I have lived for many years in busy cities, like Budapest or Lisbon. I have to say, that I has been already a bit fed up with the mass of people and the constant changes around me. The irony of the life is, that I landed on a place, where the time flows more slowly. The international tourism is not developed yet, strangers rarely can be found here. Earlier, when I was thinking of Italy, the crowded beaches of Rimini-Riccione came in my mind immediately. My incomprehension grew, when I started to discover the beautiful characteristics of this region. According to the locals, Abruzzo is the place, where the sea and the mountains come together. Indeed…. it takes 30 minutes to reach the most beautiful beaches on the Adriatic coast from the hiking trails of the Majella mountain.
I arrived in Abruzzo, to the boarder of the northern and the southern parts of the Italian boot. This imaginary line can be literally recognized as well in the movements of the tectonic plates. In this closed world the locals in the medieval hilltop villages are still producing wine and olive oil and spend the summer evenings all together on the main square.
In the ancient ages and in the Middle Age lot’s of nations (the Greeks and the Normans among others) arrived here and mixed with the local Italic tribes and their descendants. From the 1st century the region became the part of the Roman Empire and later the part of the Kingdom of Naples. The beautiful harbor and mountain towns of Abruzzo were born in this cultural diversity. Among the antique and medieval palaces, in stylish bars we can enjoy an aperol spritz and the served aperitivo (snacks) and feel the history around. We can also observe the local habits, how the people are sauntering on the streets in beautiful dresses after the five course sunday lunch (this activity is called “struscio” in the local dialect).
Traditional fishing structures (the “trabucco”-s) make the scenic coastline of Abruzzo even more unique. This fishing method was so widespread here, that it became one of the symbols of the region. This part of the Adriatic cost is also called as “costa dei trabocchi” (the trabucco cost). These structures are no longer used for fishing, they are often refurbished and used as restaurants or holiday houses.
Like every Italian region, also this area is full of delicious local food, e.g. the famous Montepulciano d’Abbruzzo wine, the pecorino (matured, hard sheep cheese), the heavenly “brodetto” (sea fish soup cooked of five specified Adriatic fish species), the “arrosticini” (sheep meat on skewer), the “ventricina” (spicy or sweet salami made from pork), the pasta la chitarra and even more.
Even if you surely take 3 kilos of extra weight during your trip in Abruzzo, it’s worth it to get away from the usual Italian destinations and get to know this authentic region.
Have fun! 🙂
Adventures in Italy 