about the house
This beautiful 3/4 bedroom, 2 bathroom farmhouse, recently restored and modernised to a high standard and situated in a stunning elevated position with views of the Gran Sasso mountains and rolling hills of Abruzzo, is the perfect setting for either a relaxing, authentic Italian experience or as a base for exploring one of Italy’s most beautiful, undiscovered regions.The house is situated only five minutes drive from the Gran Sasso National Park, with it’s amazing scenery, wildlife and activites such as mountain biking, trekking, horse riding and ski-ing and is also within easy reach of the golden, sandy beaches of the Adriatic coast. On the outskirts of the village of Villa Cupoli, where there is a bar and three good restaurants, a small store and traditional bakery, it is only a five minute drive to the small hilltop town of Farindola, famous for locally produced Pecorino cheese, a delicious cheese made from sheeps milk. Here there are grocery stores, a butchers and greengrocers store aswell as a hardware store, laundry, post office, bank and petrol station. Every Friday morning there is a small market in the main square with fresh local produce at amazing prices.
A little further afield, the historic, mediaeval town of Penne is less than fifteen minutes drive and there are many interesting and typical villages and towns to visit and explore and those interested in the history of the region will find many beautiful churches and cathedrals, castles and Roman remains, ancient chapels and fascinating hermitages carved out of the rocky mountainsides.
On the coastal strip, there are a number of beach resorts with bars, restaurants and lively night-life and Pescara, about 45 minutes away has everything you would expect from a modern, bustling City, from designer stores, excellent restaurants, many specialising in locally caught seafood, and bars to a busy port and Marina.
The region, as you would expect of Italy, prides itself on the quality of it’s food and wine. With many local specialities aswell as the better known dishes, eating out is a gastronomic delight and value for money is exceptional. It is also fun to visit some of the local wine producers, most of whom sell direct to the public, and taste some of the wines before heading home with amazing bargains.
At the house, we provide a comprehensive guide to the region, listing information on local attractions, restaurants, stores and other facilities together with an idea of costs, distances, & opening times so that too much of your holiday is not spent finding your way around.
Abruzzo is an undiscovered gem, similar in many respects to the better known tourist destinations, but without the tourists!! A basic knowledge of Italian is helpful as not much English is spoken here, but the locals are friendly and helpful. It is also an authentic, working region, still heavily dependent on agriculture and viniculture and has a rugged beauty and charm not found in some of the more visited regions. There is something here for everyone and a visit is highly recommended to this delightful, affordable region of Italy.