Our friends Nick and Susie recently visited us from England and were deeply impressed by the contrasting areas of mountains, hills and beaches all within a short distance of our Abruzzo villas for two. On successive days, we enjoyed the warm autumn sun as we strolled over what in a few weeks time will be the ski slopes of La Majelletta; and then found the sun to be even hotter at sea level as we went for a paddle and had miles of perfect sandy beach all to ourselves at Le Morge.  

Then, in answer to their search for exercise just a little more strenuous, we took Nick and Susie to the Spirito Sancto gorge in Fara San Martino – a short drive from your Abruzzo villa for two. We've talked before about Fara and its stupendous Visitatore festa in August, which is climaxed by a thunderous firework display set off at the entrance to the Spirito Sancto gorge – a deep cleft leading into the heart of the towering mountains that loom over the town.

Just follow the road through Fara and park near the small wood-built bar at the top of the path that leads down to the entrance to the gorge. Stop for a coffee and take in the view !

At the very entrance to the gorge, the remains of a medieval abbey are being excavated. Once you leave that behind, you're in 'Lord of the Rings' scenery as the easy-to-follow path leads you under vertical cliffs upwards into the heart of the Majella.

At weekends, especially in July and August, the Sprito Sancto gorge is a popular spot for a typical walk in Abruzzo. But in midweek, especially outside the peak season, you – like us – will probably have the place to yourself.

The gorge is steeped in legend. The story goes that it was San Martino himself who parted the mountains and created a way for the villagers of Fara to take their herds of sheep and goats up into the slopes to graze. 

Take a look around you. In the cliffs you'll see many curiously-shaped holes. Geologists will tell you that they've been created by water cascading down from the melting snows of the Majella each spring. But the legend is that these are marks left by the elbows of San Martino as he forced his way through the mountains to open up the path you're now on.

This particular walk in Abruzzo can be as long or short as you want. When you've had enough – simply turn round and head back. Press on and you could tackle a route up to the top of Monte Amaro – the second-highest peak in the entire Appenine chain at 2793m/9163ft. An arduous day-long – but achievable – adventure for experienced, guide-led walkers only !

Or if you're truly into challenging sports, the sheer sides of the Sancto Spirito gorge offer around thirty free-climbing routes, ranging in difficulty from Grade 3 to 7.

Aside from good trainers in dry weather, or light boots if it's wet, you won't need any specialist clothing or equipment for a walk through the Spirito Sancto gorge of around 'an hour up – and an hour down'. 

The shale/pebble path is generally well-marked and easy-to-follow and though it leads pretty continuously uphill, there are no steep gradients in the first couple of miles or so. But be warned that the further into the gorge you go, the tougher it gets !

We reckon that the best time to enjoy this particular walk in Abruzzo would be in the spring when the alpine flowers in the Spirito Sancto gorge must be a wonderful sight. We'll check and let you know… 

(Click on the pictures in the text for larger images) 

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Last October we were too busy just arriving in Abruzzo – on the 9th to be exact – to take that much notice of what the weather was like. The day after we got here it rained. Then it was OK. And that's about as far as memory takes me. This year, it's been different.

This Abruzzo October had a couple of damp, chilly days at the start, but ever since, the weather's been fantastic: day after unbroken day of clear blue skies; temperatures upwards of 20C/68F; and a pleasant Autumnal nip in the air each evening.    

This Abruzzo October, we've had time to enjoy it. Building progress on our new home and your Abruzzo villas for two is good, so we took a day off from the latest task of organising central heating and bathrooms to immerse ourselves in the Autumn scenery of the Majella National Park, which is just spectacular at the moment.

From the Villasfor2 site, we've been able to look up and see the slopes of the  Majella National Park slowly changing colour. Too big a temptation to resist. We had to get closer !

There are several ways to drive into the Majella from your Abruzzo villa for two – all easy; all near. We ambled up through Guardiagrele. The roads were empty; the scenery virtually ours alone to enjoy.

If you feel like it, you'll find places to stop for a coffee or a drink as you climb upwards past Bocca di Valle and medieval Pretoro, perched on a near-vertical hillside, and always worth strolling around. 

