Pulsating Pescara

Pescara is a city in central Italy, in the region of Abruzzo. The city is divided in two by the river of the same name. In 1926, Pescara, the part of the city on the south of Pescara river (in the province of Chieti), and Castellamare Adriatico, the part of the city on the north of Pescara river (in the province of Teramo) were unified in a single city, the current Pescara. The poet Gabriele D’Annunzio, a native of Pescara, was a major sponsor for the creation of the new city.

Pescara’s origins precede the Roman conquest. The name of both the ancient city and the river was Aternum: it was connected to Rome through the Via Claudia Valeria and the Via Tiburtina. The main building was the temple of Jovis Aternium. The city was an important port for trade with the Eastern provinces of the Empire.

Gabriele d’Annunzio’s house was refurbished in the 1930s, and is now open to the public.
Pescara is the major city of its Abruzzo region, and is one of the most important economic, commercial, and tourist centers on the Adriatic coast. Featuring a shoreline that extends for more than 20 kilometers, Pescara is a large vacation spot on the Adriatic Coast. It is most popular among Italian tourists during the summer months. Situated in the sea are many breakwaters made with large rocks, placed to provide calm waters near the shore. Along its shoreline, Pescara has clubs that one may join in order to enjoy the beach; in Italian, they are called stabilimenti, which means establishments. In these clubs, there are restaurants that prepare “pesce fritto” and “pizza à metraggio”, playgrounds, and permanent stationary umbrellas that one obtains by joining the club. There is a large shopping district with many fashion boutiques and a lively nightlife. It’s university is named for Gabriele D’Annunzio (Università D’Annunzio). Between Pescara and nearby Chieti lies a major industrial district.
Between 1924 and 1961, Pescara hosted the Coppa Acerbo automobile race. Every July Pescara holds an International Jazz Festival.

The ancient center, built within the Spanish walls, holds Gabriele D’Annunzio’s House, where the famous Italian poet was born. The Palazzo del Governo hosts the provincial library, with 600,000 volumes. Noteworthy is the Cathedral of St. Cetteus, with a 17th century painting of St. Francis attributed to Guercino. The Madonna dei Sette Dolori (”Madonna of Seven Pains”) is from 1757 and has a Neoclassical facade. Pescara also houses the Museo delle Genti D’Abruzzo located at Via delle Caserme 22. The Museum, which is among the most impressive in the region, collects in the numerous rooms all aspects of the life, traditions, and economy of the Abruzzo peoples from pre-history to the 19th century.

Pescara has an airport (Aeroporto di Pescara, also known as Abruzzo International Airport), three train stations, and several bus lines. Pescara Centrale train station is the largest in Abruzzo, and one of the largest in the whole of Europe.