Abruzzo - WikiHQ

Abruzzo (, , ; , ), historically also known as Abruzzi, is a region of southern Italy. It has a population of nearly 1.3 million in an area of . Because of its historic association with the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, the Italian statistical authority ISTAT deems it to be part of Southern Italy. There are three national parks, one regional park, and 38 protected nature reserves. These ensure the survival of rare species, such as the golden eagle, the Abruzzo (or Abruzzese) chamois, the Apennine wolf, and the Marsican brown bear. Abruzzo's parks and reserves host 75% of Europe's animal species.

Nineteenth-century Italian diplomat and journalist (1853–1917)  chose the adjectives forte e gentile ("strong and kind") to capture what he saw as the character of the region and its people. Forte e gentile has since become the motto of the region.

Etymology

The name Abruzzo, according to the most accredited hypothesis first proposed by Renaissance historian Flavio Biondo in Italia Illustrata, derives from Aprutium as a popular evolution of (ad) Praetutium, meaning "land of the Praetutii", an ancient Italic people that lived in the area of present-day Teramo. According to other hypotheses, the name could also derive from abruptus (Latin for "steep" or "precipitous").

In the 1273 , King Charles I of Anjou divided the Justiciarate of Abruzzo (Giustizierato d'Abruzzo) into two territories along the Pescara river: Abruzzo Citeriore ("nearer Abruzzo") and Abruzzo Ulteriore ("further Abruzzo"); from this division, the region was also known by the plural name Abruzzi.

History

Prehistory

Paleolithic

Although an earlier presence cannot be ruled out, findings in the region related to archaic humans date from around 700,000 years ago (Acheulean Culture). Thousands of flint tools and weapons have been collected on fluvial terraces (e.g. Madonna del Freddo at Chieti) and near former lakes (e.g. Valle Giumentina at Caramanico Terme and Valle Peligna at Popoli). These testify to the presence of different Homo species over time, ranging from Homo erectus and Neanderthals to modern humans. A site located at Popoli (Svolte di Popoli) also contained hippopotamus bones. The most important evidence of Neanderthals' presence in the region was found in caves in Calascio and dates back to the Middle Paleolithic.

Significant evidence of Upper Paleolithic human populations has been found in various places, including the Fucino depression and Montebello di Bertona, the latter giving its name to a distinctive stoneworking technique called "Bertonian".

Neolithic

After the Mesolithic transition, which was characterized by climate change and a lack of food resources, agriculture was introduced in Abruzzo by Neolithic farmers from the Middle East. A skeleton from Lama dei Peligni in the province of Chieti was dated back to 6,540 BC using radiometric dating.

In Abruzzo and Marche, villages typical of the in the 5–6th millennium BC consisted of huts, and were generally located on fluvial terraces or hills overlooking rivers. In some cases, they were defended by a moat. Caves were often used for rituals. These people practiced agriculture, husbandry, hunting, fishing, and production of pottery, which was painted or decorated. Other older Neolithic cultures present in Abruzzo are called the Impressed Ceramic culture and the Catignano culture. During the Late Bronze Age, the Proto-Villanovan culture emerged in Abruzzo.

There are sites of Iron Age necropoli at Fiorano (Loreto Aprutino's frazione), Campovalano (Campli), Alfedena, and Capestrano. Oscan-speaking Pentri, Carricini, and Frentani, and, more generically, the Osco-Umbrian Aequi, Praetutii, Vestini, Marrucini, Marsi, and Paeligni. They fought again with Rome during the Social War (91–87 BC) to gain political rights and created the ephemeral state called Italia with Corfinio as the capital. After the Social War, they obtained Roman citizenship and in the Imperial period favoured economic activities such as trade and pastoralism.

Evidence from archeological sites shows that many cities in Abruzzo date back to ancient times. Corfinio was known as Corfinium when it was the chief city of the Paeligni, and it became the capital of "Italia" against the Romans during the Social War. Today's Chieti has been inhabited since the Chalcolithic era, and was an important center for the Marrucini (Teate Marrucinorum). Atri was known as Hatria and Teramo was known variously in ancient times as Interamnia and Teramne. Pinna (today Penne), Anxanum (Lanciano), Hortona (Ortona), Histonium (Vasto), Sulmona, and Marruvium (San Benedetto dei Marsi) are among the settlements that are still inhabited while others are no longer so, such as Cluviae near Casoli.

Middle Ages

Early Middle Ages

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the Gothic War between the Byzantine Empire and the Ostrogothic Kingdom,

The newly founded L'Aquila was destroyed by Manfred, King of Sicily (son of Frederick II) in 1259, and in the Battle of Tagliacozzo (1268), supported the defeat of his nephew Conradin against Charles I of Anjou, the new king of Sicily. From the last half of the 13th century, L'Aquila took a central role in the region. and Campo 78 in Sulmona. The Sulmona camp had also served as a POW camp in World War I; much of the facility is still intact and attracts tourists.

Italian Republic

Despite the high level of destruction and victims caused by the Second World War, there was remarkable development in the second half of the 20th century, which particularly favored the Fucino and Adriatic coastal areas.

