airport (www.aeroportodinapoli.it) is well served from many UK, European and worldwide destinations. The city is connected to Abruzzo (Sulmona, Chieti and Pescara) by express coach (www.satambus.it) that operates four or five times a day and takes about 3hr.
Accessing Abruzzo via Rome’s two airports, Ciampino and the bigger Fiumicino, is also simple and offers links to all corners of the world as well as Italy. easyJet (www.easyjet.com) uses Fiumicino for flights from Bristol, Luton and London Gatwick in the UK. Ryanair operates mainly from Ciampino and serves Edinburgh, Glasgow, East Midlands, Manchester and London Stansted in the UK. Liverpool is connected to Fiumicino by Blue Air, Manchester by Jet2.com (www.jet2.com), and Cardiff is connected by Flybe (www.flybe.com).
Both British Airways (www.britishairways.com) and Alitalia fly to Fiumicino from London Heathrow several times a day and can be competitive with the low-cost operators. British Airways also serves Fiumicino from London Gatwick.
Cork and Dublin are served directly from Rome. Major cities in Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are all connected to Rome.
The best start point for flights to Rome is a visit to www.adr.it.
Rome is connected to Abruzzo by road and rail. The drive on the A24 motorway from the Rome orbital motorway to the Abruzzo border takes about 40min. To continue to L’Aquila takes a further 40min; to Sulmona a further 1hr or to Pescara a further 1hr 30min. Coaches between Abruzzo and Rome are operated by TUA – the region’s bus company. Services depart from Tiburtina station in Rome. There is an hourly service to L’Aquila. Pescara and Sulmona are both served directly about six times a day. The full timetable and details can be seen at www.tuabruzzo.it.
Prontobus (www.prontobusitalia.it) operates a very useful direct coach service from Rome’s airports to several towns in Abruzzo including Avezzano, Sulmona, Chieti and Pescara.
The train from Rome is a lot slower but offers a very picturesque journey and is surprisingly cheap. It takes about 3hr to reach Sulmona and 4hr for Pescara. The train to L’Aquila involves changing at Terni, taking 3–5hr depending on whether the service to Terni is fast. Most leave from Tiburtina station but some depart from Roma Termini. L’Aquila, Pescara and Sulmona are each served about five times a day. The timetable and online booking are available at www.trenitalia.com.
Getting around
There is a good public transport network within Abruzzo, again provided by TUA and by Trenitalia. The websites above provide details of all services. While the bus network is extensive, the train is limited to the line between Rome and Pescara (via Avezzano, Sulmona and Chieti) and the line between Terni and Sulmona which passes through L’Aquila. The Adriatic coast fast line also passes through Abruzzo, linking Pescara with Ancona, Rimini and Bologna to the north and Foggia, Bari and Brindisi to the south.
Unfortunately, once you have arrived at your destination, getting to the start of walks by public transport is either a challenge (with a few noted exceptions) or impossible. Buses can be infrequent and not well timed for early starts or late, unpredictable finishes. A car is usually the only practical option. The major hire companies are at Pescara and Rome airports and the railway stations. Car hire is also available in L’Aquila, Avezzano and Sulmona. Rates are reasonable if booked in advance and offers are frequent.
Finally, Abruzzo is wonderful cycling country (mountain and road are equally good). If you take or hire a bike, depending on your base, it can solve the problem of reaching the start point.
Places to base yourself
There are excellent hotels, B&Bs and self-catering apartments throughout the region. A good start point is the regional tourist organisation’s website, www.abruzzoturismo.it. Useful sources for self-catering accommodation are www.holidaylettings.co.uk/abruzzo and www.tripadvisor.com.
Your choice of base will depend on whether you focus your trip on one or two of the parks or whether you intend to visit them all.
Sulmona (www.comune.sulmona.aq.it) is a fine town to stay in or near as it is centrally located between all four parks and is easy to reach. It is a beautiful old place that will keep you diverted on rest days as well as providing a good choice of restaurants, bars and places to sleep – new and traditional hotels, B&Bs and self-catering. Smaller towns in the Peligna basin are Popoli, Pratola and Raiano, and a number of beautiful villages lie around the edge of the basin, including Pacentro, Pettorano, Introdaqua, Bugnara, Anversa and Roccacasale.
If you intend to concentrate on the Gran Sasso and perhaps the Sirente-Velino parks, then L’Aquila (www.comune.laquila.it) is an obvious choice. Easy to reach, especially from Rome, it is a captivating and historic place. L’Aquila was badly affected by the earthquake of 2009, although services are now almost back to previous levels – and perhaps even better. Access to parts of the city may still be restricted, but the return of visitors is vital to its economic recovery.
There are many smaller towns in the north of Abruzzo that are good alternatives. Celano, Ovindoli and Rocca di Mezzo are well placed for the Sirente-Velino, while Teramo offers good access to the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga from the east. A number of villages within the Gran Sasso park have small hotels, B&Bs and self-catering accommodation and at least one restaurant. They include Santo Stefano, Calascio, Ofena and Castel del Monte in the south, and Pietracamela, Campotosto and Assergi in the north. Farindola offers access from the east. The villages of the Aterno valley between the Gran Sasso and the Sirente-Velino are also well situated – the main ones are San Demetrio, Fontecchio, Santa Maria del Ponte and Acciano.
If walking is to be centred on the Maiella National Park, then four small towns lying between the Amaro and Morrone massifs will each meet your needs. The largest, Caramanico Terme (www.comunecaramanicoterme.it), is an old spa town well served with accommodation and restaurants. To the north lies San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore, and to the south is Sant’Eufemia a Maiella. Furthest south is Campo di Giove. A number of small towns lie along the east flank of the Maiella, providing good access to the eastern gorges. They include Palena, Lama dei Peligni, Fara San Martino, Guardiagrele and Pretoro.
The end of the day at Rifugio Campitelli (Walk 24)
Within the Abruzzo National Park is the small town of Pescasseroli (www.comune.pescasseroli.aq.it). Its pretty centre and surrounding area offer many accommodation and eating possibilities. Other villages in the park with places to stay and eat are Barrea, Villetta Barrea, Civitella Alfedena and Opi. Just outside the park at its south eastern end is the small town of Alfedena. Castel di Sangro in the south of the region would be a good place to stay if you wanted to explore both the Abruzzo and the Maiella parks, as would the ski resort villages of Roccaraso, Rivisondoli and
