Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park – the largest national park in Italy

The 150,000 hectare Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park is considered to be the largest national park in the whole of Italy. There are three different mountain groups in the park – Gran Sasso, Laga and Gemelli Mountains. It is also home to the tallest peak in the Apennines mountain range, the 2,912 meter tall Corno Grande. You can also find the Calderone, the only glacier in the Apennines, within the park boundaries.

The area where the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga Park is located today has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Over the years, a number of artefacts have been found in the region and many ruins have been uncovered over the years. These archaeological sites include findings from the Neolithic Age, the vast Roman Empire, medieval times, the Renaissance and so much more. A plethora of castles, palaces, churches, fortified villages, abbeys, monasteries and mills can be visited throughout the park.

Corno Grande, Gran Sasso, Abruzzo, Italy
Corno Grande, Gran Sasso, Abruzzo, Italy by Lucio De Marcellis

In order to make your trip to the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park an easier process, the park offers a well-structured information and transportation system. There are many different museums, information points as well as visitor centres that can be found throughout the park.

In the many museums, you will find pictures and paintings, sculptures and various other forms of art work that spans the millennia. You will also be able to see the artefacts that have been uncovered and also be able to witness real life archaeological digs in the area. The museums offer any visitor plenty of information about the region and also act as information points within the park.

Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park, Abruzzo, Italy
Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park, Abruzzo, Italy by Antonio Castagna

For those planning on getting closer to nature and seeing the natural wonders within the park, you have to make your way to one of the park’s many visitor centers. Here you will be able to find out more about the many popular attractions that the park has to offer anyone. It is important to point out that while the park is generally open to the public year round, many of the visitor centres and information points are only open during the peak tourist seasons.

Experience all that the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park has to offer. The area is so full of culture and heritage that one could spend weeks experiencing only a small portion of what the nation’s largest park has to offer.

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