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NATURE AND
PARKS
Bears and chamois,
walls of rock and forests, pleasant countrysides
and magnificent sandy beaches. Among the high
peaks of the Gran Sasso and Velino and the
golden coastline, Abruzzo's nature portrays
variety and striking beauty possible to
appreciate year round. Thanks to its natural
parks of the Gran Sasso - Monti della Laga, of
the Majella and of Abruzzo, to the Regional Park
of Sirente - Velino, and a dense network of
natural and regional natural reserves and of
oases controlled by environmental associations,
Abruzzo's nature is adequately safeguarded, and
can be easily visited by passionate individuals
as well as organized groups
THE
COUNTRYSIDE
 The
mountains of Abruzzo are formed mainly by
limestone. They culminate at 2,919 meters of
altitude on the Gran Sasso, where the small
Calderone glacier, the southernmost of Europe
and the only of the Apennine Mountains, hides.
The mountains of
the Majella are also very important (2,795
meters), along with the Velino (2,486 meters)
the Sirente (2,358 meters) and the mountains of
the National Park of Abruzzo, which highest peak
is found on Mount Marsicano (2,253 meters).
On the Lazio
border rises the Simbruini-Ernici mountain
range, where its highest elevation can be found
on Mount Viglio (2,156 meters). Rocky walls
appear on the Gran Sasso, Majella, Velino and
Sirente. Typical of the region are plateaus,
caves, and canyons.
The waterfalls of
Zompo, Schioppo, Sfischia and Verde along with
the lakes of Campotosto, Barrea, Scanno, and the
caves of Cavallone, Beatrice Cenci and Stiffe
are all phenomenal locations to not be missed.
The only geological exception among the
limestone realm can be found on the Monti della
Laga, composed of argillaceous and sedimentary
rock, where Mount Gorzano (2,458) rises, and the
limestone mountains of Fiori and Campli are
visible. On the Molise border the Pizi and
Frentani mountains arise. Nourished by the
rivers (among which are Tronto, Vomano, Tavo-Saline,
Aterno-Pescara, Sangro and Trigno) the valleys
of Abruzzo are well cultivated. Springs, woods
and streams offer areas of protected nature,
where the badlands of Atri and Alento are
joined. Of great naturalistic value are the
lakes of Serranella of Penne, where many rare
bird species reside.
Even the
waterfront deserves a visit from nature
enthusiasts. For the most part sandy, the cost
rises between Ortona and Vasto in the headland
of Punta del Cavalluccio and Punta d'Erce. Green
oases are offered by the pines of Santa Filomena,
Pineto and the Lecceta of Torino di Sangro.
FLORA
 The
absolute father of all is the beach tree. From
the woods of Saint Anthony in the Gran Sasso,
and from the Fonillo Valley in the Sirente, the
small beach trees characterize the vegetative
countryside of Abruzzo, almost completely
occupying the vegetative belt found at 1,000
meters of altitude and at the maximum limit of
the woody vegetation.
The European
silver fur, pursued by centuries of trimming, is
still present on the Laga, in Rosello and in the
Fondillo Valley. In the valley of Santo Spirito
(Majella) and on the Godi Mountain (in the
National Park of Abruzzo) a certain endemic
species of European black pine grows , while
abandoned everywhere are tree plantings of
European black pine in Austria.
About 1,000 meters
of altitude, the mountains of Abruzzo are
covered by woods of oak trees, black birch
trees, common hazel trees, field maple trees,
Montpellier maple trees, cherry trees and other
species. In the sunniest areas, the typical
trees of the Mediterranean appear such as the
live oak, the downy oak, and the strawberry
tree. The chestnut grows in the Roveto valley
and in the Laga.
The crest of the
Camosciara and the Majella are covered by an
embedded scrub of mountain pine, which join the
ursina grape, black berries and dwarf junipers.
