TERRITORY

Abruzzo is Italy’s undiscovered jewel, its most wild and beautiful region less than two hours from Rome. Abruzzo has seen the invasion and influence of many peoples: Romans, Goths, Lombards, Benedictine monks, Normans, Swabians, Florentines, French, Spanish, Turks and Saracens. All left their mark on the traditions, cuisine and architecture of the region. Abruzzo was the northernmost part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, a Bourbon realm that ruled the south until 1860, when Italy became a united country. Sandwiched between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea, Abruzzo has been defined as the "green heart of Europe" because of its natural patrimony that is rich in forest, springs, valleys and high altitude grasslands jealously protected by parks and reserves. In the midst of this luxuriant nature, there springs from the rocky promontories castles, hermitages, abbeys, fortified settlements and archaeological sites. With its soft rolling hills, many medieval towns nestled between lush olive and wine gardens offer the gourmet and wine lover an abundance of culinary delights and the active traveler various sporting possibilities such as hiking, climbing, biking as well as a variety of winter sports and both activities can easily be combined. The territory of the four provinces of Abruzzo is divided in very different altimetric areas. The province of L'Aquila is totally characterized by mountains; in the Chieti area hills prevail, while in Pescara and Teramo the areas covered by mountains are more or less the same as those covered by hills. In this incredible territory, between the Gran Sasso and Maiella promontory on the west and the Adriatic Sea on the east, grows the best varieties of olive trees dating back to the period of the Romans. A testimony of how the cultivation of olives is indissolubly tied to this territory from a historical, landscape and economic viewpoint can be found in the presence of the olive tree or its stylized interpretations in the coat of arms of the antique local families. An average annual production of approximately 26,000 metric tons of olive oil makes Abruzzo the fifth producing region in Italy and undoubtedly represents one of its most interesting areas both for dedication to production and for quality. Abruzzo was awarded with three DOPs or PDOs that represent the highest quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil available in Italy and in all the world.