Sea and mountains are both present in this region, with its beautiful beaches along the Adriatic coast and the interior landscape, dominated by the Gran Sasso massif, the Laga mountains and the Velino-Sirente massif. In Abruzzo viticulture is carried out under different microclimatic conditions and the wine tourist can find a great variety of beautiful landscapes: hills, beaches, ancient villages. Some of the most noteworthy wines produced are the Controguerra Doc (from the province of Teramo), Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Doc and Trebbiano d’Abruzzo Doc (from the provinces of L’Aquila, Chieti, Pescara, Teramo). The starting point of the Controguerra Wine Road, in the province of Teramo, is Alba Adriatica, a modern seaside resort, not far from Martinsicuro. Moving inland for about 10 kilometers, through vineyards and olive groves, the visitorreaches the village of Colonnella, with a characteristic flight of steps, leading to the fourteenth-century clock tower. The Palazzo Pardi, a wonderful mansion built in the eighteenth centuryand recently restored, is not to be missed.
In Abruzzo, a good part of the vineyard is on hills and slopes. So they obtain the best micro-climatic conditions, such as exposure and ventilation, which give the quality of grapes and wine
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Vineyards of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Doc: it's the most important wine in the region, a red and structured one
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In Controguerra, a nearby town giving its name to the famous Doc wine, the wine tourist can see a medieval tower built in 1279, and a beautiful wooden statue of St Anthony of Padua, in the little church of San Francesco. The Aprutine Hills are another destination for the wine tourist, with the towns of Giulianova, Mosciano, Notaresco and Roseto degli Abruzzi, between the Tordino and the Vomano rivers, in the province of Teramo. In this territory, montepulciano, trebbiano, moscato, chardonnay and passerina grape varieties are produced. The trading port in Giulianova is a good landing place for Adriatic fish, which can be excellently paired with the white wines of Abruzzo. The old town, perched on the hill facing the beach, is certainly worth a visit, with the Cathedral of San Flaiano, built in 1470 and the Convent of the Capuchin Friars.
A view of Loreto Aprutino, in the province of Pescara (photo Municipality)
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The area of Villamagna, in the province of Chieti. In the background the Maiella Massif hangs over the valley
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The wine tourist can follow other itineraries in southern Abruzzo, to visit the Teatine Hills, in the Chieti province. Francavilla al Mare is a well-known seaside resort. In the upper part of the town, in 1883, artist Francesco Paolo Michetti transformed the Convento Michetti into a literary, artistic circle, which inspired some of the works of Gabriele D’Annunzio, the famous Italian writer, born in Pescara.The Teatine Hills are dominated by the impressive Majella massif. In Guardiagrele and San Martino sulla Marruccina, the inhabitants still remember the old times when dry vine branches were used to light gunpowder. In Orsogna, the medieval Torre Pellegrina can be admired. And in Ortona, on the Adriatic coast, there are a beautiful Aragonese castle and the cathedral of San Tommaso Apostolo, enshrining the remains of St Thomas.
Places to visit
Chamois, in Opi, in the Abruzzo National Park (photo by Roman Visco)
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Barrea Lake, in the National Park (photo by Valentino Mastrella)
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In Abruzzo, wildlife reserves are numerous. The most important one is the Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo, established in 1923, which covers more than 44 thousand hectares, as far as the Lazio and Molise regions. It offers 150 hiking trails, a dozen of nature trails, unique flora and fauna. Two thousand species of plants have been surveyed in the park, apart from mosses, lichens, algae and fungi. Among the animal species in the park there are more than 60 mammals, 300 birds, 40 reptiles, amphibians and fish. The chamois of Abruzzo, the brown Marsicano bear, the wolf, the deer and the golden eagle live there (tel 0863.91131).
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