Are you wondering what are the best things to do in Pescara? I have visited Pescara city just a couple of hours drive away from Rome, Italy. Pescara is a seaside city and yet not far to enjoy the mountainous part of the Majella National Park. I really had a great time during my visit to Pescara. So let me share with you some of the best things to do in this beautiful Italian city.
The largest city in Abruzzo, Pescara, is a seaside resort with a lot of development and one of the largest marinas in the Adriatic. During World War II, the city was heavily bombed, leaving much of the center in ruins.
Although it is a bustling city with a lively seafront, especially in the summer, there isn’t much of a reason to stay unless you’re visiting the 16 km of sandy beaches. A lazy half-day could be filled with a few mildly entertaining museums and a few restaurants serving seafood straight from the Adriatic.
Although Pescara may not be as well-known as other Italian cities, don’t be deceived by that. A smaller, lovely, and soon-to-be popular tourist destination is Pescara. You might be surprised by some of the unusual activities and locations you can discover at this undiscovered location.
If you are interested, you can also check another article I wrote about some of the best things you can do in the Abruzzo region.
Read more: 7 Beautiful Places To Visit In Italy For The First Time
Here are some of the best things to do in Pescara:
1. Ponte Del Mare
The Ponte del Mare is a marvel of contemporary innovation with its looping design and simple use for cyclists and pedestrians. The bridge’s two slopes provide views of the Adriatic Sea and the Aterno-Pescara River’s mouth as it empties into the Port of Pescara. Take pictures of the recognizable streets that snake around the city’s harbor area like steel tentacles.
After sunset, when the two branches of the bridge are illuminated, stroll along the riverbanks. With its red tip and indigo patterns at night, the long, slender spire carrying the structure’s cables looks like a space rocket. When the sun sets, the bridge’s two tubes and 161-foot (49-meter) pointed tower will be completely white.
Only over the water do the two ends of the structure divide into two separate channels. To take in the views of the river, the sea, the port, and the townscape stroll along the pedestrian branch and pause in the middle. The scene is framed by far-off mountains and lively beaches.
Hire a bike to travel between Santa Maria di Leuca and Ravenna by bicycle. The cycle lane on the bridge connects to this lovely coastal path. Reach the golden beaches on either side by descending to the bridge’s exits. The bridge, which has a length of 1,529 feet (466 meters), was finished in 2010, and it quickly became one of Pescara’s most popular attractions.
The Ponte del Mare spans the Aterno-Pescara River’s mouth, connecting the city’s northern and southern shorelines. It is accessible by bus and follows Pescara’s northeastern coast. Check out numerous sites nearby, including the Ferris wheel, the Intercral Abruzzo cultural complex, and the Port of Pescara.
2. Pescara Trabocchi
Unusual fishing structures, called “Trabocchi” (fishing huts) by the locals and secured to the rocks by piles, can be seen along Pescara’s coastline. Families in Pescara used “trabocchi,” or traditional buildings, as a food source and a place to live.
The main intention of the “trabocco” was originally to avoid going out on a boat for sea fishing, which also meant avoiding the unfavorable weather and sea conditions in the area. A complex network of ropes and big antennae are used to sink the net (a Libra). When you spot the school of fish, you hoist it. The flow of fish moving along the ravines of the coast is used in sight fishing. Two men raise the net with the capstan once the fish have been captured, and two more men control when the school of fish arrives.
The “trabocchi’s” structure has evolved. The old beams have been replaced by thinner ones. The “trabocchi” were never used after World War II. Workers were lost as a result. This is primarily because of the adoption of new fishing methods. With that, they started serving as tourist attractions a few years ago.
The “trabocchi” has replaced the Abruzzo coast’s former function as a means of subsistence for fishermen over the years, becoming the region’s emblem.
Thanks to public funding, some “trabocchi” have recently been restored. Some municipalities included several “trabocchi,” which were destroyed by the coastal storms and never rebuilt, in the State Plan, and they were reconstructed in the same manner as before.
3. Enjoy the Beach
It is hard to think of another large Italian city where the beaches are as close to the city center as Pescara, which has a 20 km shoreline and wide, sandy beaches everywhere to the north and south. This is a popular summertime attraction because it is close to many beaches, stores, and restaurants.