Climb higher and the forest becomes thicker, cover for the wolves and the bears, the trees becoming a lacework of light and colour in the Autumn sunlight.

We were lazy, just stopping the car to admire the views wherever the mood grabbed us. But if you're less slothful than we were, you can enjoy some fantastic walks through the Park. 

You're free to go pretty much anywhere you want, but it's safer – and ultimately more enjoyable -  to keep to the well-signposted trails taking in easy rambles or challenging hikes. The Majella boasts over 300 miles of walking trails through its 40,000 acres, so it doesn't get that crowded !

Whether you're driving or on foot, go high enough – and you'll eventually emerge through the tree-line and be rewarded with some stunning views.

On this particular Abruzzo October day, the supreme sight for us was the russet-clad forested slopes that stretched out for miles beneath us.

And if we hadn't opted for the Majella National Park, we could have spent the day at the beach instead. Yes. Really ! On a Villasfor2 holiday in Abruzzo next year, that wouldn't be such a bad choice to have for a day out in October – would it ?

(For the bigger picture, click on the images above) 

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Ski Abruzzo
Driving up into the mountains of the Majella National Park a couple of weeks ago, we passed through the ski resorts at Passo di Lanciano and La Majelletta. It was the first time we'd been this way since we'd been up to take a look at the ski facilities in February – and we could hardly believe the contrast in the winter and early autumn landscapes.

Take a look at the chair-lift at Passo di Lanciano in February – and in October. The mountains have had their first snow flurries – next month, the scene will again be a wintry one.

Incidentally, the piste underneath  the chair-lift is the last stage  of Passo di Lanciano's one black run. It starts much higher on La Majelletta, swooping down to finish – conveniently – right by the cafe !

Along with Passo di Lanciano, the other big ski area here is a couple of thousand feet higher on the slopes connecting La Majelletta and Blockhaus. The road up from Passo di Lanciano is clear except in the very worst weather. The drive takes 10-15 minutes and there's a huge parking area around the famous 'Albergo Mamma Rosa', which for 40-odd years has been a skiers' haven. Check out the difference between February and October !

The slopes between La Majelletta and Blockhaus have a couple of black runs and – like Passo di Lanciano, a lot more red and blue ones for intermediates and beginners. Once we're into November, check out the snow conditions in the area here. Local ski and boot hire is easy and while weekends are always busy, treat yourselves to a day's skiing midweek outside the school hols and you'll have the area pretty much all your own.

Walking Holidays in Abruzzo
Incidentally, while we're talking of things to do on your Villasfor2 holiday in Abruzzo, you might like to know that during 2009, we plan to offer – among other special 'themed' weeks – walking holidays in Abruzzo in and around the breathtaking scenery of the Majella National Park.

We're working on developing these at the moment – so bookmark this site and check back often. Like our regular Villasfor2 holidays, our walking holidays in Abruzzo – and our other special themed weeks – will be for three couples only, and we'd hate you to miss out !

(Click on pictures in text for larger images) 

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Lured by the first sprinklings of snow up on the mountains of the Majella National Park, coupled with a beautiful warm autumn day, we couldn't resist heading up to the top of La Majelletta – an easy drive, less than an hour from your Abruzzo villa for two.

It's only when you emerge through the treeline after going past the Passo di Lanciano ski resort that you realise quite how high you've driven. We took these opening pictures at around 1500m/4920ft up.

Over to the north-west, a little over 50kms away, is the Gran Sasso range and the towering peak of Corno Grande, at 2912m/9554ft, the highest mountain in the entire 1000km Apennine chain, while all around you, Abruzzo is spread out like a patchwork quilt. 

On the clearest days in winter, you can actually quite easily see the Adriatic 35kms away to the east – allegedly the only place in Europe where you can ski and see the sea at the same time. (And it has to be easier to do than to say…)

We drove from Passo di Lanciano up La Majelletta until the road runs out at 1995m/6546ft. Or rather the road continues a little further up to the Blockhaus peak and beyond and although you can walk it, only official vehicles are allowed to drive on it.

Park the car; walk up the road a little and enjoy one of the Majella National Park's most spectacular views. Rising above thickly forested slopes, is Monte Acquaviva – 2737m/8980ft – with the distinctive 'V'-shaped gully running off its summit.

