Abruzzo
Art, History & Archaeology Sites & Museums
Abruzzo has been nominated the greenest region within Europe. A third of the region is a park – said to be Europe’s biggest nature area. The region is largely hilly and mountainous, but as it is situated along a beautiful stretch of the Adriatic coast. it is also known for alluring beaches. Given Abruzzo’s mountainous character there are many medieval and Renaissance hilltop towns – in fact some of Italy’s best preserved and most picturesque can be found here. One of the most well known is perhaps L’Aquila. Many of the towns and cities here have their origins in Ancient times. Since the fall of Rome, the area was ruled by the Lombards, Byzantines, Hungarians, and the Normans. The Provinces in Abruzzo are: Chieti, L’Aquila, Pescara and Teramo.
Create Your Abruzzo Itinerary & Travel Lists
If you are planning a trip to Abruzzo, and other regions in Italy, you can use our Itinerary Builder with the list of sites and museums below to create your own travel lists (such as places you have been to, places you would like to visit) and itineraries. These can be shared with your friends, privately and on social media. To make use of this feature, however, you will need to login or register as a new user. Registering to use these features is free of charge. Once registered and logged in, you can use the lists below to select sites and museums you would like to add to your itinerary and/or travel lists. Please Note: the lists below only include sites and museums in the Italian province of Abruzzo, go to the Italy Travel Guide to find places to visit in the other provinces.
Archaeology & History Sites in Abruzzo
Castle of Rocca Calascio
A popular location for films such as LadyHawke, The Name of the Rose and The American, this ruined castle is the highest fortress in the Apennines. Construction started in the 10th century, as a military fort, although it has never been used in battle. The original single watch tower was converted in to a larger fortress in the 13th century, with the addition of a square, walled courtyard around the central tower, and four towers at the corners. The castle was severely damaged during an earthquake in November 1703. The castle and the nearby town is a popular tourist destination in summer.
Santa Maria della Pietà (Rocca Calascio)
Not far from the castle of Rocca Calascio is the octagonal church, dedicated to Saint Mary. Built in the late 16th century, the architectural style is typical of Abruzzo and northern central Italy. Little is known about the history of the church, but it is thought that there was a votive shrine here before the church was built. Local legend says the church was built to thank Madonna for a victory the local villagers had against bandits who had been tormenting them.
