Tour in Abruzzo with one of the best means to discover a region: the motorcycle. Between the mountain roads and the straight stretches of the coast, get ready for a good dose of wonder and of course to taste the excellent Abruzzo cuisine!
From the straights along the coast to the curvy mountain roads, theAbruzzo by motorbike it offers breathtaking views and the possibility of making short stops to capture enchanting places. For this reason the bike is, in my opinion, the best way to discover a region.
Here are three recommended itineraries for a motorbike holiday in Abruzzo
1. The Costa dei Trabocchi
This is the name of the Adriatic coast from Pescara going south. Today we travel it by motorbike.
It is the simplest route because almost everything is in a straight line on the State Road that connects Pescara with Foggia, but offers views of the Adriatic Sea that you will not find in other areas of Abruzzo.
Starting from Pescara, cross Francavilla al Mare, and then arrive in Ortona. You can choose to walk along the promenade up to Francavilla Sud, in order to get to know this coast too, with vast sandy beaches, bathing establishments and restaurants by the sea.
A first stop not to be missed: Ripari di Giobbe
The road will lead you directly onto the state road towards Ortona. The first unmissable stop is at Job's Shelters: fraction of the municipality of Ortona, it is known and popular for its position on a small promontory overlooking the beach below made of white pebbles.
We are on the Costa dei Trabocchi: we no longer see the sandy and extensive beaches of Francavilla al mare but we find ourselves in front of an area of particular naturalistic interest, where the pebble beach joins a green background, typical of the Mediterranean scrub. To be seen.
Continue now towards San Vito Chietino, a small village that stands on a rocky spur from which you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the sea below.
San Vito Marina
In reality, by motorbike we pass by the maritime area of San Vito Marina, hamlet and seaside area increasingly in vogue among tourists and inhabitants of the surrounding areas. An important stop during your journey ofAbruzzo by motorbike.
Where to eat during the itinerary
A must stop is the one in one of the restaurants that you will find one after the other on the road that goes towards San Vito Alta.
During the summer they are packed but I also recommend them in the cooler months: less chaos and always good food. The environments are a bit spartan but as I said you eat del good fish at great prices.
In addition, it is a stone's throw from the sea and breathes the atmosphere of the small seaside villages.
Before leaving, to digest lunch, I recommend a short walk on the pier, where you will see the famous trabocchi, ancient fishing machines, now used as restaurants suspended over the water.
We now continue south, on the Adriatic National, where the road overlooks the coast studded with ancient overflows.
Punta Aderci Nature Reserve
Continuing south you pass through Fossacesia and arrive in Vasto. Here our destination is there Punta Aderci Nature Reserve, the most suggestive coastal stretch of the whole Abruzzo, made up of steep cliffs, pebble beaches and a rich Mediterranean vegetation.
2. Cocullo and Scanno
Located at 1000 meters above sea level, Scanno is one of the most beautiful villages in Abruzzo and is part of the most beautiful villages in Italy.
I recommend to take the A25 motorway and exit at Cocullo because avoiding toll roads would make the journey a little too long.
An unmissable party in Cocullo
Furthermore, if you decide to leave on May XNUMXst, it is a must to stop in Cocullo for the Feast of the Serpari, in honor of San Domenico, where every year the procession of the statue of the saint is organized surrounded by snakes captured in the days before the festival.
Not only that, throughout the country you will meet the numerous "snakes": stop and ask to touch or take in your hands one of the many snakes they carry. It is a unique experience to absolutely immortalize with a camera or smartphone.
Before leaving, stop at one of the many culinary stands on the road leading to the town center. I recommend a simple but substantial one sandwich with pork and a cold beer.
Scanno and its magnificent lake
Now we get back on the road towards Scanno, an ancient village included in National Park of Abruzzo. The road to get there, curvy and flanked by majestic rocky walls, offers views that take your breath away.
As the Lake of Scanno: the largest in Abruzzo after the Fucino drainage, it stretches for almost 2 km and is 700 meters wide. Its particularity melts the most romantic souls: from an elevated position you will see the shape of a heart. It is ideal for boat trips and pedal boats, both of which can be rented, it is also a lake suitable for bathing.
3. Tirino Valley and Rocca Calascio Castle
The last itinerary I want to offer you is the one that passes through Bussi sul Tirino, a town that rises precisely on the river Tirino, known as the clearest river in Italy. Bussi is also included in the Abruzzo National Park.
Here you will find a tourist activity center which organizes, among other things, canoe and rafting tour in the Tirino Valley, where expert guides will tell you the history of the place, they will teach you how to handle the paddles, and will make you feel the breeze of immersing your feet in the water of the Tirino, which is always around 11 °.
Stop in Capestrano
Starting from Bussi, we stop at capestrano to visit the Piccolomini Castle, which rises in the center of the town. In the courtyard of the castle there are stairs that lead not only to the upper floors, but also allow a breathtaking view of the surrounding valley.
In Capestrano was discovered, in 1934, the statue of the Warrior of Capestrano, made of limestone and become symbol of Abruzzo. A copy of the Warrior can be found in the atrium of this ancient castle.
Visit to Calascio
We conclude our motorcycle tour in Abruzzo in Rocca Calascio, home to the castle of the same name, known internationally because it is here that Ladyhawke was shot, a film starring Michelle Pfeiffer in 1985.
We park the motorbike at the foot of the town and walk along the stairs and narrow streets typical of the villages of Italy and then arrive at a dirt path that takes us directly to the castle at an altitude of 1400 meters.
The building dominates the Tirino Valley and Plain of Navelli, another place to visit for its immense cultivation of saffron.
The best time to visit Calascio is at sunset, when the sky behind the Castle offers unique colors that are reflected on the stone walls of the building. Don't forget your camera.
Typical eating in Calascio
Taken by the beauty of this itinerary, I left out a fundamental point of our tour: food. Right in the streets of Calascio there are stone restaurants that offer typical Abruzzo dishes. I certainly recommend you to try our kebabs, skewers of sheep meat cooked on a charcoal furnace.
These are the itineraries that I have personally experienced, but trust me, there are many others that deserve the same attention. Maybe we'll be back soon. In the meantime, try these and tell me what you think. Have a good trip.
