Abruzzo

Abruzzo is a region in southern Italy with nearly 1.3 million people living in an area of 10,831.84 square kilometres. It is divided into four provinces: L'Aquila, Teramo, Pescara, and Chieti. The western border of Abruzzo is only 80 km east of Rome. L'Aquila is the capital city, while Pescara is the largest city and a major port.

Abruzzo is bordered by Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and northwest, Molise to the south, and the Adriatic Sea to the east. The region features a mountainous western area with the highest peaks of the Apennines, including Gran Sasso d'Italia and Maiella, and a coastal eastern area with beautiful beaches.

Known as "the greenest region in Europe," Abruzzo has more protected areas than any other Italian region. It includes three national parks, one regional park, and 38 nature reserves. These areas protect rare animals like the golden eagle, the Abruzzo chamois, the Apennine wolf, and the Marsican brown bear. The region is also home to Calderone, one of Europe's southernmost glaciers. The motto of Abruzzo, "forte e gentile" (strong and kind), was chosen by the nineteenth-century Italian diplomat and journalist Primo Levi to describe the character of the region and its people.

Etymology

The name Abruzzo likely comes from Aprutium, which means "land of the Praetutii," an ancient group of people who lived in the area of present-day Teramo. Another idea is that the name might come from the Latin word abruptus, meaning "steep" or "precipitous."

In 1273, King Charles I of Anjou split the area into two parts along the Pescara river. These parts were called Abruzzo Citeriore ("nearer Abruzzo") and Abruzzo Ulteriore ("further Abruzzo"). Because of this, the region was also known as Abruzzi.

History

Main articles: Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and Abruzzi e Molise

People have lived in Abruzzo for a very long time. Ancient tools and weapons made from stone have been found in places like Chieti and Caramanico Terme. These show that different kinds of early humans lived there, from simple walkers to smarter people who could make better tools.

Later, Abruzzo was part of many big groups and countries. It was ruled by Romans, Lombards, and many others over the years. Big battles happened here, and many cities grew up and changed hands many times. Through all these changes, Abruzzo kept its special way of life and became part of modern Italy.

Geography

Abruzzo is found in the middle of the Italian peninsula. It stretches from the Apennines mountains to the Adriatic Sea. The land is mostly mountainous with wild areas. The highest mountain is Gran Sasso, which stands at 2,912 metres, and Mount Majella at 2,793 metres. The coastline along the Adriatic Sea has long sandy beaches in the north and pebbly beaches in the south. Abruzzo is famous for its beautiful landscapes, parks, and nature reserves. It also has hillside areas filled with vineyards and olive groves. Many beaches have earned the Blue Flag beach award for being clean and well-kept.

Climate

Abruzzo has two different climate zones. The areas near the coast and the lower hills have a Mediterranean climate, meaning hot, dry summers and mild winters. Further inland, where it is higher up, the climate changes and gets cooler as you go up in altitude. The mountains affect where rain falls. The west side of the mountains gets a lot of rain, while the east side stays drier because the mountains block the rain. Some valleys far inland get very little rain, around 500 millimetres a year, while the coast usually gets more, about 600 millimetres or more. Pescara gets about 700 millimetres of rain each year, while Chieti gets more, around 1,000 millimetres. The areas near the border with Lazio can get even more rain, sometimes between 1,500 to 2,000 millimetres.

Flora and fauna

The plants in Abruzzo are typical of the Mediterranean area. Near the coast, you can find shrubs like myrtle, heather, and mastic. Further inland, there are trees such as olive, pine, willow, oak, and poplar. Higher up in the mountains, you’ll see beech trees and flowers like the alpine orchid.

Abruzzo is home to many animals, including the Abruzzo chamois, which almost disappeared but is now making a comeback. Other animals you might find here are the Marsican brown bear, Italian wolf, red deer, lynx, roe deer, foxes, porcupines, wild cats, wild boars, and otters.

The region has several natural parks, such as the Abruzzo National Park, the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park, the Maiella National Park, and the Sirente-Velino Regional Park. In 2017, some of the ancient beech forests in Abruzzo were named a special World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Administration

Main article: Politics of Abruzzo

Abruzzo is run like a presidential democracy with many parties. The leaders make decisions, and both the leaders and a special council help create laws.