In the off-season, it’s fun to stroll along Viale della Riviera’s promenade in search of the most imaginative and outrageous names for privately owned public facilities. The owners of pizza joints and beach clubs in Italy typically are not content with calling them Da Mauro or Bellavista.
Pietro Cascella’s boat sculpture looks like a depressing waste of Carrara marble, marking the conclusion of our study of creative naming trends. Cascella was a well-liked local sculptor, and his sturdy works can be found in several locations around town.
4. Visit Different Museums
Pescara has a rich cultural history, just like the rest of Italy. Thus, the abundance of museums in this area is not particularly surprising. Here are a few museums you can check out while you’re in Pescara.
Museo delle Genti d’Abruzzo
Since the Association of the Study of Abruzzo Regional Traditions and the Archeoclub of Pescara established the Museum of Abruzzo Popular Traditions in 1973, the establishment of a Museum of the Abruzzo People, also known as Museo delle Genti d’Abruzzo, has been actively pursued by the local population.
The museum’s first eight rooms were made available to visitors on June 16, 1991. They depict the evolution of man in Abruzzo from the time of his earliest occurrence in the Paleolithic to the 1950s.
Museum of Modern Art Vittoria Colonna
The Rationalist architect Eugenio Montuori’s design for the building housing the Modern Art Museum “Vittoria Colonna” was built in 1953. After being restored, it is now home to the “Vittoria Colonna” Museum, which opened its doors in 2002.
Currently, the museum’s collection consists of gifts from Gangai-Stoppato, Misticoni, and Benini, which include pieces by Brindisi, Bueno, Calabria, Carrà, Guidi, Guttuso, Manzù, Maccari, Mir, Picasso, and others.
Gabriele D’Annunzio’s Birthplace Museum
The first floor of the residence where D’Annunzio was born and spent his formative years is home to the poet’s Birth House Museum. With elegant wall decorations and antique furniture, the structure still displays its nineteenth-century roots.
The first five rooms on the tour make up the home’s original core and are described individually. The tour proceeds through a series of rooms. The poet’s personal belongings, including clothing, books, casts, and artifacts, are displayed in the remaining rooms.
CLAP Museum
The new exhibition space in Pescara, CLAP Museum (Comics Lab Art Pescara), is entirely devoted to comics. The Pescarabruzzo Foundation spent about 3 million euros to buy and renovate the structure of original contemporary architecture, which is set up on four levels.
The museum will reopen with the temporary exhibition “Tanino Liberatore” on December 8, 2022, following significant recovery and functionalization work. Of bodies and fragments,” displayed on Levels 0 and -1 of the museum.
With specialized sections on eros, the legendary character Ranxerox, Liberatore’s reinterpretation of superheroes, and the artist’s relationship with music, history, and poetry, it is an itinerary of more than 100 works, 70 of which are unpublished and have never been exhibited in Italy.
5. Enjoy seafood, pasta, and wine
One of Italy’s significant wine regions is the province of Pescara, which is part of the Abruzzo region. Most wine enthusiasts must be aware of the well-known wines from Abruzzo, also known as “Abruzzi.”
However, most may be unaware that some of the best wines come from the Pescara region. The northern hillside vineyards of the province of Pescara are the most significant for producing the most well-known wine varieties out of all the vineyards.
The Montepulciano di Abruzzo is one of my favorites. The sun in the east and the mountainous terrain in the west enable this medium-bodied red wine to grow lush grapes prepared for harvest. Any occasion can benefit from this robust Italian wine with floral and spice undertones. This one is one of the most popular Italian wines exported to the US.
Cerasaulo di Abruzzo is another of my favorites. In October 2010, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo was established. The name refers to the brightly flavored, cherry-red wines formerly sold under Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Cerasuolo. The lighter, more vibrant style that distinguishes Cerasuolo wines from their heavier counterparts is achieved through a specific winemaking technique.
One of the best cuisines in the area can be found in Pescara. Seafood is a must-try here and should not be missed. Brodetto Di Pesce Alla Pescarese is Pescara’s most well-known dish. This dish consists of a variety of fish and seafood that has been slowly marinated in spices in a pan.
After enjoying this fantastic fish dish, indulge in the Parrozzo, a unique dessert only available in Pescara. You shouldn’t miss the Arrosticini, mutton, or lamb, more specifically castrated sheep meat on a stick, a specialty of Abruzzo, like many other places in the region.