Here and there, birch trees stand as testimonies
of eras much colder than the present. Between
Spring and Summer, among the mountains bloom the
gentiana tree, wild orchids, peonies, cyclamens,
buttercups and violets
Among the most
rare species are the red lilies, the martagone
lilies, aquilegia, the shoe of Venus and the
Marsican iris. Much higher grows the alpine star
of the Apennines (mainly on the Majella and the
Gran Sasso) the houseleeks, the genepe of the
Apennines, daisies, the sesleria, species of
herbaceous thistles, the buttercups of the
Apennines, the alpine poppy and the grassy
willow trees.
FAUNA
 The
brown bear is the most precious animal of the
entire region. Concentrated between the Sangro
Valley and Cinque Miglia, the webbed animals are
present with small nuclei on the Majella and the
Sirente, and possibly on the Simbruini and the
Gran Sasso. The wolf, the eternal nomad of the
Apennine Mountains, enjoys the prosperous health
of the mountains of Abruzzo. The lynx and the
otter are very rare, both respectively pointed
out in the Sangro Valley and on the Majella.
An animal of large
size that is easily visible is the Apennine
chamois, which lives in the Rose Valley and on
Mount Amaro in the National Park of Abruzzo,
within the amphitheatre of Murelle (Majella) and
on Mount Camicia (Gran Sasso). Omnipresent is
the wild boar, which has introduced target
hunting areas in many woods of the region.
Lightly diffused in respect to the Alps are the
deer and roe deer.
Among the mammals
of large stature are present the wild cat, the
pekan, the fox, the hedgehog, the badger, the
stone marten, the dormouse, the weasel, the snow
field mice and the southern squirrel. Among the
rapacious prey the most diffused are the golden
eagle, the common buzzard, the black kite, the
common kestrel, the common hen harrier, the
peregrine falcon and the lanner falcon which are
among the day fliers; among the nocturnal
animals are the common toad, the tawny owl and
the burrowing owl.
The list of
mountainous birds continue with the common
raven, the cough, the common redstart, black
redstart, the rock partridge, and the red billed
chough. Within the woods live the green
woodpecker, the red woodpecker and the
white-backed woodpecker of Lilford. In the humid
areas the grey heron, the red heron, the
black-crowned night heron, the little egret, the
great crested grebe, the crane, the common
moorhen, the black-winged stilt, the white
stork, the glossy ibis and the eurasion coot;
among the aquatic birds are present the
ferruginous duck, the pochard, the mallard and
the wigeon.
On the waterfront
you can observe the yellow-legged gull, the
black-headed gull, and the small gull, while
visible at large are the kittiwakes, the common
tern and cory's shearwater. Among the reptiles
present are the Ursini viper, the common viper,
a natrix viper, and the rat snake. Among the
amphibians the Italian salamander, the European
green toad, the glass-wearing salamander and the
spotted salamander. In the Adriatic it is
possible to observe aquatic mammals such are the
porpoise, the bottlenose dolphin and the common
dolphin.
THE CAVES
The spectacular
cavity that opens within the calcareous
mountains of Abruzzo offers magnificent
exhibitions to nature enthusiasts, and can be
visited without difficulty. The caves are well
equipped, and since reserved only to
speleologists, are particularly interesting on
the Majella, the mountains of Carseolani and
Simbruini, and between the mountainous areas of
Vileno and Sirente.
The
caves of Cavallone
On the eastern
slope of the Majella, this spectacular cavity
rendered famous by Gabriele D'Annunzio, has a
development of 1,300 meters, opens at 1,425
meters of altitude, at the entrance of the
walloon of Taranta that rises 2,795 meters from
the Mount Amaro and includes numerous settings
of particular interest.
The
caves of Stiffe
Between the woods
of the Aterno valley, this splendid underground
system collects the waters of the Sirente and
the high plain of the Rocche, with a development
of 650 meters and is characterized by waterfalls
and striking magnificent lakes.
The
caves of Beatrice Cenci
Within the town of
Cappadocia, this striking cavity rich of
numerous limestone deposits permits the
rediscovery of numerous manufactured products
from the stone age. It is joined by the
impressionable Ovido di Verrecchie, with a depth
of a hundred meters.
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