The main leaders are chosen for five years, and they include a president and eight other important people who help with different jobs.

Administrative divisions

Abruzzo has four main areas called provinces.

Demographics

As of 2026, Abruzzo has a population of 1,267,222 people. About half are male and half are female. Young people make up 13.9% of the population, while older people make up 26.5%.

The number of people living in each square kilometre in Abruzzo is 117, which is lower than the national average. Pescara has the most people living close together, with 253 people per square kilometre. L'Aquila has the fewest people, with only 57 people per square kilometre, but it is the largest area.

People in Abruzzo have moved from the mountains to the coast over time. This has caused the coast to become very busy with buildings and activities, while the mountains have become quieter and older in age. Some areas along the coast have grown well, while others have had more trouble.

Even with these changes, Abruzzo was named one of the best places to live in the world in 2016.

Immigration

After many people left Abruzzo for many years, new people began coming to the region from other countries in the 1980s. The growth in population recently is because more people are moving in than leaving.

As of 2025, most people living in Abruzzo were born in Italy. Other countries with many people living there include Romania, Albania, Morocco, and Germany.

Economy

See also: Economy of Abruzzo, Abruzzo (wine), and Tourism in Abruzzo

Abruzzo used to be a less developed part of southern Italy. But since the 1950s, it has grown steadily. In 1951, its income was only 53% of richer northern Italy’s. By 1994, that grew to 76%. Today, Abruzzo is one of the most productive areas in southern Italy.

The region does well in many areas. It makes machines, cars, and technology. It also grows great food like wine, fruits, and vegetables. Tourism is growing too, with people visiting beautiful parks, ski hills, and beaches.

Industry

Abruzzo has many factories and small businesses. It makes machines, cars, and technology. The area around Teramo has many small factories. Chieti and Pescara have big companies too. There are also famous places for making sweets and other goods.

Agriculture

Farmers in Abruzzo grow lots of fruits, vegetables, and wine. They make famous wines like Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. The land also gives us olives, wheat, and other crops.

Tourism

Many people visit Abruzzo for its nature, ski resorts, and beaches. The parks have beautiful forests and animals. In the mountains, you can ski and explore. On the coast, there are places to relax by the sea.

Abruzzo’s towns and villages are full of history. Places like L’Aquila have old castles and churches. The region has many small, beautiful villages chosen as some of Italy’s most lovely spots.

• Abbateggio
• Anversa degli Abruzzi
• Bugnara
• Campli
• Caramanico Terme
• Casoli
• Castel del Monte
• Castelli
• Città Sant'Angelo
• Civitella del Tronto
• Crecchio
• Guardiagrele
• Navelli
• Opi
• Pacentro
• Palena
• Penne
• Pescocostanzo
• Pettorano sul Gizio
• Pietracamela
• Pretoro
• Rocca San Giovanni
• Santo Stefano di Sessanio
• Scanno
• Tagliacozzo
• Villalago

Transport

See also: Abruzzo International Airport, Port of Pescara, Adriatic railway, Autostrada A14 (Italy), Autostrada A24 (Italy), and Autostrada A25 (Italy)

Airports

• Abruzzo International Airport is the only international airport in the region. It opened for travelers in 1996 and has grown each year because of budget airlines using it. Today, the airport serves over 500,000 passengers each year.
• L'Aquila-Preturo Airport is near L'Aquila but is not used much.

Ports

There are four main ports in Abruzzo: Pescara, Ortona, Vasto, and Giulianova.

Over time, the Port of Pescara has become one of the most popular tourist ports in Italy and along the Adriatic Sea. It was damaged greatly during World War II but was fixed up over many years. Today it has a modern area for boats and places to build ships. It has won an award from the European Union for its services. The Port of Pescara has less travel for passengers because of its shallow water.

Railways

There is a big difference between the train lines along the coast of Abruzzo and those in the inland areas, which need updating to make them better, especially the line from Rome to Pescara.

Existing railway lines:

• Adriatic railway runs through all of Italy from north to south, close to the Adriatic Sea.
• Rome – Sulmona – Pescara
• Sulmona – Carpinone
• Sulmona–Terni railway
• Avezzano railroad – Roccasecca
• Giulianova – Teramo
• Sangritana (Lanciano – Castel di Sangro)

Highways

There are three highways that help people travel in the region:

• A24 (Rome – L'Aquila – Teramo) was built in the 1970s and links Rome with the Adriatic coast in less than two hours. The Gran Sasso tunnel, the longest road tunnel completely in Italy, opened in 1984.