To the right of Acquaviva is Pesco Falcone, then on the far right of the picture is Monte Amaro - at 2793m/8980ft, it's the second-highest peak in the Apennines after Il Corno Grande.

And of course, we did exactly what you'll probably do too – set the self-timer and take a picture. The little wall we're sitting on – no more than 60cms high – is all that used to separate the mountain road from…well…quite a drop. You'll be pleased to hear the barriers nowadays are a lot more substantial !

The mountains of the Majella National Park have provided us with the inspiration of names for our three villas – Il Martellese (our nearest mountain); Acquaviva; and Pesco Falcone. You can see Il Martellese and Acquaviva from the sun terrace outside your Abruzzo villa for two. To be honest, we're not sure whether you can glimpse Pesco Falcone or not. Mountain tops look a little different when seen from ground level !

You can follow the drive we took up into the mountains between March and October. During winter the road heading up after the ski station at La Majelletta is generally open – but check the weather conditions first.

(Click on the images in the text above for the bigger picture !) 

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In our opening stroll through the Majella National Park, we had a look at some of the birdlife you could come across. For many though, the true excitement of the Majella – and the whole essence of natural Abruzzo – isn't in the air, but on the ground in the shape of bears and wolves.

The wolf is the symbol of the Majella. Hunted for centuries and the subject of more myth and folklore than any other animal in the Park, the wolf now enjoys protected status.

You're most likely to hear a wolf baying in the late winter/early spring and a pawprint in snow or mud – or even the remains of its prey (usually wild boars or deer) can make you aware of its presence. But  an actual sighting is down to chance – a fleeting glimpse of a wolf through trees is just as likely as seeing one strolling across a forest path in broad daylight.  

The Marsican Brown Bear is even more elusive. About fifty are thought to range across Abruzzo's three great National Parks, with around a dozen in the Majella. Sad to report, these beautiful animals are still persecuted and two have been shot and killed by poachers in the Gran Sasso National Park in recent months.

The Museo dell'Orso in Palena – about a 35-minute drive from Villasfor2 – provides an excellent introduction to the Marsican Bear and by arrangement you can also go on hikes along known bear trails in the area.

The Museum's opening times are variable. Its contact details are on its website and it's advisable to plan ahead.

The bear and the wolf are creatures of the forest. Not so the Abruzzo Chamois, which inhabits the Majella's mountain areas. Hunted to extinction in the area early in the 19th century, the chamois was reintroduced to the Majella at around the time it achieved National Park status in 1995 and has since thrived. 

You're likeliest to get a sighting of chamois in areas of shrubby scree that provide grazing – and you're likely to get a sighting of their incredible agility if you get what they consider to be too close ! 

But if it's close sightings you're after, make for the Paolo Barrasso Centre in Caramanico Terme at the very heart of the Majella National Park.

Here, in addition to a natural history museum, you'll also find  a specially-created habitat for one of the Park's most captivating animals – the otter. The Centre runs occasional twilight viewing walks throughout the year. Check when they're scheduled by first calling (+39) 085 922343.

You won't find any of these animals outside the Majella. But there's one you will. The wild boar, or cinghiale. Inside the Parks, it's the chief prey animal of the wolf – some estimates reckon wild boars make-up 70% of wolf kills. Outside the Parks, the boar is hunted – legally – also as a source of food.

They're widespread throughout the region and though not often seen unless deliberately flushed-out by hunters, you can often spot a wild boar's passage through woodland and forest. It's not the most careful of travellers or feeders and leaves a wide and obvious tell-tale track.

We're incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful natural Abruzzo resource as the Majella National Park so close-by. There are numerous well-run visitor centres circling the Park – our nearest are close-by at Fara San Martino and Guardiagrele – where you'll find a fantastic range of free guides and brochures and expert help to you enjoy the Park to the full.

To whet your appetite, the Majella National Park has its own excellent website in English, French and German in addition to Italian. Incidentally – don't skip the Intro, it has some great animation and sound effects !

