In the very heart of L'Aquila, lovely capital of the beautiful and green Abruzzo, the Hotel San Michele stands quietly just a three-minute-walk from Piazza Duomo, the main square in town, next to plenty of elegant shops, pubs, bars, restaurants and pizzerias, besides the traditional daily market, useful information and internet points (one is just outside the hotel), and outstanding artistic and historic sights. Recently built, with modern design and stylish furniture, both in the rooms and in the public areas, the hotel is fully comparable, for the very high standard of comfort and service, to a superior class one. It is the perfect location for both the business and the leisure traveller. At the fashionable reception desk, by the main entrance, our helpful and professional staff are looking forward to warm welcoming you in our beautiful town, providing constantly all information and assistance you might need to make your stay as enjoyable as possible. In the morning our warm and charming breakfast room is the ideal place to start cheerfully your day, enjoying our very rich and varied Italian style buffet. In the evening our nice and comfortable lounge will allow you to relax, watching a number of international TV channels or appreciating our friendly bar service. Our facilities include an underground private garage with video control system, laundry, dry-cleaning and ironing service, bookings for restaurants, transfers and sight-seeing tours (or any other booking you may possibly require), luggage store and shipment, night auditor, help for medical assistance, as well as the normal reception services, provided 24 hrs a day: fax, photocopying, incoming e-mail service, etc. Read some reviews from travellers who stayed at the Hotel San Michele! MICHELIN DIRECTORY: among the only two hotels listed for L'Aquila! ITALIAN TOURING CLUB: 10% discount to all club associates! Copyright Hotel San Michele. All rights reserved.

Our comfortable rooms are designed in a modern and elegant Italian style, are finely decorated and smartly furnished, with sound proof walls and windows to guarantee a complete relax, and fire resistant doors and furniture for your own security. All of them are supplied with individually controlled heating and air conditioning, a spacious wardrobe, an elegant and useful writing desk, as well as satellite TV, direct dial phone, high speed broadband Internet access, radio, safe deposit box and a well provided mini-bar. Some also have a balcony and enjoy a marvellous panoramic view. All rooms have a modern and shiny private bathroom, with shower, hair-dryer, emergency alarm and customized complimentary toiletries: soap, shower foam, shampoo, shower cap, shoe polisher sponge, etc. A few of them have been particularly conceived to accommodate disable people.

How to get to the Hotel. Coming from Rome: take the A24 Roma-Teramo motorway, leaving it after about 100 kms at L'Aquila Ovest. At the exit turn left towards the town centre, driving straight on for about 3 kms, on quite a large street called Viale Corrado IV and then Via XX Settembre. At the very end of it you will see the Grand Hotel. We stand right on the back of it. To drive to us turn right on Viale Crispi (you'll see the Villa gardens on your left) and then immediately left and left again (basically drive around the gardens on your left). At the end of the gardens you'll be on Via San Michele where we are located. Coming from Teramo: driving on the A24 motorway, leave it at L'Aquila Est. At the exit be extremely careful to take towards the town centre, turning left and immediately right. Then drive straight for about 1,5 kms, till you see the the town cemetery on your left hand side. Turn left just driven past its main gate, and carry on for about 1 km, then make it right on a rising street (you'll see Collemaggio monastery high on a hill on your left) and drive across a tunnel. At the end of it turn left and rise for a short while (Collemaggio Cathedral will be now on your left), then turn right and right again at the first crossing street (you'll see the Villa gardens on your left) and after about 300 metres you will see our hotel. Coming from Pescara and Sulmona (on the S.S. 17): as you approach L'Aquila driving on the S.S. 17 A-road, there are a few alternatives leading into the city. The easiest one to reach the Hotel is just to drive all the way straight until the very end of the road. After about 500 mts driven past Porta Napoli, one of the still existing ancient city doors, turn right on Viale Collemaggio, and immediately left (you'll see the Villa gardens on your left) and after about 300 metres you will see our hotel. Click here to figure your route out with Pagine Gialle! From Rome: coaches for L'Aquila, run by the ARPA company, leave from the bus terminal outside Tiburtina Station, on the underground B line (for the schedule, please, ). They are frequent, inexpensive, comfortable and reliable indeed. You may purchase your ticket just before leaving. Once in L'Aquila, after about 1 hrs, get off at the very last stop, the Collemaggio Terminal. From there you may easily walk to the hotel in just 10 minutes, either taking the escalator to Piazza Duomo and then walking on Corso Federico II and Via dei Giardini or, as a second choice, turning right at the terminal exit on Via Caldora and Viale Collemaggio and then right again at the Villa gardens. After about 300 metres you'll see our hotel. For your convenience you might prefer a one-minute cab ride from the terminal. From Pescara: coaches for L'Aquila, run by the ARPA company, leave from the place outside Pescara Centrale Station (for the schedule, please, ). They are frequent, inexpensive, comfortable and reliable indeed. You may purchase your ticket just before leaving. Once in L'Aquila, after about 2 hrs, get off at the very last stop, the Collemaggio Terminal (Please, see above for directions from there). Landing at Pescara Airport: take the bus nr 38 from the airport to Pescara Centrale Station. They leave every 15 minutes from the bus stop just outside the Arrivals terminal. Tickets can be purchased inside the airport at the SAGA ticket office. From the place outside the station take a coach to L'Aquila (please, see above for directions). Landing at Pescara Airport (renting a car): take the A25 Roma - Pescara motorway towards Rome, leaving it after about 40 kms at Bussi-Popoli. From there take the S.S. 153 in the direction of L'Aquila, and after a while the S.S. 17, still towards L'Aquila (Please, see above for directions from there). Landing at Leonardo da Vinci Airport (Fiumicino, Rome): take a direct train from Fiumicino Aeroporto to Roma Tiburtina Station (for the schedule, please, Landing at Leonardo da Vinci Rome Airport (renting a car): just outside the airport take the free-way Roma - Fiumicino in the direction of Rome, after a while turn right on the G.R.A. free-way towards Napoli/L'Aquila and finally, after about 25 kms, take the motorway A24 towards L'Aquila (Please, see above for directions from there). Click here to see a map of L'Aquila. Click here to see the roads to reach L'Aquila. Click here to see a map of the province of L'Aquila

