Europe Garden Village

To the beach first, but of course… the nearest golden stretch to Camping Europe Garden Village are the private sands five minutes away via free shuttle bus, and close to many other Abruzzo seaside resorts like Alba Adriatica, Costa dei Trabocchi and Ortona (do take time to gawp at the Aragonese castle at this last). More sands as well as on-land rambles are a short drive away at the 20 hectares of coastal landscape once covered by thick pine groves that make up the seaside Santa Filomena Nature Reserve, and now home to animal inhabitants like weasels and squirrels as well as a rescue centre for local wildlife and birds of prey. (If wildlife seeking is your holiday thing, more can be spotted among the hundreds of kilometres of walking and cycling trails in the Maiella Nature Park, the Sirente-Velino Regional Park and the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park, one of Italy's biggest.) Other options are the region's small towns and villages, like Atri ten kilometres away, Lanciano, with its spectacular medieval cathedral, and Civitella del Tronto a short drive away and the site of Italy's biggest fortress.