Abruzzo is "the Region of Parks", home to a wild, unspoilt natural beauty with three national parks, a regional park and dozens of protected nature reserves amounting to a good 30% of the region's land surface.
The regional capital, L'Aquila, is dominated by an imposing sixteenth century castle (which is now home to the National Museum of Abruzzo) in addition to boasting magnificent secular and ecclesiastical monuments from the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
The region's coastline is brought to life by a string of popular seaside resorts, the most outstanding being Pescara, birthplace of Gabriele D'Annunzio where the poet's native home nowadays houses a small yet picturesque museum.
The National Archaeological Museum in Chieti is renowned for the quality of its exhibition organization, the most well-known exhibit being the Capestrano Warrior, a funerary statue dating from the sixth century B.C.
Not forgetting the superb fifteenth century frontal (housed in the Duomo) by the great Abruzzian goldsmith, Nicola da Guardiagrele.
The entire region of Abruzzo offers an abundance of architectural and artistic riches, indeed almost equalling the region's natural treasures and folk customs... the "Feast of the Snake Holders" of Cocullo, for example, attracts thousands of visitors to the tiny village each year on the first Sunday of May!