Abruzzo Italy

Sulmona is a city of about twenty-five thousand. You may choose to start your tour at the Cattedrale di San Panfilo built on the site of a Roman temple. From the Cathedral you can stroll down “main street”, Corso Ovido, named for the great poet Ovid and enjoy the arcades, palaces, churches, and shops. The Fifteenth Century Palazzo dell’Annunziata houses the Museo Civico (Municipal Museum). Sadly the church of San Francesco della Scarpa was destroyed by an earthquake leaving only a Romanesque doorway. Across the way you will see a lovely Fifteenth Century Renaissance fountain fed by an even older aqueduct with many arches still standing.
Piazza Garibaldi is named for the hero of Italian unification. It is the largest square in town and boasts a lovely Baroque fountain. Every Easter there is a traditional procession of the statue of the Madonna. Summer here means the Palio style medieval festival and horse race, known as the Giostra Cavalleresca. Enjoy the market days on Wednesday and Saturday. The city of Chieti with about fifty five thousand people is a provincial capital. The Piazza Vittorio Emanuele is home to the Town Hall and the Gothic cathedral of San Giustino, with a Baroque interior. Behind the Town Hall runs the Corso Marrucino with the Museo Nazionale di Antichità (National Museum of Antiquities) that contains fine prehistoric and Roman collections. Other museums include the Costantino Barbella Art Museum, a Biomedical Science Museum, La Civitella Archaeological Museum, and the Diocesan Theatine Museum.
Categories: Abruzzo, Europe, Italy
Tags: Abruzzi, Abruzzo, Ancient Rome, Chieti, City Vacations, etraveltrips, Family vacations, Historical site, Italy, Museums, Pescara, Roman, Romantic getaways, Rome, sightseeing, Sulmona, travel, vacation