Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park is a national park, among the largest in Italy, established in 1991. Located in the heart of the Apennines, the park extends mostly in Abruzzo and to a lesser extent in Lazio and Marche, including within its perimeter the provinces of L’Aquila, Teramo, Pescara, Ascoli Piceno and Rieti. The naturalistic richness of its massifs and the extraordinary historical-architectural testimonies are reflected in a myriad of itineraries and visiting proposals for all seasons of the year. What is more, the territory includes charming hamlets and villages of medieval origin with their architectural and cultural particularities, very pleasant to visit.

Characterized by a truly unique variety of landscapes and ecosystems, the park essentially presents a hinge territory between the Euro-Siberian and Mediterranean regions. The flora is extremely diverse depending on the area and altitude of interest; in fact, with more than two thousand species surveyed, the park constitutes one of the protected areas with the greatest plant biodiversity in Europe.

Among the typical plants of this picturesque area are endemic plants such asMatilde’s Androsace, Apennine Edelweiss, Apennine Genepi,Aquilan Astragalus andYellow Adonis, a species long thought to be extinct. As for the fauna, it too is very diverse and is represented by rare species such as the Abruzzi chamois, Apennine wolf, noble deer, roe deer andMarsican brown bear, as well as many birds of prey such as thegolden eagle,peregrine falcon and eagle owl.

The park encompasses the Gran Sasso group, the Laga group and the Twin Mountains. The Gran Sasso massif, located entirely in Abruzzo, has the typical face of the Dolomites and includes the highest peak of the Apennine chain, Corno Grande, which reaches 2912 meters in height. Also found on the Gran Sasso are: the Calderone, the only glacier in the Apennines and the southernmost glacier in Europe; and theCampo Imperatore plateau, a vast and beautiful high-altitude grassland.