• A25 (Torano – Avezzano – Pescara) links Rome with Pescara. The road splits from A24 in Torano, goes across the Fucino area, moves over the Apennines, and joins with A14 near Pescara.

• A14 Bologna – Taranto known as the "Adriatica", is a 743 km (461.68 mi) highway between Bologna and Taranto.

Culture

See also: Music of Abruzzo and List of museums in Abruzzo

Castel del Monte, one of Abruzzo's little-known hill towns

Fishing trabucco of San Vito Chietino

The Museo Archeologico Nazionale d'Abruzzo in Chieti houses the famed Warrior of Capestrano statue, which was found in a necropolis of the 6th century BC. Across the region, among the prominent cultural and historical buildings are: Teramo Cathedral, its archeological museum and the Roman theater, the Castello della Monica, the Collurania-Teramo Observatory, the famous L'Aquila Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio (which holds the remains of Pope Celestine V), the Museo Nazionale d'Abruzzo, Santa Maria del Suffragio, the Forte Spagnolo, the Fountain of 99 Spouts, Gabriele D'Annunzio's house in Pescara, Campli's Scala Sancta and its church, the church of Santissima Annunziata in Sulmona, the cathedrals of Chieti, Lanciano, Guardiagrele, Atri, and Pescara, along with the castles of Ortona, Celano, and Ortucchio.

Abbazia di San Liberatore a Majella (Serramonacesca)

Cathedral of San Giustino (Chieti)

Every year on 28–29 August, L'Aquila's Santa Maria di Collemaggio commemorates the Perdonanza Celestiniana, the indulgence issued by Pope Celestine V to anyone who "truly repentant and confessed" would visit that Church from the Vespers of the vigil to the vespers of 29 August. Sulmona's Holy Week is commemorated with traditional celebrations and rituals, such as "La Madonna che scappa in piazza", when a large statue of Mary, borne by a group of local fraternities, is carried across the square in procession. Cocullo, in the province of L'Aquila, holds the annual "Festa dei serpari" (festival of snake handlers) in which a statue of St. Dominic, covered with live snakes, is carried in a procession through the town; it attracts thousands of Italian and foreign visitors. In many Abruzzo villages, Anthony the Great's feast is celebrated in January with massive, scenic bonfires.

In the past, the region of Abruzzo was well known for the transumanza, the seasonal movement of sheep flocks; these used to travel mostly southbound towards Puglia during the cold winter months. The Feast of St. Biagio, protector of wool dealers, is celebrated across the region. On 3 February in Taranta Peligna, every year since the sixteenth century, an evocative ritual is held: panicelle, or small loaves made of flour and water, in the shape of a blessing hand, are distributed among the faithful.

Ovid, from Sulmona

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Gabriele d'Annunzio, from Pescara

Historical figures from the region include: the Roman orator Asinius Pollio; Latin poets Sallust and Ovid, who were born in L'Aquila and Sulmona respectively; Gaius Cassius Longinus, Roman senator and leading instigator of the plot to kill Julius Caesar. Pontius Pilate is said to have been native to the region. Abruzzo's religious personalities include Saint Berardo; John of Capistrano; Thomas of Celano, author of three hagiographies of Saint Francis of Assisi; and Alessandro Valignano, who introduced Catholicism to the Far East and Japan. The Polish Pope John Paul II loved the mountains of Abruzzo, where he would retire often and pray in the church of San Pietro della Ienca. Local personalities in the humanities include: writer Ignazio Silone, screenwriter Ennio Flaiano who co-wrote La dolce vita, philosopher Benedetto Croce, poet Gabriele D'Annunzio, composer Paolo Tosti, sculptor Venanzo Crocetti, and artist LorenzoArs.

American artists and celebrities such as Dean Martin, Perry Como, Henry Mancini, Nancy Pelosi, Rocky Marciano, Rocky Mattioli, Bruno Sammartino, Mario Batali, John and Dan Fante, Tommy Lasorda, Dan Marino, Mario Lanza, Garry Marshall, Penny Marshall, Ariana Grande, and Al Martino trace part of their family roots to Abruzzo.

