Abruzzo

Abruzzo is one of the most underrated and undiscovered Italian regions and an all year round destination, Abruzzo is a region that offers something to do every time of the year, from spring to winter.

Despite being the greenest region in Europe due to one third of its territory being classified as national park and having some of the cleanest and purest Adriatic water and large yellow sand beaches of the whole Adriatic coast - together with the highest mountains of central Italy with plenty of ski resorts - Abruzzo is still largely unknown and untouched by the tourist masses, and it is only a couple of hours away from Rome, if flying to Rome, but has its own, small, airport, Pescara.

Abruzzo is not just green and mountains, sea and beaches, it is also a region with plenty to see and do, museums, wonderful villages, fantastic food and wine.

Amongst the many food specialties it is worth mentioning the Pasta alla Chitarra, homemade pasta with a tool that reminds the guitar, chitarra in Italian, that produces pasta similar to spaghetti, and the “arrosticini”, skewers made with sheep’s meat cooked on a brazier found everywhere during the summer months. Another local specialties, mainly from the province of Chieti is the Ventricina, a spicy cured meat made with pork.

Abruzzo’s wine is probably more famous than its food, thanks to the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, the red wine made with Montepulciano grapes, and the white wine Trebbiano d’Abruzzo with Trebbiano grapes, with the less known Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, a rose’ wine made with Montepulciano grapes. But Abruzzo is also international grapes and wines, chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon that have found a perfect host in the region soil and weather, and more, little known and not as widely available, native grapes, Passerina and Pecorino. Abruzzo is also extra virgin olive oil that is produced all over the region.

If Veneto and Venice have the Spritz, Abruzzo has “sciampagnino”, a wine based cocktail made with gazzoza and wine, a refreshing cocktail to be drunk with some artisan bread and ventricina.