Tourism

The tourism potential of the province is remarkable. Teramo offers tourist routes between sea, mountains, hills, historic towns, monuments, events, characteristics and traditions that are the strengths of the provincial tourism.

Along the coast, although with different intensity and expressions, seaside tourism has always been one of the leading sectors of the local economy. The towns of Martinsicuro, Alba Adriatica, Tortoreto, Giulianova, Roseto degli Abruzzi, Pineto and Silvi (called "the seven sisters") were banners bearing the title of the blue flag. This result was obtained both for the quality of tourist services and for the beauty of their landscape.

The coast, in fact, is characterized by beaches of fine sand, salubrious climate, rich flora, characterized by palm trees, pine trees and oleanders.

The importance of beach tourism in the province of Teramo is evidenced by the large number of accommodation facilities in the area that offer a stylish but also relaxed and friendly service.

Very significant and particular is the beach of Cerrano, which is now a protected area, on which it is still possible to find an ancient tower that gives the adjoining space a unique setting. This ancient tower was one of the defensive outposts of the Spaniards in the XVI century. Other examples of defense in this wonderful coastline are represented by the present tower in Alba Adriatica and the Tower of Charles V in Martinsicuro.
The provincial tourism offer does not end with the sea. The interior, in fact, boasts,  a great and important artistic heritage, full of history and culture.

The mountain area of Teramo is extensive and includes two massifs, such as, the Gran Sasso of Italy and the Monti della Laga offering a unique tourist attraction that really few areas can boast. The fauna is very detailed, in fact on the peaks of these mountains still live species such as Marsicano bears, specimens of the Apennine wolf, fox, deer and roe deer.

The tendency is to protect and enhance the places, the green and sustainability of the place. In fact, there are numerous environmental resources for protection in the province. Protected areas currently present in the province are:

National Park of Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga, with its unquestionable natural and wildlife heritage, was established in 1991 and with its 150,000 hectares is one of the largest in Italy;

Vomano River Territorial Park, established in 1995, and managed by Montorio. The park is one of the main access routes to the National Park of Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga and aims to protect a river landscape in the middle stretch of the river Vomano. It is currently the largest reserves of this type of Abruzzo;

Fiumetto River Territorial Park, managed by the City of Colledara, is also a park for the protection of a river area of ​​about 4 km, stretching from Sazza stream to its confluence with Fosso S. Paolo;

Regional Natural Reserve of Castel Cerreto, entrusted to the Municipality of Penna Sant'Andrea, is an outdoor laboratory fostering the integration of theory and practice, facilitating easy knowledge and the nature, and environmental issues;

Regional Nature Reserve Calanchi of Atri, managed by the City of Atri, covers 380 hectares on a hilly landscape full of particular forms of erosion gullies.

Passing among the natural areas of Teramo visitors can see well-preserved medieval villages rich in ancient palaces, churches and shrines, city walls, fortresses, museums, archaeological sites and enjoy the beauty they offer the visitor, and let him capture the quality of art, culture and traditions.

Local institutions have stimulated the starting of projects of sustainable development of inland areas in line with a vision of the future which contains a growing share in the territory.

New forms of enjoyment of territories, especially linked to environmental, natural, historical, cultural tourism, are growing. In this way, tourists and visitors can appreciate and make research on the area for its identity, its peculiarities, its morphological diversity and landscape. Very strong and growing is the attention to tourism products that promote the integration between coast and hinterland.

In addition to the cultural heritage of great value, there are also many events of historical re-enactment, town festivals and themed events of various kinds, including exhibitions, collections of art history, cultural events, concerts: all of these help to expand the tourism offering the visitor a complete and unique experience.

The big story lived in the territory, passing repeatedly to its districts and leaving behind a rich sedimentation, from prehistoric and protohistoric sites, Italic and Roman ruins, cathedrals, abbeys and medieval castles, to palaces and churches dating back to the seventeenth  and eighteenth-century , in a variety of towns, made the area of Teramo a mosaic which resulted different from place to place. In this mosaic, the current modern road network makes each oscillation of desire immediately feasible: in less than an hour people can move from the sea over 2000 meters above sea level through a variety of unique choices of artistic and cultural landscapes.

While not representing in the province of Teramo a real tourism product, food and wine play a fundamental role in the provincial tourism, contributing significantly to improve and integrate, and to some extent to distinguish the tourist offer as a whole.

The traditional cuisine of Teramo has its roots in ancient civilization and the land is able to offer unique products spread all over the province. There are many food and wine known beyond regional boundaries. The most typical products are popular all over the province, albeit with slight differences, even between neighbouring towns.

An interesting finding is the confirmation that the province of Teramo is the most "touristy" of the provinces of Abruzzo, this is proved not only by the number of accommodation facilities, but also by tourist flows towards the same province. As far as quality is concerned, it should be remembered that the province of Teramo has placed focus on qualitative factors: new initiatives tend to be located where the environment has not been damaged, where the air and water are cleaner, where the land is most abundant in heritage of memory, beauty, art and traditions, where human relations are simpler and more direct, where those phenomena of social exclusion that contribute to the "urban malaise" are still missing.

Tourism promotion is aimed at strengthening services, rehabilitation and recovery of historic roots and the development of tourist facilities, cultural and educational activities.