Anywhere Italy
Stemma di Campli

Abruzzo · Teramo

Campli

A 393-meter town under the Monti della Laga, held by the Farnese for two centuries, with a Scala Santa carrying papal indulgence.

Known for

  • SCALA SANTA

    Twenty-eight olive-wood steps with plenary indulgence granted by Pope Clement XIV, built in 1776, climbed on the knees by pilgrims.

  • PORCHETTA ITALICA

    Porchetta tradition documented in Roman decuriones, codified in the 1575 municipal statutes; the August sagra has run since 1964.

  • FARNESE FIEF

    Held by the Farnese from 1538 to 1734, brought as dowry by Margherita d'Austria when she married Ottavio Farnese.

  • PRETUZIANO DELLE COLLINE TERAMANE

    The commune lies inside the Pretuziano delle Colline Teramane DOP production zone.

When to visit

Best · Apr–Oct

  • J11°
  • F13°
  • M14°
  • A16°
  • M21°
  • J27°
  • J30°
  • A30°
  • S25°
  • O21°
  • N15°
  • D12°
  • Best
  • Hot or crowded
  • Quiet
  • Mostly closed

Daytime averages, 2020–2024. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com.

Why come

Campli occupies a triangle of land between the Siccagno and Fiumicino streams, a few kilometres from Teramo, under the Monti della Laga. The fief came to the Farnese as dowry: Margherita d'Austria, natural daughter of Charles V, brought it into her marriage with Ottavio Farnese, and the family held it from 1538 to 1734. That rule left its mark across the centro storico, from the portico of the palazzo on the main square to the frescoes inside the collegiate church and the houses of the Massei and Speziale families.

The porchetta tradition tied to the town predates all of it, traced to the Roman decuriones and later set down in municipal statute in the same century the fief was still under Farnese control. Older still is the necropolis at Campovalano, a frazione of the town, where tombs run from the 11th century BC through the Roman period. Taken together, Campli is a small hill town where a Roman-era food custom, an Italic burial ground, and nearly two centuries of Farnese governance sit within walking distance of one another, each layer legible without displacing the one beneath it.

The Sunday letter

We haven’t written Campli’s letter yet.

One town every Sunday, with the photo, the food, the festa. Be there when this one comes up. Free, by Peter & Sophia from Pietrasanta.

How to get there

From Ancona / Pescara (AOI), about 1h 45m by car.

Rome (FCO) is about 2h 49m away.

By car from the centre of Pescara 1 hour or Ancona 1h 41m.

Coming by train into Pescara Centrale? Campli is about 58 minutes away by road.

Every town within reach of Ancona / Pescara airport.

Campli — photo 1
Campli — photo 2

What to see

  • Scala Santa

    The staircase stands beside the Church of San Paolo, leading up to a Sancta Sanctorum chapel. It carries the same privilege as the staircase at San Giovanni in Laterano in Rome, and pilgrims still climb it on their knees.

  • Collegiata di Santa Maria in Platea

    14th-century collegiate church with a carved wooden ceiling, Romanesque bell tower, and frescoes from the Farnese period.

  • Palazzo Farnese (Palazzo del Parlamento)

    Renaissance palazzo on the main square with a portico, seat of the city government during two centuries of Farnese rule.

  • Chiesa di San Francesco d'Assisi

    Franciscan church with adjoining cloister, founded in the 13th century, with frescoed chapels and a museum of religious art.

  • Casa dei Massei e Casa dello Speziale

    Late-medieval and Renaissance houses in the centro storico, the Speziale once an apothecary, preserved as examples of urban Farnese-era architecture.

  • Necropoli di Campovalano

    Italic necropolis at a frazione of Campli, with thousands of tombs from the 11th century BC to Roman times, finds in the National Archaeological Museum.

The slow-trip planner

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Plan your trip

Through the year

What happens here

Feasts and festivals that come back year after year. We give the month rather than the date, because the date moves and the month rarely does. Check with the source before you plan a journey around one.

  • Italian Porchetta Festivalfood festival

    usually held in August. sagritaly.com

  • Sagra della Porchetta Italicafood festival

    usually held in August. TrovaSagre

Living here

  • Population 6,560
  • Commuter belti
  • Pharmacy in town
  • High school within a 30-minute drive
  • Nearest airport Ancona / Pescara, 1 h 45 min drive
  • Regional capital L'Aquila, 58 min drive

Common questions

What is Campli known for?
Campli is a 393-meter town under the Monti della Laga, held by the Farnese for two centuries, with a Scala Santa carrying papal indulgence.
Where is Campli?
Campli is a comune in the province of Teramo, in Abruzzo, at 393 meters above sea level.
What is the nearest airport to Campli?
Ancona / Pescara (AOI), about 1h 45m by car.
How long is the drive from Pescara to Campli?
About 1 hour by car.
When is the best time to visit Campli?
Best in Apr–Oct. July is the warmest month, averaging 30 degrees, and May the wettest, with about 14 rain days.
Is there a sagra or a festival in Campli?
Yes. Italian Porchetta Festival and Sagra della Porchetta Italica. August is when the first of them falls.
Which other towns are like Campli?
Manoppello, Isola del Gran Sasso d'Italia and Pianella.
How many people live in Campli?
6,560 at the 2023 count.
Tags & datadesignations · numbers · sources

The numbers

  • Elevation: 393 m
  • Population: 6,560
  • Surface area: 73.43 km²

These figures were compiled from public directories: ISTAT, OpenStreetMap and Wikidata, and from the official listings of the guides named on this page. Town details change; verify with official sources before you travel.

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