Sample Itinerary
Wild Abruzzo
5 days — L'Aquila, Santo Stefano, Scanno, Sulmona, Gran Sasso, and Maiella.
The route
The best-kept secret in central Italy. Real mountains, real medieval villages, and a national park an hour from Rome. Hike Gran Sasso, sleep in Santo Stefano di Sessanio, and eat the lamb. Cheaper and emptier than Umbria.
9 stops
Region · Abruzzo
Abruzzo
Abruzzo is the best-kept secret in central Italy: real mountains (Gran Sasso), real hill towns (Santo Stefano di Sessanio, Scanno), and an Adriatic coast, all cheaper and emptier than Umbria or Tuscany. It's the region to come to once you've done the famous central-Italy circuit and want the same landscape without the crowds. The national parks are the reason to go; the food is the bonus.
Town · Abruzzo
L'Aquila
The mountain capital of Abruzzo — a grand basilica, the 99-spout fountain, and a city still recovering. Worth a stop for the Collemaggio and the mountain setting, but check what's open.
Town · Abruzzo
Scanno
One of the most atmospheric villages in Abruzzo — a maze old town above a heart-shaped lake, with a tradition that's still alive. Worth a night for the lake and the alleys.
Town · Abruzzo
Sulmona
The most elegant town in Abruzzo — a grand aqueduct, a linear old town, and the confetti industry that's been here for centuries. Worth a night as a base for the Maiella.
Mountain · Abruzzo
Gran Sasso
The highest and wildest of the Apennines — the Corno Grande (2,912m), the Campo Imperatore plateau, and the chamois. Worth a day or two for the plateau and the hikes; the alpine Abruzzo.
Mountain · Abruzzo
Maiella
The 'mother mountain' of Abruzzo — the second great massif (Monte Amaro, 2,793m), the rock hermitages, and the wildest of the Abruzzo parks. Worth a day from Sulmona for the mountain and the hermitages.
Town · Lazio
Rome
Rome deserves at least three full days and rewards a fourth. It is the one Italian city where trying to see everything is the mistake — pick two major sites a day and leave time for wandering.
Town · Abruzzo
Santo Stefano di Sessanio
A perfect stone village in the high Gran Sasso, restored by the albergo diffuso movement. Worth a night for the quiet and the mountain — the Abruzzo of the shepherds.
Region · Umbria
Umbria
Umbria is what Tuscany was twenty years ago: the same hill towns and medieval landscapes, with fewer tourists and lower prices. Assisi for the frescoes, Orvieto for the cathedral on the train line, Perugia for a real university city, and the Valnerina for empty green valleys. It's the best base in central Italy if you want to slow down and radiate by car.
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