WEEKEND SPECIAL RATES. Week-end daily rates, inclusive of accommodation, very rich buffet breakfast, tax and service (valid from 1st January 2004*, available upon request Friday to Sunday except in August): DINING WEEKEND OFFER. (Valid throughout the year except in August). Two-night accommodation in double room: Friday-Saturday or Saturday-Sunday. A nice complimentary welcome packet: typical cookies and a traditional liquor from Abruzzo. Very rich Italian style breakfast, served either as a buffet or in your room. Two special and tasty dinners in excellent local restaurants, based on the traditional flavours of the regional cuisine, including drinks (Abruzzo D.O.C. wine). Free car space in our private garage. Children up to 12 are free of charge if sharing the room with two adults (dinners supplement: Eur 40). Rate: only 130 Eur per person, all included (Extra for Single Room: Eur 40,00). Click here to reserve! Any other requests you may have (eg: quotations for groups, long stays, information on local events, transportation or guide services, restaurant reservations or any other kind of booking), please,

L'Aquila: Description and History. L'Aquila (surface area 466,96 kmq, about 67,000 inhabitants on the whole territory of the Comune, about 45,000 only the town and suburbs), the capital town of Abruzzi and of the Province of L'Aquila, is situated on the left bank of the Aterno River, at an elevation of 2,150 feet (655 meters), in a valley surrounded by the highest mountains of the Appennines, the Gran Sasso and the Velino-Sirente, 58 miles (93 km) northeast of Rome. For its geographical position in the middle of high mountains the city has long, cold winters and abundant rainfall throughout the year, even if autumn is the wettest season. L'Aquila is the main historical and artistic centre of Abruzzi, has an archbishopry and is renowned for its University, Musical Conservatory, Arts Academy, Theatre and Concert Society, National Museum of the Abruzzi and the ancient S.Tommasi library. Formerly a center for handicraft and agriculture, L'Aquila has nowadays become primarily an administrative center for its large province and partly for the region (regional bodies are divided between L'Aquila and Pescara). The economy of the town is characterized by chemical, mechanical and farming industries, the production of wine, cereals, saffron and dairy products, traditional delicatessen and craftswork; the nearby mountains also offer facilities for winter sports and excursions. There are several churches and monuments of historic and artistic value, the heritage of its rich medieval past, such as the Fountain of the Ninety-Nine Spouts, almost a symbol of the city, the massive 16th-century Spanish castle, which crowns the city's highest point, the Basilica of St. Bernardine, (whose dome is visible above the castle's massive body in the view on the left) the greatest Renaissance church in Abruzzi, and the Church of Saint Mary in Collemaggio, the most outstanding example of Abruzzi romanesque architecture, where Peter from Morrone was crowned Pope in 1294, leaving to the city the unvaluable gift of the perdonanza. There are various theories on the origins of the town, but documentary and architectural sources agree with the popular tradition in identifying the mid-13th century as the birth of the city. L'Aquila rose on a hill on the left bank of the Aterno river, not very far away from the ancient Roman town Amiternum, the hometown of Roman historian Sallustius, destroyed at the time of barbarian invasions, after a 1240 constitution issued by King of Sicily Frederick II Hohenstaufen, who wanted to contend the supremacy of the State of the Church in central Italy. There were already small settlements on the area, four of which - S. Giusta, S. Marciano, S. Pietro e S. Maria Paganica -, often at war with each other, decided to set aside their own differences and fulfil the decision of the king of Sicily. By 1254 L'Aquila was born, thanks to the common work of some hundreds families. In 1257 Pope Alexander VI moved there the bishopry from nearby Forcona. In 1259 the city, which had not yet been finished, sided against the anti-papal policy of Manfredi, Frederick II's son, who on the death of his father was ruling in the name of his nephew Corradino; as a consequence, Manfredi destroyed L'Aquila. L'Aquila was abandoned for seven years until Manfredi himself was defeated and killed in a battle near Benevento (southern Italy) by Charles II of Anjou, who authorized the rebuilding of the city and order the construction of high walls all around it. Lucchisino Aleta, a Florentine aristocrat, was appointed Captain of L'Aquila by