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Main attractions
What to see in Teramo
Roman monuments, medieval churches and museums, almost all within a short walk of each other.
Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and San Berardo
The cathedral was built by Bishop Guido II after the fire of 1156. Its façade combines a Romanesque lower part with a Gothic upper part; inside are the silver altar frontal by Nicola da Guardiagrele and the polyptych by Jacobello del Fiore. The bell tower is about 50 metres high.
Roman theatre
Built in the early 1st century AD on the edge of ancient Interamnia, it was almost 77 metres across and seated about 2,500 people. Next to it are the remains of the amphitheatre, built between the late 1st and early 2nd century AD.
Largo Sant'Anna archaeological area and Sant'Anna dei Pompetti
Under a steel-and-glass roof you can read four phases of the city: a Roman domus, a late-antique tower, the remains of the cathedral of Santa Maria Aprutiensis destroyed in 1156 and the chapel of Sant'Anna.
Torre Bruciata
A Roman travertine bastion: its name ("burnt tower") comes from the marks of the 1156 fire, still visible on the south side.
Casa dei Melatino
The city's most important medieval noble palace, mentioned as early as 1232, with pointed-arch and mullioned windows. Floors of a Roman domus were found during its restoration.
Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie
Founded as a Benedictine convent before 1156 and rebuilt in Neo-Renaissance style between 1892 and 1900. It holds a 15th-century wooden statue of the Madonna attributed to Silvestro dell'Aquila and a cloister with 12th-century capitals.
Civic Art Gallery and Villa Comunale
In the Villa Comunale park, which began as a botanical garden in 1826, the gallery displays works from the 15th to the 19th century.
Castello Della Monica
A Neo-Gothic castle on the San Venanzio hill, commissioned by the Teramo painter Gennaro Della Monica: begun in 1889 and completed in 1917, it now belongs to the town.
Tip: the Roman theatre, Largo Sant'Anna, the cathedral and the Torre Bruciata are a few minutes' walk apart: a morning is enough to see them.
Exploring the city
Old town and districts
Piazza Martiri della Libertà
The heart of the city, between the cathedral, the Bishop's Palace and the arcades of Palazzo Costantini. Events and Christmas markets are held here.
Piazza Orsini
Beneath the loggia of the Town Hall, with the Fountain of the Two Lions by Pasquale Morganti, representing the Tordino and Vezzola rivers.
The four historic districts
The centre is divided into four districts and surrounded by the two rivers: everything can be visited on foot.
Tordino and Vezzola river park
Walking and cycling paths along the rivers, with a cycle track reaching the necropolis and the Ponte Messato temple.
Surroundings
Mountains and sea
In less than an hour you go from the peaks of the Gran Sasso to the Adriatic beaches.
Teramo lies between the Gran Sasso massif and the coast, so it is easy to alternate a day in the mountains with a day at the sea.
Prati di Tivo and Pietracamela
About 40 km away: ski lifts in winter, hiking in summer and one of the loveliest villages at the foot of the Corno Grande. See Prati di Tivo.
Monti della Laga
Waterfalls and woods: the Cento Cascate hike is one of the most spectacular in the park.
Teramo coast
Giulianova, Roseto degli Abruzzi, Pineto and the Torre del Cerrano reserve are about 25–35 km away.
Nearby villages
Campli, with its Holy Stairs, Civitella del Tronto and its fortress, and Castelli, famous for its ceramics.
Suggested routes
Itineraries in Teramo
From short walks to a full day.
Itinerary 1 — Teramo in 2 hours
- Piazza Martiri della Libertà and the cathedral
- Largo Sant'Anna and Sant'Anna dei Pompetti
- Roman theatre and amphitheatre
- Torre Bruciata
Itinerary 2 — Art and museums
- Casa dei Melatino
- Civic Art Gallery and Villa Comunale
- Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie
Itinerary 3 — City and surroundings
- Morning in the old town
- Lunch with timballo teramano
- Afternoon in Campli or Civitella del Tronto
Suggestion: for an active day, follow the river park cycle track to the Ponte Messato temple.
Evenings
Teramo by night
A university town, lively especially during the academic year.
The University of Teramo, founded in 1993, brings bars, wine bars and venues to the centre.
- Main street and squares — aperitifs and evening strolls
- Piazza Martiri della Libertà — open-air events and concerts
- Roman theatre — summer performances during cultural seasons
Local tip: in summer many locals spend the evening on the coast, about 25 minutes away.
Calendar
Events in Teramo
Religious traditions, sport and food.
Interamnia World Cup
International handball tournament with men's and women's teams from all over the world, held in the first week of July since 1972.
Virtù on 1 May
On the first of May restaurants and families cook virtù, the symbolic dish of spring in Teramo.
Madonna delle Grazie
Feast of the sanctuary on 2 July.
Feast of San Berardo
The city's patron saint is celebrated on 19 December.
Tip: during the Interamnia World Cup the city fills with athletes: book accommodation early.
Local food
What to eat
Teramo's cuisine is among the most elaborate in Abruzzo, tied to feasts and seasons.
- Virtù teramane — soup of pulses, vegetables, pasta and meat, cooked on 1 May
- Timballo teramano — layers of scrippelle (thin crêpes) with ragù, tiny meatballs and cheese
- Scrippelle 'mbusse — thin crêpes served in broth
- Chitarra con le pallottine — pasta alla chitarra with tiny meatballs in tomato sauce
- Mazzarelle — lamb offal rolls wrapped in chard, typical at Easter
- Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Colline Teramane DOCG — the area's red wine
Tip: timballo is the festive dish: many trattorias serve it on Sundays.
Mobility
Getting around
The old town is compact and easy to explore on foot.
On foot
Ideal in the old town
City buses
Staur lines
Bike
River park cycle track
Car
Useful for mountains and sea
Origins and identity
History of Teramo
From the Praetutii to a university town.
Before the Romans the area was inhabited by the Praetutii; the name Aprutium, from which the word Abruzzo derives, is linked to this territory.
In Roman times the city was called Interamnia Praetuttiorum, "the city of the Praetutii between two rivers", the Tordino and the Vezzola. The theatre, the amphitheatre and the Torre Bruciata date from this period.
In 1156 the city was set on fire by the troops of the Count of Loritello; soon afterwards Bishop Guido II began building the new cathedral.
The University of Teramo was founded in 1993 and today gives the city a young spirit.
Did you know? the singer-songwriter Ivan Graziani was born in Teramo; a city park is named after him.