7 days in Abruzzo: from the Costa dei Trabocchi to Gran Sasso

Pescara was largely rebuilt during the Fascist era and after the Second World War. Its grid layout makes driving straightforward; park at your hotel or in nearby streets.

Start in Pescara Vecchia. Corso Manthonè contains much of the city's surviving history. At number 111 is Gabriele D’Annunzio's house, with admission costing 5 € : 19th-century furniture, frescoes on the ceiling, first manuscripts of the writer.

A few dozen metres away, San Cetteo Cathedral houses D’Annunzio's mother's tomb. The writer helped fund much of its construction in the 1930s.

In late afternoon, walk to Ponte del Mare, a footbridge stretching 466 metres spanning the mouth of the Pescara River. From the top, you can see the first wooden trabocchi along the south pier, with the Majella peaks behind them.

Dine along Lungomare Matteotti. Beach restaurants serve fritto misto and spaghetti with clams for around €20.

Below, Trabocco Turchino extends into the sea. These fishing structures of acacia wood and rope resemble giant spiders resting on the water.

The acacia boards creak underfoot, and the waves vibrate through the supports. Meals often last more than two hours, with seafood starters, pasta, grilled fish and fried seafood.

In the afternoon, drive ten minutes inland to Abbazia di San Giovanni in Venere at Fossacesia. Admission is free, and its 12th-century marble doorway faces the sea.

Then descend to Vasto. A walk from 20 minutes on a dirt road leads to the promontory of the Riserva Naturale di Punta Aderci. In clear weather, the view includes Gran Sasso, Majella and Abruzzo National Park.

Finish the day in the historic centre of Vasto, built on a hill above the Gulf. Castello Caldoresco and Piazza Rossetti mark the heart of the city.

If the previous day's light was disappointing, return to Punta Aderci early. Anglers cast their lines from Motta's pebble beach, and the clear water reveals the seabed at depths of up to three metres .

Castello di Semivicoli rises above the village roofs. This 17th-century baronial palace was bought and restored in 2009 by Gianni Masciarelli, a long-established regional wine producer.

The building retains its wooden doors, stone press and fireplaces. Restoration introduced contemporary furniture and works from the Masciarelli Art Project.

An overnight stay includes access to the historic spaces. Arrange a tasting at reception: for 15 to 20 €, sample three estate wines, often Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Villa Gemma or Trebbiano Marina Cvetic, with local pecorino and cured meats.

Dinner is served in the former armoury or on the terrace facing Maiella.

Arrive in Sulmona in early afternoon. Park at Santa Chiara for €1.20 per hour, then walk up to Corso Ovidio.

Sulmona is the birthplace of the Roman poet Ovid, whose statue stands in Piazza XX Settembre. Its medieval aqueduct, built in 1256, has 21 pointed arches in dressed stone across Piazza Garibaldi.

Just behind, the Complesso della Santissima Annunziata mixes Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque facades.

For lunch, choose a central trattoria. Order maccheroni alla chitarra, square pasta cut on a wire-strung wooden frame, or pecora alla cottora, sheep meat slow-cooked in a copper pot with mountain herbs. Osteria del Tempo Perso or Taverna de li Caldora serve these specialities for around €20.

Sulmona is known for confetti: Avola almonds coated in layers of sugar, arranged as daisies or bunches of grapes in Corso Ovidio's shop windows.

Drive to Fabbrica Pelino, five minutes from the centre. The factory has made sugared almonds since 1783The museum on the first floor is free and exhibits old copper machines. Count €8 for a box of classics in the shop.

Pescocostanzo escaped earthquake damage and the property development of the 1970s, preserving its Renaissance and Baroque architecture.

Walk along Via del Colle. The wrought-iron balconies reflect a craft introduced by Lombard blacksmiths in the 15th century. Inside Santa Maria del Colle, look up at the carved and gilded wooden coffered ceiling.

Local craftspeople still make bobbin lace, displayed in windows along Via Vulpes.

Stop at Ristoro Mucciante in Fonte Vetica for arrosticini, Abruzzo's characteristic sheep-meat skewers. Grill them yourself on canaline, long, narrow barbecues shaped like gutters. Smoke stings the eyes, clings to wool jumpers and carries the smell of grilled meat across the car park.

Backtrack a little towards Rocca Calascio. Parking below the village is limited; in high season, a €2 shuttle departs from Calascio.

From the abandoned village, allow 45 minutes along a rocky path to reach the fortress. At 1,460 metres above sea level, the ruins overlook the Tirino Valley. Access is free. The cylindrical towers surrounding the square keep are associated with Ladyhawke, starring Michelle Pfeiffer, and The Name of the Rose.

At the end of the day, drive fifteen minutes to Santo Stefano di Sessanio. Entrepreneur Daniele Kihlgren bought a large part of the village's houses in the early 2000s to create Sextantio Albergo Diffuso: reception, restaurant and rooms are spread out in the historic buildings.

The cobbled lanes smell of wood smoke. Inside the rooms, switches are hidden, beds rest on sturdy trestles and handwoven wool blankets replace duvets.

Locanda Sotto gli Archi serves recipes documented by anthropologists, including mountain lentil soups and lamb with herbs. A full dinner costs around 50 €.

The centre still bears the marks of the 2009 earthquake. Cranes and scaffolding remain part of the landscape, but most major monuments have reopened.

The Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio stands beside the car park. Its rectangular façade alternates white and pink stone, and the interior contains the tomb of Pope Celestine V. Each August, the side door opens for the Perdonanza, a tradition inscribed on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.

Drive to Borgo Rivera to visit MUNDA, the National Museum of Abruzzo. Housed in the former slaughterhouse, it displays artworks rescued from churches damaged by the earthquake. Admission costs 5 €.

Afterwards, cross the street to the Fontana delle 99 Cannelle. Water flows from 99 carved stone masks along red-and-white chequered walls. Tradition connects the number with the castles involved in the city’s 13th-century foundation.

Have a porchetta panino at a central takeaway before the return drive. The A24 reaches Rome Fiumicino in 1 hour 30 minutes; for a flight from Pescara, the A25 takes you back in 1 hour 15 minutes.