Central Apennines

In the central Apennines, Mount Sirente and the Maiella rise on either side of the inland valleys of Abruzzo. Between the ranges lies the Peligna basin around Sulmona, while farther south the high plateau of Cinquemiglia leads towards the upper Sangro. Limestone ridges, cold uplands and enclosed valleys make the country a succession of distinct landscapes, crossed by routes that must climb from one basin to the next.