AudioZoom into Pescara: A Guide to the City of Two Cities

Pescara may be known as the “City of Two Cities", but its story goes much further back than the unification of two towns, Pescara and Castellammare Adriatico, in 1927. On this walking tour, you’ll find out how a city devastated by WWII bombs managed to rebuild while preserving fragments of its 2,000-year history.

Starting at Piazza del Sacro Cuore, a picturesque square near the central station, you’ll cross both of Pescara River’s banks and discover a city that’s authentically Italian without the tourist crowds. You’ll hear about its origins as Ostia Aterni’s Roman port and how it became a Spanish fortress. You’ll also find out about the city’s strong connection to its most famous son, literary legend Gabriele D’Annunzio.

You’ll stroll along seaside promenades lined with historic neighbourhoods, passing by innovative contemporary art galleries and traditional markets. You’ll walk the longest cycle-pedestrian bridge in Italy, the 466-meter Ponte del Mare which offers panoramic views from the Adriatic to the Apennine Mountains. Before ending the tour on Piazza Unione (Union Square), you’ll have a chance to taste regional specialities like arrosticini (sheep skewers) and Lu Brudett’s fish stew.

On this 90-minute Pescara tour, you’ll have an opportunity to:

• Marvel at the colourful Fanciulle d’Abruzzo sculptures by Franco Summa in the central square, Piazza della Rinascita
• Take in Piazza Salotto (literally ”Sitting Room Square”), which was rebuilt after 80% of the city was destroyed in WWII, earning its nickname as the heart of Pescara’s rebirth
• Discover Museo Paparella Treccia Devlet housed in the Villa Urania, a Greek temple-style building filled with exquisite Castelli ceramics so finely painted they rival Renaissance oil paintings
• See the Nave di Cascella fountain, where sculptor Pietro Cascella reimagined an ancient galley in abstract, geometric forms pointing inland as a symbol of welcome
• Visit the former Bourbon prison on Via delle Caserme, once called ”the sepulchre of the living,” now housing the Museo delle Genti d’Abruzzo ethnographic collection
• Pass by Gabriele D’Annunzio’s Birthplace Museum, the childhood home he once called his ”sanctuary”
• Discover Galleria Vistamare contemporary art space, founded by heirs of local artist Ettore Spalletti, where 18th-century frescoed ceilings frame cutting-edge installations

By the end of this tour, you’ll have discovered how Pescara transformed from a Roman port to a Spanish fortress to become a modern cultural hub.