Located in central Italy, between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea, Abruzzo is one of Italy’s most under-the-radar regions. A third of it is made up of national parks, making it a paradise for nature lovers, hikers, and skiers.

Though you won’t find major monuments like the Colosseum, you’ll find impeccably preserved Medieval villages that receive a fraction of the tourists that flock to Tuscany’s hill towns. So if you want to escape the crowds and are interested in slow tourism, Abruzzo might just be the perfect place for you.