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In 'Blog of Blogs 1', we told you about the why's and how's of our move to Abruzzo. So we're here. Where's 'here' ? On the fringes of the Majella National Park outside the tiny hamlet of Ascigno, just to the north of Casoli – which is pretty much in the middle of the map on the left and marked with a blue circle. Click on the map for a better view.

We've found an Abruzzo property where we'd like to live and run our 'Villasfor2' holidays for couples business – but we haven't actually bought it yet. Now what ? These blogs will explain. Click on their titles to read them.

• About Villasfor2. Where in Abruzzo we actually are – and the kind of holiday we plan to offer you.
• Three Good Reasons For An Abruzzo Holiday in November. Yes, a slightly bizarre title for a blog that ran in January. But read it. It does make sense.
• Buying Property In Abruzzo. This struck a huge chord. Seems there are an awful lot of us looking for that ideal and elusive Abruzzo property.
• Abruzzo Food Special – Sunday Lunch At 'La Quercia'. Stuff yourself at our best local agriturismo…
• Ski At Passo di Lanciano and La Majelletta. …and then burn off those excess calories on the local slopes. Or just drop in for coffee, cake and the scenery. C'mon, you're on holiday…
• One Less Property For Sale In Abruzzo ! The blog we'd been busting to write. We finally complete the purchase of Villasfor2 HQ !
• A Typical Abruzzo Market – Sunday At Casalbordino. Time for a little retail therapy -  Abruzzo-style !
• Abruzzo Sightseeing – Abruzzo Flora. Spring sees the countryside carpeted with wild flowers. It's the best time of year to go walking and wandering.
• La Morgia – The Abruzzo Landmark That's Also An Artwork. Spring also gave us our first real chance to explore the local area. This was our stunning first stop.

That takes us up to the start of April 2008. At this stage, the planning permits for our own house and the villas for your holidays for couples were going through the application process. The third and final part of the Villasfor2 About Abruzzo Blog of Blogs will bring you right up to date.

(And if you'd like to mail us – there's a link at the very bottom of this page – below the space reserved for comments !)

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It's hugely encouraging that every week more people are reading the Villasfor2 About Abruzzo blog which I started writing about a month after our arrival in Italy in early October 07.

I know from your mails that you regard me and Pauline as either brave, crazy, misguided and/or visionary, but the simple fact is that we wanted somewhere new to live and to run the kind of small, low-key, laid-back villa rental place that we'd never quite been able to find ourselves.

The About Abruzzo blog is a record of how we do this. To read any of the entries below, click on its title. If you're new to the site, this – and a couple more upcoming chapters along the same lines – will bring you up to date. If you already know the story so far, there'll be a brand new blog along in a minute ! 

• So We Got In Car And Drove To Italy.  The first-ever blog. If you want to know why – read on…
• Introducing – Selva di Altino. A little local knowledge – and the 2005 World and European Pizza Champions.
• The Cat Blog. Meet Little Plum, Edwin and Aurora.
• So We Got In The Car And Drove To Italy (2). More why's. And a few how's…
• Meanwhile, In The Back Seat… "But are the cats alright ?" Yes, fine thanks. We're OK too, by the way…
• Olives And WiFi. An 'About Abruzzo' ancient and modern multi-media mix.
• Introducing – Pescocostanzo. Our favourite mountain village.
• Every House in Abruzzo We Didn't Buy. Don't like that one. Or that one. Or that one…
• The House in Abruzzo We Did Buy. Villasfor2 HQ. Our home – and the site for your holidays for couples !
• We've Had A Little Snow. The perfect excuse for some scenic shots in the blog.

That takes us up to the start of 2008. At this stage, we'd put down a deposit on our new property – but we hadn't actually bought it yet. Find out what happened next in the second chunk of the Villasfor2 About Abruzzo Blog of Blogs ! (And if you'd like to mail us – there's a link at the very bottom of this page – below the space reserved for comments !)

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Sit on the terrace outside your Abruzzo holiday villa and glance to your right. There's the Majella National Park. Within 20 minutes, you could be walking through the spectacular gorges outside Fara San Martino in the shadow of the towering Monte Acquaviva, at 2737 metres – (just under 9000 feet) – one of the tallest peaks in the Apennine chain.

