Parco Nazionale d' Abruzzo Travel Forum

Anybody have any more info on this area. ( I've seen one VT members page) Just got some travel brochures on it and it looks tempting to go and also to combine with Rome.

Hi Sandy,

I've been here, but only passing through the area. It's gorgeous though! I can reccommend going here! I didn't have time enough on my trip to stay here, but otherwise I would have.
I think the combination with Rome is very good! I was surprised myself how close together it is.

:-) Simone

hahaha...It was just crossing my mind..."I wonder if Simone has been here". So you think it looks like my kind of hiking/nature place?
Brochures show lovely hilltop and lakeside villages (almost tuscan looking I'd say) and the mountains behind.

Yes, I think it is absolutely your kind of place. I am sure you will love it! It's beautiful and it is quiet, not a lot of tourists around when I was there, so that is great!
I wish I could give your some more info, but I only passed through here. But surely there have been more VT'ers to this area, so I hope they can help you a little bit more.

I just found a picture of the area that I posted on VT, hahaha, wasn't sure if I had any pics on here, but I have :-) I'll send it to you. There have been a few more VT'ers to the Abruzzo. When you click on Keywords and type Abruzzo you'll get a list of them.

Thanks Simone...what time of year did you pass through. I'd expect typical mountain weather of course.!

I was here in August. Everywhere in Italy is was so busy with tourists, but here it was lovely and quiet. The crowds started to get on my nerves, so this was an oasis of peace and quiet. The weather was great, hahaha, except for the thunderstorm in the evening!

The 'Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo' is one of the most pleasant park in Italy, managed directly by WWF Italy. It is famous for the nice mountains, woods and animals like bears, wolves and deers. It is structured by zones, and the core fully protected area has three main villages, namely Pescasseroli (bigger and pleasant), Civitella Alfedena (famous for wolves) and Opi, between the two. I spent a week twice but in summer when it is great to do trekking. In winter you got snow, of course, but trekking is still possible. Check also on http://www.regione.abruzzo.it/turismo/en/parchi/nazionale/index.html where you will see that there are othre three parks in Abruzzo, more or less connected.

Many thanks for that...I'll certainly check the link :-)

I've spent some time hiking in the region, based in lovely Sulmona. I've gotta say, it's very NOT Tuscan, it's much more rugged and wild, with serious weather and soaring mountains, and the last real wilderness in Italy. There are remote villages that look like they haven't changed since the middle ages, and some of the best food and nicest people in Italy.It's fantastic and you should absolutely go if you're interested in hiking or real climbing. Taking a car would help immeasurably.
There are maps of hiking trails , rated by difficulty,available at tourist offices.
If it's art treasures, shopping, and cathedrals you're looking for, pickings are pretty slim. It's not a rich or sophisticated region and it's always been ravaged by earthquakes.
Happy to tell you more details if you like. DNW

great, hiking is definitely my thing (moderate level ...no ropes)
Love to have more info on hiking please...feel free to e-mail me here
Would probably be based at Pescacasseroli right in the NP I believe.

Pescasseroli is a good base, close to some of the major hiking routes and also with nice places for the evening. If I remember correctly, three levels of difficulties are present, none really for climbers. There is a map with all hiking tours traced, and the ways have clear indications painted on places so that it is easy to follow. The best known is in the area of 'La camosciara' (around Civitella I believe), as 'camoscio' is the famous type of rock-deer that can be seen together with wolves there, but also the 'Marsicana' in Opi area ('orso marsicano' - marsican bear - is the plus there other that the symbol of the park). Access can be restricted in some time of the day, check locally to the WWF offices. The best thing I have done there was to put together two or three routes connected to each other so to complete a circle in about 7/8 hours. A car is useful to move to the starting points

Many thanks for all the replies., what a great site this is for getting info so quick :-))
I'm really sold on the idea now, italian food, unspoilt villages and hiking...what more do i need!

A last little thing, just to get the taste of it: they are restructuring the official site at http://www.pna.it and put some contact reference on it.
Hope you'll enjoy the place, as much as I felt in love with it.