Abruzzo · L'Aquila
Capestrano
A hilltop village above the Tirino valley, where in 1934 a farmer turned up the 6th-century BC limestone Warrior of Capestrano.
Known for
WARRIOR
The 6th-century BC limestone Vestini warrior unearthed in a field at Cinturelli in 1934, now in the Chieti archaeological museum.
PICCOLOMINI
13th-century hilltop castle owned in turn by the Medici and the Piccolomini, controlling the Tirino valley.
TIRINO
Spring-fed river running clear below the town, navigable by canoe through olive and almond country.
When to visit
Best · Apr–Oct
- J10°
- F13°
- M13°
- A16°
- M22°
- J27°
- J31°
- A30°
- S25°
- O21°
- N15°
- D12°
- Best
- Hot or crowded
- Quiet
- Mostly closed
Daytime averages, 2020–2024. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com.
The festa: Giovanni da Capestrano, 23 October
Why come
Capestrano sits on a hill above the Tirino river valley, eight hundred residents inside the borders of the Gran Sasso National Park. In September 1934 a farmer working a field at nearby Cinturelli unearthed a 2. 1-meter limestone statue of a helmeted warrior, now identified as a 6th-century BC depiction of an early Italic king of the Vestini tribe, sculpted by Aninis.
The Warrior of Capestrano was moved to the National Archaeological Museum of the Abruzzi in Chieti, and the discovery triggered excavations that produced thirty-three tombs and a companion piece known as the Lady of Capestrano. The town itself is dominated by the Castello Piccolomini, built in the 13th century by the Medici and later passed to the Piccolomini family. Below the town, the springs of the Tirino feed one of the cleanest short rivers in Italy. The Abbey of San Pietro ad Oratorium stands four kilometers away, a 9th-century foundation rebuilt by the Lombards.
The Sunday letter
We haven’t written Capestrano’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 2h 25m by car.
Rome (FCO) is about 2h 39m away.
By car from the centre of Pescara 50 minutes or Ancona 2h 20m.
Coming by train into Pescara Centrale? Capestrano is about 51 minutes away by road.
What to see
Castello Piccolomini
13th-century castle on the hill next to the Tirino river, later owned by the Medici and the Piccolomini families.
Abbazia di San Pietro ad Oratorium
Lombard-era abbey four kilometers from town, founded in the 8th century and rebuilt with characteristic stone masonry.
Sito di Cinturelli
Field where the Warrior of Capestrano was unearthed in 1934, alongside thirty-three Italic tombs and the Lady of Capestrano statue.
Sorgenti del Tirino
Spring system in the valley below town, source of one of the cleanest short rivers in Italy, navigable by canoe.
The slow-trip planner
Building a trip? Find where Capestrano fits in a slow Italy circuit.
Answer five questions. We will shape a geographically coherent slow trip from the 1,000 Italian towns most travelers skip. Yours to save and share.
Living here
- Population 833
- In-betweeni
- Pharmacy in town
- High school within a 30-minute drive
- Nearest airport Ancona / Pescara, 2 h 25 min drive
- Regional capital L'Aquila, 56 min drive
Common questions
- What is Capestrano known for?
- Capestrano is a hilltop village at 465 meters above the Tirino valley, where in 1934 a farmer turned up the 6th-century BC limestone Warrior of Capestrano.
- Where is Capestrano?
- Capestrano is a comune in the province of L'Aquila, in Abruzzo.
- What is the nearest airport to Capestrano?
- Ancona / Pescara (AOI), about 2h 25m by car.
- How long is the drive from Pescara to Capestrano?
- About 50 minutes by car.
- When is the best time to visit Capestrano?
- Best in Apr–Oct. July is the warmest month, averaging 31 degrees, and March the wettest, with about 13 rain days.
- Is there a sagra or a festival in Capestrano?
- The town keeps its patron saint's day: Giovanni da Capestrano, 23 October.
- Which other towns are like Capestrano?
- Roccamorice, Roccacasale and Corfinio.
- How many people live in Capestrano?
- 833 at the 2023 count.
Tags & datadesignations · numbers · sources
Recognised as
The numbers
- Elevation: 465 m
- Population: 833
- Surface area: 43.66 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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