Some international movies shot in Abruzzo include The American, Jean-Jacques Annaud's The Name of the Rose, Fellini's La Strada and I Vitelloni, Schwarzenegger's Red Sonja, Ladyhawke, King David, Francesco, Keoma, The Barbarians, The Fox and the Child, and Krull.

Medieval and Renaissance hill towns

The fortress of Civitella is the most visited monument in Abruzzo.

Roccascalegna fortress

Before the 2009 earthquake, Abruzzo was the region with the highest number of castles and hill towns in Italy. It still holds many of Italy's best-preserved medieval and Renaissance hill towns, twenty-three of which are among I Borghi più belli d'Italia. This listing recognises their scenic beauty, arts and culture, their historical importance, and quality of life.

The abrupt decline of Abruzzo's agricultural economy in the early to mid-20th century spared some of the region's historic hill towns from modern development. Many lie entirely within regional and national parks. Among the most best preserved are Castel del Monte and Santo Stefano di Sessanio, within the Gran Sasso National Park on the edge of the high plain of Campo Imperatore and nestled beneath the Apennines' highest peaks. Both hill towns, which were ruled by the Medicis for over a century and a half, see relatively little tourism. Between the two towns sits Rocca Calascio, the ruin of an ancient fortress popular with filmmakers. Monteferrante and Roccascalegna are two of the most representative Abruzzo villages in the province of Chieti. Within the Gran Sasso National Park also lies Castelli, an ancient pottery center whose artisans produced ceramics for most of the royal houses of Europe.

View of Casoli

Medieval village of Scanno

Civitella del Tronto played a crucial role in the history of the unification of Italy. The fortress of Civitella is the most visited monument in the Abruzzo region today. Other medieval hill towns located within Abruzzo's park system are Pacentro in the Maiella National Park and Pescasseroli in the Abruzzo National Park. Pacentro, which features a 14th-century castle with two intact towers, has been little touched by modernisation. The Shrine of Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, in the province of Teramo, which attracts some two million visitors per year, is one of the 15 most-visited sanctuaries in the world. Capestrano, a small town in the province of L'Aquila, is the hometown of Saint John of Capistrano, Franciscan friar and Catholic priest, as well as the namesake of the Franciscan mission San Juan Capistrano in Southern California, Mission San Juan Capistrano in Texas, and the city of San Juan Capistrano in Orange County, California. Giulianova is a notable example of a Renaissance "ideal city".

The proximity to Rome, the protected areas, and scenic landscapes make the region one of the greenest in Europe. The presence of quaint villages and its rich and varied culinary traditions are important tourist attractions. In 2010, visitors included 6,381,067 Italians and 925,884 foreign tourists.

In 2015, the American organization Live and Invest Overseas included Abruzzo on its list of World's Top 21 Overseas Retirement Havens. The study was based on such factors as climate, infrastructure, health care, safety, taxes, and cost of living. In 2017, the Chamber of Commerce of Pescara presented Abruzzo region to the annual conference of Live and Invest Overseas in the U.S. city of Orlando, Florida. One year later, in October 2018, Live and Invest Overseas held its first conference in Abruzzo.

Universities

There are three universities in the Abruzzo region:

• University of L'Aquila
• D'Annunzio University of Chieti–Pescara
• University of Teramo

Harvard University bases an intensive summer Italian language and culture program in Vasto, a resort town on Abruzzo's southern coast.

Science

Between the province of Teramo and L'Aquila, under the Gran Sasso Tunnel, is the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) of the INFN, one of the three underground astroparticle laboratories in Europe.

The Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "Giuseppe Caporale", which conducts research in veterinary and environmental public health, is located in Teramo.

The Gran Sasso Science Institute, located in L'Aquila, is an advanced research institute which offers doctorates in astroparticle physics, computer science, and mathematics, as well as urban studies and regional science, and which also conducts scientific research.

Sports

Interamnia World Cup, the largest international youth handball competition worldwide, takes place yearly in Teramo.

There are several football clubs in Abruzzo. Delfino Pescara 1936 is a Serie B club; based in Pescara, its home stadium is Stadio Adriatico – Giovanni Cornacchia.

