Family Holidays: Abruzzo family holidays and breaks

Take the Family holiday rating 4 stars out of 5

Why

Italy’s spectacular and undiscovered region of Abruzzo lies south-east of the better-known areas of Umbria and the Marche, and stretches from the mountainous Appenines to the Adriatic coast.

The mountains are divided into several National Park areas and are great for spotting wildlife, being home to deer, chamois, wild-boar, wolves and even a very small number of bears. The landscapes are beautiful, and very varied: high barren peaks rise from slopes cloaked in beech-woods and rolling meadowland and crystal-clear streams. Within gorges, the cliff-sides hide a number of ancient hermitages hewn from the rock which make for great exploring. In winter the region is cloaked in snow, and there are a number of ski resorts popular with locals. The medieval towns of L’Aquila and Sulmona both offer beautiful architecture, churches and museums, restaurants and shopping, and are both set in spectacular mountain scenery, with plenty to keep children entertained and interested.

During summer, you can head to the developed Adriatic coast, which is an endless strip of sandy beach, but beware, it gets very crowded and hot in high season. Beaches are clean, the seafood is delicious, and a little way inland there are some interesting towns and villages to visit. The Abruzzese are friendly and welcoming, and adore children. However, this is Italy off-the-beaten-track, so don’t expect English to be spoken much outside the main tourist offices and larger hotels.

One of many gorgeous National Park views

Top left: Sulmona Piazza
Top right: One of Arbruzzo's crystal clear streams

Bottom left: Ancient hermitages in the cliff-side
Bottom right: One of many gorgeous National Park views

When

Inland in the mountains the winter lingers on until March/April. May and June are beautiful months, with snow lingering picturesquely on the peaks, and the lush meadows thick with wild-flowers – perfect for picnicking. July and August are hot and crowded on the coast, but blissfully refreshing for strolling in the mountains, and in the autumn the wooded slopes are a riot of colour, with many fabulous clear days of sunshine.

How

Ryanair have daily flights from London Stansted to Pescara, on the Adriatic Coast. Alternatively, both Ryanair and Easyjet fly daily from a variety of UK airports to Rome Ciampino, although you may then have a drive of 2-3 hours to reach your final destination in Abruzzo.

Do

There are masses of wonderful walks in the spectacular mountain regions, from scaling the highest peak in the Appenines, the great Corno Grande at 2914m, or strolling through meadows of wild-flowers, exploring deep gorges, or picnicking by crystal-clear streams.

The mountains are home to abundant flora and fauna, and there are medieval hermitages to explore, built into the rocky cliffs. The regional capital of L’Aquila has a great castle to visit, and a connection with the number 99: there is a fountain with 99 spouts (almost), there used to be 99 churches and 99 piazzas, and the town hall bell still chimes 99 times each evening. (You may also be lucky enough to get a flake in your 99!)

The smaller but very pretty town of Sulmona is where confetti (sugared almonds) were invented and the main street is crowded with shops selling colourful displays of floral arrangements made entirely from confetti. Both these towns have impressive churches and museums, restaurants, cafes and shopping too.

Abruzzo has countless medieval hilltop villages with spectacularly set castles, which can be visited by exploring the area with a car. The Adriatic coast has long stretches of clean sandy beach and is a lively place to be during the summer. It is quite heavily developed and crowded with holidaying Italians during the hottest months of July and August.

Eat

Abruzzo has two very different cuisines. On the Adriatic coast there is excellent seafood, while in the mountains wonderful game dishes are available of venison and wild boar, as well as an abundance of fresh vegetables, grains and pulses. Vegetarians are well catered for with pasta sauces of tomatoes, asparagus, artichoke or porcini mushrooms, but little seafood reaches the mountain regions. Fresh cheeses are particularly good, and of course delicious bread, pizza, ice-cream and wine is available throughout the region. The medieval town of Sulmona is the place to find confetti (sugared almonds).

Cost

Abruzzo is a relatively inexpensive region of Italy. Accommodation is reasonably priced and the excellent restaurants will feed you full to bursting and then present you with a pleasingly small bill. Ryanair’s daily flights from London Stansted to Pescara can be a real bargain, especially during mid-week and if booking well in advance.