Abruzzo is a relatively untouched area of Italy, bound for great things in 2015.  Abruzzo is one of the undiscovered regions of Italy, offering a great combination of turf and surf, sandy beaches and huge mountains all within a short drive, national parks with amazing wildlife, and countryside similar to Tuscany in parts but with hardly anyone around! Abruzzo is home to 22 villages which are on the official list of the most Beautiful Villages of Italy (only Umbria has more), in spring the flora and fauna is just incredible and the food is truly local and fantastic value in the trattoria.

Abruzzo lies in mid Italy (around 50 miles east of Rome) and borders the beautiful Adriatic Sea. The region is split into a mountainous area in the west with the Gran Sasso D'italia, and into a coastal area on the eastern side with fabulous sandy beaches.  Abruzzo boasts the title of " The Greenest Region in Europe" as a third of its area is set aside as National Parks and protected nature reserves which amazingly house 75% of all of Europe's living species. These are home to some rare animals, such as the small wading dotterel , Apennine wolf and the Marsican brown bear amongst others.

Aside from all of the above, Abruzzo's main selling point is that it is off the beaten track and remains Italy as it was 50 / 60 years ago – unlike many areas like Amalfi, Tuscany, and even Puglia. Now is the time to visit!

Essential Italy has some super new properties in the area, one of which is this truly stunning, contemporary villa.

Villa Emilio (sleeps 4 – 6) - http://www.essentialitaly.co.uk/villa-emilio 

Villa Emilio is a very special holiday home. No expense has been spared by the owners in creating an oasis of calm and beauty. This villa offers guests modern day living in the heart of an unspoilt corner of Abruzzo. The grounds of Villa Emilio are surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, producing the famous Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wines. The villa lies in the centre of the lush grounds and the stunning pool is right outside the doors with the spectacular Majella Mountain as the backdrop. Add to this the fact that the sandy beaches are just 10kms away Villa Emilio really does offer everything!
The design of this villa means that the interior and exterior blend perfectly with the ground floor having floor to ceiling windows affording a wonderful panorama of the gardens, pool and the Majella Mountain beyond. The ground floor is open plan, with kitchen, breakfast bar, living area with amazing views, topped off by a 100 inch projector screen and modern fireplace.
Villa Emilio is perfectly located to make the most of the stunning region of Abruzzo and the nearest town of Ortona is a bustling market town offering most facilities.

Location: Ortona 10km, Beach 10km, Pescara 35km, National Park 30km, Rome 230km
Price: From £1750 - £3250 per week