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July 2010
Whatever the season or weather, there is always something to do and see in this area, making it an ALL YEAR ROUND destination. Every season brings a captivating combination of adventure and culture. Within a small area, you will find rugged and majestic mountains, stunning golden beaches, both ancient and modern cities, and a calendar full of traditional festivals. Abruzzo is a land that fascinates and conquers, where the mountains coexist with the sea. Italians know Abruzzo as the region where you can visit the mountains in the morning and relax at the beach that same afternoon. House prices In Abruzzo, house prices are considerably lower than other parts of Italy, such as Tuscany and Umbria. This means that you will get a lot more for your money, enabling you to afford that extra piece of luxury and turning your dreams into reality. Location Abruzzo is ideally situated in Central Italy, only 2 hours from Rome. Abruzzo bridges the north and south of Italy, and the Balkans with Rome. With 1 motorway running down the Adriatic coast and 2 others running west-east across the middle of the region, Abruzzo offers easy access to the whole of Italy. There are 133km of golden beaches along the Adriatic coast, starting in the north with wide sandy beaches, lined with pinewoods, and shallow water. Further south, the coastline changes dramatically, to reveal pebble beaches, beautiful reefs, wild cliffs and secluded coves. The water is crystal-clear, making it an ideal place for scuba diving. The famous fishermen’s ‘trabocchi’, are dotted along the coast. Abruzzo contains the highest peaks of the Apennine mountains, with the ‘Corno Grande’ standing at 2912m. Abruzzo has been declared the ‘green region of Europe’, with 3 national parks and a regional park, covering a third of its entire area. The uncontaminated landscape is wild and, no matter what the season, never fails to awe and inspire. You will find clear water lakes, wild ravines, charming waterfalls, and breathtaking caves. Striking medieval towns can be seen, clinging to the edges of the mountains. The region contains an amazing variety of wildlife, ranging from wolves, bears, otter, wild boar, chamois and golden eagles. Sport/Leisure For sports lovers, the choice is great. In the summer, windsurfing, canoeing, fishing, diving and sailing are easily available along the coast. In the mountains and hills, trekking, cycling, horse-riding, climbing, canoeing, mountain biking, hang-gliding and mountaineering can all be enjoyed. In the winter, skiing, snowboarding winter mountaineering and cross-country skiing are very popular. There are 17 ski resorts in Abruzzo, offering a variety of pistes, ideal for experienced as well as novice skiers. Abruzzo has a large array of art and architecture to delight visitors. Those who prefer culture and history will enjoy medieval churches, hidden hermitages and impressive castles. Abruzzo is full of age-old culture and an abundance of art is found across the region. Traditional arts and crafts have survived and are still practiced in Abruzzo. Unique products from ceramists, goldsmiths, engravers and weavers can be purchased across the region. Festivals Abruzzo’s rich history of Pagan and Christian faith, has resulted in a year round calendar of festivals and feasts. At the festivals, you can taste local food specialities, whilst watching fire-eaters, stilt walkers, re-enactments, jousting and fabulous processions, as well as magnificent firework displays. The cuisine of Abruzzo is simple and tasty, and food connoisseurs will relish the unique flavours of the local cuisines and wines. The people are very proud of their produce and when you eat in a restaurant you will know that the majority of the food and wine, if not all, will have come from within a few miles. Each town will have a speciality, that is slightly different to other parts of the region. So, everywhere you go, you can taste something unique to that particular town. Abruzzese People For many centuries, authors have described Abruzzo and it's people as 'forte e gentile', (strong and kind). You will be hard-pushed to find a better neighbour in any other area. Their hospitality is endless and they will go out of their way to help anyone in need.