In the 1948 Italian Constitution, Abruzzo was unified with Molise into the Abruzzi e Molise region, though in the first draft, Abruzzo and Molise were separate. In 1963, Abruzzi e Molise was separated into the two regions of Abruzzo and Molise.

The decision concerning the location of regional headquarters was influenced by the rivalry between L'Aquila and Pescara, which was in turn affected by the rivalry between Lorenzo Natali's and Remo Gaspari's factions inside the Christian Democracy majority party. In the 1970s, this caused street protests and riots in both cities and the decision to place some headquarters in Pescara outside the capital L'Aquila.

Climate

thumbnail|left|[[Giulianova seaside]]

There are two climatic zones in Abruzzo. The coastal strip and sub-Apennine hills have a climate distinct from that of the mountainous interior. Coastal areas have a Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and mild winters. Inland hilly areas have a sublittoral climate with temperatures decreasing with altitude. Precipitation is also strongly affected by the presence of the Apennines mountain range. Rainfall is abundant on slopes oriented to the west, and lower in the east and on east-facing slopes. The Adriatic coast is shielded from rainfall by the barrier effect created by the Apennines. The minimum annual rainfall is found in some inland valleys sheltered by mountain ranges, such as the Peligna or Tirino valleys (near Ofena, Capestrano), annual rainfall as low as has been recorded. Rainfall along the coast almost never falls below . Pescara has relatively less rainfall (about ) than Chieti (about ).

Flora and fauna

thumbnail|[[Gran Sasso d'Italia]]

thumbnail|[[Marsican brown bear]]

The flora of Abruzzo is typically Mediterranean. Along the coastal belt, Mediterranean shrubland is the dominant natural vegetation, with species including myrtle, heather, and mastic. Inland, there are olive, pine, willow, oak, poplar, alder, arbutus, broom, acacia, capers, rosemary, hawthorn, licorice, and almond trees, interspersed with oak trees. At elevations between , there is sub-montane vegetation, with mixed woodlands of oak and turkey oak, maple, and hornbeam; shrubs include dog rose and red juniper. Elevations between are dominated by beech. In the Apennine Mountains, at elevations above , species include alpine orchid, mountain juniper, silver fir, black cranberry, and the Abruzzo edelweiss.

The fauna of Abruzzo is very diverse, including the region's symbol, the Abruzzo chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica ornata), which has recovered from near-extinction. Common species include the Marsican brown bear, Italian wolf, red deer, lynx, roe deer, snow vole, fox, porcupine, wild cat, wild boar, badger, otter, and viper.

The natural parks of the region are the Abruzzo National Park, the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park, the Maiella National Park, and the Sirente-Velino Regional Park, as well as many other natural reserves and protected areas.

In 2017, the ancient beech forests of the Abruzzo Lazio and Molise National Park of Europe were recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, a designation which gave the region its first prestigious site.

Administration

Abruzzo is governed as a presidential style representative democracy with a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the Regional Government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the regional council.

The Regional Government (Giunta regionale) is presided over by the president of the region (presidente della Regione), who is elected for a five-year term. The government is composed of the President and the eight ministers (assessori), including the Vice President (Vicepresidente) and an Undersecretary (Sottosegretario).

Administrative divisions

thumb|Abruzzo provinces

Abruzzo is divided into 4 provinces:

{| class="wikitable centered"

! style="background:#ccf;"|Province

! style="background:#ccf;" |Population

(2026)

! style="background:#ccf;" |Area

(km2)|align=right|cols=1

thumb|left|[[Chieti]]

As of 2026, the population is 1,267,222, of which 49.2% are male, and 50.8% are female. Minors make up 13.9% of the population, and seniors make up 26.5%.

As of 2026, with a population density of 117.0 people per km2, the population density of Abruzzo is well below the national average of 195.1. Among the provinces, the density varies: Pescara is the most densely populated with 253.2 inhabitants per km2, whereas L'Aquila is the least densely populated, with 56.8 inhabitants per km2, although it has the largest area.

In the coastal strip, there is such a dense concentration of accommodations and activities that the environment has been negatively affected. The policy of providing incentives for development has resulted in the setting-up of industrial zones, some of which (Vasto, Avezzano, Carsoli, Gissi, Val Vibrata, Val di Sangro) have made significant progress, while others (Val Pescara, L'Aquila) have run into trouble after their initial success. The zones of Sulmona and Guardiagrele have turned out to be more or less failures. Outside these zones, the main activities are agriculture and tourism. Despite these environmental pressures, in 2016, the Huffington Post placed Abruzzo in fifth position among the 12 best regions in the world for quality of life.

Immigration

{| class="wikitable floatright"

|+Foreign population by country of birth (2025)

!Country of birth

!Population

|20,360

|15,205

|10,884

|9,052

|8,395

|6,981

|6,442

|3,831

|3,732

|3,513

|3,375

|3,090

|3,069

|2,878

|2,819

After decades of emigration from the region, the main feature of the 1980s was immigration from developing countries. The recent population increase was due to the positive net migration.