Dialects

The regional dialects of Abruzzo include Teramano, Abruzzese Orientale Adriatico, and Abruzzese Occidentale. The first two forms are dialects of the Southern Italian language also known as Neapolitan, since the region has been part of the Kingdom of Naples and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, while Aquilano is related to the Central Italian dialects including Romanesco. The dialects spoken in the Abruzzo region can be divided into three main groups:

1. Sabine dialect, in the province of L'Aquila, a central Italian dialect
2. Abruzzo Adriatic dialect, in the province of Teramo, Pescara and Chieti, that is virtually abandoned in the province of Ascoli Piceno, a southern Italian dialect
3. Abruzzo western dialect, in the province of L'Aquila, a southern Italian dialect

Cuisine

See also: Cuisine of Abruzzo

Abruzzo's food is famous for its variety and richness. Both the farming and seaside areas of Abruzzo help create its delicious dishes. Because of the mountains, much of Abruzzo was separated from the rest of Italy until the 1900s. This helped keep many local food traditions alive.

Ingredients

Common foods in Abruzzo often include:

• Lamb and mutton, especially in the mountains. Sheep's milk (or ricotta) is important for making cheese, and lamb intestines are used for making sausage casing or for stuffed meat rolls. Mountain goat meat is also popular.
• Truffles and mushrooms, especially wild ones from forests and hills
• Garlic, including special red garlic
• Rosemary
• Hot chili pepper or peperoncini, which people in Abruzzo often add to their meals to give them extra spice.

Starter and main dishes

• Spaghetti alla chitarra is made by pressing or cutting pasta through a special tool to make long thin noodles like spaghetti. It is served with a tomato sauce, often with peppers, pork, goose, or lamb. A popular side dish is sagne e fagioli, a soup made with beans and noodles, flavored with tomatoes, garlic, oil, and peperoncini.
• Gnocchi carrati, flavored with bacon, eggs, and pecorino cheese
• Scrippelle, a simple French-style crêpe served in a soup or used to make a sort of soufflé with ragù and stuffed with chicken liver, meatballs, hard-boiled eggs, and cheese
• Pastuccia, a polenta stew with sausage, eggs, and cheese
• Pasta allo sparone, a pasta roll filled with ricotta cheese and spinach. It is boiled and served with tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese.
• Pasta alla mugnaia, a long, thick type of pasta traditionally served with tomato sauce. It is a special dish from the town of Elice.
• Pallotte cacio e ovo, balls of caciocavallo cheese and eggs, usually served as a starter in a rich tomato sauce.

Meat

Roast lamb is enjoyed in many ways across the region, including:

• Arrosticini, a skewered lamb dish
• Pecora al cotturo, lamb stuffed with mountain herbs and cooked in a copper pot
• Lamb cooked whole in a bread oven
• Agnello cacio e ovo, a lamb-based dish
• Mazzarella: lamb intestines stuffed with lamb, garlic, marjoram, lettuce, and spices
• Le virtù: a soup from Teramo filled with legumes, vegetables and pork, made only on 1 May.
• Timballo abruzzese: a lasagna-like dish with pasta sheets layered with meat, vegetables and rice; often served for Christmas and Easter
• Porchetta abruzzese: moist boneless-pork roast, slow-roasted with rosemary, garlic, and pepper

Seafood

Seafood is also popular, especially near the coast. Fish is used to make several fish-based dishes, often cooked with tomatoes, herbs, and peperoncino in a special pot. Other fish dishes include certain types of dried fish, fish in tomato sauce, and a special lake fish.

Pizzas

Simple pizzas are very common. Some of these include:

• Easter pizza, a rustic cake with cheese and pepper from the Teramo area
• Fiadoni from Chieti, a dough of eggs and cheese cooked in the oven
• A rustic tart filled with eggs, fresh cheeses, ricotta, vegetables, and spices.

Spreadable sausages with nutmeg and liver sausages with garlic and spices are also popular in Teramo. Atri and Rivisondoli are famous for their cheeses. Mozzarella, either fresh or seasoned, is made from ewe's milk.

Salumi

Salumi are cured meat products made mostly from pork.

