Pescara

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Pescara Links CS group, Wikipedia, Wikitravel Ambassadors: Max & Lisa, Francesco

Pescara is a province capital in the region of Abruzzo, central Italy. With a population of 122,404 inhabitants (beginning of the 2007) Pescara is the biggest city of the region and one of the most important towns of on the Adriatic sea. The city is 15 km far away from Chieti, another province capital: the whole urban area of Pescara and Chieti has a population of about 350.000 people.

Contents

A brief introduction

Pescara was completely destroyed during the second world war by several heavy bombings carried on by US air force. At the moment there are very few signs of the city past.

The main street of the city is Corso Umberto I, which starts from Piazza Salotto and reaches the coast at Piazza Primo Maggio. Corso Manthonè, the main street of the old town, has been being the centre of the nightlife of the city for many years now. The City Hall and the administration of the province are in Piazza Italia, near by the river.

The harbour is located in the final part of the river. Beside the southern part of the harbour docks there is a modern marine that is one of the biggest in the Adriatic sea.

Pescara, together with Chieti, is the seat of the “G.d'Annunzio” univeristy: about 17.000 students attend the faculties of Economics, Architecture, Foreign Languages and Literature. The university is located in the southern part of town, near by the business district built up in the recent years.

The city shore is 16 km long and it is a sand beach divided in two "riviera": the one in the north side of the river and the one in the southern side. The northern part of the riviera is very lively during summer because many restaurants, bars, gelaterias and disco clubs are located all over its length.

CS in Pescara

The CS community has grown up considerably from the second half of 2007 and the first months of 2008. This was due by the presence of some active members who have started to involve some other people in the cs mission. The Pescara group has been existing since early 2008.

Couchsurfers

There are currently about 100 Couchsurfers in Pescara (updated till the 6th of March 2010). The community is growing consistently (24 members in october 2007) and it is pretty active since there are several members ready to welcome travelers by meeting or hosting them and who organise events and happenings around. Some of the local members have also been very active with the organization of regional CS meetings, held in the town. Moreover, Pescara has two city ambassadors.

CS Meetings

Pescara local meetings are usually held informally once or more times a week in presence of guests of local members. Moreover, some of the local members have organised the first three regional meetings which have taken places in the city. The local community has also decided to have monthly meetings from the end of october: you can get updates following the Pescara group.

Italian Adriatic Surfing Network

Pescara is included in Italian Adriatic surfing network that is a network of cs members who live on the eastern cost of Italy with the aim to help and host those travellers who want to discover the eastern part of Italy.

How to get there

It is possible to reach Pescara with a comprehensive transport system

By train

There are four train stations in Pescara. Two of them are devoted to the local transport. The main station is Pescara Centrale that is located in the very central heart of the city: the station, which is the largest in Abruzzo, and one of the largest in the whole of Italy, is located in adriatic rail line and it is connected also to Rome. Pescara Porta Nuova (in the central part of the city but closer to the old town and to the university) is devoted to the local transport but some trains to and from Rome stop there.

By bus

There is a direct bus line to Roma Tiburtina station (Rome) via Pescara Centrale (13 daily, about a two and a half hours ride, between 10 and 15 €uro). There are also buses to Naples (3 daily, about a four hours ride) and other italian cities. Have a look at the following links (only in Italian):

Flying there

Pescara Airport (also known as Abruzzo International Airport) is connected to several european cities with season and regular flights. Ryanair operates there. There is a bus (number 38) that operates the transport service from the airport terminal to the city centre (it stops 150mt from the central station) every 15 minutes. (1€ for a single fare). Taxis are available outside the Arrivals area: a trip to central rail station costs around 15€. The main air carrier operators are:

By ferry

In summer there are ferries and hydrofoils to Croatia run primarily by Jadrolinija (but from September 2008 they have interrupted the service) and Snav to Split and islands in central Dalmatia. Have a look at the following link:

For information, you can also contact Agenzia Sanmar

How to get the ferry

It's hard to get to the seaport because there are not buses to get straight to there. The ferries depart from the southern bank ("molo sud") and you need to get there. Here you have some suggestions

ARRIVING BY BUS FROM ROME

  • If you arrive by bus from Rome, you can ask them to stop at the city hall square (Piazza Italia) and then you can walk to the dock (it takes 10-15 minutes): that's the route to get there

