Perched on a rocky spur, the village of Barrea is set amid the natural beauty of the National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise, surrounded by mountains, beech forests and pristine creeks. It is in fact an ideal starting point for walks and hikes into the park as numerous trails depart from Barrea, leading to the area’s main attractions, such as Lake Vivo, Lake Pantaniello, Lake Barrea, and the Resuni mountain hut.

Barrea was founded around the year 1000 by a group of monks to give the inhabitants of the valley a safer place to live. Only 700 people live in Barrea today; traces of its past are still preserved in its historic center, which has the structure of a fortified village, and is filled with stone houses, cobblestone streets and ancient churches, such as the parish church of San Tommaso Apostolo with 18th century paintings and the 14th century Church of Madonna delle Grazie.