Opi

Opi is a small, perched village surrounded by picturesque valleys and lush beech forests within the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park from which you can enjoy a truly relaxing and enchanting view.
Nestled in a fascinating mountain landscape, it has two panoramic points where your gaze can sweep over the wide expanses of the Sangro Valley: the Belvedere La Foce, located at the top of the town, and the Belvedere di Piazza dei Caduti. 

This land was inhabited since the earliest times, as evidenced by the remains of a fortified center at the site of the present settlement and the many archaeological finds unearthed in the Necropolis of Val Fondillo, as well as the findings of a probable temple in the "Casali" and "Fonte delle Lecina" localities. The Benedictine monks, in the early 11th century, stopped a process of depopulation that was affecting the area, choosing as a site the rocky outcrop that now houses the village because it was easily defensible. Heart of ancient history, but also of nature: from here numerous paths depart, to explore the area and breathe its essence.

Located halfway between the new center and the historic core of the village, you will come across the Mother Church of Santa Maria Assunta, dating back to the mid 12th century. Near the main square, however, you will appreciate the Church of San Giovanni Battista, a former private chapel built in the Baroque period (early 17th century) by Vincenzo Rossi, a local nobleman. 
In Fountain Square you will find an aqueduct that, inaugurated on October 4, 1903 and designed by engineer Inverardi, is fed by the distant Mecca Spring. 
On your tour of discovery of this quaint village, the Bevilacqua Palace is also worth a stop. 

Sports and nature come together in Opi's two museums. The Museum of Chamois, housed in the three rooms of the stately building, built by the Bevilacqua family between the 17th and 18th centuries, where you will find a wildlife area with some chamois living in semi-freedom. The Museum of Skiing and Mountains, which houses a small exhibition of ski equipment used in the last century, with photographic equipment.

Opi, offers various delicacies most notably "pecora al cotturo", a popular dish throughout the area. Holiday sweets, made of flour eggs and almonds, take on a different name depending on the occasion: the "capitone" is typical for Christmas, the "lamb" for Easter, "la lepre" for the birth of the first grandchild, and, for weddings, "scarpelle," "mostaccioli" and the excellent "torroncini" covered with a glaze called "naspro". "Cecamarini" and "tanozzi" are classic Carnival fritters.