Residence Roseto, Pool, Seaview, Abruzzo - Casa Del MarN°001
Montepagano, Italy
Roseto degli Abruzzi
GardenBalconyAir conditioning
Wild Apennine Italy, an hour or two east of Rome
Abruzzo stretches from the highest peaks of the Apennines to a long Adriatic shore, with around a third of its territory protected as national parks and reserves. It is Italy at its least discovered: stone hill towns, bears and wolves in the high country, sandy beaches at Roseto degli Abruzzi, and villas that cost and crowd a fraction of Tuscany.
Updated October 2026
- Gran Sasso's Campo Imperatore plateau, Italy's 'little Tibet', beneath the Apennines' highest peak
- Rocca Calascio, the hilltop castle ruin famous from film and photography
- The Trabocchi Coast's wooden fishing platforms, several now serving lunch over the water
- Sandy Blue Flag beaches along the Adriatic at Roseto degli Abruzzi
- Countryside villas with private pools, an easy drive from both mountains and sea
Known forGran Sasso and Maiella national parks, medieval hill towns like Santo Stefano di Sessanio, the Trabocchi Coast and Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wine
Best time to visitMay to June and September for hills and coast at their best; July and August for beach season; winter for skiing at Roccaraso
Nearest airportPescara (PSR); Rome Fiumicino (FCO) around 2 hours from the western valleys
Ideal forFamilies, walkers, food-and-wine travellers and anyone seeking authentic Italy without the crowds
1homes available
1–1bedrooms
up to 4guests
Abruzzo in pictures
What's on in Abruzzo
- First Thursday in May
Snake Catchers' Procession
Held in Cocullo, this unique event sees the statue of St. Dominic adorned with live snakes for a procession through the village, attracting enthusiasts from around the world.
- July
Jazz Festival of Pescara
An acclaimed event in the Italian jazz calendar, drawing international artists to the seaside town of Pescara for a celebration of music and culture.
- End of August
Perdonanza Celestiniana
A UNESCO-recognised event in L'Aquila, comprising religious ceremonies and cultural events, culminating in the opening of the Holy Door of the Basilica di Santa Maria di Collemaggio.
Abruzzo through the seasons
- Winter (December - February)
Skiing in Majella National Park
With its snow-covered peaks and scenic descents, winter brings excellent skiing opportunities in the Majella National Park, perfect for active holidaymakers.
- Spring (March - May)
Spring Blossoms and Hiking
As flora awaken, the region's mountains and hills offer stunning hiking paths filled with vibrant blossoms, making it an ideal time for exploration and photography.
- Summer (June - August)
Coastal Retreat on the Adriatic
Enjoy the warm summer days along the Adriatic Sea with its pristine beaches, offering the perfect backdrop for a luxurious seaside escape.
- Autumn (September - November)
Truffle Hunting and Wine Tours
Autumn invites visitors to engage in truffle hunting in hidden valleys, complemented by tours of the region's celebrated vineyards during the harvest season.
Smiling House also offers a concierge for private chefs, transfers, ski instructors, yachts and cars, a VIP Club with first access to new residences and member rates, chalets for sale in the Gstaad region through its real estate division and instantly bookable homes with live availability.
The Area and Where to Stay
Abruzzo divides naturally into three bands. Inland rise the Apennines, crowned by Gran Sasso d'Italia and the Maiella massif, where villages such as Santo Stefano di Sessanio and Torricella Peligna sit in high, silent country. A middle belt of vineyards and olive groves rolls down through hill towns toward the sea. The coast runs long and sandy in the north around Roseto degli Abruzzi, then turns rocky and characterful south of Pescara along the Trabocchi Coast, named for its spider-legged wooden fishing platforms. Villas here are typically restored farmhouses and country estates with pools and mountain views, positioned so that beaches, peaks and market towns are all within an easy drive. A concierge helps with the details that make rural Italy effortless: chefs, drivers, tastings and guides.
Things to Do
Drive up to Campo Imperatore, the vast high plateau beneath Corno Grande, for scenery closer to the Andes than to postcard Italy, and stop at Rocca Calascio, the ruined 10th-century watchtower-castle at nearly 1,500 metres. The national parks of Gran Sasso, Maiella and Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise offer marked trails through beech forest where Marsican brown bears, wolves and chamois still live. On the coast, cycle the Via Verde, the greenway laid along the old railway of the Trabocchi Coast, pausing to swim in its coves, or settle onto the sands at Roseto degli Abruzzi. Sulmona, birthplace of Ovid, rewards a day with its arcaded squares and confetti-sweet workshops, and in winter Roccaraso runs one of central Italy's largest ski areas.
Food and Local Flavour
Abruzzo's table is pastoral and proud. Arrosticini, skewers of lamb grilled over coals, are the region's signature, eaten by the dozen with bread and local olive oil. Maccheroni alla chitarra, pasta cut on a wire frame, comes with rich lamb or tomato sauces, while the coast answers with brodetto fish stew and raw-bar dinners served on the trabocchi themselves. Saffron from the Navelli plain and Sulmona's sugared almonds are prized across Italy. The wines are excellent value: deep Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, its rosé Cerasuolo, and crisp Trebbiano and Pecorino whites. Family cellars across the hills welcome visits, and a villa chef will happily build menus around what the market holds that morning.
When to Visit
May, June and September are the sweet spots, with warm days for the coast, clear air in the mountains and wildflowers or harvest colour across the hills. July and August bring full Italian beach season to Roseto and the Trabocchi Coast, lively but far gentler than the Amalfi or Rimini crowds, while the high Apennines stay cool for walking. Autumn is harvest time, with wine and olive oil flowing and festivals in the hill towns. Winter turns the interior alpine: Roccaraso and Campo Imperatore offer skiing, and snow-dusted villages feel wonderfully remote. Spring returns the parks to walkers, with waterfalls full and bears emerging in the high valleys.
Getting There
Abruzzo Airport at Pescara (PSR) is the regional gateway, with seasonal and low-cost connections across Europe and the coast just minutes away. Rome's Fiumicino (FCO), with its global network, lies roughly two hours by motorway from the western valleys and L'Aquila, making a Rome arrival practical for most villa stays. The A24 and A25 motorways cross the mountains spectacularly, and a hire car is essential: distances are short but the pleasures here are spread between coast, hills and high country. The concierge can arrange private transfers from either airport, along with drivers for wine days so nobody counts their glasses.