Spreadable sausage with nutmeg and liver sausage with garlic and spices are popular in Teramo. Ventricina from the Vasto area is made with pieces of fat and lean pork, pressed and seasoned with powdered sweet peppers and fennel, and put in dried pig stomach. Mortadella di Campotosto is a special type of mortadella made from shoulder and loin meat, prosciutto trimmings, and fat.

Cheeses

The region's main cheeses include:

• White cow cheese, a soft cheese made from cow's milk
• Caciocavallo abruzzese, a soft, slightly elastic cheese made from raw cow's milk
• Caciofiore Aquilano, made from raw sheep's milk, rennet, artichokes, and saffron
• Caciotta vaccina frentana, a semi-hard cheese made from raw cow's milk
• Canestrato of Castel del Monte, a hard cheese made from raw sheep's milk
• Caprino abruzzese, made from raw goat milk
• Cheese and curd stazzo, cheese made from the processing of raw milk from sheep, cattle and goats
• Junket vaccina or Abruzzo sprisciocca, a soft fresh cheese made from raw cow's milk
• Pecorino d'Abruzzo, a mild, semi-hard cheese made from raw sheep's milk
• Pecorino di Atri, a compact, semi-cooked cheese made from sheep's milk
• Pecorino di Farindola, cheese made from sheep's milk and pork rennet
• Ricotta, made from the remnants of the coagulation of raw sheep's milk
• Scamorza d'Abruzzo, a stretched curd cheese made from cow's milk

Atri and Rivisondoli are known for their cheeses. Mozzarella (fresh or seasoned) is typically made from ewe's milk.

Desserts and sweets

Abruzzo's sweets are well known and include:

• Dragée (also known as confetti): sugar-coated almonds from Sulmona
• Torrone Nurzia: chocolate nougat from L'Aquila
• Parrozzo: a cake-like treat made from crushed almonds and coated in chocolate
• Pizzelle (also known as ferratelle): a waffle cookie, often flavored with anise
• Croccante, a type of nougat made from almonds and caramelized sugar, often flavored with lemon
• Calgionetti, cagionetti, caggiunitti, caviciunette: Christmas fritters, sometimes filled with chestnuts or chickpeas and flavored with chocolate or cocoa
• Bocconotti: stuffed sweets often served for Christmas
• Zeppole di San Giuseppe: fried or baked pastries made for Saint Joseph's Day
• Sise delle monache [it], two layers of sponge cake filled with custard, produced in the town of Guardiagrele in the province of Chieti

Fruits

The region's main fruits include:

• Agrumi della costa dei trabocchi: coastal citrus (especially oranges), used for jam and Limoncello
• Castagna roscetta della Valle Roveto and Marrone di Valle Castellana: types of chestnut
• Ciliege di Raiano e di Giuliano Teatino: a local cherry
• Mandorle di Navelli: almonds from the town of Navelli
• Mela della Valle Giovenco: apples from the region
• Uva di Tollo e Ortona: table grapes, also used for jam

Olive oil

Oil is important in mountain and sea dishes; common oils include Aprutino Pescarese, Pretuziano delle Colline Teramane, l'Olio extra vergine di oliva delle Valli Aquilane and Colline Teatine.

The list of Abruzzo olive cultivars includes Castiglionese, Dritta, Gentile di Chieti, Intosso, Monicella, Carpinetana, Morella, Nebbio di Chieti, Raja, Toccolana, Tortiglione, Crognalegna, Gentile del L'Aquila (Rusticana del L'Aquila).

The extra-virgin olive oil produced in Colline Teramane (Teramo hills) has a special mark.

Wines and liquors

Renowned wines such as Montepulciano DOCG, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo DOC and Controguerra DOC are judged to be amongst the world's finest. In 2012, a bottle of Trebbiano d'Abruzzo ranked No. 1 in the top 50 Italian wine awards.

In recent decades these wines have been joined, particularly, by wines from lesser known white grapes, such as Pecorino, Cocciola, Passerina, Montonico bianco and Fiano.

IGT wines are Alto Tirino, Colli Aprutini, Colli del Sangro, Colline Frentane, Colline Pescaresi, Colline Teatine, Del Vastese (or Histonium), Terre di Chieti, and Valle Peligna. The region is also well known for the production of liqueurs such as Centerbe, Limoncello, Ratafia, and Genziana.