Among Castles and Pastures
in Abruzzo National parks
Abruzzo national parks are among the largest protected areas in Europe. Natural beauty interspersed with ancient castles, convents, villages and pastures.
The Abruzzo national parks Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga offer a perfect setting for outdoor activities such as skiing, biking, hiking and canoeing. But there is also a rich tradition with castles, convents, villages and pastures to explore.
An old castle perched on a hilltop
Explore the Hilltop Villages
While high mountains dominate the Gran Sasso, the eastern part is characterized by smooth undulating hills and valleys. It’s a friendly welcoming landscape, not densely populated but with enough dotted villages to break the monotony.
Many of these tiny towns deserve exploration for their regional products, the sweeping views and the challenge of getting there. Their hilltop location and names reveal a military strategic origin as as part of a medieval defense line, and among the extremely narrow alleys and old brick houses immense castles and fortresses can be seen.
An Impenetrable Town
One of these towns is Civitella del Tronto with a population of about 5 000 people. Even though ‘civitella’ is the diminutive of ‘civita’ meaning ‘city’ the fortress dating back to 1255 is the largest of its kind in Italy with a total surface of 25,000 square meters and ambient living quarters. A few centuries ago the fortress must have been virtually impenetrable. The walkway leading up to the summit only allowed one person to go through at a time. Futhermore enemies had to cross a moat with a guarded drawbridge. According to legend foreign soldiers once tried rock climbing in order to stage a surprise attack, but they were discovered and stopped by falling millstones. No wonder the people of Civitella have been honoured for their ability to hold up resistance against invading armies.
Civitella del Tronto is surrounded by vertical cliffs, deep gorges and mystic abbeys and convents. And in the plains below sheep graze from spring to fall when the Italian equivalent of American cowboys drive their herds south to the milder Puglian climate as part of the bi-annual ‘tranzumanza’ that also passes through the region of Molise.
I saw a transumanza in Le Marche one early morning a couple of years ago. Sadly didn’t have time to follow along to the top of the mountain.
Maybe you should go back on shepherding holiday. I’ve heard it’s the new black in package tours:)
I can’t imagine trying to penetrate these places. Looks like an idyllic area to explore.
Idyllic sounds like the right word. It’s peaceful, picturesque and there’s lots of great food to make you happy.
Sounds like my kind of place. Would love to visit this place someday :)
Sure you’ll make it.
Sounds wonderful, I bet there’s good hiking and rock climbing there (as well as the history, the architecture, the food etc etc).
That’s right. Abruzzo it really wonderful – in an understated rural kind of way.
Great tips, I want to discover Abruzzo now. I love climbing so it might be a great place to go!
I haven’t checked out the climbing in Abruzzo. I leave that to my son.
The fortress sounds like a very interesting place. I love National parks and this looks like a great place with a lot to offer. I’m especially intrigued by the mystic abbeys and convents. Our US parks don’t have that kind of history on our parks.
That’s the remarkable thing about Italy, I think. Every square metre of the country oozes history.
I think these European towns that were once fortresses are so fascinating. Would love to visit Civitella del Tronto — must be beautiful in the setting of a national park, too.
I agree. And in Italy fortified towns and villages are all over the place.
I’ll be visiting Abruzzo this fall. After reading your article, I can’t wait!
Glad to raise your expectations. Abruzzo cannot disappoint.
Abruzzo features the highest peaks in Italy outside the Alps. Also people, in my experience, are very friendly.
You’re my best source about spots and things I don’t know of Italy, which is incidentally also my motherland.
There is so much to discover in Italy that it is impossible to know everything. That’s frustratring.
Looks so great. I need to go there!
I’d go for the moat, the reliving of history and a walk through those fields — so inviting.
Indeed. And very different from West India, I suppose.
One of my goals is to spend more time exploring the more natural side of Italy. This would fit right in with my plans and looks gorgeous!
It is a breathtaking and beautiful area.