Located on Italy’s eastern coast on the Adriatic Sea, Pescara is the capital of Pescara Province and the largest city in the Abruzzo region. Historically, its importance as a port opened it to attacks from the East, most notably the Turks, but it was always successfully defended.
Although settled in pre-Roman times, little evidence of the ancient city remains and Pescara today is best known as a summer resort. Climate plays a large role in the city’s popularity. Though located almost due east of Rome, nearby mountains make Pescara considerably cooler, with an average an average temperature during the hottest month, July, of just 84F.
Throughout the summer Pescara is a lively beach city with a buzzing social scene. Life is centered on Pescara’s 20-kilometer stretch of coastline, and those is search of seclusion will be disappointed. However, those looking for friendly crowds and non-stop nightlife will be delighted with the beach clubs, discos, and eateries lining the ocean front. July draws especially large crowds, with an International Jazz Festival that’s recognized as one of Europe’s most important.
Winters here are wetter than summers and genuinely cold, and when they arrive life moves from the coast inland. Just a few blocks in from the beach is the main shopping district. Running from Via Nicola Fabrizi to Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, the area contains everything from high-end fashion to small local shops to bars, pizzerias, and grocers and is an ideal spot to wander and browse. Whatever can’t be found here probably can be at the city’s classic open-air market, held every Monday in the stadium area.
Nightlife also continues to thrive in the winter, most notably along Corso Manthonè, the main thoroughfare of old Pescara. Also in this area and worth visiting is the city’s favorite cultural attraction, the Museo delle Genti d’Abruzzo (Museum of the Abruzzi People), which tells the story of the region through its people.
Pescara is well serviced by public transportation. In addition to the airport, one can arrive by train or bus, and the train ride from Rome through the mountains is memorably scenic. One is better off here without a car – Pescara traffic is notorious and parking spaces few and far between. Walking is easy and enjoyable, and if feet tire the local buses are a good alternative. There’s also bus service to nearby villages, and anyone with time to kill will find innumerable options for interesting day trips.