As of 2025, of the known countries of birth of 1,237,101 residents, the most numerous are: Italy (1,121,751 – 90.7%), Romania (20,360 – 1.6%), Albania (15,205 – 1.2%), Morocco (9,052 – 0.7%), Germany (6,981 – 0.6%).

Economy

left|thumb|150px|[[Montepulciano d'Abruzzo|Montepulciano grapes]]

Until a few decades ago, Abruzzo was a backward region of Southern Italy. Since the 1950s, Abruzzo has shown steady economic growth. In 1951, the region's per capita income, or GDP, was only 53% of that of wealthier Northern Italy. The gap has since narrowed, being 65% in 1971 and 76% by 1994. The region achieved the highest per capita GDP in Southern Italy, alongside the highest growth rate in the country. The unemployment rate stood at 9.3% in 2020.

Abruzzo is the 16th most productive region in the country, and is the 15th for GRP per capita among Italian regions.

As of 2003, Abruzzo's per capita GDP was €19,506, or 84% of the national average of €23,181, compared to the average value for Southern Italy of €15,808. In 2006, the region's average GDP per capita was approximately 20,100 EUR. The construction of motorways from Rome to Teramo (A24) and Rome to Pescara (A25), which provided better access to the region, is credited as a driver of public and private investments.

The 2009 L'Aquila earthquake led to a sharp economic slowdown. However, according to statistics at the end of 2010, some signals of recovery were noted. In 2011, Abruzzo's economic growth was +2.3%, making it the top-performing region in Southern Italy.

Industry

thumb|right|[[De Cecco factory in Fara San Martino]]

From the early 1950s to the mid-1990s, Abruzzo's industrial sector expanded rapidly, especially in mechanical engineering, transportation equipment, and telecommunications. The structure of production in the region reflects the transformation of the economy from agriculture to industry and services. The industrial sector relies on a few large enterprises and the predominance of small and medium ones. In the applied research field, there are major institutes and enterprises involved in the fields of pharmaceutics, biomedicine, electronics, aerospace, and nuclear physics. The industrial infrastructure is dispersed throughout the region in industrial zones. The most important of these are: Val Pescara, Val di Sangro, Val Trigno, Val Vibrata, and Conca del Fucino.

The province of Teramo is one of the most industrialized areas of Italy and of the region, with numerous small and medium-sized companies. It is followed by the province of Chieti and that of Pescara, which is also supported by tourism. The Val Vibrata (province of Teramo), on the border with the Marche region, is home to a myriad of small and medium-sized enterprises, especially in the textile and footwear sectors. The Val di Sangro (province of Chieti), on the other hand, is home to important multinationals and a factory belonging to the Fiat (Sevel) group. The area of Valle Peligna (province of L'Aquila) is home to the famous Sulmona sugared almond confectionery industry. Other areas, such as the Pescara and Chieti areas, are home to numerous industries, including multinationals such as De Cecco, Procter & Gamble, Monti & Ambrosini Editori, Brioni, Ennedue, and Miss Sixty, many of which are concentrated in the industrial district of Val Pescara, which spans parts of both the province of Pescara and the province of Chieti.

Agriculture

right|thumb|[[Centerba, typical liquor of Abruzzo]]

Agriculture, based on small holdings, has modernised and produces high-quality products. The mostly small-scale producers are active in wine, cereals, sugar beet, potatoes, olives, vegetables, fruit, and dairy products. Traditional products are saffron and liquorice. By the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, the region's most famous wine, had become one of the most widely exported DOC-classed wines in Italy.

The region produces about 850,000 quintals of fruit, 5 million quintals of vegetables, 1,600,000 quintals of potatoes, and 5,000,000 quintals of grapes, produced both for eating and for winemaking; the latter is estimated at between 3 and 4 million hectoliters, with the production of wines such as Montepulciano d'Abruzzo in the red and cerasuolo (rosé) varieties, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, Pecorino, and the Chardonnay; oil production, on the other hand, stands at 1,350,000 quintals of olives and 240,000 quintals of oil (Aprutino Pescarese, Pretuziano delle Colline Teramane and Colline Teatine), figures that put Abruzzo in sixth place among the Italian regions. As for cereals, the durum wheat with over 1.5 million quintals constitutes the main cereal, followed by soft wheat (one million quintals), then barley (0.5 million quintals ); other crops are also grown, among them beetroot (2,500,000 quintals) and tobacco (45,000 quintals).

Tourism

thumb|right|Campotosto Artificial Lake

Tourism is an important economic sector; ski and beach resorts, in particular along the Trabocchi Coast. Abruzzo's castles and medieval towns, especially in the area of L'Aquila, have led to the creation of the nickname of "Abruzzoshire", along Tuscany's "Chiantishire". In spite of this, Abruzzo is still "off the beaten path" for most visitors to Italy.

