About the Region

On the eastern coast of Italy across from the Lazio region, largely undiscovered by tourism, are Abruzzi/Molise. They are the transition regions from the rich industrial north Italy to the agricultural less refined south. Recently separated into two regions in 1963 the regions share so much history that they are often still mentioned in the same breath.

First settled by the Greeks the Roman soon moved in and later the rulers of Napoli reigned over the regions. Still today there are numerous remains of both the Greeks and Roman influences. In fact this area receives a lot of scientific attraction because it is one of the worlds oldest paleontological sites dating back 750,000 years, in Isernia. Much of the interior land in this area is untouched by development. The Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo (Abruzzi National Park) is among the best in Itlay. Unlike the many parks in northern Italy, which are cool in the summers and bitter cold in the winters, this park offers a very pleasant year round atmosphere. The summer months are hot and offer visitors numerous lakes and trails to take advantage of. The winter months are cold and the park offers the best ski resorts in southern Italy, including Gran Sasso, the highest peak in southern Italy.

The main attraction to the Abruzzi/Molise regions is the long stretch of beaches that continue from the region Le Marche and run down the "ankle" of the boot until Puglia. Theses beaches vary from rocky boulders that border the water to wide spacious sandy beaches. There are two major resort towns along this strip. The up and coming town of Pescara and the little known but luxurious town of Termoli.