Rio Verde waterfalls

Mountain range which, compared to the Abruzzo National Park, extends from north to south and whose crests delimit the border between Lazio (west) and Molise (east). Due to its importance both from a naturalistic and faunistic point of view, the mountain range was inserted by presidential decree in the Abruzzo National Park in January 1990. It includes high altitude peaks that are around 2000 meters: Monte Meta (2241), Monte Metuccia, Coste dell'Altare, Monte Mare (2020), Monte Cavallo (2039), Monte Forcellone (2030). The Mainarde, like the rest of the Apennine mountains, are very ancient and of limestone origin. On them the erosion of winds and waters has left clear traces in gorges, gullies and beautiful potholes of the giants, the latter very clearly visible by anyone who looks out from the viewpoint of San Michele. Covered by dense arboreal vegetation (beech groves) up to an altitude of 1800-1900 meters, the Mainarde - beyond this altitude - offer a spectacular turf, ideal habitat for particular types of endangered fauna such as the Abruzzo chamois the Marsican brown bear, the Apennine wolf and the lynx.

The National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise is a national park including for the most part (about 3/4) in the province of L'Aquila in Abruzzo and for the remainder in that of Frosinone in Lazio and in that of Isernia in Molise. It was inaugurated on 9 September 1922 in Pescasseroli, the current headquarters and central management of the park, while the body of the same name had already been established on 25 November 1921 with a provisional directorate. Its establishment took place officially with the Royal decree-law of 11 January 1923.

The Santissima Annunziata complex is the most famous and representative monument of the city of Sulmona, declared a national monument in 1902. The main entrance to the complex is on the Annunziata square although other interesting visual glimpses of the building, especially for architectural interest, are admirable from the adjacent streets, via Pantaleo and via Paolina. The church, founded in 1320 by the confraternity of the Compenitenti together with the annexed hospital, does not retain traces of the original construction, both due to the damage suffered in the earthquake of 1456 and due to the architectural transformation interventions which radically modified the original structure of the sixteenth century. Furthermore, another ruinous seismic event, that of 1706, led to a new, important reconstruction intervention which gave the church a Baroque appearance, with an imposing façade with two orders of columns, the work of Maestro Norberto Cicco from Pescocostanzo ( 1710). The interior is divided into three naves and is covered with stuccos. Among the paintings that embellish the church are the frescoes by Giambattista Gamba on the vaults and the canvases on the side altars, among which the Pentecost of 1598 by a Florentine master and the Communion of the Apostles by Alessandro Salini stands out for their quality. The apse instead presents two works by Giuseppe Simonelli, a pupil of Luca Giordano, the Nativity and the Presentation in the temple and an Annunciation by Lazzaro Baldi, a Tuscan artist who was a pupil of Pietro da Cortona. The choir, in wood, was made by the local artist Bartolomeo Balcone between 1577 and 1579, while the part underneath the organs, in a vaguely rococo style, in carved and gilded wood, is by Ferdinando Mosca. The organs, on the other hand, are the one on the left side by Tommaso Cefalo di Vasto (1749) and the one on the right side was built by the Fedeli di Camerino in 1753. At the end of the right aisle is the altar of the Virgin, in polychrome marble, a work partly executed by the Roman artist Giacomo Spagna (1620), with subsequent contributions by artists from Pescocostanzo. On the right side, shortly after the entrance, there is the tomb of Panfilo Serafini, a Sulmona patriot who died in 1864. The sacristy has carved furniture dating back to 1643 with a series of sacred furnishings from the Baroque era and Neapolitan-made silverware; there are numerous pieces from the church that are placed on display in the local Civic Museum. The bell tower (built between 1565 and 1590, imposing, just over 65 meters high, has a square plan with sides of 7.20 m; it is built on two floors with a pyramidal spire and 4 mullioned windows on each floor. It is the bell tower and tallest tower in Abruzzo.The church was reopened for worship in December 2012 after three years of closure due to the 2009 earthquake.

The basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio is a religious building in L'Aquila, located just outside the city walls, on the hill of the same name. Founded in 1288 at the behest of Pietro da Morrone - crowned pope here with the name of Celestino V on 29 August 1294 - it is considered the highest expression of Abruzzo architecture, as well as the symbol of the city and was declared a national monument in 1902. Since 1327 houses the remains of the pontiff, currently preserved inside the mausoleum of Celestino V, built in 1517 by Girolamo da Vicenza, master of Andrea Palladio. It is the seat of an annual jubilee, the first in history, established with the Bull of Forgiveness of 29 September 1294 and known as Perdonanza Celestiniana; therefore, it is characterized by the presence of a Holy Door on the side facade. The church, which boasts the title of minor basilica together with the fellow citizens San Bernardino and San Giuseppe Artigiano, has been remodeled several times over the centuries mainly due to the damage caused by frequent earthquakes and presents a mixture of different architectural styles. Following the 2009 earthquake, it was subjected to consolidation and restoration works which ended in 2017.

Parish church of the town, it was built in the 12th century, after the earthquake of 1706, it was built again, however maintaining the 14th century bell tower

The Church of San Rocco, known as the Madonna del Carmine is located in Scanno. It is also called the Madonna del Carmine, because since 1784 it has been the seat of a confraternity of the same name

Lake Scanno, belonging for three quarters to the municipality of Villalago and for a quarter to that of Scanno, is located in Abruzzo, in the lower province of L'Aquila, between the Marsicani Mountains, in the upper valley of the Sagittario river, which originated for a ancient landslide that broke off from Mount Genzana above, between 12,820 and 3,000 years ago, which blocked the river Tasso.

The basilica of San Bernardino is a religious building in L'Aquila, located in the quarter of Santa Maria. It was built, with the adjacent convent, between 1454 and 1472 in honor of San Bernardino da Siena, whose remains are kept inside the mausoleum of the Saint built by Silvestro dell'Aquila. The façade, erected in the following century by Cola dell'Amatrice with Michelangelo's influences, is considered the highest expression of Renaissance architecture in Abruzzo. The interior, in Baroque style, is due to the reconstruction of the building following the earthquake of 1703 by several designers - including certainly Filippo Barigioni, Sebastiano Cipriani and Giovan Battista Contini - and preserves important works of art by Andrea della Robbia, Francesco Bedeschini, Pompeo Cesura, Rinaldo Fiammingo and Donato Teodoro, in addition to the aforementioned Silvestro dell'Aquila, also author of the mausoleum of Maria Pereyra Camponeschi. The carved wooden ceiling decorated with pure gold is the work of Ferdinando Mosca. It was included in the list of national monumental buildings in 1902 and elevated to the rank of minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1946. Due to the earthquake of 2009 which severely damaged the apse and the bell tower, the basilica was subjected to repair and consolidation works and was reopened in 2015.

Abruzzo is an Italian region located east of Rome, between the Adriatic and the Apennines. The hinterland is mostly made up of national parks and nature reserves. The region also includes medieval and Renaissance villages perched on the hills. The regional capital, L'Aquila, is a city surrounded by walls, damaged by the earthquake of 2009. The Costa dei Trabocchi, with its sandy coves, takes its name from the traditional fishing jetties.

Barrea is located in a mountainous area overlooking the Sangro Valley and the Barrea Lake. The inhabited center, located at an altitude of 1,060 m a.s.l., occupies a ledge at the eastern end of the lake enclosed by the steep sides of the Meta mountains to the south and Mount Greco to the north. Its territory is included in the national park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise. The lake was formed in 1951 by the damming of the Sangro river and is used for the production of electricity. The Wetland of Lake Barrea, managed by the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park Authority, has been on the list of areas provided for by the Ramsar Convention since 1976.