Teramo is the provincial capital of the Teramo province in Abruzzo, sitting in a valley between the Gran Sasso mountain massif and the Adriatic coast. With around 54,000 residents, it's a manageable, unhurried city that most visitors skip in favour of the coast or the mountains — which is partly what makes it worth a stop.
The city has Roman origins — you can still see remains of a Roman theatre and an amphitheatre in the centre. The Cathedral of San Berardo is the main landmark, a mix of Romanesque and Gothic styles built over earlier Roman structures, with a fine Jacobello del Fiore polyptych altarpiece inside. Just outside town, in the village of Valle San Giovanni, the ruins of an early medieval monastery are quietly impressive.
Teramo makes a good base for exploring the Gran Sasso mountains, which are visible from much of the city. The coast at Pineto is about 30 kilometres east.