The village of Farindola lays along a hilly spur overlooking the valley of the high Tavo river, at the entrance to the Valle d’Angri: all dominated by the massive Gran Sasso, which on this side imposes with the top of the Monte Camicia. The town is famous for the “Pecorino di Farindola (cheese)”, Slow Food Ark of Taste, the only pecorino in the world produced with pig rennet and whose processing is traditionally entrusted to women only.
We are within the Gran Sasso National Park, one of the most extensive and valuable protected areas in Europe. Ancient villages, archaeological sites, castles, shrines, abbeys, rock churches, hermitages and caves surround the amazing landscapes of the park, an exceptionally rich forest, springs, waterfalls, meadows, highlands, dizzy ridges and rock walls. It is an immense resource, made of handicrafts, typical local productions, food and wine and folklore. For hikers, the area offers very different itineraries, often pleasant even in advanced spring and autumn. The guides for those who walk in this area of the park are the Voltigno plateau, the canyon of the Walloon Angora, the bizarre peaks of the Lace and the wild funnel of the Gravone, the canyon that affects the northeast side of the Monte Camicia.
The wildlife area in the territory of Rigopiano, a few kilometers from the village but already 1200 meters high, allows us to see, among other animals, chamois, reintroduced in this area in 1992. Passing Rigopiano in 10 minutes you reach the Vado di Sole pass, beyond which begins the vast plateau of Campo Imperatore, a must see place for its unique scenery!
Climbers will also find an incredible number of well-equipped walls and rock paths attended by local associations as well as by enthusiasts from other regions.
A few meters from Altrocanto you will find the information center of the Parco del Gran Sasso, with attached museum of the Camoscio d’Abruzzo, and soon you will enter the village square with its bars, grocery stores, bank, pharmacy, post office and Casera Consortile for the sale of Pecorino di Farindola.
From Farindola, by car, you may easily reach, crossing suggestive mountain scenery, both the Teramano side of the Gran Sasso, to visit the San Gabriele Sanctuary or the village of Castelli, famous for its artistic ceramics, or the l’Aquila side, with its magnificent towns like Castel del Monte, Calascio, with its incredible fortress, or Santo Stefano in Sessanio, a small De Medici Family enclave in the region of Abruzzo. Not to forget the nearby Penne, the brick city, and Loreto Aprutino, a town known for its olive oil and the charming old town.
An hour’s drive separates us from Pescara, a modern city on the coast, full of beaches, restaurants, shops and small museums.