Very popular with visitors from all over Italy and Europe are the natural parks of the region, such as Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise, Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park, Maiella National Park, and regional park Sirente Velino, which every year see thousands of visitors, who are attracted by the unspoiled nature and rare wild fauna and flora species such as Abruzzo chamois, with the region boasting many reserves and protected natural areas and lakes (Campotosto Lake and Lago di Scanno). In 2017, the ancient beech forests of the Abruzzo Lazio and Molise National Park were recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the region thus gaining its first prestigious site.

thumb|right|[[Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park]]

In the inland mountain areas there are the ski resorts of Scanno, Ovindoli, Pescasseroli, Roccaraso, Campo Imperatore, Campo Felice, Rivisondoli, Pescocostanzo, and Pianoro Campitelli, where winter tourism is highly developed. Visitors engage in sports such as alpine skiing, snowboarding, ski mountaineering, ski touring, cross-country skiing, and dog sledding. Other trails and facilities are in Passolanciano-Majelletta, Campo Rotondo, Campo di Giove, Piani di Pezza, Voltigno, Centomonti, Macchiarvana, Monte Piselli.

thumb|right|Trabocchi Coast, Fossacesia

Also of considerable importance is summer coastal and seaside tourism, which sees the presence of numerous tourist bathing establishments equipped in various centers of the coast such as Montesilvano, Pineto, Roseto degli Abruzzi, Giulianova, Alba Adriatica, Tortoreto, Francavilla al Mare, Ortona, Vasto, Martinsicuro, Silvi Marina, and the Trabocchi Coast. and Santa Maria di Collemaggio are of national importance. Pescara, despite being a modern city, boasts monuments, churches, and museums of historical importance such as the Birthplace of Gabriele D'Annunzio Museum. In the inland mountain areas, there are ancient villages, castles, hermitages, sanctuaries, abbeys, and ancient churches. a nonprofit private association of small Italian towns of strong historical and artistic interest, that was founded on the initiative of the Tourism Council of the National Association of Italian Municipalities. These villages are:

thumb|[[Pacentro, a village member of the association "The Most Beautiful Villages in Italy".]]

Bugnara
Campli
Caramanico Terme
Casoli
Castel del Monte
Castelli
Città Sant'Angelo
Civitella del Tronto
Crecchio
Guardiagrele
Navelli
Opi
Pacentro
Palena
Penne
Pescocostanzo
Pettorano sul Gizio
Pietracamela
Pretoro
Rocca San Giovanni
Santo Stefano di Sessanio
Scanno
Tagliacozzo
Villalago

Transport

Airports

Abruzzo International Airport is the only international airport in the region. Opened to civilian traffic since 1996, the airport has recorded increasing passenger numbers over the years because of low-cost air carriers' use of the facility. Today, the airport (serves over 500,000 passengers annually.
L'Aquila-Preturo Airport is located near L'Aquila, but remains underused.

Ports

The [[port of Pescara | thumb | right]]

There are four main ports in Abruzzo: Pescara, Ortona, Vasto, and Giulianova.

Over the years, the Port of Pescara has become one of the most important tourist ports in Italy and on the Adriatic Sea. Heavily damaged in World War II, it underwent major renovations for roughly sixty years. It now consists of a modern marina with advanced moorings and shipbuilding facilities. It has been awarded the European Union's Blue Flag for its services. The Port of Pescara has lost passenger traffic because of its shallowness and silting. In Abruzzo, marine spatial planning tools such as SeaGIS have been developed to support the management of fisheries and aquaculture, reflecting ongoing planning efforts in the sector.

Railways

There is a significant disparity between the railways of the Abruzzo coast and the inland areas, which badly need modernization to improve the service, in particular the Rome-Pescara line.

Existing railway lines:

Adriatic railway runs through the whole of Italy from north to south, along the Adriatic Sea.
Rome – Sulmona – Pescara
Sulmona – Carpinone
Sulmona–Terni railway
Avezzano railroad – Roccasecca
Giulianova – Teramo
Sangritana (Lanciano – Castel di Sangro)

Highways

thumb|Salinello Bridge on the [[Autostrada A14 (Italy)|A14 ]]

There are three highways that serve the region:

A24 (Rome – L'Aquila – Teramo) was built in the 1970s and connects Rome with the Adriatic coast in less than two hours. The Gran Sasso tunnel, the longest road tunnel entirely on Italian territory, was opened in 1984.

A25 (Torano – Avezzano – Pescara) connects Rome with Pescara. The road branches off A24 in Torano, spans the Fucino basin, crosses the Apennines, and merges with A14 near Pescara.
A14 Bologna – Taranto known as the "Adriatica", includes of dual-carriage motorway between Bologna and Taranto.

Culture

The Museo Archeologico Nazionale d'Abruzzo in Chieti houses the famed Warrior of Capestrano statue, which was found in a necropolis of the 6th century BC. Across the region, among the prominent cultural and historical buildings are: Teramo Cathedral, its archeological museum and the Roman theater, the Castello della Monica, the Collurania-Teramo Observatory, the famous L'Aquila Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio (which holds the remains of Pope Celestine V), the Museo Nazionale d'Abruzzo, Santa Maria del Suffragio, the Forte Spagnolo, the Fountain of 99 Spouts, Gabriele D'Annunzio's house in Pescara, Campli's Scala Sancta and its church, the church of Santissima Annunziata in Sulmona, the cathedrals of Chieti, Lanciano, Guardiagrele, Atri, and Pescara, along with the castles of Ortona, Celano, and Ortucchio.

