OVERVIEW
This is one of the most beautiful castles in the world, and has become a natural film set
Rocca Calascio is the highest castle in the Apennines and one of the highest fortifications in Italy. At 1,500 metres, the fortress towers above a small village called Calascio. This is in Abruzzo, in the Gran Sasso-Laga National Parkto be precise. The structure, made of very white stone and with a square layout, has become known to most as a popular film set. Ladyhawke, The Name of the Rose and The American, among others, were filmed here.
The whole area has a special charm; the perimeter stretching from Rocca Calascio to Santo Stefano di Sessanio has been elected ‘set par excellence’ by the international film industry, and the reasons for this will become clear to you as soon as you arrive.
The castle of Rocca Calascio can be visited free of charge every day from 9 a.m. until sunset. It can be reached by car up to the entrance of the village, but it’s advisable to park in the dedicated spaces along the road and then continue by shuttle bus or on foot along a dirt path. If you want to explore the area and feel like actors in a Hollywood movie, walk the section from Santo Stefano di Sessanio to Rocca Calascio. Your eyes, legs and spirit will all benefit.