June 2010 Property in Abruzzo generally costs 50% less than properties in its better known neighbours of Tuscany and Umbria. With Italy accounting for about 10% of the overseas property market, cheap flights are also dramatically boosting interest among would be buyers. Over the past decade, interest in houses for sale in Abruzzo has increased among Western Europeans alone, due to dolce way of life and the fact that Italy is one of the safest countries in Europe for property owners who receive a high degree of protection under Italian law. Italy remains one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations and Abruzzo offers surprisingly good value for money. About Abruzzo
It is thanks to historical isolation from the mountains and a sensible development policy that the natural beauty of Abruzzo has remained intact. Abruzzo has four regional provinces including: L'Aquila, Pescara, Chieti and Teramo. The region stretches from the Apennines to the Adriatic Sea, hosting the highest mountains of Central Italy, with landscapes of rugged beauty, and peaks, often higher than 2,000 meters. Maintaining its cultural identity and a low population density (1.25 million residents in the entire region) the Abruzzo region has one of Italy's lowest crime rates.
When you arrive in Pescara, you will be tempted by its 6 1/2 miles of seaside promenade, wide sandy beaches and a large number of bathing areas. It has become one of the most popular resorts in the Mid-Adriatic. History makes its presence felt almost everywhere in the form of old Abruzzo churches, castles, villas, houses and Palazzi. L'Aquila is the main province and the capital of Abruzzo with its 70,000 residents situated on the southwest side of the Gran Sasso National Park at 721m above sea level. The town is characterized by its Romanesque architecture as is much of the Abruzzo region. As a university town founded in 1458, L’ Aquila is a lively and dynamic place that often hosts jazz concerts and theatrical performances. Like most towns in the Abruzzo region, it combines traditional and modern-day life in true Italian style. From the peaks of the Gran Sasso to the wild wolves in the national park; from its craggy medieval hill towns to the parasols of the Adriatic coast, Abruzzo has everything that a first time visitor or Italophile could wish for. Let your dream home be a property in Abruzzo and don’t miss that quality of life, healthy living and cheaper prices that you’ve been searching for. HOW TO GET THERE Ryanair flights to Pescara’s International Airport can be found from London Stansted or Frankfurt Hahn several times per week. The number of flights may decrease in the non-tourist season, so be sure to check schedules. There are also direct flights to Pescara from Paris Charles de Gaulle via Air Service Plus airline. Flying in to Rome Fiumicino airport, it is possible to drive in a few hours. April 2010 Springtime...time to move away from the cold! Start looking for you property in Abruzzo... This has been the longest and coldest winter so far...and it seems like we finally got to the end of it!!! It is time for everyone to get started, to start touring, travelling, packing.... We offer you a wide selection of properties for sale in Abruzzo and Molise; we are happy to take you visiting the selected properties, arrange your accommodation, and explain you th ewhole purchase procedure! Of course we ll be by your side once you decide to take the next step: we ll be with you during the whole pruchase (deed, billing and renovation if you require it). Do not waste your time no more! Fly to Pescara airport and you can reach our offices in less the 45 minutes; You find us in Vasto, SS 16 Nord, 71/d (zona industriale). See you soon then...
Deal of the month!! Sweet Italy Estates proposes you the latest property: a great deal, stunning location and fabolous view from a spacious roof terrace!! The property is located in the heart of Dogliola, an ancient village with characteristics alleys and and breathtaking views. It is a stone property on 3 levels plus 2 cellars, one of which used to be an oil mill. The ground floor is habitable and it is composed of: spacious kitchen with fireplace, dining or sitting room, bedroom, bathroom.
February 2010 It's fun time in Italy and we all want to involve you!!! Carnival is just around the corner so why don't you take this fantastic chance to live it to the fullest with us Italians?? Sweet Italy Estates proposes you a fantastic offer! We will pay for your accommodation so that you can look at properties with us and enjoy the taste (literally...have you ever had Italian carnival sweets and pastries???) of this joyful period all at once!... Believe us...this is not a Carnival joke!! This offer includes 2nights stay at Villa Martina B&B (www.vasto-agriturismo.it), breakfast included; this offer doesn't include week ends. For further information please contact us, we will be happy to help you arrange your viewing trip!!
