Keeping cool in the mountain air of Abruzzo

It’s been a hot summer in Rome.

But then again, every summer is a hot summer in Rome.

Come weekends, my youngest son and I were often escaping the heat in the nearby mountains of Abruzzo. Our little town of Ovindoli is 1400 meters from sea level, das are warm but minus humidity, and evenings are downright chilly.

I think it’s fair to say we grew very, very spoiled on those weekends – before retuning to our beloved Roman steambath.

Since we didn’t have to hide out mid-day, we could usually be found out on long mountain hikes, more often than not picking wild strawberries and raspberries out in the forests. Yum!

I’ve been coming out here for years (decades?) and it’s such  great refuge in summer, with great hiking and walks in fresh mountain air.

It’s also a fabulous refuge from the chaos of a city. I love the slower rhythms and silent evenings (much harder to enjoy that in Rome!), the lack of traffic, the long conversations whenever you walk into any shop. It’s good for then soul to escape the hectic pace of life every once in a while.

We’ve been having a lot of fun in the mountains this summer… and will keep those hikes up through autumn, too!