Related Links

• In spite of (or maybe because of) the local enthusiasm for cycling, there is a real shortage of places to hire bikes. The motorbike shop outside the San Francesco gate sells, but does not hire out, secondhand push bikes. The closest cycle hire we have been able to find is

  La Maglia Rosa Bikeshop
  Via Francesco Paolo Tosti, 166
  Francavilla al Mare
  tel 085 4914384
  lamagliarosa@micso.net 
  

  This is 8 miles south of Pescara - you would either need transport to Penne or allow a day to cycle back.
• Abcycle, based in Citta Sant'Angelo, run group cycling trips round different parts of Abruzzo. Several of their road routes go through Penne, and have been published in La Provincia in Bicicletta by the Pescara Office of Tourism (there is a copy in our house). The book inlcude mountain-biking routes in the nearby National Park, too.

• The Il Bosso co-operative run guided walks in the National parks throughout the summer, with a published calendar. These are 3 - 7 hour walks; you need to make your own way to the initial meeting points.
• The Abruzzo equivalent of a pub crawl, with food instead of booze: Camminar Mangiando is an annual guided walk from Farindola (20 minutes bus ride from Penne) up the Tavo valley into the mountains stopping at every restaurant en route.

• There is an Olympic size pool in the Sports Centre on the main road into Penne. It is open all day (morning only on Sunday) and costs 7 euros for a day's use. Men be warned that you need proper sports swimming trunks - baggy (boxer style) trunks are not allowed.

• There is a well-equipped modern gym in the Sports Centre, but it is not really geared for casual visitors: a month ticket is 65 euros, and you need a medical certificate to say your health is up to it.

• Penne Sports Centre
• Penne Tennis Circle
• Mediaeval
  • Diavoli Neri - courses in mediaeval sword fighting
  • Penne archery society (practice indoors in the Sports Centre)
• Climbing and Mountaineering
  • Penne section of the Italian mountaineering association - well maintained (Italian only) web site with regular local climbing and ski-ing trips
  • Vertigo 2000 is an amateur sports climbing association, running regularly training events for beginners and up (members only)
• Penne runners club - organize annual running competitions in Penne each July

Property

• Book with us to stay in Penne
• Love Abruzzo Property - property agents based in Pescara but with links with Penne
• We also have entries on holiday-rentals.co.uk and ownersdirect.co.uk.