mountain pass
Campo Imperatore
A vast high-altitude plateau beneath the Gran Sasso peaks, an 'Little Tibet' drive in Abruzzo's national park.
17 km · about 20 min drive
Abruzzo, Italy · Europe
L'Aquila is worth a stop: 5 minutes from Progetto Case Bazzano, 17km from Campo Imperatore.
L'Aquila is a town located in Abruzzo, Italy. With a population of 33,691, it is an important destination in Europe.
On a road trip, L'Aquila sits in Italy, where you drive on the right. It's in the Europe/Rome time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add L'Aquila to your route.
L'Aquila ( LAK-wil-ə; Italian: [ˈlaːkwila] ; Neapolitan: [ˈlaːkwiːlə]) is the capital city of the region of Abruzzo in central Italy. With 70,421 inhabitants as of 2025, it is also the second-largest city in the region. Laid out within medieval walls on a hill in the wide valley of the Aterno river, it is surroundedRead more
by the Apennine Mountains, with the Gran Sasso d'Italia to the north-east.
L'Aquila sits on a hillside in the middle of a narrow valley; the tall snow-capped mountains of the Gran Sasso massif flank the town. A maze of narrow streets, lined with Baroque and Renaissance buildings and churches, open onto elegant piazzas. Home to the University of L'Aquila, it is a lively college town and, as such, has many cultural institutions: a repertory theatre, a symphony orchestra, a fine art academy, a state conservatory and a film institute. There are several ski resorts in the surrounding province (Campo Imperatore, Ovindoli, Pescasseroli, Roccaraso, Scanno).
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L'Aquila offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.
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L'Aquila is located in Abruzzo, Italy, Europe. The coordinates are 42.3505 latitude, 13.3995 longitude.
L'Aquila has a population of approximately 33,691 people, making it a town in Italy.
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Essential numbers in Italy
ACI roadside assistance: 803 116. ZTL (limited traffic zones) in city centres are camera-enforced.
Full driving guide for Italy6 notable places within an hour's drive.
mountain pass
A vast high-altitude plateau beneath the Gran Sasso peaks, an 'Little Tibet' drive in Abruzzo's national park.
17 km · about 20 min drive
landmark
Medici-era stone village on the edge of the Campo Imperatore plateau, restored as a scattered 'albergo diffuso' after near-abandonment. Its lanes, tower and candle-lit cellars sit at 1,250 m in the Gran Sasso national park.
20 km · about 25 min drive
castle
A ruined hilltop fortress at one of Italy's highest castle sites, surveying the Apennine peaks of Abruzzo.
25 km · about 30 min drive
landmark
A walled mountain town in Umbria celebrated as the birthplace of St. Benedict and as Italy's capital of black truffles.
55 km · about 65 min drive
photogenic
Hilltop hamlet at 1,452 m above the Piano Grande plateau, where lentil fields erupt into a patchwork bloom of red, blue and gold each June-July (La Fiorita). The drive up from Norcia across the karst plain is one of the Apennines' great reveals.
56 km · about 65 min drive
cafe
Art-nouveau café of 1907 on Ascoli Piceno's travertine Piazza del Popolo, home of the anisetta liqueur the Meletti family still distils. Hemingway and Sartre drank here; order the anisetta 'con la mosca', with a coffee bean afloat.
58 km · about 65 min drive
April to October
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