L'Aquila ... Avezzano ... Pietracquaria Sanctuary ... Tagliacozzo ... Valle Caldora-Prati del Sirente ... the Rocche Plateau ... and the Pezza Plain, Abruzzo, Italy, May 2002
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Renzo and I went to L'Aquila, the provincial capital and the administrative capital of the Abruzzo region; to Tagliacozzo, mentioned in Dante's Inferno, which has buildings from medieval and Renaissance times up through the centuries; and around the back of Monte Sirente. My English friend Julian came to visit from Pescara one Saturday.
L'Aquila: Facade of the Basilica di San Bernardino with its Renaissance-era staircase.
L'Aquila: Via Fortebraccio, one of the many buildings on this street that retains the ancient look.
Again Via Fortebraccio. In the background is the medieval Porta Bazzano (one of the twelve gates in the ancient city walls).
The same view.
The facade of Palazzo Centi on Piazza Santa Giusta, seat of the regional government.
Another view of the Piazza Santa Giusta.
Panorama of Avezzano at dusk, taken from Monte Salviano.
The same panorama.
View from Monte Salviano at dusk, looking northwest. In the background are the Reatini Mountains.
Again looking northwest from Monte Salviano.
Looking southwest from Monte Salviano over the Palentini Plains. In the background are the Ernici Mountains and the peak of Monte Viglio (2,156 meters/7,066 feet).
Looking west from Monte Salviano toward the Simbruini Mountains.
The Pietracquaria Sanctuary.
Again the Pietracquaria Sanctuary, with the Simbruini Mountains in the background.
Sunset over Monte Salviano.
Framed
Tagliacozzo: Piazza dell'Obelisco in the center of town.
The lower part of Tagliacozzo, looking east. In the background is Monte Velino with its four peaks.
The same view.
The same view.
Back to the Saturday market in the park of Villa Torlonia.
Saturday market in Avezzano. Nice to shop outdoors amid the greenery!
My English friend Julian, relaxing at the Gran Caffè across from the cathedral in Avezzano after our walk through the market.
Julian finishing his coffee so we could go eat lunch. We ended up at restaurant Amarcord, so called because the pizzas are named after Fellini films.
Caldora Valley-Sirente Meadows: A typical Appennine plain, richly forested and surrounded by mountains.
Sirente Meadows: A rest stop for holidaymakers, a place to have a picnic in uncontaminated nature.
Framed
Caldora Valley with the Pratiglio Forest and the rocky northern wall of Monte Sirente, which here reaches 2,349 meters/7,700 feet.
Mountain wildflowers.
Descending from the Caldora Valley toward the Rocche Plateau.
On the road to Rocca di Mezzo. In the background are Monte Rotondo (2,064 meters/6,765 feet) and the peak of Monte Cagno (2,161 meters/7,083 feet), and at the left one can see Monte Candele.
Another view of the Rocche Plateau.
Ascending toward the Pezza Plain.
Again ascending toward the Pezza Plain. In the background is the northern wall of Monte Magnola (2,224 meters/7,289 feet).
The Pezza Plain, a typical Appennine high plateau of glacial origin. On the other side of the mountain chain to the right is the winter sports area of Campo Felice. (I like the name; it means "happy field" or "happy camp.")
Looking southwest from the Pezza Plain.
Looking from the Pezza Plain along the road leading to Rocca di Mezzo.
Another high mountain meadow in the Rocche Plateau.
The Rocche Plateau (in the background the Sirente Mass) seen from Rocca di Cambio, the highest town in the Appennines at 1,494 meters/5,000 feet.
The same view.
Many thanks to Renzo, who drove me around to beautiful places and explained everything to me and fed me delicious food and helped make this trip a really special one! Thanks to Renzo also for the Italian captions!
To see photos from other beautiful places, click here.
