Pacentro

Member of I Borghi più belli d'Italia

Three square towers of the Caldora castle still rise over Pacentro, a stone village on low hills above the Peligna valley and Sulmona, just below Monte Morrone. Its lanes hold baroque churches, an 18th-century fountain carved with human faces and the house of Madonna's grandparents, who emigrated in 1919. Each September the village's young people race barefoot down a rough hillside in the Corsa degli Zingari.

Highlights

Castello Caldora, Norman in origin and strengthened by Jacopo Caldora and the Orsini
The Corsa degli Zingari, a barefoot race on the first Sunday of September
Santa Maria Maggiore, with a white stone baroque façade and slender medieval bell tower
A medieval fresco of Pope Celestine V on the façade of San Marcello
Walks in the Majella National Park, known here for its mountain springs

Summary based on Wikipedia and Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA), written with AI assistance.

Population: 1,083

Things to see

Travel guide (Wikivoyage)

Pacentro is a town of 1,000 people (2024) the Maiella national park in Italy. It is member of "the most beautiful villages in Italy".

Text from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA

Events through the year

Feast of Saint Mark the Evangelist Religious · 25 AprilFeast of the town's original patron saint
Feast of Our Lady of Mercy Religious · 8 May
Corpus Domini procession Religious · Corpus Domini (May or June)Procession past altars set up around the village
Matrimonio dei Caldoreschi Historical · A week in late July and early AugustMedieval week ending with Jacopo Caldora's wedding re-enacted at the castle
Corsa degli Zingari Sport and games · First Sunday of SeptemberYoung men race barefoot down a rocky hillside to the Madonna di Loreto church
Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary Religious · October
Feast of Saint Charles Borromeo Religious · NovemberProcession and a giant hot air balloon inflated in Piazza Jaringhi

Dates follow the traditional patterns described on Wikipedia and Wikivoyage: check locally before you travel.

Based on Wikipedia (Pacentro (EN), Pacentro (IT)) (CC BY-SA).

Specialities of Abruzzo

Typical of the region rather than of this village.

ArrosticiniDishSmall pieces of sheep or lamb on a stick, grilled over coals
Spaghetti alla chitarraBread and pastaSquare egg pasta cut on a wire frame, with mixed meat ragù
Montepulciano d'AbruzzoWine
L'Aquila saffronLocal produceGrown mainly on the Navelli plateau
Confetti di SulmonaSweet
VentricinaCured meat