Colledara: Discover Culture, Nature and Historic Places

Colledara combines historic heritage with a remarkable natural setting. The focus is on churches and townscapes in Castiglione della Valle, Villa Petto, Vico, Collecastino and Bascianella, as well as the Fiumetto Nature Reserve near Castiglione della Valle.

Churches, Squares and Traces of History

A particularly vivid historic landmark is the Chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo. It stands on the medieval square in the centre of Castiglione della Valle, a district of Colledara, and dates back to the 12th century. In Castiglione della Valle, the remains of the old bastion and the surrounding walls are still visible. The town is also the birthplace of the writer Fedele Romani.

San Paolo also offers specific details for a cultural discovery. The church is open during the day and has a single nave, a Baroque wooden altar and a high altar made partly of wood and partly of plaster. In Villa Petto, Santa Lucia is located among the old houses of the historic town centre. Visible traces of the castle fortifications on which the church was built are part of its appearance, as are two Renaissance altars and a valuable holy water font from 1568. The Chiesa di San Salvatore in Villa Petto is now a ruin.

For travel planning with an interest in architecture, further individual examples are worthwhile: the Chiesa di San Nicola in Vico was rebuilt in 1811 and has a stone portal with a flat architrave, two square side windows and a round window above. It is located on the road connecting Vico, Ornano Grande and Forca di Valle. Villa Petto is laid out on two levels, separated by the main square. The Chiesa di San Rocco in Collecastino probably dates from 1755 and was extensively restored in 1881. Its portal is made entirely of brick and features small columns, consoles and a curved architrave. In Bascianella, the Chiesa di San Pietro was completed in 1591.

Discover the Fiumetto Nature Reserve

As a counterpart to the churches and historic townscapes, the Fiumetto Nature Reserve offers a focus on natural history. It was established in 1990 and covers just over 74 hectares along the Fiumetto stream near Castiglione della Valle. Numerous paths cross the area. These include a Botanical Trail used for guided educational visits.

The visitor centre of the Fiumetto Nature Reserve contains a herbarium, a xylotheque, an insectarium, an educational pond and a thematic panel on the fauna of the Fiumetto River. This facilities also make the natural area interesting for travel groups that do not want to organise their stay exclusively around historic sightseeing. When planning your day, you can alternate between cultural and historical attractions and activities related to natural history, without having to derive a specific route or duration of visit from this.

August with a Festival and Historical Re-enactment

In August, the Sagra della porchetta takes place in Colledara. Also in August, there is a historical re-enactment of the alleged stay of Lucrezia Borgia and Alfonso d'Aragona in Castiglione della Valle. Those who schedule their stay for this period can consider the two events as special cultural highlights.

Which Location Suits Your Travel Plans?

When looking for accommodation in Colledara, it helps to define a clear focus. If you are particularly interested in medieval squares, traces of fortifications and churches, you can make Castiglione della Valle and Villa Petto the focus of your excursions. For impressions related to natural history, the Fiumetto Nature Reserve, with its paths, Botanical Trail and visitor centre, is a destination in its own right. The churches mentioned in Vico, Collecastino and Bascianella round out the picture with different architectural forms, dates and furnishing details.

Your arrival route can also factor into your choice of location: Colledara is connected to Rome, L'Aquila and Teramo via the A24 motorway. Therefore, when choosing your holiday apartment, consider which location suits your planned sightseeing and preferred arrival route. This allows you to organise the wealth of historic details and nature experiences according to your own pace of travel.

More Destinations in the Town Directory

For your further search, you can also access the entries Cologna Paese, Atri, Castelli, Fano Adriano, Penna Alta, Case Alte, Nereto and Pineto.

To the overarching travel overview: Teramo.