Italy

Posted on: September 30, 2008 at 9:46PM

In America, Tuscany seems to be synonymous with Italy. Yes, Tuscany is beautiful, but Tuscany is for tourists. There are other parts of the country that are just as beautiful, if not more so, and much less crowded and less expensive. If you want to see a special corner of Italy, and not run into the same people you see in your hometown every day,go to Abruzzo. Fly to Rome, pick up a car, head to A26 and drive to Avezzano. From there, you'll see the signs for Trasacco, Lucca dei Marsi and Collelongo. All towns in the basin of Fucino (look that up and find out about one of Italy's largest lakes that was drained for farmland!). If you go to the town of Collelongo, you're at the entrance of the Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, where you'll see eagles, fox, possibly glimpse a bear and revel in the beauty of the Appenini. This little town of slightly over 1,000 people - also the birth place of my paternal grandfather, Luigi Guanciale - is home to the beautiful Locanda del Torre. This small inn is located in a former guard tower dating from the year 1,000. It was lovingly restored and houses six guest rooms and an excellent restaurant. The roof deck offers a spectacular view of the mountains. No museums, no galleries, but real life as it's lived every day in the Italian countryside. Hike in the mountains, explore the park, participate in the daily passegiata, sample some of the finest cuisine in all of Italy. And if that's not enough excitement for you, travel there in May where you can visit to the nearby town of Cocullo for the annual snake festival that takes place the first weekend of the month. report a problem