The village of Pacentro is perfectly situated on a small hill overlooking the Peligna Valley where you can enjoy a stunning view of the city of Sulmona, the largest town in the region and home to the poet Ovid. Mount Morrone seems to have its hands on its hips as it hovers above the town’s roofs and houses. You can easily reach Pacentro from Rome in an hour and a half using the A24 highway.
Pacentro is one of the best choices to color your soul with the true Italian atmosphere during the Christmas season. During the holidays, in fact, all the pacentrani are happily and passionately engaged in decorating their village with the timeless symbols of Christmas, adorning every inch of their homes and shops, doors, gates, windows and squares.
The first steps of Pacentro’s history
I arrived in Pacentro on a Saturday morning in December—greeted by unusually warm temperatures for the season—thanks to the big sun warming my face, though it was colder in the shade. The bus left me at the village’s entrance and (even though I knew the precise direction to follow) I stopped a man who was carrying wood. "Excuse me, could you help me?" The man smiled and remained silent. I continued: "Could you tell me how to get to Piazza del Popolo?" He made a gesture with his hand and said: "Follow me.” We talked briefly about life in the village and after a few minutes of walking he extended his hand, pointing to way: "Here, continue straight on this road.” We said goodbye and he said: "If you go back to Pacentro, please come to my house, let my wife cook you a delicious baked lamb".
I walked down the main road and the voices grew louder. I arrived in Piazza del Popolo, a small and beautiful square with an eighteenth-century fountain in the center and the Church of Santa Maria della Misericordia—dating back to the fifteenth century with its bell tower that seems to pierce the side of Mount Morrone (yes, precisely, the tower of Pope Celestine V) and from there soars to tickle the sky.
"I'm in the square," I wrote in a Whatsapp message to Robert Pardi. "Roberto, welcome to Pacentro! I am in the square too," he replied. We were a few meters away, but the fountain didn't allow us to see each other. We met in person for the first time in front of the church.
Speaking to Robert Pardi is a truly interesting experience. Robert is from New York, but his heritage is clear; he has Italian origins and his great grandfather was born here in Pacentro. After a long period of life spent in different parts of the world working in the financial sector, Robert decided to revolutionize his life. So, in an exciting and courageous way, he decided to buy a house in Pacentro and live here. Now he works between Pacentro and Rome—where he created the Roma Experience where he welcomes (mostly American) tourists and accompanies them through unforgettable experiences both in Rome and in other places in Italy.
Cin-cin: the aperitivo in the piazza, how Italians socialize
In the piazza, we had a drink with the mayor Guido Angelilli and with some of Robert’s other friends. As often happens in Italy, a table with three people who drink wine can suddenly turn into a big table with eight or more people who start a real feast. In what seems like a scene from a movie, an empty table (with just a few glasses on it) becomes a banquet of cold cuts, salami, pasta and beans, cabbage and sausages, fried sheep's cheese and anything else delicious in an instant—with hands wielding forks, that cross each other here and there, over dishes that are happily consumed.
Around the village: from past to present
During the afternoon, Robert showed me around the village. Thanks to him, I discovered the ancient Caldora Castle, dating all the way back to the 1300s (you can visit the inside and climb to the top of the tower). From the highest point, I imagined knights returning from battle; high fires reaching out to the sky like coded messages in the nearby mountains; I smelled hot soups of vegetables and legumes, sausage and roast lamb prepared to fill the bellies of tired troops; I heard the noises of heavy scrap metal and the voice of a farrier who yelled and whipped neighing horses in the stables and the sound of the church bell that swings itself slowly to the rhythm of time. "Now, shall we continue the visit?” asks Robert and, suddenly, I returned to the present year of 2019.
We went down to the old part of the village at the foot of the castle with a breathtaking view of the valley—that, during this period, turns from red to brown and from yellow to dark green. Right here, an interesting idea began some time ago: a scenic zip line that runs through the valley, one minute of pure adrenaline. We finally arrived in front of the ancient gate where, in medieval times, you would find the mill of the village and nearby you can still see the "Stone of Scandal,” named as such because of the debtors that had two ways to pay off their debts: either pay or sit naked on this stone in front of passersby as a form of public humiliation. The popular legend also has it that the stone was where witches held their sabbaths at night.
