Tired of big crowds consisting of mostly American tourists? Just head east out of Rome to come to Italy's rustic heart, and in just a few hours you'll be in one of Italy's best kept secrets - The Abruzzo.
Alba Fucens - An Important Roman Settlement
About midway between Rome and the Adriatic Coast lies the remains of Alba Fucens, a Roman site built to be a sort of half-way city for visitors and troops on the way to the coast. Dramatically set in a valley ringed by mountains, the view of the relatively large and sophisticated town plopped down seemingly in the middle of nowhere must have been stunning to come upon.
The first 6000 settlers arrived in Alba in 303 b.c. It soon became a military stronghold; its isolation made it ideal for holding political prisoners taken by the Roman army, like Syphax, king of Numidia or Perseus of Macedonia.
To get to Alba Fucens: You can take the Autostrada (fast toll road) A24 east out of Rome, or A25 west from Pescara, exiting at Avezzano and following the signs to Massa d'Alba north of the Autostrada, then following signs to Alba Fucens. If you're coming from Rome, you may want use the parallel and more scenic S5, stopping to see Tivoli on the way. (Offsite map) The site is free to visit.
See our pictures (in slide show format) of Alba Fucens.
A Scenic Drive in the Abruzzo
Here is a great driving trip for exploring the mountains, lakes and interesting towns around Alba Fucens: A round trip from Rieti - L’Aquila - Avezzano - Lago del Salto - Rieti (total 212 km) is very scenic.
The many Parks in the Abruzzo
If you like interesting day hikes, you're in the right place if you're in the Abruzzo. The Abruzzo has quite a few National Parks and nature preserves, among them the National Park of Abruzzo, the Majella National Park, the mountainous Gran Sasso, and the Parco Naturale Regionale Sirente-Velino.
I recommend the National Park of the Abruzzo. To get there, Take the Pescina exit off the A25 Autostrada and continue through the twisty Devil's Pass (Passo di Diavalo) and stopping off at the town of Pescasseroli for information or to stay the night (it's crowded in summer, so you may wish to reserve ahead).
Many hiking trails are available, and you may see Apennine wolves, Marsican bears, foxes, mountain goats or the rare Apennine lynx. An excellent description of what's in store for the visitor the the national park is found in In Italy Online's The National Park of the Abruzzo.
A Word on Abruzzo Cuisine (La Cucina Abruzzese)
Like the territory, the traditional Cuisine of the Abruzzo is rustic, with many dishes made from lamb and mutton. As with many rural areas, the preservation of food in the Abruzzo has become an art. My favorite salame comes from here: Ventricina. Ventricina is spicy from the addition of hot chilies, and contains some orange peel to give it an interesting tang. There is also a rare lamb salame made here, salame di pecora.
A wonderful introduction to the cuisine of the Abruzzo is found in Micol Negrin's Abruzzo: Background page. There are recipes there as will, as Micol has published an informative cookbook called Rustico: Regional Italian Country Cooking. For more Italian resources on this site, see our Italian Maps and Resources page.
Abruzzo on the Web
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Abruzzo Tourism Service
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Abruzzo Events (in Italian)
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Two or Three Days Around Maiella National Park
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Parco Naturale Regionale Sirente-Velino - Protected Area
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The Gran Sasso
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The National Park of Abruzzo
