“You should visit Abruzzo, it has both mountains and the sea”, my friend said. This was the response I got when I asked about the perfect place that blended active exploration with cultural immersion.
“It’s right in the center of Italy”, my companion went on.

Having traveled all over Italy, it was the very first time I had ever heard of Abruzzo. For my family and me, this was another good reason to visit that ever-tempting country again.

We set off from Bologna on January 6th, the day when the Bolognese were celebrating the Epiphany. Reaching Abruzzo when it was dark, we only saw a hill sprinkled with lights. Our imagination was not able to fully draw out the landscape around us. As we entered our hotel on top of the hill, we were left wondering about what tomorrow had in store for us.