Or you could sit on your terrace and wait for natural Abruzzo to come to you. Look up. The Majella is the

home of some spectacular birds of prey including golden eagle, peregrine falcons and goshawks, eagle owls, buzzards and kites. Most days, you'll see – and hear – eagles and buzzards patrolling the skies high above your Abruzzo holiday villa. Out in the open countryside, it's not that unusual to see one perched on a telegraph pole surverying its territory. Kites, with their massive wingspans and distinctive forked tails, are unmistakable. The hawks are a little harder to spot and for a glimpse of the eagle owl, you'll have to follow one of the many signposted trails into its habitat in the forests of the Majella. 

Rather more homely than these big birds of prey is the delightful and unmistakable Hoopoe, which you'll see in the fields, vineyards and olive groves around Villasfor2 during the summer using its long beak to probe the ground for tasty little grubs. 

And you'll hear rather than see the Little Owl. Though you can occasionally spot one by day, you're likeliest to catch an occasional glimpse of this common – but tiny – bird in your car headlights at night.

The Majella is one of three National Parks in Abruzzo. No Italian region has more and no Italian region has a greater proportion of National Park to its total size. A little to the north of Villasfor2 – but still easily accessible for a day's outing – is the Gran Sasso, where you'll find the highest mountain in the Apennines and the southernmost glacier in Europe; further to the west is the huge Abruzzo National Park – the oldest in Italy – which spills into neighbouring Lazio and Molise.

You can find out more about the Majella National Park – including its comprehensive network of walking trails – on its excellent website in English, French and German.

And having shown you a few of the Majella's birds this time, in the second part of the Majella blog we'll look at the animals !  

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It's a beautiful morning in late February. You've maybe popped down to Sant'Eusanio to get some fresh bread for breakfast and on your way back, you just couldn't help stopping the car and gazing up to the snow-covered peaks of the Maiella, glistening white against a clear blue sky. Put whatever plans you might have had for the day on hold. Act on impulse. Head for the mountains. 

 When you get there

An hour from leaving your Abruzzo holiday villa just outside Casoli – and after a beautiful and easy drive up through the Maiella National Park – you'll be parking your car a few yards away from the bottom of the chair-lift at Passo di Lanciano. You'll immediately notice how uncrowded it is – and how nearby you can hire skis and boots and pick up a ski-pass.

Or maybe you've forward-planned a little and booked yourself a few lessons, either just for the two of you, or in a group. It doesn't matter in the least whether you're a total beginner or just a little rusty. You'll be with others of the same age and ability. Or if you've skied before, you might want to try something new like snow-boarding. However you've handled it, you're in for a great day. The ski-school is right alongside the chair-lift.

Even if you don't want to ski at all, just sit with a beer or a coffee in one of the many bars and cafes and take in the views. Or if the road is open – and unless the weather's bad, it usually is – another 10 minutes or so in the car will take you up through the treeline to the 1995m heights of La Majelletta and some truly breathtaking views.

In the 2007/8 season: 

• a day's ski-pass in the Passo di Lanciano/Majelletta area cost between €16-20 each
• a half-day – either up to, or after, 1230 – was only about €5 cheaper
• ski and boot hire was €16-€22 per person, depending on the type you hired
• skiboard hire was the same
• take your passport – you may be asked to leave it as a deposit against the safe return of your hire equipment
• ski-school was open 0830-1630
• lessons ranged from €30/hour for 1-to-1 instruction; to €40/hour for a couple; to €25 each for a 2-hour group session
• equipment hire is substantially discounted if you book lessons
• English is widely spoken !

Get more on the ski-school here – or send them an email: info@scuolasciblockhaus.it

Their telephone number is (+39) 0871 896139 

You can read reviews from people who've skied at Passo di Lanciano and La Majelletta here – and get up-to-date snow and weather forecasts for the area too.

And by the way, if you go to Passo di Lanciano/La Majelletta during the week, it really is uncrowded. The picture below was taken outside the 'Albergo Mamma Rosa' on La Majelletta (great spot for a snack and a drink) at 1245 on Tuesday 19 February. Welcome to your very own personal, private, exclusive ski resort !

