Abruzzo with kids: Here’s our Autumn Half-Term guide to the region for toddlers through to teens. As the air turns cooler and the woods glow with golden leaves, you can look forward to fun and adventure: castle climbs, truffle and chestnut festivals, saffron picking, trekking and biking around lakes and the coast and of course Halloween celebrations under an inky star-filled sky!
🍁 Abruzzo with Kids: Autumn Half-Term (24 Oct – 4 Nov)
Pack a waterproof jacket, layers and trainers with a good grip. Mountain weather changes rapidly a this time of the year; we advise against venturing high up into the mountains alone. Always check the daily forecast and official opening times before cable cars, caves, rivers or high trails. Many outdoor providers run weather-permitting and may close after heavy rain or strong winds.
🌈 Quick Colour Key
🎃 Pumpkins & Autumn Fun | 🌸 Saffron & Harvest | 🏰 Castles & History | 🐻 Wildlife & Nature | 🧭 Adventure & Outdoors | 🌦 Rainy-Day Ideas | 🍂 Sagre & Seasonal Food
📅 Quick Calendar: 24 Oct – 4 Nov
| Date | Family Highlights |
|---|---|
| Thu 24 Oct | 🌸 Saffron picking begins in the Navelli valley (morning fields). Lakes & easy hikes at Scanno/Barrea. |
| Sat 25 – Sun 26 Oct | 🎃 Pumpkin Patch at Fattoria Valle Magica; 🚠 Grotta del Cavallone (weekend opening); 🛶 Tirino River canoeing (weather-permitting). Saffron harvesting and tasting and a chance to see the Mammoth found just outside L’Aquila |
| Thu 30 Oct | 🍂 Enjoy the foliage, go walking up in the trails at Prati di Tivo, canoeing or ebiking around the lakes and rivers and 100 cascades |
| Fri 31 Oct (Halloween) | 👻 Serramonacesca “L’Aneme de le Morte” (lanterns & folklore); 🏰 Roccascalegna Castle Halloween (tales & illusionist); 🌙 Night trek at Gole di San Martino; 🎃 Pumpkin activities in the morning. |
| Sat 1 Nov (Ognissanti) | 🎃 Family Halloween at the farm; 🥂 White Truffle Festival in Poggio Umbricchio; 🍂 Chestnut feasts; 🧭 Caramanico Adventure Park likely open (holiday; weather-permitting). |
| Sun 2 Nov | 🎃 Final Halloween & Ognissanti events; 🚠 Last weekend for Grotta del Cavallone; 🍂 Chestnut sagre continue. This if the ‘First Sunday’ of the month so museums are free – see the list for which ones! |
| Mon 3 – Tue 4 Nov | Quiet days at a museum ( CLAP, Chieti for Archaeology fans), beach walks, ebiking |
🏔 L’Aquila Province — Mountains, Lakes & Spice Fields
🧭 Outdoor & Active
Lake Scanno — heart-shaped lake, boats, trekking •Kids • Teens
Open all year; pedalò hire is weather-dependent after mid-October.
Lake Barrea — meadow picnics, bikes Toddlers • Kids • Teens
Open all year; e-bikes, bikes, and canoes are available for hire.
🌸 Saffron Picking — purple, petals, spice Kids • Teens
Navelli & Subequana Valley harvests run late Oct mornings; book ahead.
Sunday, October 26th and Sunday, November 2nd at 8:30 a.m. in the village of Navelli
- 25 euros for adults and children aged 14 and over
- 15 euros for children aged 10 to 13
- Children up to 9 years old: symbolic fee of 5 euros
Tasting/Lunch with saffron-based products:
- 20 euros for adults, 15 euros for children
WhatsApp to Book – 0039 328 1415897
Tirino River Canoeing — breathtaking colours, serene, calm Kids • Teens
Late October trips run weather permitting
Rocca Calascio — crumbling, donkeys, sky-high Kids • Teens
Open year-round. Pack windproof layers; trails can be blustery when up high.
Alba Fucens — gladiators, amphitheatre, ruins Kids • Teens
Beautiful in autumn light; easy surfaces for little legs.
Peltuinum — windswept, Roman, plateau Kids • Teens
Open access ruins; check the wind before heading out.
Amiternum — arches, theatre, ghosts Kids • Teens
Atmospheric Roman theatre and arches near L’Aquila.
🌦 Rainy-Day / Indoor
MuNDA – mammoth fossil, wow All ages
Great for a stormy afternoon on the 25th & 26th October, pre-booking essential
MAXXI L’Aquila — art, colour, teen interest Kids • Teens
Special events fall 24 Oct & 31 Oct–2 Nov; check schedule.
MAXXI L’Aquila | Google Maps
🎃 Pelino Confetti Museum — almonds, rainbow, sticky • Kids
The confetti displays all around the town delights young and old
Avezzano Gaming Museum — joysticks, pixels, retro Kids • Teens
Museum site | Google Maps
🍂 Sagre, Pumpkins & Halloween
🎃 See the Life In Abruzzo favourite picks for Halloween
🍂 Chestnut Festivals — roast, crackle, music All ages
Life In Abruzzo Chestnut Guide
🏞 Teramo Province — Meadows, Fortresses & Waterfalls
🧭 Outdoor & Active
Prati di Tivo — meadows, picnics Kids • Teens
Trails open. Check the wind before heading up and follow with a hearty plate of polenta at one of the restaurants afterwards.