Every year on 28–29 August, L'Aquila's Santa Maria di Collemaggio commemorates the Perdonanza Celestiniana, the indulgence issued by Pope Celestine V to anyone who "truly repentant and confessed" would visit that Church from the Vespers of the vigil to the vespers of 29 August. Sulmona's Holy Week is commemorated with traditional celebrations and rituals, such as "La Madonna che scappa in piazza", when a large statue of Mary, borne by a group of local fraternities, is carried across the square in procession. Cocullo, in the province of L'Aquila, holds the annual "Festa dei serpari" (festival of snake handlers) in which a statue of St. Dominic, covered with live snakes, is carried in a procession through the town; it attracts thousands of Italian and foreign visitors. In many Abruzzo villages, Anthony the Great's feast is celebrated in January with massive, scenic bonfires.

In the past, the region of Abruzzo was well known for the transumanza, the seasonal movement of sheep flocks; these used to travel mostly southbound towards Puglia during the cold winter months. The Feast of St. Biagio, protector of wool dealers, is celebrated across the region. On 3 February in Taranta Peligna, every year since the sixteenth century, an evocative ritual is held: panicelle, or small loaves made of flour and water, in the shape of a blessing hand, are distributed among the faithful.

Historical figures from the region include: the Roman orator Asinius Pollio; Latin poets Sallust and Ovid, who were born in L'Aquila and Sulmona respectively; Gaius Cassius Longinus, Roman senator and leading instigator of the plot to kill Julius Caesar. Pontius Pilate is said to have been native to the region. Abruzzo's religious personalities include Saint Berardo; John of Capistrano; Thomas of Celano, author of three hagiographies of Saint Francis of Assisi; and Alessandro Valignano, who introduced Catholicism to the Far East and Japan. The Polish Pope John Paul II loved the mountains of Abruzzo, where he would retire often and pray in the church of San Pietro della Ienca. Local personalities in the humanities include: writer Ignazio Silone, screenwriter Ennio Flaiano who co-wrote La dolce vita, philosopher Benedetto Croce, poet Gabriele D'Annunzio, composer Paolo Tosti, sculptor Venanzo Crocetti, and artist LorenzoArs.

American artists and celebrities such as Dean Martin, Perry Como, Henry Mancini, Nancy Pelosi, Rocky Marciano, Rocky Mattioli, Bruno Sammartino, Mario Batali, John and Dan Fante, Tommy Lasorda, Dan Marino, Mario Lanza, Garry Marshall, Penny Marshall, Ariana Grande, and Al Martino trace part of their family roots to Abruzzo.

Some international movies shot in Abruzzo include The American, Jean-Jacques Annaud's The Name of the Rose, Fellini's La Strada and I Vitelloni, Schwarzenegger's Red Sonja, Ladyhawke, King David, Francesco, Keoma, The Barbarians, The Fox and the Child, and Krull.

Medieval and Renaissance hill towns

Before the 2009 earthquake, Abruzzo was the region with the highest number of castles and hill towns in Italy. It still holds many of Italy's best-preserved medieval and Renaissance hill towns, twenty-three of which are among I Borghi più belli d'Italia. This listing recognises their scenic beauty, arts and culture, their historical importance, and quality of life.

The abrupt decline of Abruzzo's agricultural economy in the early to mid-20th century spared some of the region's historic hill towns from modern development. Many lie entirely within regional and national parks. Among the most best preserved are Castel del Monte and Santo Stefano di Sessanio, within the Gran Sasso National Park on the edge of the high plain of Campo Imperatore and nestled beneath the Apennines' highest peaks. Both hill towns, which were ruled by the Medicis for over a century and a half, see relatively little tourism. Between the two towns sits Rocca Calascio, the ruin of an ancient fortress popular with filmmakers. Monteferrante and Roccascalegna are two of the most representative Abruzzo villages in the province of Chieti. Within the Gran Sasso National Park also lies Castelli, an ancient pottery center whose artisans produced ceramics for most of the royal houses of Europe.

Civitella del Tronto played a crucial role in the history of the unification of Italy. The fortress of Civitella is the most visited monument in the Abruzzo region today. Other medieval hill towns located within Abruzzo's park system are Pacentro in the Maiella National Park and Pescasseroli in the Abruzzo National Park. Pacentro, which features a 14th-century castle with two intact towers, has been little touched by modernisation. The Shrine of Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, in the province of Teramo, which attracts some two million visitors per year, is one of the 15 most-visited sanctuaries in the world. Capestrano, a small town in the province of L'Aquila, is the hometown of Saint John of Capistrano, Franciscan friar and Catholic priest, as well as the namesake of the Franciscan mission San Juan Capistrano in Southern California, Mission San Juan Capistrano in Texas, and the city of San Juan Capistrano in Orange County, California. Giulianova is a notable example of a Renaissance "ideal city".

