Abruzzo Property
Abruzzo is situated in the centre of Italy bordering Le Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west Molise to the south-east. The nearest coastline is the Adriatic Sea to the east. It is only an hour and half drive from Rome. The regional capital is L'Aquila, the region being divided into four provinces: L'Aquila (the largest province), Teramo, Chieti (the most populous) and Pescara, Abruzzo's main economic centre. The four provinces are further divided into 305 municipalities. In total, Abruzzo has a population of around 1.3 million. Abruzzo is considered to be a region rich in natural beauty and steeped in history, but it is only just starting to be discovered by mass tourism. As an as yet undiscovered part of Italy, it has a rugged charm about it which is really appealing. This is in contrast to other areas of Italy such as Tuscany which many say is now ‘over touristed’. Abruzzo has a wealth of castles and medieval towns, especially near the town of L'Aquila, and there is plenty to see and do for all tastes. Whether it is a beach holiday or a ski trip in winter, the choice is great.
The house is situated in a small village called Bisenti. There are a few good restaurants and pizzerias, some bars, a post office and a bakers. There is also a supermarket and butcher. All of these are within comfortable walking distance of the house. As such, whilst the house is in a very tranquil setting, with only the sound of the church bells at night ringing through the village, there are amenities close at hand for practicality and entertainment. There are also a number of ‘agriturismi’ dotted around the area, family-run little hotels which serve excellent lunch and dinner options offering local delicacies and always very reasonably priced. The village lies close to the border of a national park which is very convenient for keen walkers to explore and for skiing or snowboarding in the mountains about an hour away. Abruzzo is probably Italy's most unspoiled region and a high proportion is protected by National Parc Status The nearest beach is Montesilvano which is 40 mins drive. Essentially, Abruzzo, with three national parks, fantastic beaches and countless hillside medieval villages, is a lovely place to spend a relaxing holiday immersed in nature, away from it all, and to experience true Italian rural life.