Italy Panorama

Lanciano

Province Chieti, Abruzzo
Population: 35,700, Altitude 265 m
‘Citta del Miracolo’

Piazza Plediscito

Lanciano is a bustling hilltop town that retains its small-town flavor, while offering an abundance of activity and sights for all ages.  Easily accessible from the Autostrada A14 it is conveniently located south of Pescara and Chieti, just a short distance from the Adriatic Sea, where there is train service along the coast, as well.

The historic center is separated into three distinct  that radiate from the central Piazza Plediscito – Lancianovecchia, La Sacca and Il Borgo. Each is their own, distinct little neighborhood where you will find some shops and eateries, while the main shopping area is located in the newer section along Corso Trento e Trieste.

The Santuario San Francesco which is located just off the Piazza Plebiscito is a major pilgrim destination as it holds what is reputed to be the first Il Miracolo Eucaristico in Italy, a communion wafer and wine that the faithful believe turned to flesh and blood. The church is built over several earlier structures and you can go down into the ancient levels where you can wander through a maze of tunnels and chambers, eventually exiting several meters away from the church.

In addition to the Santuario there are several interesting churches and Chiesa Santa Maria Maggiore has some beautiful architectural features including carved stone portals and rose windows. Walking through the narrow streets you come upon other churches without any notice; be sure to check if the doors are open.

On the civic side there are remnants of some of the city’s medieval fortifications, with portions of the defensive walls and towers still visible in several areas of town. In addition if you keep your eyes open you can find some examples of typical and charming medieval structures in each quarter including an example of a characteristic store-front in Piazza dei Frentani. One can easily spend a day wandering the streets and exploring what this city has to offer.

The newer city encroaches on the centro storico but the nearby countryside opens to wide vistas of rolling hills with the Adriatic Sea in the background and mountain ranges with snow covered peaks to the west.