Charles of Anjou and started the construction of the massive six-foot wide, four-mile long city walls. Every now and then were placed the 86 sighting towers, which forbade enemies from entering the city. There were four doors leading into each of the four quarters of the city, which still maintain the original names: Santa Giusta, Santa Maria Paganica, San Pietro a Coppito, San Marciano.In the following centuries more doors were opened, as can be seen by the 15th-century map of the city quarters. Each quarter had its own standard and a representation of young knights. Nowadays the ancient standards are exhibited only on very special occasions, such as the Procession of Holy Friday, when they follow the city standard. In the reconstruction the city was planned according to a well-defined land-use project which would gather within one sector each of the populations of the castles of the territory. Each castle would reproduce the native setlement with a group of houses assembled around the square and church. According to the tradition, the castles taking part to the foundation were 99, but historical researches have shown that te actual number was between 70 and 80. Each of the castles was required to build a square with a church and a fountain within the city walls, which would have given rise to the 99 churches, squares and fountains of the legend. That is also why number 99 is so important in the architecture of L'Aquila, and a very peculiar monument, the Fountain of the 99 Spouts, was given its name to celebrate the ancient origin of the town. Fontana delle 99 Cannelle. In 1294 the city was the seat of the Conclave in which hermit Peter from Morrone was elected Pope under the name of Celestine V. After his consecration in the Church of St.Mary of Collemaggio, the annual religious rite of the pardon (Perdonanza) was established. L'Aquila soon acquired, through rebellion and warfare, a considerable degree of self-government, though nominally under the domination of Hohenstaufen, Angevin, Aragonese, and Spanish sovereigns who ruled over southern Italy and, with a population of about 60,000 inhabitants, became so powerful that it waged war on its own account, made treaties on its own authority, and from 1382 to 1556 coined its own money. During this period it was a textile center and became famous for its international trade in wool, silk, and saffron. In the aerly 15th century the city was also able to defeat the armies of Braccio da Montone, who wanted to conquer the city in order to establish his own personal kingdom in central Italy. The powerful enemy was finally defeated in a battle near Bazzano (5 km east of L'Aquila) and received a fatal wound. In 1482 a pupil of Gutenberg set up in L'Aquila one of the first printing presses in Italy. In 1529, the army of Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire sacked L'Aquila, its territory was dismembered and its liberties revoked, and a heavy burden was imposed on it with the construction of the massive castle ad reprimendam aquilanorum audaciam. Beginning in the 16th century the city declined in power and importance, and the decline increased after the disastrous 1703 earthquake, which, along with other earthquakes in 1315, 1349, 1452, 1501, and 1646, left a deep mark in the history and architecture of the town. In 1799 Napoleonic armies invaded the kingdom of Naples, seized all the gold and silver of the town, and dispersed the remains of Saints Celestine and Bernardine. In the XIX century the city took part to the movements for Italian Independence in 1821, 1831 and 1848, also harboring for a peiod Italian patriot Giuseppe Mazzini, who was for a time a guest in a house still extant in Via Mazzini, and, after Italian unity was achieved (1860) was plagued by brigantage, a common social disturbance of the Italian South. During World War Two the area of the railway station underwent heavy air raids by the allies, and a strong Resistance movement against the Nazi occupation arose, and had its martyrs after a bloody repression, nowadays commemorated with the monument in Piazza IX Martiri. Copyright Hotel San Michele. Photos Giuseppe Alfonso. All rights reserved.

 Guest rooms have air conditioning
 Luggage storage
 Breakfast may be served in the room
 Central situation
 Credit cards accepted
 Dinner may be served in the room
 Disabled guests are welcome
 Garage places
 Hairdryer
 Heating
 Access to internet
 Ironing facilities
 Laundry services/washing machine
 Licensed bar
 Fully stocked mini bar
 Parking lot
 Clock/radio
 Fridge
 Safe deposit box
 Private/Ensuite bathroom
 Phone at reception
 Phones in rooms
 TV sets in rooms
 Common room with a TV set