Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park

The Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park is a natural park in Italy, which was established in 1991. It has an area of 2,014 square kilometres. The terrain is predominantly mountainous.  It is managed by Ente Parco Nazionale Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga, with headquarters in Assergi, in the Province of L'Aquila.  The Grand Highway of the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park runs through the park between the Gran Sasso mountain peak and the chain known as Monti della Laga.  The park contains 44 local borough authorities.  The Corno Grande, with a height of 2912 metres, is the highest mountain of the Apennines.  On the Corno Grande is the "Caldarone", the only glacier of the Apennines and the southernmost in Europe.  South of the mountain range is the immense plateau of Campo Imperatore, at an altitude of 1600 metres.

The park is one of the largest protected areas in Europe, the show-piece being the massif of Gran Sasso, which dominates the surrounding landscape; it rises vertically on the immense pastures of Campo Imperatore. On the east side, from Teramo, there is the majestic "Paretone" which is a part of the central Adriatic landscape. It is the kingdom of perennial snow, rocks and wind. On the north there is the profile of Monti della Laga chain, where thousands of migratory birds stop on the shores of Lake Campotosto. This area is completely covered by woods of beeches, firs, turkey oaks and chestnuts. There are over 200 kilometres of horse trails which can be used to visit the park.

The park contains one of the most biologically diverse areas of Europe. The climate is borderline between that of the Mediterranean and that of Europe. The park contains more than two thousand plant and vegetable species, some of which are found exclusively in this area, such as Abruzzo Edelweiss, as well as fauna which are equally precious. Many species of wildlife inhabit the park, including rare animals such as the Abruzzo Chamois, as well as wolves, roe deer, wildcats, wild boars, foxes and squirrels. Notable birds include the Golden Eagle, the White-backed Woodpecker, the goshawk, the Common Buzzard and the peregrine. There are also insects, such as the Apollo Butterfly.

The park contains a very long circuit of approximately 300 km, featuring trails that can be visited on horseback, by mountain bike, or on foot.  Many outdoor activities are possible within the park including: horseback riding, cycling, and bird watching. 

The villages of the park are tiny towns with close-knit stone and brick houses, joined by the rise and fall of narrow lanes, their solid wood doors set under architraves carved with bearings and dates of many centuries past.  Each village deserves exploration to meet the real people and enjoy Abruzzo's proverbial hospitality, discover genuine traditions and wonderful regional products. Almost all of the park's inland settlements date back to at least the Middle Ages but many are older, fonded in the Italic-Roman period.[citation needed] In many cases, the place name highlights the defensive nature of the settlement and a summit position: Castel, Rocca, Pizzo, Penna, Colle (castle, keep, peak, crest and hill).