Italy is famous for her extensive train service and this includes Marche and Abruzzo. The topography of these regions is such that there are mountains to the west and hills in the middle with valleys leading to the coast, dictating the availability of transportation links. You can access train schedules and timetables at Trenitalia. The lofty mountains along the western edge of these provinces means direct service by train to points west such as Roma is not often available; instead, you may have to travel north or south along the coastal plain then change trains to reach such desired destinations as Rome and Florence. There are both high-speed and local trains at regular intervals up and down the Adriatic Coast.
The major four-lane highways in Italy are called Autostrada and are all administered by one company. They are toll roads with service centers where you can buy gasoline, snacks, caffe’ and some have full-service restaurants. The only autostrada in Marche, the A14, runs north and south along the Adriatic Coast with several multi-lane highways feeding into major cities such as Macerata and Ascoli Piceno. However, all of the roads leading into neighboring regions to the west become one lane each direction. The roads inland going north and south are sinewy, snaking up and down to navigate the numerous valleys and hills. Reaching destinations such as Umbria or Rome from Marche does require some curvy driving over the Apennine Mountains.
In Abruzzo, the A14 continues south along the coast but there is also the A25 connecting Pescara with Roma, and the A24 starts just west of Teramo intersecting with the A25 near the Lazio border. There is a state road (strada statale) that connects the A24 from Teramo to the Adriatic coast. Again, Abruzzo has the series of hills and valleys that make north south driving interesting. The Gran Sasso is a formable barrier that the A25 burrows beneath, creating the longest tunnel in Italy at over 10 kilometers.
There are airports just north of Ancona and west of Pescara with limited service to other Italian cities as well as European destinations. Frequency of flights to both of these airports increases during the summer vacation months when travelers from points north flock to the coast to enjoy the beaches. These airports do have decent websites which can be accessed at Abruzzo Airport and Aereoporto di Falconara .
There are no lodging facilities at the Ancona airport but there are hotels in nearby Jesi and Ancona that will provide transportation service. The train from the centro storico of Ancona also stops within walking distance of the airport.
Bus service is another one of Italy’s claims to fame and there are buses that will take you to just about any place you want to go, including within both of these regions, around Italy, as well as internationally. The regional bus service in Marche is called START and the bus service in Abruzzo is called ARPA . The major cities will have regular service between them but many of the outlying areas may have bus service only once or twice a day.
For those looking to arrive by boat there are major harbor facilities at Ancona and Pescara with ferry service from these ports both nationally and internationally to locations within the Mediterranean Sea.
Armed with a little planning and patience you should be able to get to almost any destination with the one or a combination of all of these options for travel within Marche and Abruzzo.
Summary of websites for transportation links mentioned in article:
www.trenitalia.it
www.autostrada.it
www.abruzzo-airport.it
www.ancona-ariport.com
www.startspa.it
www.arpaonline.it
Labels: Practical
Urbisaglia
Fiastra and overlooks the ruins of the Roman city of Urbs Salvia. Urbs Salvia is an important archeological site and preserves an amphitheater and theater that you can visit as well as portions of the defensive walls and other buildings. There is an archeological museum with some artifacts from this area in Urbisaglia.
countryside and there are some dining and lodging options available. The town has four gates in the city walls set on a cross pattern and there is an impressive brick fortezza that dominates the main piazza on the west side of town. The town is small enough that you can easily wonder the quaint streets and alleys in a short period of time. These streets and the panoramic views provide many photographic opportunities.
