present-day Corfinio, near Sulmona, which they named Italia. After a final defeat during the Social Wars, the tribes aligned with the Romans to play an important role in the development and sustainment of their empire. (Ovid, the famous Roman poet, was born in Sulmona in 43BC.) The name Italia, however, lived on and was eventually adopted by the reunified nation in the 19th century.
Following the fall of the Roman Empire and the spread of Christianity, the history of Abruzzo becomes complex and confused. Initially the area fell under the control of the Lombards, as a part of their Duchy of Spoleto, which was then given by Charlemagne to the church. This era saw the establishment of many religious houses – great abbeys and cathedrals as well as monastic retreats.
Then came the Normans, whose control reached to southern Italy. They established the Kingdom of Sicily, of which Abruzzo became a part. The Normans ceded the kingdom to the Swabians, who in 1268 were in turn defeated by the House of Anjou. During Angevin rule, Abruzzo became a part of the Kingdom of Naples. The University of L’Aquila was founded in 1458.
In the early 16th century, the Spanish arrived to take control. They merged the Kingdom of Naples into the larger Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. After 1700 Spain itself and its territories came to be ruled by the House of Bourbon. Bourbon rule of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies continued uninterrupted until the Risorgimento in 1860 – the unification of Italy, spearheaded by Garibaldi’s army, and the foundation of the modern state.
In the modern era, Abruzzo knew desperate poverty following the Second World War. During this time many thousands of families emigrated to North and South America, Australia and other parts of Europe, to be followed by relatively recent economic recovery and development. Abruzzo became a separate region of Italy in the 1960s and is now the most prosperous of all in the official south.
The Tre Portoni from Monte Focalone (Walk 8)
Animals and birds
The remoteness and height of the Abruzzo mountains, the depths of its native forest and the careful protection afforded by national and regional parks have created one of Italy’s most wonderful wildlife refuges.
Clinging on in the quietest corners of the Abruzzo National Park (and, perhaps, the Maiella and Sirente-Velino) is the Marsican brown bear. It is feared there may be just 50–60 individuals left, and you are unlikely to see one. Evidence of their passing might be encountered though – paw prints and scat. You are even more unlikely to meet a European lynx, but it has been spotted and is thought to have a reasonable chance of survival provided levels of protection are maintained. Wild cats and pine martens also live a rare and secluded life in the forests.
In the same areas, grey wolves are doing better. Although still rare, their numbers are slowly increasing (between 1500 and 2000 individuals in the Apennines, most of which are in Abruzzo), and tracks at least can be spotted in the more remote areas.
Easier to come across in all three national parks are Abruzzi chamois living in large family groups on the bare rocks above the tree line. Walks 1, 7, 8, 16 and 23 are recommended for a good chance of seeing them.
Family of chamois on Passo Cavuto (Walk 23)
Red deer and roe deer are relatively common throughout the forested areas. The magnificent sound and sight of rutting red deer stags in the autumn is unforgettable. Walk 23 offers a good prospect of the experience at this time of year.
If you are lucky, otters can be seen in the rivers of the Maiella National Park. The Orfento valley is a potential spot – see Walk 5.
The most common of the large mammals is the wild boar – since its reintroduction it has become well established. You may come across them in the forest (if they haven’t sensed your arrival first – they are shy).
In the skies above the wilder parts of the region, golden eagles drift on the thermals. The Celano gorge (Walk 35), Colli Alti (Walk 29) and the Fara San Martino gorge (Walk 1) are good spots for viewing. Peregrine falcons swoop and plunge above the cliffs where they nest – try the old quarries on Walk 33 which are a favourite haunt. In the woods, the cries of woodpeckers and jays are common, while on the high crags the sharp whistle of choughs is an equally frequent part of the mountain soundtrack.
Fox in the Val Chiarino (Walk 19)
Plants and flowers
The mountains and remoter parts of Abruzzo are a plant lovers’ paradise. The protected and relatively undeveloped landscape, the variety of habitats and the climatic conditions sustain a rich flora – from resin-scented Mediterranean scrub, through to magnificent beech and oak forest, and up to delicate, brilliantly coloured alpine meadows.
In the mountains, the retreating snows trigger an explosion of bright spring-time growth – crocus, mountain pansies, gentians, poppies, beautiful creeping alpines and, in places, the Apennine edelweiss. Lower down, the woods and valleys fill with a profusion of flowering plants and shrubs from the end of winter to late summer, with a variety of orchids prominent. The extensive beech, pine, oak and birch forests are a spectacle in their own right, and in the autumn present vivid fireburst shades of orange, red and yellow.
The compact Abruzzo National Park provides a home for over 2000 species, including the black pine and the characteristic but rare lady’s slipper orchid. Mountain, or mugo, pine grows thickly in places in the Maiella National Park. In the Sirente-Velino Regional Park, the purple Marsican iris stands tall in May and June, while the high plain of Campo Imperatore in the Gran Sasso National Park is tinted lilac by a vast carpet of crocuses every spring.
Wild flowers and ferns in the Maiella
Food and drink
The pleasure of walking in Abruzzo is perfectly complemented by enjoyment of the local cuisine – the freshest plate of antipasti, followed by the speciality house pasta dish and, if you have room, a meat or fish main course. The desserts can rarely be resisted, and the evening is best ended with coffee and a glass of the village amaretto. A visit to the local pizzeria or café will result in an equally satisfying experience – Italians take eating and drinking seriously!
A simple mix of mountain robustness, fertile hill country and the riches of the sea has produced a fine and varied regional gastronomy – the pasta, lamb, pecorino cheese and fish dishes are renowned throughout Italy, as is the characteristic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo red wine. There are delights to be found in the village alimentari, in the next-door bar, on every restaurant menu and, especially, on market-day stalls.
Abruzzo is a famous pasta region, home to De Cecco and Delverde, two of Italy’s leading producers. Chitarra is a typically Abruzzese form – square-shaped strands made by pushing a pasta sheet through wires strung across a wooden box. Pasta and bean stew (pasta fagioli ) delicately flavoured with fresh herbs is a simple delight at the end of a long day’s walk.
From the flocks of mountain sheep come pecorino and riccota, among the finest in Italy. Both cheeses find their way into many regional recipes. Local production still plays an important role, and cheesemakers may be encountered on walks across the high plains. The traditional significance of sheep rearing is seen, too, in the local passion for arrosticcini – skewers of small lamb kebabs grilled over an open charcoal-filled trough. Roast pork (porchetta
