Pacentro,

A beautiful medieval town in Abruzzo, Italy to explore

Pacentro is an exciting destination to reach as the scenic winding drive is part of the adventure. From our Abruzzo Vacation rental it should take around 1 hour and these trip pictures of Pacentro were made in early March.

Please do feel free to contact us and ask us how we can help you organize a guided tour to Pacentro.



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Pacentro is a small preserved historic mountain village in Abruzzo, Italy that showcases some of the most beautiful examples of baroque, renaissance and medieval architecture. Pacentro is also one of the many villages in Abruzzo region of Italy that has been awarded with the title of Borghi piu belli d’Italia”or translated as “Most beautiful villages in Italy”

Pacentro is in Abruzzo’s Apennine Mountain Range and is 650 meters above sea level and due to its strategic historical position, Pacentro’s castle, Colle Castello stands majestically in this gorgeous medieval town that was built by Cantelmo lords in the 14th Century and in possession by several powerful families up until 1957 when the Cipriani-Avolio family sold the castle to the town government.

But notably (for popular culture) in 1901 and 1902 Gaetano Ciccone and Michelina Di Iulio the grandparents of Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone (yes Madonna the singer) were born and where today her relatives still live.

Looking for a guided tour of Pacentro?

Contact us and we would be happy to help.

When driving through medieval towns and villages you will notice monuments dedicated to soldiers that were killed in war as this region was in direct confrontation of the most severe fighting of World War II. Pacentro mountain geographic location shielded the medieval town from air raids. However in 1943 the Nazi army occupied most of Italy including Pacentro and evacuated the Pacentrani where they were forced to endure hardships.

In 1944 the Italian Partisans and British Troops liberated Pacentro where the Pacentrani returned to find that their crops were ruined and personal property stolen. The end of the war led to many of the men emigrating abroad to South America, USA and Italian regions outside Abruzzo and by the1970s there was a dramatic depopulation of Pacentro from 4000 in 1911 to just under 1300.

Pacentro is also known as the home of the Queen of Pop. Madonna’s grandparents and relatives are from Pacentro and she has also visited to meet with her relatives.

Pacentro Festivals and Special Events

San Marco Evangelista (Pacentro’s Patron Saint day)

April 25

The Pacentro Procession of Corprus Christi (or Corpus Domini)

Falls a month after Easter

Festa del Ritorno

An event in July honoring the people who emigrated from Pacentro

Rievocazione Storica

A medieval festival parade in August that celebrates the feudal times of Pacentro’s Caldora lords

Madonna di Loreto / Corsa degli Zingari

On the first Sunday in September, Pacentro hosts a very popular procession and a barefoot race from the Mountains to the Church.

Madonna del SS. Rosario Procession falls in October and in November is Pacentro’s Feast of San Carlo Borromeo procession and in the Piazza Jainghi is an inflating of a giant hot air balloon

Our Villa puts you in the Centre of all things Italian in the Adriatic Coast of Italy’s Abruzzo region. Contact Daniela today to enquiry about booking your dream Italian villa.