Civitella del Tronto — secrets, tunnels, fortress Kids • Teens
The last bastion of Italy’s south before unification
Le Cento Cascate – waterfalls, hills, adventure Kids • Teens
Magical foliage; ebikes and regular bikes can be rented that wind you through the 100 mini waterfalls
Torre del Cerrano (Pineto) — beach, tower, pine forest Kids • Teens
Cooler seas, but a lovely beach walk and fantastic pine forest
🌦 Rainy-Day
Escape Room Teramo — locks, codes, laughs Teens • Older Kids
Provider | Google Maps
🍂 Sagre & Halloween
White Truffle Festival — Poggio Umbricchio Kids • Teens
31st October – 2nd November
Read more
🐻 Chieti Province — Castles, Rivers & Coast
🧭 Outdoor & Active
Roccascalegna Castle — sky, stone, fairytale Kids • Teens
Open all day and with evening Halloween openings 31 Oct-1 Nov.
Read more | Halloween Guide | Google Maps
Grotta del Cavallone – cave, thrill, cable Kids • Teens
Generally, weekends only through to the 2nd Nov; the cable car and cave are weather-dependent.
Lake Bomba – pedalò, splashes, shade Toddlers • Kids
Lovely year-round; canoe boat hire and hikes
Pietraferrazzan, Lago Bomba © Steve Baber
Cooking Lessons, Truffle Hunting or Coastal Biking
Chat to Passucci Travel to arrange for your family or group
🌦 Rainy-Day
Palena Bear Museum — paws, caves, cuddly Kids • Teens
Read more | Google Maps
Chieti Archaeology Museum — coins, warrior, whispers Kids • Teens
Museo Nazionale d’Abruzzo | Google Maps
🍂 Sagre & Halloween
👻 Halloween at Roccascalegna Castle — torches, tales, illusionist Kids • Teens
The evening of 31 Oct, often with 1 Nov sessions; bookable time slots.
Read more | Google Maps
🌙 Halloween Night Trek — Gole di San Martino (Fara San Martino) Kids • Teens
Evening 31 Oct; torches required; strictly weather-permitting.
Majexperience | Google Maps
🍂 Chestnut weekends All ages — Life In Abruzzo Chestnut Guide
🌊 Pescara Province — Forests, Beaches & Lantern Nights
🧭 Outdoor & Active
Lake Penne — herons, boats, reeds Kids • Teens
Reserve open year-round; light boating & hides, great birding.
Life In Abruzzo |
Google Maps
Pineta Dannunziana — pines, paths, swings Toddlers • Kids
Shaded woodland strolls and play areas.
Municipality page |
Google Maps
Caramanico Adventure Park — ropes, giggles, doughnut slides Kids • Teens
Often open on Sundays & holidays in October; 1 November is likely if conditions allow.
🌦 Rainy-Day
Museo delle Genti (Museumof the People_ – history, crafts, stories Kids • Teens
Museum site | Google Maps
CLAP Museum — comics, capes, colour Kids • Teens
CLAP | Google Maps
Enigma Room Montesilvano — teens, locks, laughs Teens • Older Kids
Enigma Room | Google Maps
🍂 Sagre & Halloween
👻 “L’Aneme de le Morte” – Serramonacesca – pumpkins, lanterns, folklore Kids • Teens
Evening 31 Oct through to 1st November, family-friendly;
🎃 Province-wide Halloween for families – cafés, museums and farms host themed afternoons/evenings around 31 Oct through to All Saints Day
Check the Life In Abruzzo Halloween round-up
Where to Stay
From our Abruzzo Connections directory, we recommend Panfilo Farmhouse as a family-friendly place to stay in Cellino Attinasio (TE)
For a stunning, family-friendly place to stay, Panfilo Farmhouse offers budget-conscious families the choice of using their own kitchenette or indulging in luxurious breakfasts served in the beautifully converted barn – where a great aperitivo can also be ordered for frazzled parents! With plenty of space for kids to run and for teenagers to relax, there are friendly goats and ducks to meet, which ties this to the owners’ farming history here. It provides easy access to both the coast and the mountains. Although the pool will be closed, a hot tub and barbecue area are available, perfect for enjoying inky, star-filled nights. If they are still picking their olives, families are invited to join in or just try some of their new oil! See their full details here.
Author: Sam Dunham
Sam is a freelance SEO content creator and IGCSE Geography and English teacher at Istituto Cristo Re in Rome. She also runs the Life In Abruzzo Cultural Association, sharing stories and insights about this captivating region.
Alongside raising a teenager, Sam hosts guests at her family’s traditional home, the Little House of the Firefly in Abruzzo, offering a warm welcome and insider tips on local culture, food, and hidden gems.