The proximity to Rome, the protected areas, and scenic landscapes make the region one of the greenest in Europe. The presence of quaint villages and its rich and varied culinary traditions are important tourist attractions. In 2010, visitors included 6,381,067 Italians and 925,884 foreign tourists.

In 2015, the American organization Live and Invest Overseas included Abruzzo on its list of World's Top 21 Overseas Retirement Havens. The study was based on such factors as climate, infrastructure, health care, safety, taxes, and cost of living. In 2017, the Chamber of Commerce of Pescara presented Abruzzo region to the annual conference of Live and Invest Overseas in the U.S. city of Orlando, Florida. One year later, in October 2018, Live and Invest Overseas held its first conference in Abruzzo.

Universities

thumb|right|[[University of L'Aquila]]

There are three universities in the Abruzzo region:

University of L'Aquila
D'Annunzio University of Chieti–Pescara
University of Teramo

Harvard University bases an intensive summer Italian language and culture program in Vasto, a resort town on Abruzzo's southern coast.

Science

thumb|[[Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso]]

Between the province of Teramo and L'Aquila, under the Gran Sasso Tunnel, is the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) of the INFN, one of the three underground astroparticle laboratories in Europe.

The Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "Giuseppe Caporale", which conducts research in veterinary and environmental public health, is located in Teramo.

The Gran Sasso Science Institute, located in L'Aquila, is an advanced research institute which offers doctorates in astroparticle physics, computer science, and mathematics, as well as urban studies and regional science, and which also conducts scientific research.

Sports

Interamnia World Cup, the largest international youth handball competition worldwide, takes place yearly in Teramo.

There are several football clubs in Abruzzo. Delfino Pescara 1936 is a Serie B club; based in Pescara, its home stadium is Stadio Adriatico – Giovanni Cornacchia.

Dialects

The regional dialects of Abruzzo include Teramano, Abruzzese Orientale Adriatico, and Abruzzese Occidentale. The first two forms are dialects of the Southern Italian language also known as Neapolitan, since the region has been part of the Kingdom of Naples and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, while Aquilano is related to the Central Italian dialects including Romanesco. The dialects spoken in the Abruzzo region can be divided into three main groups:

Sabine dialect, in the province of L'Aquila, a central Italian dialect
Abruzzo Adriatic dialect, in the province of Teramo, Pescara and Chieti, that is virtually abandoned in the province of Ascoli Piceno, a southern Italian dialect
Abruzzo western dialect, in the province of L'Aquila, a southern Italian dialect

Cuisine

thumb|right|[[Arrosticini of Pescara valley]]

thumb|right|[[Spaghetti alla chitarra of Teramo]]

thumb|right|Typical [[bocconotto of Castel Frentano]]

thumb|Sise delle Monache from [[Guardiagrele]]

Abruzzo's cuisine is renowned for its variety and richness. Both the agricultural and coastal areas of Abruzzo have contributed to its cuisine. Due to the mountains, much of Abruzzo was relatively isolated until the 20th century. This has contributed to preserving local culinary traditions.

Ingredients

In terms of common ingredients, cuisine in Abruzzo often includes:

Lamb and mutton, primarily in the mountains. Sheep's milk (or ricotta) is an important source of Abruzzese cheese, and lamb intestines are used as sausage casing or for stuffed meat rolls. Mountain goat meat is also common in Abruzzo.
Truffles and mushrooms, particularly wild mushrooms from the forests and hills
Garlic, especially red garlic
Rosemary
Hot chili pepper or peperoncini, regionally known as diavolilli or diavoletti, is common in Abruzzese cuisine and often used to add spice to dishes. Abruzzo residents are well known for frequently adding peperoncini, or hot peppers, to their meals.
Vegetables such as lentils, grasspeas and other legumes, artichoke, eggplant, and cauliflower

Starter and main dishes

Spaghetti alla chitarra is made by pressing or cutting pasta through a chitarra, an implement that forms long thin noodles similar to spaghetti. The pasta is served with a tomato-based sauce, often flavored with peppers, pork, goose, or lamb. This dish is complemented by regional side dishes, such as the bean and noodle soup sagne e fagioli. This soup is traditionally flavored with tomatoes, garlic, oil, and peperoncini.
', flavored with bacon, eggs, and pecorino cheese
Scrippelle, a rustic French-style crêpe served either ' (a type of soup) or used to form a sort of soufflé with ragù and stuffed with chicken liver, meatballs, hard-boiled eggs, and cheese
Pastuccia, a polenta stew with sausage, eggs, and cheese
Pasta allo sparone, a pasta roll filled with ricotta cheese and spinach. The pasta roll is boiled in hot water and served with tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese.
Pasta alla mugnaia, a long, uneven and thick type of pasta that is hand-pulled to a diameter of up to 6mm and is traditionally served with tomato sauce. Pasta alla mugnaia, also simply known as mugnaia, is the flagship dish of the town of Elice.
Pallotte cacio e ovo, balls of caciocavallo cheese and eggs, usually served as a starter in a rich tomato sauce.

