Europe Explored » narrow gorges https://europeexplored.com Travel through the most beautiful places in Europe Sun, 08 Sep 2013 13:36:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=3.6 Abruzzo – Hike in the Greenest Region of Europe | Italy https://europeexplored.com/2012/10/16/abruzzo-hike-in-the-greenest-region-of-europe-italy/ https://europeexplored.com/2012/10/16/abruzzo-hike-in-the-greenest-region-of-europe-italy/#comments Tue, 16 Oct 2012 08:43:20 +0000 Claire https://europeexplored.com/?p=11867 Wild beauty, breathtaking sceneries and unspoilt nature of Abruzzo’s National Parks reflect in crystal clear lakes and mountain streams. Its stunning landscapes and narrow paths winding up the mountains from lowland pastures to the highest peaks make Abruzzo an ideal destination for walking holidays. Gran Sasso, Abruzzo, Italy by Antonio Castagna Whether you’re a beginner […]

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Wild beauty, breathtaking sceneries and unspoilt nature of Abruzzo’s National Parks reflect in crystal clear lakes and mountain streams. Its stunning landscapes and narrow paths winding up the mountains from lowland pastures to the highest peaks make Abruzzo an ideal destination for walking holidays.

Gran Sasso, Abruzzo, Italy
Gran Sasso, Abruzzo, Italy by Antonio Castagna

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced walker, you will find the right track for you. The terrain of the Apennines is diverse and there are hundreds of hiking trails of all levels of difficulty to choose from, ranging from walks in sandy pine groves on the shore through rustic farmland plains and shadowy forest lanes to paths winding high in the alpine meadows and rough rugged paths leading to steep rocky peaks 3000 metres above the sea.

Abruzzo is home to three National Parks and over thirty nature reserves protecting more than a third of its area, making it the greenest region of Europe. You will find striking, awe-inspiring sceneries in any place you visit. The trails to the stunning Zompo Lo Schioppo and Morricana waterfalls offer fascinating views as a reward for completing the hike. Maiella’s deep canyons, narrow gorges and vast karstic plains are great for a bit more adventurous tours around their extraordinary landscape forms. Grassy highlands with ancient dry stone huts, wooded slopes with castles and ruins to discover on hilltops and wildflower-scented alpine meadows where you may run into a grazing herd of chamois blending into deep forests where Apennine wolves and Marsican bears roam are other wondrous features of Abruzzo. Its mountain lakes – Scanno, Vivo, Campotosto and Bomba – are also delightful destinations for pleasant walks in the heart of nature. But above all, you must not miss the opportunity to trek in the pastoral landscapes of the Little Tibet of Europe – the vast Campo Imperatore plateau that resembles the Asian steppe.

Campo Imperatore, Abruzzo, Italy
Campo Imperatore, Abruzzo, Italy by Stefano Maule

The 2900 metres high peaks of Corno Grande, the highest mountain of Gran Sasso, are accessible even to unexperienced mountaineers and offer spectacular views and breathtaking panoramas of the whole region. But if you’d like to train in nature trekking before setting out on your first hike, you have four nature trekking schools and mid-mountain guides in L’Aquila, Spoltore, Villeta Barrea and Caramanico to choose from! Abruzzo is now easily reached by road, rail or air from most parts of Italy and Europe.

For more information on Abruzzo visit the official Tourist Information website www.visitabruzzo.co.uk.

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Abruzzo National Park – natural beauty in Italy https://europeexplored.com/2010/12/17/abruzzo-national-park-natural-beauty-in-italy/ https://europeexplored.com/2010/12/17/abruzzo-national-park-natural-beauty-in-italy/#comments Fri, 17 Dec 2010 11:55:59 +0000 Claire https://europeexplored.com/?p=1444 The first national park of Italy is Abruzzo National Park. It was founded in September 1923 and it was the last resort of brown bears, chamois and wolves in Italy. They survived on a small island of royal hunting ground in Abruzzo, protected from the dangers of peasants and shepherds in the area. This five-kilometer […]

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The first national park of Italy is Abruzzo National Park. It was founded in September 1923 and it was the last resort of brown bears, chamois and wolves in Italy. They survived on a small island of royal hunting ground in Abruzzo, protected from the dangers of peasants and shepherds in the area. This five-kilometer secure islet has been extended to its current size of 506.82 km2.

Abruzzo National Park is surrounded by the mountain peaks, reaching an altitude of 2000m. Among the mountains the river Sangro creates the way through the narrow gorges to wide open valleys and occasionally through small villages.

Local information centers offer a multimedia presentation, about all the peculiarities of the surface and beneath the surface of Abruzzo National Park.

Walking through the park is a very nice rest. I recommend the route number 11, which leads to the Valle delle Rose. The trip takes less than 5 hours and you will surely see the red mountain goat, or deer.

Very nice is also a trip along the trail BN1, which leads to a beautiful viewing point from which you have open views across the valley Pescasseroli. It is a 50 minutes walk from the town Pescasseroli.

The settlement Barrea has a lot to offer as well. It covers the lake Barrea, several churches, and Nature Reserve Lago di Pantaniello.


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