Beatrice's house, Teo and espresso
A dog barked from the balcony of the third floor of an ancient house in a downhill alley and Robert, looking up, said: "Teo!" An instant later, a woman with a full and luminous smile appeared on the balcony, waving and said: "Robert, did you come back from New York? Wait for me, I'm all disheveled, I'll put on my shoes and [come] down right away.” Robert introduced me to Beatrice, one of the first people who became a friend of his here in Pacentro when he arrived 5 years ago. Beatrice showed me her beautiful plants that grace her small garden and she told me—with visible pride—of having won the first prize for the town’s flower decorating contest, a special event that takes place in the village during Spring. Beatrice has a very magnetic, intense way of communicating and talking to her, I first didn't realize the wonderfully unforgettable view you can enjoy from her home. I can assure you: what you see is not a paper poster! It’s reality! Beatrice invited us to have coffee in her home and, amidst the chatter, we enjoyed playing with the dog Teo and his soft, bright red ball. The coffee was good and tasty, a true Italian espresso.
At the Ancient House, a journey through time
Robert told me: "Come on, now let's go and discover a magical place.” We walked and, a few meters from the main square of Pacentro, we reached an ancient house. We stopped at the door and began to smell the scent of "Italian cuisine" and the fireplace with burning wood, the warm air that penetrates the walls, blending with history, tradition and voices. We entered and found ourselves in an authentic, Italian house of the previous century with wooden tables, dried peppers hanging on beams from the ceiling and a very large man—a jolly giant if you will—welcomed us with a big smile. This man is Giocondo and he welcomed us with his wife and daughter who help him run "La Casa Antica".
This is a unique place in Pacentro where you can be a real Italian for as long as you want, eating traditional, authentic foods like cold cuts and cheese. Understanding what's behind these preparations is difficult as the sources are lost in the mists of time. So much history so much wisdom... We visited the kitchen and the artisan workshop, and we were completely amazed by so many things placed within and by the splendid "starry sky.” made of pork and meat sausages with liver, hung together on dark and shiny beams. So delicious, my friends, that it was really hard to leave.
Medals, wine, and joy: Mr. Carlo's cellar
Franco is Beatrice's husband and, when he learned that Robert and I were in Pacentro, he organized a new surprise for me. Mr. Carlo is one of Franco's best friends and has two passions: running and wine. He’s taken part in all the marathons of Europe and the last one was in New York! It was so nice to see all the medals that adorn the old wine press in his cellar. He opened some bottles of aged Italian and French wine for us and, glass after glass, hour after hour, we became old friends. We made each other a promise—to come back soon to meet up. I accepted, of course, with our last "cin-cin".
The Christmas markets slowly light up, it's evening in Pacentro
Meanwhile, the afternoon dressed itself in a red cloak and evening arrived. The village of Pacentro was getting ready for the Christmas markets. The air cooled. It was nice to see how the dim darkness of the narrow streets take on a special meaning when the space is filled with small blue and yellow lamps, intermittent Christmas songs and the smiles of Pacentro, the scent of chestnuts and fried foods running from here to there—mixed with the wind coming down Mount Morrone, mingled with the piano notes on top of an old stone staircase and blurred with the voices of children and other people walking through Via di Santa Maria Maggiore, leading to the central square.
The evening silence, peace, and tranquility in Italian villages
You know, in small villages, the passing of time is different from the big cities. Here, among these white houses made with stones from the Majella Mountain, people live according to the sun and moon, according to the seasons and the crops. You go to sleep pretty early and spend time at home in front of the fireplace with a glass of wine and a low voice. It was like that tonight. The square grew quieter; sellers started to tidy up their things and banquets; the stonemason put away his tools; the painter put his brushes in the small drawer; people started to whisper goodnight—but the Christmas lights continued to shine until late into the night, giving it special meaning... perhaps veiling the desire of peace for the whole world, a hope of tranquility for all. Pacentro goes to sleep filling everyone's heart with great emotion, surprise, and hope.
Although I have Italian blood that flows inside me, I found in this town to be a clearer testimony of why small villages in Abruzzo are increasingly chosen by tourists who decide to live the deep and true experiences of Italy, perhaps tired of the big cities and of individualism and impersonality or the desire to live strong experiences, just like the Italians—eating like the Italians eat, spending time as the Italians spend it, learning to cook Italian recipes -- just like us! But perhaps this story wants to tell us more, it wants to give us perhaps one more reason to come to Pacentro, where you too can be like a fairy tale character—perfectly stuck in scenes, stories and spells; in these moments of a happy life, in this modern fairy tale, where everyone lived happily ever after. Even now I can't tell you if what I experienced was reality or pure imagination.
Words and Images courtesy of Roberto De Ficis, travel & food blogger for the Abruzzo region at www.viaggiando-italia.it
Many Thanks to Robert Pardi.