The hidden heart of Italy

Rugged Abruzzo is still terra incognita for tourists. They dont

know what theyre missing
Mia Aimaro Ogden Published: 27 September 2015

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The high life: the village of Santo Stefano di Sessanio (Stefano Scata/SIME)

They call it Tuscany without the English, but the Italian region of
Abruzzo is a wild world away from the gentle hills of Chiantishire. If
youre looking for a well-kept secret, this is it: a surprising 4,000 square
miles of high mountains and Adriatic beach that even the natives
struggle to find on the map.
Abruzzo lies in the centre of the boot, east of Rome and south of Le
Marche. Its the north of the south the warmth, ruggedness and
recipes of the southern regions combined with the nascent wealth of its
northern neighbours. And its building a reputation as the hottest

destination for Italianophiles unimpressed by Umbria and bored by

Basilicata.
Abruzzo has the most beautiful hill towns in Italy, three national parks,
great vineyards, vast beaches and some pretty exciting cooking, all of it
powered by natives described by the writer Primo Levi as strong and
gentle. Weve explored the best it has to offer, from the food and wine to
the spots you mustnt miss.

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A trabocco fishing platform (Alamy)

The villages
Its the stuff of Italian fairy tales: a zigzag of creamy-stone houses
tumbles quietly down the side of a dark, craggy mountain; under the
colonnades, off the piazza, faded frescoes blister in the noonday sun...
This could be any one of a dozen villages in Abruzzo; they even have
their own club, I Borghi Piu Belli dItalia, which, rather splendidly, votes
for the prettiest in the country. But every ones a winner here: gorgeous
early-medieval Navelli, careering down a hill between the high parks of
Gran Sasso and Sirente Velino; Penne, the noble city of the brick, with

its grand Renaissance palazzi; and Civitella del Tronto, built around a
Spanish clifftop fort that will drive small warmongers wild.
The loveliest of all, however, has to be Santo Stefano di Sessanio, a
limestone hamlet in LAquila, built on Roman foundations. It was
damaged by the earthquake of 2009, but brought back to extraordinary
life by its saviour, Daniele Kihlgren. Abruzzo hits you like a punch in
the stomach, he says. Its still a virgin land. With a huge injection of
cash, hes established Sextantio, one of the coolestalberghi diffusi
hotels with rooms spread across several buildings in the country,
based around the Locanda sotto gli Archi restaurant.
Wandering round the village is a treat. Be sure to stop for apausacaffe at Mediceo Bar, while, under the arches, dont miss Nonna
Peppina, which sells traditional jams, pecorino cheese and local lentils;
La Bottega delle Arti e dei Mestieri, for knitted toys and jingly mobiles;
and La Bottega del Tombolo, producing macram and embroidered
linens.

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A rough-hewn room at Sextantio

The food
Cooking in Abruzzo isnt just about the hearty cucina povera, or poor
food, of the mountains though the herb-cured sausage, spit-roast
lamb and salty pecorino are wholly delectable. The region is also home
to some of the most exciting young chefs in Italy.
The Tinari familys Michelin-starred restaurant at Villa Maiella, on the
edge of pretty Guardiagrele, is a must, as much for the magnificent
mountain views as for the fabulous cooking (mains from 20; 00
39-0871 809319,villamaiella.it). And dont miss the exceptional seafood
at Pesce Palombo, housed in one of the skeletal trabocchi, or great
wooden fishing machines, dotted along the San Vito Chietino coast.
Thebrodetto, an Adriatic fish stew, is delicious (mains from 12; 333
305 5300,traboccopescepalombo.it).
The real star of the show, though, is Niko Romito, who recently gained
his third Michelin star hes one of only eight chefs in Italy to do so
at Reale, housed in a minimalist monastery outside Castel di Sangro.
Hes a self-taught chef who has managed to wow both regular foodies
and picky critics with his unusual dishes. But why do it here, in the
furthest reaches of an unknown region? For me, it was about coming
home, he says. Its a difficult land, but the produce is exceptional.
Highlights of Romitos 10-course Ideale tasting menu include sea bass
ravioli, pigeon and pistachio, and liquorice-flower water ice with white
chocolate and balsamic vinegar. If youre equal to the task, you can also
pair wines for the full gourmet blowout (tasting menus from 88, mains
from 19; 0864 69382,ristorantereale.com).

