*** Villa Ulignano is a beautiful farmhouse set in the heart of Abruzzo surrounded by the Maiella mountain range. It is in a small hamlet just 5 minutes drive from the Roman town of Sulmona, which offers a wide selection of shops and restaurants as well as plenty of history and culture. 
 
The town of Sulmona is situated in the centre of the Peligna Valley at the foot of the Maiella mountain range. The birth place of the great poet Ovid, Sulmona preserves its heritage of monuments, architecture and works of art. Today the town is also an important agriculture and commercial center and is famous the world over for its confetti (sugar coated almond candies), and for its goldsmiths. The town offers a wide range of shops, boutiques and restaurants. There are also excellent sports facilities including tennis courts, a swimming pool and horse riding. About 10 mins outside Sulmona is an excellent waterpark with shaded picnic area, ideal for a day out.  
 
Lake Scanno is just a 30 minute drive, while the winter resort town of Roccaraso, central Italy's largest winter resort with snow and pistes open from November to April, is just 40 mins away. 
 
Abruzzo is known for the Gran Sasso and Maiella National Parks, the largest protected area in the whole of Europe. It has a great deal to offer the holiday maker; you will find the highest peaks of the Apennines, the Gran Sasso (Monte Corno 9,560 feet), Maiella and Velino-Sirente, perfect for walking, climbing, cycling and kayaking. Its landscape of mountains, deep canyons and valleys offer a natural beauty rivalling any other region. The Abruzzo coastline has wide, sandy shores, high, jagged cliffs, narrow creeks, pebble beaches and in some places it is positively wild. With something to suit all tastes, traditional villages and historic towns, an astonishing wealth of art and culture, regional gastronomy, Abruzzo is said to be the last undiscovered region of Italy.