Scanno
One of Italy's most beautiful villages, a hilltop town of stacked stone houses where elderly women still wear traditional black dress. It is a pilgrimage site for photographers.
Scanno sits on a hillside at about 1,050 m, between Majella and Abruzzo National Park. It has been named one of Italy's most beautiful villages. The old town is made up of whitewashed stone houses, arches, and steep stone-stepped lanes, with more than a dozen churches and noble palazzi scattered throughout. Elderly women still wear traditional long black dresses and headscarves, and Henri Cartier-Bresson and Mario Giacomelli both took iconic photographs here. Local goldsmiths continue the tradition of making presentosa amulets, and pastry shops sell the local almond sweets. Take a slow walk through the old town, then visit Lake Scanno below the village. From Sulmona, it takes about 40 minutes by car along the Sagittario Gorge, and regional buses also run. The old town has many steps, which can be icy in winter.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Lake Scanno
- Sulmona
- Majella National Park
- Caramanico Terme & Orfento Valley
- Abbey of San Clemente a Casauria
- Guardiagrele
- Rocca Calascio
- Santo Stefano di Sessanio