Colledimezzo

Discover Colledimezzo

Colledimezzo has 440 inhabitants and extends along a hillside ridge at 425 metres above sea level, in the province of Chieti, overlooking the Sangro river valley and the artificial lake of Bomba. Anyone looking for what to see in Colledimezzo will find a settlement whose urban layout preserves the concentric plan of the fortified medieval core, with streets following the contour lines of the hill and converging toward the upper part of the village, where the main church and the remains of the watchtower stand.

History and origins of Colledimezzo

The place name “Colledimezzo” derives from the geographical position of the settlement, located between the Adriatic coast and the Maiella mountains — literally “the hill in the middle” between the two altitudinal bands of southern Abruzzo. The earliest documentary records date back to the medieval period, when the territory fell under the influence of the Counts of Sangro, one of the most powerful feudal families in the area. Like most centres in the province of Chieti, the village followed the fortunes of the Kingdom of Naples, passing through various feudal domains between the 13th and 18th centuries.

The creation of Lake Bomba in 1958, with the construction of the dam on the Sangro river, radically transformed the surrounding landscape. The artificial basin, over four kilometres long, reshaped the visual and environmental boundaries of Colledimezzo, which today looks directly down over the body of water from its southern slope. This event also marked the local economy, shifting some agricultural activities to higher ground and introducing new forms of land use linked to fishing and lakeside tourism.

During the 20th century, Colledimezzo experienced severe depopulation, a trend shared by much of the Abruzzo hinterland. From the nearly two thousand inhabitants recorded in early-century censuses, the population has gradually declined to the current 440 residents. The patron saint of the village is San Rocco, whose feast day still marks the community calendar and represents the main occasion for gathering among residents and emigrated families who return for the event.

What to see in Colledimezzo: churches, views and the lake

Church of San Salvatore

The main religious building of the village, dedicated to the Most Holy Saviour, retains a structure that has been remodelled across several periods. The façade features a portal in locally worked stone, while the single-nave interior houses an 18th-century high altar and several wooden statues of Abruzzese craftsmanship, including one of San Rocco that is carried in procession during the patron saint’s feast.

Remains of the medieval tower

In the upper part of the village, the remains of the medieval defensive structure that once controlled the Sangro valley are still visible. The tower, now reduced to a few courses of masonry incorporated into the surrounding houses, attests to the strategic function of the hill as an observation point between the coast and the mountainous interior. The position still affords an open view spanning over thirty kilometres of horizon.

Lake Bomba

The artificial basin created by the damming of the Sangro extends at the foot of the village and can be reached in just a few minutes from the centre. The shores on the Colledimezzo side offer equipped areas for sport fishing — carp, perch and pike populate the waters — and unpaved trails suitable for walking or cycling. In summer the lake is also used for canoeing and kayaking.

Historic centre and baronial palace

The old core maintains a clearly readable concentric layout: the houses in local limestone, many with external staircases and wrought-iron balconies, are arranged along concentric streets connected by narrow flights of steps. The baronial palace, in the central area of the village, features a rusticated portal and windows with moulded frames that indicate a renovation carried out between the 17th and 18th centuries.

Viewpoint over the Maiella

From the eastern edge of the village, a natural terrace allows you to observe the Maiella massif — the second-highest peak in the Abruzzo Apennines at 2,793 metres — in its full extent. On clear days, frequent during the autumn and winter months, the vegetation bands rising from beech forests to high-altitude grasslands are clearly distinguishable. It is the most photographed spot in the village.

What to see in Colledimezzo: food and local produce

The cuisine of Colledimezzo is that of the Chieti hinterland, built on a foundation of cereals, legumes and sheep meat. The most common dishes in local trattorias and private homes include sagne e fagioli — fresh pasta cut into broad strips and cooked with borlotti beans — and arrosticini, skewers of sheep meat cut into small cubes and grilled over a narrow brazier called a “fornacella”. Ventricina, a cured meat made from pork preserved in the pig’s stomach and aged with sweet and hot chilli pepper, is the most representative charcuterie product of the area.

The extra-virgin olive oil produced in the area falls within the hill belt of the province of Chieti, where the Gentile di Chieti and Leccino varieties are cultivated, with harvesting between October and November. The surrounding vineyards produce Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC and Trebbiano d’Abruzzo DOC, the two pillars of regional winemaking. Direct sales at the farms in the surrounding area are the most common way to purchase for those visiting the village.

When to visit Colledimezzo: the best time

The feast of San Rocco, celebrated on 16 August, is when the village reaches its peak number of visitors. The procession winds through the historic centre and ends with fireworks over the lake. In the days leading up to it, open-air dinners are held in the small squares of the village, with communal preparations of handmade pasta. It is the only time of year when the resident population doubles thanks to the return of those who have emigrated.

The hill climate makes the months between May and June particularly well suited to a visit: temperatures range between 15 and 25 degrees, the days are long and the lake is already accessible without the crowds of July and August. Autumn — from mid-September to the end of October — brings the olive harvest and the grape harvest, with the surrounding woods turning to shades of ochre and rust. Winter is cold, with night-time temperatures dropping below zero, but visibility over the snow-covered Maiella reaches its greatest clarity.

How to get to Colledimezzo

By car, from the A14 Adriatica motorway, take the Val di Sangro exit and continue on the SS652 fondovalle Sangro road toward Bomba for about 20 kilometres; the drive from the coast takes 30–35 minutes. From Rome the distance is approximately 220 kilometres, covered in just under three hours via the A25 Roma-Pescara motorway, exiting at Bussi/Popoli and continuing south. From Pescara the route is about 90 kilometres, one hour and fifteen minutes of driving.

The nearest railway station is Archi-Perano on the Sulmona-Carpinone line, about 15 kilometres from the village. The reference airport is Pescara’s d’Annunzio, 90 kilometres away. Local public transport is limited to a few daily bus services, so a car remains by far the most practical means of reaching and exploring Colledimezzo and its surroundings.

Other villages to discover in Abruzzo

Those travelling along the Abruzzo hill belt will find, north of Colledimezzo, the village of Casacanditella, in the same province of Chieti. The village, set on a hill looking toward the eastern Maiella, shares with Colledimezzo a compact medieval urban layout and an agricultural vocation centred on olive and vine cultivation. Reaching it means crossing the Chieti countryside along provincial roads that link one hilltop settlement to the next, with short travel times.

Moving further inland, in the province of L’Aquila, Navelli is an important reference point for anyone following an itinerary through the villages of Abruzzo. The village is known for saffron cultivation, an activity documented since the 14th century and still practised today in the fields of the surrounding plateau. The distance from Colledimezzo is approximately 100 kilometres, crossing the inland valleys: a route that reveals the transition from the hilly landscape of the Sangro to the L’Aquila plain, at the foot of the Gran Sasso.