Meat

Across the region, roast lamb is enjoyed in several variations. Some of these variations include:

Arrosticini, a skewered lamb dish
Pecora al cotturo, lamb stuffed with a variety of mountain herbs and cooked in a copper pot
Lamb cooked whole in a bread oven
Agnello cacio e ovo, a lamb-based fricassee
Mazzarella: lamb intestines stuffed with lamb, garlic, marjoram, lettuce, and spices
Le virtù: a soup from Teramo filled with legumes, vegetables and pork, made only on 1 May.
Timballo abruzzese: lasagna-like dish with pasta sheets (scrippelle) layered with meat, vegetables and rice; often served for Christmas and Easter

Seafood

Seafood is also popular, especially in coastal areas. The variety of fish available locally resulted in several fish-based brodetti ("broths"), coming from such places as Vasto, Giulianova, and Pescara. These broths are often made by cooking fish, flavored with tomatoes, herbs, and peperoncino, in an earthenware pot. Other fish products are scapece alla vastese, baccalà all'abruzzese, and coregone di Campotosto, typical lake fish.

Pizzas

Rustic pizzas are also very common. Some of these are:

Easter pizza, a rustic cake with cheese and pepper from the Teramo area
Fiadoni from Chieti, a dough of eggs and cheese well risen, cooked in the oven in a thin casing of pastry
A rustic tart pastry filled with everything imaginable: eggs, fresh cheeses, ricotta, vegetables, and all sorts of flavorings and spices.

Also from Teramo are the spreadable sausages flavored with nutmeg, and liver sausages tasting of garlic and spices. Atri and Rivisondoli are famous for cheeses. Mozzarella, either fresh or seasoned, is made from ewe's milk, although a great number of lesser known varieties of these cheeses can be found all over Abruzzo and Molise.

Salumi

Salumi (singular: salume) is an Italian term describing the preparation of cured meat products made predominantly from pork.

thumb|[[Mortadella di Campotosto|alt= Mortadella]]

Spreadable sausage flavored with nutmeg and liver sausage with garlic and spices are hallmarks of Teramo cuisine. Ventricina from the Vasto area is made with large pieces of fat and lean pork, pressed and seasoned with powdered sweet peppers and fennel, and encased in dried pig stomach. Mortadella di Campotosto (well known in Abruzzo) is an oval, dark-red mortadella with a white column of fat. They are generally sold in pairs, tied together. Another name for the mortadella is coglioni di mulo (donkey's balls). It is made from shoulder and loin meat, prosciutto trimmings, and fat. It is 80 percent lean meat; 25 percent is prosciutto (ham), and 20 percent is pancetta. The meat is minced and mixed with salt, pepper and white wine.

Cheeses

The region's principal cheeses are:

White cow cheese, a soft cheese made from cow's milk
Caciocavallo abruzzese, a soft, slightly elastic dairy product made from raw, whole cow's milk with rennet and salt
Caciofiore Aquilano, made from raw whole sheep's milk, rennet, artichokes, and saffron (which gives it its characteristic yellow color)
Caciotta vaccina frentana, a half-cooked, semi-hard cheese made from raw whole cow's milk, rennet and salt
Canestrato of Castel del Monte, a hard cheese made from raw whole sheep's milk, with rennet and salt

thumb|[[Caprino cheese|Caprino|alt=Slice of goat's-milk cheese]]

Caprino abruzzese, made from raw whole goat milk (sometimes with sheep's milk), curd, and salt
Cheese and curd stazzo, cheese and byproducts obtained from the processing of raw milk from sheep, cattle and goats
Junket vaccina or Abruzzo sprisciocca, a soft fresh cheese made from raw whole cow's milk, rennet, and salt
Pecorino d'Abruzzo: one of Abruzzo's flagship products—a mild, semi-hard (or hard) cheese with holes, made from raw whole sheep's milk, rennet, and salt
Pecorino di Atri, a compact, semi-cooked cheese made from sheep's milk, rennet and salt
Pecorino di Farindola, cheese made from sheep's milk and pork rennet (a special type of rennet, made by filling a dried pork stomach with vinegar and white wine for forty days)
Ricotta, made from the remnants of the coagulation of raw whole sheep's milk, heated after filtration
Scamorza d'Abruzzo, a stretched curd cheese made from cow's milk, rennet (liquid or powder) and salt

Atri and Rivisondoli are known for their cheeses. Mozzarella (fresh or seasoned) is typically made from ewe's milk; many lesser-known cheeses are found throughout Abruzzo and Molise.

Desserts and sweets

alt=Thin wafers with powdered sugar|thumb|[[Pizzelle are a typical Abruzzo sweet.]]