January 2010 Sweet Italy Estates wishes You a wonderful 2010, rich in happiness and health! ...may the 2010 be the perfect year for you to find the perfect balance you are looking for, accept new challenges and go for a life change: choose to live in the Country where the sun is always shining, where people are loud because they are happy, where one of the reason why you cant' wait to wake up in the morning is because you know it would be another day with delicious lunches and dinners, where your bed linen would get dried in few hours while waving from your balcony, where your neighbour's party become yours too!!... ...now you know you cannot wait any longer...start your new year with the right decision: your Italian home is waiting for you!! Contact us for more info on how to purchase in Italy, how to select the ideal location for you and book with us your inspection viewings! December 2009 Dear Clients and Dear Users! Once again Xmas is right around the corner and everyone is excited and getting ready for huge lunches, dinners, expensive decorations and celebrations. There is very little yet so much each of us can do to make some onelse's Xmas a better day: Sweet Italy Estates, together with Gruppo Pavone srl (www.gruppopavone.com ), chose to renovate its devotion and faith in UNICEF and made a generous offer to support this cause. We surely know that this will not be enough, but surely is a little drop of water, that together with many more, will form an Ocean of togetherness, brotherood and human dignity! This is our warm way to wish all of you a Happy Festive Season!
November 2009 Dear Client, have you recently visited properties with Sweet Italy Estates? Did you like one of the inspected properties?...And You are thinking of purchasing it??
Then…what are you waiting for??...don’t hesitate!!
Sweet Italy Estates offers you 2 nights stay in Rome, “the eternal City” and return tickets from Pescara to Rome for two people!*
You will be staying in one of the most popular, central and prestigious squares in Rome!
We want to give you the best of it: you will be starting a new adventure living in a new Country or simply buying your holiday home in Abruzzo...what you need then is a great WELCOME to Italy!! and....that's how mean it. You will be able to fly to Pescara airport (the regional airport) and get a direct coach to central Rome. We will book for you a room in one of best areas in Rome and all you will need to worry about is: your meals and your personal shopping!
Before you will go for your short break, we will give as much information as possible on : things to do, places to see, and what you can't miss in Rome!!
*The offer is addressed to those who sign a purchase proposal with 20% deposit; this same offer will have to be accepted by the seller. Proposals will have to be signed within and not beyond 30th November 2009. The subscriber will be able to travel between 12/01/2010 and 14/03/2010. Bookings are subject to B&b and coaches availability. Contact us if you wish to have more information on the present offer: info@sweetitalyestates.com or francesca@sweetitalyestates.com If you wish to visit more properties, please visit our website www.sweetitalyestates.com and book a viewing trip with us!
October 8th 2009 Birdwatching, Oak and holm groves in Torino di Sangro If you are looking for a green area, a place to breath pure oxygen, a place for bird watching in Abruzzo, we suggest to visit the Holm and oak grove in Torino di Sangro. Just head north on the SS 16 towards Pescara from Vasto and you hit it on the left hand side. There are tons of signs where you can discover all the variety of birds available, trees and other interesting notions. Following the directions on the Statale 16 Adriatica road, we can discover a peculiar combination: in the same direction, there are a natural reserve, the Holm-oak grove of Torino di Sangro, and an English military cemetery . Following the winding road, we will find several fences defining the natural paths and the hiking paths that can be covered on foot, mountain bike or horse. In the Visitors’ Centre, the operators explain that we are in a coastal biotope protected since 1979, and regional reserve since 2001, that is included in the larger perimeter of a site that has a community interest. From mount Conero to the Gargano there is no other coastal area with the same naturalistic value: 175 hectares of mixed wood with a prevalence of four kilometres of luxuriant Mediterranean scrub – from the sea level to about 115 metres above sea level – and creates a unique example of environment with the large riparian areas of the Sangro and two other green lungs of the valley, the Forest of Mozzagrogna and the Regional Reserve of the Lake Serranella . Even in the picnic area, the silence is broken only by the song of the many colourful birds such as the bee-eater and the red woodpecker, or by the typical rhythm of the tortoises during the mating season. Bird watching in Abruzzo is possible in this area. The scientific interest is focused on the population of tortoises, the largest in the northern-central part of the Adriatic sea. There is also a faunal area dedicated to these reptiles, chosen as a symbol of the reserve. September 8th 2009 Bathing in the fruit of the vine
