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Discovering Hidden Gems in the Province of Teramo, Abruzzo

As an American, born and raised in the suburbs of New York, my discovery of the Central Italian region of Abruzzo happened in an unexpected way. My wife Dayana is from the province of Teramo and we met while she was on a short stay in New York to complete her master’s degree. I had been to Italy several times before in the past and, as the grandson of Southern Italian immigrants (Campania and Puglia) I still have any relatives and friends scattered across several different regions. Abruzzo, however, was unknown to me. Exploring Italy and its culture has always been a passion of mine. While I have been to most of the main cities and tourist locations such as Rome, Venice, Naples and the Amalfi Coast, my greatest joy has always been in discovering the hidden gems of “real Italy” the beautiful countrysides and “borghi” that don’t necessarily make it onto most people’s travel agenda. From the first time Dayana and I visited Abruzzo together, I was immediately drawn to its rugged natural beauty and the warmth of the Abbruzese people. The region of Abruzzo can be described as the “Heart of Italy” and it’s only an hour and a half or so by car from Rome. One of the most defining characteristics of the region is its landscape. Abruzzo offers the “best of both worlds,” featuring both the awe-inspiring mountains of the Apennines, perfect for hiking and winter sports, as well as the beaches of the Adriatic coast. Between these two areas of Abruzzo there is much to be discovered. Beyond the more well-known sites (L’Aquila, Roseto degli Abruzzi, Trabocchi Coast) here are a few of my favorite “hidden gems” of Abruzzo:        



1. Poggio delle Rose 


My introduction to the Abbruzese way of life was in my wife Dayana’s father’s tiny village of Poggio delle Rose. Traveling into town late on an August night by way of Rome to celebrate the Italian holiday of Ferragosto, Davana navigated her Fiat 500 through the windy unpaved roads through the foothills of the countryside. When we arrived, it was pitch dark and there wasn’t much to see but waking up the following morning in a medieval ‘Borgo’ with amazing views and fresh misty air was a memorable experience. We spent the following day, Ferragosto, exploring the town drinking homemade wine from local cantinas and eating Abbruzese staples such as Arrosticini and Porchetta. While only around 100 people actually live in the village the Poggesi are super warm and welcoming and love to celebrate, especially with good homemade wine! It’s well known in the area for its “Vino Cotto,” a semi-sweet red wine that locals often ‘cook’ at home in large copper vessels, and ‘castagne’ or chestnuts. Many of the homes feature small ‘cantinas’ and there is an annual ‘Festa delle Cantine’ where locals go to each cantina and sample all of the homemade wine along with ‘taglieri’ (cold cuts) and other ‘aperitivi.’ In the end, they decide whose wine is the best and a special award (and bragging rights!) is presented to the winner.