Abruzzo's sweets are well known:

Dragée (also known as confetti): sugar-coated almonds from Sulmona
Torrone Nurzia: chocolate nougat from L'Aquila
Parrozzo: a cake-like treat made from crushed almonds and coated in chocolate
Pizzelle (also known as ferratelle): a waffle cookie, often flavored with anise
Calgionetti, cagionetti, caggiunitti, caviciunette: Christmas fritters, sometimes filled with chestnuts or chickpeas and flavored with chocolate or cocoa
Bocconotti: stuffed sweets often served for Christmas
Zeppole di San Giuseppe: fried or baked pastries made for Saint Joseph's Day
', two layers of sponge cake filled with custard, produced in the town of Guardiagrele in the province of Chieti

Fruits

The region's principal fruits are:

: coastal citrus (particularly oranges), used for jam and Limoncello
and : types of chestnut
: a local cherry
: almonds from the town of Navelli
: apples from the region
: table grapes, also used for jam

Olive oil

thumb|Olive trees in [[Tocco da Casauria]]

The use of oil in regional mountain and sea dishes is important; among the most common oil products are the Aprutino Pescarese, the Pretuziano delle Colline Teramane, l'Olio extra vergine di oliva delle Valli Aquilane and Colline Teatine.

The list of Abruzzo olive cultivars:

Castiglionese
Dritta
Gentile di Chieti
Intosso
Monicella
Carpinetana
Morella
Nebbio di Chieti
Raja
Toccolana
Tortiglione
Crognalegna
Gentile del L'Aquila (Rusticana del L'Aquila)

The extra-virgin olive oil produced in Colline Teramane (Teramo hills) is marked by the DOP.

The region has several cultivars that include Carboncella, Dritta (Dritta Francavillese and Dritta di Moscufo), Gentile del Chieti, Nostrana (Nostrana di Brisighella), and Sargano olive cultivars.

Wines and liquors

thumb|Bottles of [[Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wine]]

Renowned wines such as Montepulciano DOCG, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo DOC and Controguerra DOC are judged to be amongst the world's finest. In 2012, a bottle of Trebbiano d'Abruzzo ranked No. 1 in the top 50 Italian wine awards.

In recent decades these wines have been joined, particularly, by wines from lesser known (heritage) white grapes, such as Pecorino, Cococciola, Passerina, Montonico bianco and Fiano.

IGT wines are Alto Tirino, Colli Aprutini, Colli del Sangro, Colline Frentane, Colline Pescaresi, Colline Teatine, Del Vastese (or Histonium), Terre di Chieti, and Valle Peligna. The region is also well known for the production of liqueurs such as Centerbe, Limoncello, Ratafia, and Genziana.

Gallery

File:Gran sasso italia.jpg|Campo Imperatore

File:Abruzzo Chamois 2008 446.JPG|Abruzzo Chamois

File:Trabocco Marina di San Vito-001.jpg|San Vito Chietino

File:Apollo Butterfly of Gran Sasso.jpg|Apollo Butterfly in Gran Sasso

File:Lago di Scanno dji mini 3 pro.jpg|Lake Scanno

File:Majella001.jpg|Maiella massif

File:Ponte del Mare di Pescara 2011.jpg|Ponte del mare in Pescara

File:Campo Felice Lake.jpg|Campo Felice

File:Wild boards of Gran Sasso National Park.jpg|Abruzzo Wild boars

File:Ortona 2006 -Ripari di Giobbe- by-RaBoe 001.jpg|Ortona seaside

File:Prati di Tivo - Teramo - Italy.jpg|Prati di Tivo ski slopes

File:Monteferrante chieti.JPG|Monteferrante

File:Rocca Calascio 3.jpg|Rocca Calascio

File:Duomo di Teramo - facciata principale.jpg|Duomo of Teramo

File:Palazzo della Camera di Commercio Chieti.jpg|Chieti

File:L'Aquila 2007 -Fontana della 99 Cannelle- by-RaBoe-065.jpg|L'Aquila 99 Spouts Fountain

File:L'Aquila, Basilica di San Bernardino 2007 by-RaBoe-1.jpg|San Bernardino Basilica in L'Aquila

File:Pescara - foce del fiume vista dal ponte del mare.JPG|Pescara

File:Basilica di Lanciano.jpg|Lanciano basilica

File:Sulmona0003.jpg|Church of SS Annunziata in Sulmona

File:Sulmona0001.jpg|Sulmona

File:Celano0001.jpg|Celano

File:CasalBCentroStorico.jpg|Casalbordino

File:Guardiagrele Santa Maria Maggiore Occidentale.jpg|Guardiagrele

File:Ortona 2005 -Castello Aragonese- by-RaBoe 01.jpg|Ortona

File:Santuario San Gabriele dell'Addolorata Abruzzo 03.JPG|Shrine of Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows

File:PalazzoCastelli.jpg|Palazzo Savini in Teramo

</gallery>

References

External links

Official site of the regional administration
Official Abruzzo tourist board website
Map of Abruzzo
In the land of bears and castles, Financial Times, 29 June 2007
Italy as it used to be, The Guardian, 16 April 2005
Life in Abruzzo, a chronicle of Abruzzo life written from a hill village in the Gran Sasso Mountains