undemonstrative gem of central Italy. Check out the market on Piazza Garibaldi (Wednesday and Saturday mornings) then join the locals on their passeggiata (evening stroll) along Corso Ovidio. After a night in Sulmona, push on southward to hilltop 2Scanno. It's a slow, scenic drive that takes you through the breathtaking Gole di Sagittario, a rocky gorge that squeezes the road like a natural vice, and up past the beautiful Lago di Scanno. Scanno's dramatic appearance has made it something of a tourist attraction, but visit outside summer and you'll find it a tranquil spot.

From Scanno, the next leg takes you into the national parks. From Lago di Barrea you can head deep into the magnificent Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise, the most popular of Abruzzo's three national parks, and set up camp in 3Civitella Alfedena. Or you can head north and take the long way round to pretty 4Pescocostanzo in the Parco Nazionale della Majella. Either way, spend a couple of days exploring the surrounding mountains. Once you've recharged your batteries, continue on past Isernia to the well-preserved Roman ruins at 5Saepinum.

After the mountains, it's time to hit the coast and top up your tan at 6Termoli, or further up the road at 7Vasto, both popular Adriatic resorts. From Termoli the Isole Tremiti, three gorgeous islands in the Adriatic, are just a day trip away. But if the crowds get too much (and they might in summer), go north to the 8Spiaggia di Punta Penna, a lovely beach in the Riserva Naturale di Punta Aderci.