Imagine waking up in Pescara
Pescara is just over half-way down the Adriatic coast and is the most important port in the Abruzzo region. On first impact Pescara is a decidedly modern city, with an avant-garde train station, the symbol of the new part of the city, and a busy airport. It is also home to two of the twentieth century's most important literary figures: Ennio Flaiano and Gabriele D’Annunzio. Flaiano has been somewhat neglected abroad but is one of Italy's most important authors, humorists and scriptwriters of the post-war period. D'Annunzio, leader of Italy's decadent movement and darling of the Fascist Party, is well-known both at a national and international level.

Summer Tourism

The most popular beaches are spread out along the littoral north of the city.  Hundreds of lidos - called "stabilimenti" in Pescara - offer beach access, the usual umbrellas and lounge chairs, but also an immense variety of restaurants, cafes, children's playgrounds, arcades and the like. The sea and beach are the focus of life in the summer months.  A plethora of beach clubs lines the coast and, although not the most beautiful stretch of coastline in Italy, the shallow calm waters are a haven for children.

Winter Tourism

During the winter, the Abruzzo mountains offer to the keen snow-lovers numerous possibilities for downhill, cross-country, and alpine sluing, and, the latest passion of the youngsters, the snowboard. Winter tourism has changed radically the life of the many towns that realised the need to change and have made "snow" their enterprise. The highest number of winter resorts can be found in the L'Aquila province, but the Teramo side of Gran Sasso and the Majella also offer a good level of facilities. There are 22 winter resorts and a few words on each one of these is necessary.

Climate

The climate is mild all year round and although temperatures in summer reach well into the 30s, a cooling sea breeze stops things getting too hot.  Windows can be left open on most days during the winter as the temperature rarely falls below zero.

Local Food

Abruzzo is famous for its home-made regional dishes, and you will certainly not be disappointed! Look out for a huge variety of unusual pasta dishes, including Maccheroni all Chitarra, Rigatoni alla Cafona and Gnocchi alla Polenta, which is made from maize or chestnut flour. Most restaurants will serve fresh fish from the Adriatic, as well as many local meats. For those with a sweet tooth, the range of desserts is awesome! Try Cassata Abruzzese, a creamy concoction, or Scrippelle M’Busse pancakes. The other speciality of the region is cheese, Scamorza, Mozzarella and Pecorino are all made locally.

Local Wine

For real wine buffs, a trip to Ortona is essential: this is the home of the regional wine center of abbuzzo. The center is open from 10am till 1 pm then again in the evenings except Mondays. The most common white is the fruity dry DOC Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. The main grape of Abruzzo is the Montepulciano (not to be confused with the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano of Tuscany) and produces rich, robust, soft yet quite dry red wines - look for the labels Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.

Shopping

As well as the typical Italian outdoor food markets, you can also enjoy shopping for superb handicrafts in this region. Taranta Peligna, Fara San Martino, Pescocostanzo, Sulmona, Arischia and Castel del Monte specialize in hand-made blankets and carpets; go to Rapino for hand-painted ceramics and to Casoli, Lanciano, Vasto and L’Aquila for copperware. There is also a thriving industry in lace-making, embroidery and linen-weaving in towns such as Bucchianico and Scanno

Museum

A very good museum, situated along the Via delle Caserme, The Museum of the Abruzzi People, contains, as the name suggests, art and artifacts from the entire Region of Abruzzo, Pescara included.  The Museum was built on the remaining parts of the legendary Fortress of Pescara, which has played such an important role in the city's history.

Communications and transports

Most representative of the new port, is Pescara Centrale, one of the largest train stations in Europe, done in the Art Nouveau style.  Trains regularly and frequently arrive from - and depart for -  Rome to the east, Ancona and Bologna to the north, and Bari to the south.Pescara is spread along 20 kilometers (15 miles) of coast line, its most highly industrialized area contained in the area south from Pescara toward Chieti.  Not surprisingly, Pescara is a commercial sea port, but it is also Abruzzo's most important industrial center where electronics, heavy machinery, processed foods and cement are manufactured.  Travelers can catch ferries to Croatia and the Dalmatian Coast, on the opposite side of the Adriatic.