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Roll out the barrel: the cellar at Castello di Semivicoli

The wines
Montepulciano Abruzzos most famous export is still harvested by
hand and crushed underfoot at Emidio Pepe, 20 minutes from the coast.
Stay at itsagriturismoand taste the results (doubles from 57, B&B, 00
39-0861 856493,www.emidiopepe.com).
Leonardo Pizzolo, at Valle Reale, sandwiched between the great national
parks, is doing great things with young vines hes on every top
restaurateurs wine list, and welcomes guests corkscrew in hand
(tastings from 15pp; 0859 871039).
The real big-hitter in the region, however, is Masciarelli Tenuta Agricola,
producing 2.5m bottles a year. Its run by human dynamo Marina Cvetic,
aka Mrs Masciarelli, who fails to turn up for the evening tasting Ive
booked because, as she explains: Im running around in the vineyard in
the dark. Shes checking for bugs, the bane of a wine producers life.
I go on and taste without her. Five lines and 18 labels. Sadly, by the end,
I have to spit. Its a novel way to get to Abruzzos heart.
Wine is life, Mrs Masciarelli tells me when I finally catch up with her.
Theres nothing more important than sitting down with good friends

and a good bottle. Thats the Abruzzese philosophy all over (tastings
from 8pp; 0871 85241,www. masciarelli.it).

The beaches
Theres little of Abruzzos 80-mile coast thats still truly wild. The
seaside resorts of Marina di Vasto and San Salvo Marina are ideal for
families, but for a taste of virgin territory, head for Punta Aderci, a 700acre nature reserve that begins at Punta Penna Beach and curves up to
the mouth of the Sinello River.
Twitchers, as well as sun worshippers, will be in their element the
golden dunes here are home to several rare varieties of sea bird and
the sea is crystal clear. In all probability, on a weekday outside August,
you wont see another soul (free; 00 39-334 629
0593,www.puntaderci.it).

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Fish stew at Pesce Palombo (Franco Cogoli/SIME)

The hotels
For the villages

Sextantio is a group of hilltop houses transformed into luxurious rooms

that are kitted out with a mix of antique wooden furniture and Artemide
lighting, crisp linens, hand-woven blankets and stylish bathroom suites.
Ask for Le Loggette, which has a lovely medieval loggia (doubles from
98, B&B, 00 39-0862 899112,sextantio.it).
For the food

Casadonna is the hotel wing of Niko Romitos Reale restaurant, with six
rooms that stop just short of stark. Beds are huge, furniture is
midcentury classic, walls and floors are creamy limestone. The
bathrooms are the real indulgence, with whirlpool baths, two sinks and
double showers (doubles from 130, B&B, 0864
69382,casadonna.com).
For the wines

The 17th-century baronial Castello di Semivicoli, owned by the

Masciarelli family, is a luxury 11-room retreat with a tightly curated
collection of modern art. Vast beams, high ceilings and startling views
are offset by iconic modern furniture: Eames, Saarinen, Panton. Ask for
the Granaio Suite Depardieu (yes, that Depardieu; he is a winemaker,
after all) it has a 360-degree, 17-window view of the vineyards
(doubles from 53, B&B, 0871 890045,chateauxhotels.co.uk).
For the beaches

Fattoria dellUliveto is the perfect low-key base for a beach break. Run
by Luigi and Antonio Di Lello, thisagriturismohas four simply
furnished double rooms, a pool, a restaurant (all produce is homegrown) and a herd of Yorkshire black pigs that are turned into prizewinning spicyventricina(doubles from 86, half-board, 01694
722193,long-travel.co.uk).
Getting there

Pescara is the only international airport in Abruzzo, and is served by

Ryanair. Or fly to Rome with airlines including British Airways, easyJet,

Monarch and Ryanair; or to Naples with easyJet.

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Mia Aimaro Ogden was a guest of Sextantio, Casadonna and Castello
di Semivicoli