Città Sant’Angelo, the village that officially ranks among the most beautiful in Italy
A few kilometers separate her Pescara from this village that impresses with its enviable position between mountain and sea and fascinates with its vitality and traditions. Although its name is relatively unknown, its most characteristic product is one of Italy’s finest and most famous wines, the famous Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Viewing it from afar, the Città Sant’Angelo it looks like a painting as the green hill on which it stands and on the edges of which spread olive groves and vineyards, stands in stark contrast to the almost permanently snow-covered peaks of the Apennines that stand behind it.
Designated by the Tourist Board of the Italian Municipalities as one of the “Borghi più belli d’Italia“, the most beautiful villages in Italy, also belongs to the movement “Cittaslow“, whose members promote high-quality local culinary products. And as you will find, the cuisine of the region, which honors the excellent local olive oil and combines the flavors of the land and the sea, is truly unique. Dishes where the lamb is the star – most notably the kebabs “arrosticini” and “cace and ove”, literally cheese with eggs and lamb, the characteristic Abruzzo pasta “maccheroni alla chitarra” and “pasta alla mugnaia”, Tatune almond biscuits , the Cagionetti with chocolate and chestnut, which are considered among the most delicious Christmas sweets, and the sweet Fiadone cheese pie, will give you top taste sensations.
Gastronomy, of course, is only one of the reasons for his acquaintance Città Sant’Angelo. Behind the partially preserved gates of the old walls, the historic center inspires the visitor to discover the imprint of the centuries in this charming gem, where excellent examples of history and culture coexist with the everyday life of today. On the long street that runs through the center you will admire aristocratic mansions and former palaces of barons – palazzi baroniali – such as those of the Giampietro, Colamico, Sozj, Ursini and Coppa Zuccari families, while a network of alleys that stretch around it reveal imposing churches, monasteries and museums.
Undoubtedly, his landmark Città Sant’Angelo it is the church Collegiata di San Michele Arcangelo of 1353, with a beautiful peristyle that forms two atriums and the wood-carved statue of the patron Saint. Michael dating back to the 14th century. Equally impressive, the monastic complex San Francesco which stands out with its bell tower, houses the municipal headquarters since 1809, while on the contrary, the Modern Art Museum–Museolaboratorio is a lively space for experimentation, research and exhibition of modern art, hosting works of the Venice Biennale.