If you've skied before – will it suit you ?

You can ski at Passo di Lanciano/Majelletta from December and into late-March/early-April. The area offers: 

• 20kms of ski slopes
• 9 ski lifts and 1 chair lift
• at least 6 blue (easy) runs; 15 red (intermediate) runs; and 5 black (difficult) runs
• 9kms of Nordic (cross-country) trails
• Passo di Lanciano is 1650m above sea-level (about 5400 feet); La Majelletta is 1995m (about 6550 feet)
• And of course we'll tell you the quickest way to get there from your Abruzzo holiday villa !

(Click on pictures in text for larger images)

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Getting There
Pescocostanzo's an easy hour's drive south of us. You skirt Fara San Martino where the world-renowned 'De Cecco' brand of dried pasta is made – and its unmissable factory – and then start climbing steadily through the Maiella National Park up to Palena. The road's good and the views are wonderful, but nothing will prepare you for what you'll see when you've made that last pull up through the woods from Palena and emerge onto the Cinque Miglia Plateau.

As you round one last bend, you expect to see more mountains. What you don't expect to see – and what never fails to delight me – is the enormous level plain of the Cinque Miglia spread out before you, ringed by the Maiella mountains. You're now up at about 1400m – around 4,500 feet. In winter, the Plateau becomes a vast cross-country skiing arena: for the rest of the year, it's the home of sheep – still herded on foot by shepherds and their dogs around the best grazing pastures -  and some intimidatingly large mountain cattle you'll probably already have noticed grazing by the roadside.

Welcome to Pescocostanzo
A dead straight, wide-open road, with just a little unexpected chicane around the tiny Pescocostanzo and Rivisindoli railway station, brings you to the Pescocostanzo turn-off to your right. Unless you're heading for a meal at La Corniola on your left – which we've already mentioned in an earlier blog. Keep going for another couple of hundred metres and leave your car either next to the park on your left, or in the carpark. Then walk up into the town. (You can drive into the centre of the town, but at busy times, access is for pedestrians only.)

You've got to admire the local comune for resisting the redevelopment that's marred several other resort towns. While there is a little development around Pescocostanzo, the town itself is absolutely unspoiled. And tiny.

It won't take you long to stroll around. There are a higher-than-normal number of little food shops – with higher-than-normal prices – and a couple of jewellery craft shops and art galleries – the nicest of which is just to the right of where I took the picture just below.

The via Colecchi, Pescocostanzo's main thoroughfare,  leads you to – and ends in – the triangular Piazza del Municipio, with its old Town Hall and the Palazzo Ricciarelli. There are two bars in the Piazza – the American Bar and the Bar Italia. Up until about noon on a fine day – at least in autumn – the Bar Italia is bathed in sunlight and it's the place to sit outside for your  pre-lunch glass of prosecco.

Then time moves on and the sun shines – literally – on the American Bar. Perfect for an afternoon coffee or chocolate and some excellent cake and perhaps a well-earned grappa after a stroll up the Corsa Roma off to the right of the Bar Italia which leads up to the ski lift; or a walk through the nearby Bosco San Antonio Nature Reserve; or maybe just climb the short flight of stairs you'll see a few metres past the American Bar. They'll take you up to the old church of Sant'Antonio Abate and some unmissable panoramic views over the Cinque Miglia and past Pescocostanzo's old tiled roofs up to the ski runs of Monte Calvano.

And Lunch – Or Dinner
There are at least five restaurants I know of in Pescocostanzo. I've already mentioned La Corniola; if you'd like to go somewhere a little more informal and relaxed, try Da Paolino. You'll find it on the right-hand side of the via Colecchi as you near the Piazza del Municipio. It's cosy, welcoming, bustling and comfortable – and advisable to book (0864 640080) for lunch at weekends and other busy times. The food's typically abruzzese. Terrific home-made pasta, like Fettucine di Grano Saraceno with garlic, fresh tomatoes, pine nuts and pistacchios, followed by char-grilled home made salsicce. Our bill, with an excellent bottle of Novello, was around €50. 

And Pescocostanzo has its own site too.

(Click on pictures in text for larger images)

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