Abruzzo is a region that never fails to surprise those discovering it for the first time. It’s where the highest peaks of the Apennines meet the blue waters of the Adriatic, and where perfectly preserved medieval villages alternate with lush countryside.

For anyone looking for a home in Italy away from the main tourist routes, with a more authentic pace of life and breathtaking landscapes, Abruzzo is an ideal choice – and for this very reason it is fast becoming one of the most loved regions among international buyers.

Figures from the first half of 2025 published by the property portal Gate-away.com confirm this trend: the number of enquiries for the region coming from abroad continues to rise, and leading the way is Atri, a small town in the province of Teramo.

Atri: where history and landscape meet

With 4.05% of all property enquiries for the region and an increase of +61.67% compared to 2024, Atri has won a special place in the hearts of those dreaming of a home in Italy, becoming the most sought-after location in Abruzzo among overseas buyers today.

Strolling through its narrow streets means immersing yourself in centuries of history: Renaissance palaces, travertine churches and sudden glimpses that open out over the rolling Teramo hills all the way down to the sea.

Atri is a living, authentic town where quality of life is felt in the smallest everyday gestures: a coffee in the main square, a market selling local produce, the sight of the horizon changing colour as the day goes by.

Despite its rich history and culture, Atri has kept property prices very affordable compared to many other areas of Central Italy. Here you can find small homes in the historic centre, apartments with panoramic views, period buildings to restore or rustic houses nestled in the hills – ideal as a second home or as a year-round retreat.

Who will your neighbours be?

In recent years, Atri has attracted a growing international community. From the United States to the United Kingdom, from the Netherlands to Germany, more and more buyers from abroad are choosing to settle here for extended stays or to begin a new chapter in life.

Many say they chose Atri after falling in love with it by chance: a weekend in the hills, a sunset walk, a spontaneous encounter with local residents. Others were drawn by the opportunity to live in an authentic town where the sea is close by, nature is part of everyday life, and everything moves at a more human pace.

The result is a welcoming, vibrant community where long-time residents and newcomers share markets, festivals, and the joy of living in a place that still preserves a strong and genuine identity.

An Abruzzo waiting to be discovered

Atri’s success is part of a broader trend involving the whole of Abruzzo. This is a region that is winning over those who want to live surrounded by nature while still having essential services within easy reach.

It is above all the villages that seem almost untouched by time that capture visitors’ hearts and convince them to consider buying a home in this part of Italy.

Towns such as Fraine, with its historic core steeped in mountain atmosphere, or Castelvecchio Subequo, a gateway to the wonders of the Sirente–Velino Regional Park, offer an authentic experience far from mass tourism. Roccaspinalveti, with its rural character, and Penne, elegant and strategically located between sea and mountains, add further shades of charm to an area rich in personality.

In these villages, life flows slowly yet fully: streets are filled with the scents of traditional cooking, the hills change colour with the seasons, and the local community welcomes newcomers with ease and warmth.

The Italian lifestyle, Abruzzo-style

Choosing Atri, or one of the region’s many villages, means embracing a simple lifestyle rich in beauty. Here you can wake up to the sound of church bells, look out over sunlit hills, have the sea just half an hour away and the mountains within easy reach.

Every day you can choose which landscape to live in, in a region where so much is still waiting to be discovered – and which never ceases to amaze those who decide to call it home.

Start exploring homes for sale in Atri and across Abruzzo on Gate-away.com and see where your new life in Italy could begin.