During my visit to Pescara, I had an opportunity to visit a Pasta factory. Abruzzo is the home of two well-known and loved pasta brands. They are the De Cecco and Delverde. I wrote another article about my tour experience here — How Pasta is Made?: Best Pasta Factory Tour (Abruzzo, Italy).
Of course, pasta is the staple Italian food, hence during my visit to Pescara, I indulge myself in different variety of delicious Italian pasta dishes.
6. Hike in Majella National Park
Majella National Park (Parco Nazionale della Majella) is a park in southern Italy’s Abruzzo region that spans roughly 740 square kilometers (286 sq. mi). The park was created in 1995 and is a Global Geopark by UNESCO.
The Sentiero del Parco (Park Paths), a vast network of trails in Majella National Park, has over 120 marked trails and 1,200 km (746 mi) of constructed paths. Red and white signs in the park identify each trail.
A remote and potentially hazardous hiking location is Majella National Park. The most difficult trails in the park are outdoors, requiring extreme physical fitness and a head for heights.
Bring topographic maps, a GPS, hiking gear, and warm, water-resistant clothing when hiking in the park. To make sure a trail is open, check with park staff at a nearby information center before you go, and let people know where you’re going. Bivouacs and refuges should be noted by hikers along their intended route.
Majella National Park contains approximately 180 mountains. The Monte Amaro is the one that is hiked the most frequently. Monte Acquaviva, Monte Morrone, Monte Pizzalto, Monte Rotella, and Cima delle Murelle are additional hiking destinations.
7. Visit Various Churches
Thousands of churches constructed over two millennia are part of Italy’s rich architectural heritage. There are churches in Pescara that you absolutely must visit, even though most of Italy’s stunning churches are located in its more well-known cities.
Cattedrale di San Cetteo
The Temple of Conciliation, also known as the Cathedral of San Cetteo, was constructed in Pescara to commemorate the signing of the concordat between fascist Italy and the Catholic Church and was dedicated to the city’s patron saint.
The author personally contributed to the monument’s cost, which Gabriele D’Annunzio fervently desired. Cesare Bazzani, who at the time was so well-known that he was in charge of designing the most significant fascist structures, was the monument’s designer. The building mimics Abruzzo tradition despite its recent construction.
The façade of the Cathedral of San Cetteo emphasizes the cathedral’s interior division into three naves. The building contains the grave of D’Annunzio’s mother, whose sarcophagus is a piece of notable artistic interest.
Church of Saint Anthony of Padua
The most significant and largest Catholic church in Padua is the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua. One of the most revered shrines in the Christian world, the church honoring Saint Anthony of Padua receives over 6.5 million pilgrims yearly.
Franciscan Order friar and Portuguese Catholic priest named Saint Anthony of Padua. He passed away in Padua on June 13, 1231, after being born and raised in Lisbon. He was one of the church’s most quickly canonized saints.
The Basilica of Sant’Antonio di Padova is distinguished by various architectural styles, including the Romanesque-styled gabled facade, the Gothic-styled buttresses that evolved into rampant arches, the Byzantine-styled domes, and the Gothic-styled apse with radial chapels
Arcidiocesi Di Pescara Penne
The Catholic Church’s metropolitan see of Pescara-Penne is a part of the Abruzzo-Molise ecclesiastical region. In 2019, 299,300 of its 304,100 residents were baptized. Tommaso Valentinetti, an archbishop, is the director.
Tradition holds that one of the 72 disciples of Jesus, Saint Patras, who was sent by Saint Peter to evangelize these lands, founded the diocese of Penne.
Another tradition claims that during Diocletian’s persecution, the saints Massimo, Venanzio, Luciano, and Donato perished in Casauria. Bishop Giraldo then moved their relics to the cathedral of Penne in 868. But there is no historical proof to back up these customs.
Church of Saint Pamphilus
A catholic church dedicated to St. Pamphilus is called the Church of Saint Pamphilus (Chiesa di San Panfilo). Despite not being as well-known as the other churches mentioned, this one is still worth visiting because of its unique structure.
In Abruzzo, most likely in the middle of the 7th century, Pamphilus was born. He was the pagan son of someone who disowned him after he became a Christian. In 682, he was elected bishop of Sulmona. He is typically portrayed as having a very kind and giving spirit and being deeply concerned with evangelizing the advancing Lombards.
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