Pescara in a Day: Cultural Itinerary Through Museums and Historic Center

Start in the heart of old Pescara, at Corso Manthonè 116, where Gabriele d’Annunzio was born on March 12, 1863, and lived until he was eleven. Declared a national monument in 1927, the house preserves the atmosphere of a 19th-century bourgeois home. Upstairs, nine rooms await you with original furnishings, neoclassical wall decorations, and many relics. Each room is introduced by verses from Notturno, the poet’s work written during a long convalescence. Don’t miss the wardrobe with the red hunting coat and golden sandals, and the casts of his face and hand made after his death by his friend, sculptor Arrigo Minerbi. Among the rooms, the parents’ bedroom stands out, where d’Annunzio was born, and the last room with military uniforms. In the courtyard, a small stable recalls his horses Aquilino and Murgione. A visit that immerses you in the private life of the poet, among documents, photographs, and everyday objects. Admission is €4, with variable hours: best to check before you go.

Continuing along Corso Umberto Primo (though the official address is Corso Vittorio Emanuele II), you’ll come across a building that stands out even from the outside: clean lines, sharp volumes, no frills. It’s the former Banco di Napoli, built in 1933 in full rationalist style, and today it houses the Imago Museum, inaugurated in 2021 by the Fondazione Pescarabruzzo. As soon as you step inside, you realize that modern and contemporary art reigns supreme over 1,200 square meters spread across three floors. On the first floor, you’ll find the largest collection of Danish art in Italy, featuring the so-called ‘Scandinavian Impressionists’ who stayed in Civita d’Antino between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. On the second floor is the Paglione collection, 130 works by 20th-century figurative artists, both Italian and American. And on the third floor, the gem: the pop art section with Mario Schifano and, in the past, Andy Warhol. A surprising mix that unites Abruzzo, Scandinavia, and the United States. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, with a lunch break: 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Full ticket is €12, reduced to €8 for under 25 and over 65. If you’re an art lover, you can’t miss it.

After the contemporary art of the Imago Museum, you find yourself in a corner of Pescara that tells another story: that of post-war reconstruction. Monsignor Antonio Iannucci Square is an intimate piazza in front of the Church of the Holy Spirit, named in October 2023 after the first archbishop of Pescara-Penne. Iannucci led the diocese from 1952 to 1990, building 40 new churches and introducing youth movements, scouting, and Caritas. Here, in 1977, the National Eucharistic Congress took place with Mother Teresa of Calcutta. The churchyard was recently renovated (December 2024) with an investment of 80,000 euros, so it’s all brand new. It is a place that invites reflection: between the church and the Curia, you breathe the commitment of a man who shaped the city.

Leaving Largo Iannucci, head towards the pine forest. Here, among the maritime pines, emerges the Gabriele D’Annunzio Monument Theatre, an open-air arena built in 1963 for the poet’s centenary. With its 3,000 seats, it’s the heart of Pescara’s cultural summer: from Pescara Jazz to the Flaiano Prize, including concerts by rock stars like Bob Dylan and Lou Reed. At the center stands a 67-meter reinforced concrete obelisk by Vicentino Michetti, decorated with D’Annunzian bas-reliefs. The atmosphere is informal, but beware: the concrete steps aren’t very comfortable, so it’s best to bring a cushion. Yet when the show begins, with the pine forest around and the sea breeze, all is forgotten.