the local park employees and woodsmen. One then encounters a steep upward slope to the mountain summit resulting in a panoramic view of the valley below. In the early morning hours one can see the sun's rays illuminating nearby Monte della Farina with Valle Piola at its base. Depopulation In the late 1950s, as people left Valle Piola to live in larger communities or to seek a less rural lifestyle, the town began to experience the effects of significant population decrease. This process continued unabated and by the 1970s the few remaining elderly townspeople were forced to leave altogether what had become a virtually abandoned village. Like the abandoned mining camps in the American west, those visiting Valle Piola encounter the ruins of a deserted but not totally forgotten hinterland. Memories of the taste and smell of traditional artisan foods made with the grain farro (spelt), the squeals of children's laughter as they played a game of chance, aliossi (the forerunner of today's dice games) await the traveler fortunate enough to visit this isolated and sparsely populated area. Prospects for the future In recent years Valle Piola has been the object of attention from the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park authorities who are looking for ways to restore and revitalize the area. The plans for this project were presented to the public at a festival known as "Festa di Fine Estate" (Summer's End Festival). Included in this undertaking is the construction of a hotel incorporating as many of the remaining buildings as possible. A model for these efforts is the nearby town of Santo Stefano di Sessanio which has successfully preserved the atmosphere and architectural integrity of a centuries old Italian mountain village. Alternatively, the village may end up on the property market as there are recent reports suggesting that a guide price of half a million euros is being sought. Notes and references Fabio Vallarola, Il paese di Valle Piola, in: Fabio Vallarola, Il Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga, il Parco Nazionale, Mosciano Sant'Angelo (Te), Media edizioni, 1998, pp. 147–192. Lucio De Marcellis (Ed.), Fernando Aurini, Memorie d'Abruzzo, Teramo, Edigrafital, 2006, pp. 119, 124, 147, 223. Fernando Aurini's direct observations and comments concerning the traditions and lifestyles of the citizens of Valle Piola during the 1940s External links HDNetWorldReport's Video Valle Piola's website Frazioni of the Province of Teramo