August 31st 2009
August 27th 2009 Down along the Chieti coast, between Francavilla & Vasto is what is called ‘Costa dei Trabocchi’ and this 15 km piece of pebbled coastline beyond the fish makes a wonderful morning or evening long shadow walk. Trabocchi resemble a man-made giant beached prawn sitting on the rocks with giant tendrils casting wide nets out into the deeper reaches of the sea. They are literally fishing machines for the seasick, for those that prefer rocks to waves. Fashioned from the salvaged acacia trees and whatever other pieces which the tide and storms wash in, no two stilted trabocchi ever look the same. Each aged piece of salvaged wood has its own internal clock by which needs as must repairs are carried out. Most are over 120 years old in origin although of course not each part on a trabocco will be that old. For many families their trabocchi have almost become a pastime or hobby, a place to spend their time fishing for dinner but not their main business due to the overfishing out in deeper waters, but of course nobody will ever say no if you ask if they have any fish for sale so do try in your best Italian. This is sustainable fish as much as fishing goes in Italy, the catch is never large and economical, what isn’t needed is thrown back. If you are based in a hotel in Abruzzo and have no-where to cook don’t worry, still visit; trabocchi are wonderful to watch, they are timeless and a place to reflect on how the Abruzzi that built them 200 years ago were simply trying to lessen a loss at sea which could bring about hunger to an entire generation. For those that like sketching or photography, their spiny skeletons are great subject matters and many a hotel will arrange a visit on their nearest and dearest owned trabocco. Do try the local fish, avoid the tourist fried & battered and instead try the particularly good local Fish Soup/Stew – Rodetto di Pesce all Vastese – it’s a mixture of assorted fishes, tomatoes, garlic olive oil and touch of peperoncino – delicious! Further Reading Official Website of Cala Lenta, the local Trabocchi festival sponsored by the Slow Food Movement- 1st Weekend of July, during this you can eat on the Trabocchi too and that tradition almost carries right through to mid-August. August 5th 2009 ABOUT ABRUZZO:...With its sandy beaches, mountains like the Gran Sasso providing exhilarating skiing opportunities, rolling countryside dotted with villages and vineyards, and locals who are friendly and helpful, it is not difficult to let Abruzzo tempt you into submission. Add the fact that it’s largely undiscovered by property buyers and, as such, offers some super bargains, not to mention that it’s only around an hour or so driving time from the outskirts of Rome, and you wonder why you hadn’t invested your hard-earned cash in Abruzzo property and upped sticks a long time ago. July 15th 2009 The Trabocco "...above a group of rocks, there streches out a "trabocco", a strenge fishing machine totally composed of planks and beams, resembling a giant spider..." With these words, D'Annunzio described the "trabocco" (fishing platform) of the Turchino in his poem "il Trionfo della Morte" (The Triumph of Death), written during his stay in the Hermitage of San Vito Chietino. Born towards the middle of the 19th century, they have now been declared national monuments and have survived until today thanks to the continued maintenance on the part of generations of fishing folks. With their continual maintenance, the trabocchi have gradually assumed always more unusual aspects. The length of coast between Ortona and Fossacesia is the most suitable for this type of fishing , as already at a few metres from the shore the sea is deep enough for the full immersion of the nets. The trabocco is, therefore, a fishing platform, constructed on its posts and surmonted by a platform with its small hut where the fishermen manoeuvre a large winch; via a system of ropes, pulleys and long ples, known as the "antennas", the large net is lowered into the sea, and after a little, raised again with the catch.
June 22nd 2009 Brodetto alla Vastese: Place water, salt, extra virgin olive oil, parsley, garlic and sliced pepper into an earthenware pot; heat up, then pour 350 gr. of peeled cleaned and chopped tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil, then add the already cleaned fishes without removing their heads: first the hardest ones, then the others, last the tender fillets of sole; cover and cook for 20 minutes. Do not scramble at all as the fish is not supposed to be chopped or overlapped; this dish, strictly unique for each dinner, includes 450 gr. cleaned fish (mantis shrimp, sea-hen, scorpion fish, greater weever, little cuttlefish, little spotted ray, red mullets, codfish, sole). Some mussles as a final touch (optional). Ingredients for 4 servings - Preparation time 1 hour and 30 minutes Cooking time 35 minutes into an earthenware pot, on top of the stove.
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