ARRIVING BY TRAIN TO THE CENTRAL STATION OR BY BUS TO THE BUS TERMINAL

  • If you arrive at the central station by train you have to reach Piazza della Repubblica (get out of the main entrance of the station and follow the red path, which starts from there: it's 150 mt walk): Piazza della Repubblica is also the place where buses arrive from other cities (it's the bus terminal). you can decide to take a bus and to walk, just to walk or to take a taxi.
-The bus&walk solution (about 30-40 minutes). In piazza della Repubblica or from the bus terminal you can get the bus nr. 10 (there are buses every 20 minutes). You need to buy the ticket in the ticket machines close by the bus stops: it's 1 euro. Ask the bus driver to stop close by the ferry dock ("molo sud"): the bus will stop in via Brdet and from there you can walk for 5-10 minutes (follow this route)
-The walk solution (30 minutes): it's a kind of long way, but it's an easy route
-By taxi (5 minutes): you can get a taxi just in front of the central station. If you arrive at the bus terminal you cannot miss the central station which is the huge glass building you see around. This is the most easy solution: it should cost about 7-8 euro.

ARRIVING BY TRAIN TO PORTA NUOVA STATION

  • If you arrive by train at Porta Nuova Station you can walk for about 25 minutes using this path

By car

The city is crossed by two highways (autostrade), the A14 (Bologna- Taranto) and the A25 (Rome-Pescara) which are part of the pan-European roads (respectivley the E55 and the E80). Moreover, it is possible to reach Pescara by using several main and secondary roads: the main ones are the Tiburtina (SS 5, Rome- Pescara) and the Adriatic national road (SS 16, Padua- Otranto)

Tips to get there

The best way to go to or to move from Pescara up north or down the south is by train.

The rail line track between Pescara and Rome is very old: therefore trains are slow and take a long time (around 4 hours, for about €12), but the scenarios you can enjoy during the trip are amazing. Travellers to and from Rome are recommended to use the bus connection (2 and a half hours, €15).

How to get around

What to do

In Pescara

Generally Pescara is a lively place. There are a few events (also internationally renowned) which take place in the city and it offers some chances to enjoy night life. In the year 2009, Pescara has been also the venure of the Mediterranean games.

Events

  • First months of the year- Carnival (occurs immediately before Lent): the city is crossed by a parade that attracts thousands of people.
  • April- Etno music festival: a festival about world music.
  • First Sunday of June- Seven Pains Holy Mary celebration: it's an ancient celebration from the XVII and it involves decades thousand people every year entertained by an amusement park.
  • June/July- International Flaiano Festival: it's a movie, theater and literature festival with an international reputation.
  • July- Opera Festival: an annual event that in 2008 offered a great programm.
  • July- Summer Jazz Festival (Pescara Jazz): it's the oldest Italian summer jazz festival.
  • July- Gonfaloni Boat Race on the river: it's a boat race that involves teams from several nations invited for the occasion.
  • Last Sunday of July- Festa di Sant'Andrea: the sailors celebration of St.Andrew, it attracts decade thousand people with an amusement park and a fireworks show
  • July/August- Summer Cultural Season: the Ente Manifestazioni Pescaresi organizes concerts of opera, classical music, cabaret, acrobats and clown shows.
  • July or August- Indierocket summer festival: indie rock festival with international bands.
  • October- Jazz'n'Fall Ente Manifestazioni Pescaresi: international jazz festival.
  • Winter: Pescara Electronic Art Meeting: it's a meeting about digital art.
  • November- Literature Festival: it's a literature that gives the chance to readers to meet some of the most famous national authors.
  • December- winter Indierocket festival: indie-rock festival oriented to electronic music.

Around Pescara

  • Spring- The Holy Friday Parade in Chieti (15 km from Pescara): friday before Easter (at 18:00) the old part of the town is crossed by a choir of about 1000 hooded men. The parade is quite impressive and it takes place since the XIX century.
  • May (first thursday)- The St.Dominick's parade (processione di San Domenico) in Cocullo (70 km west Pescara), also renowned as "la festa dei serpari" (the snakes hunters fest). The parade takes its origin from the pagan snakes belief: even though in the centuries the parade was devoted to a Christian belief, it's a unique example in the whole european continent of a snake cult. A St. Dominick's statue all covered with living snakes is holded through the borough of Cocullo. The faithfull people approach the statue, they touch it and they pray; some hang banknotes over a colored ribbon fixed to the pedestal of the statue: they believe that as more the snakes cover the face of the Saint as worse the year after will be. During the day a lot of people go all around the village with snakes in their hands (also childreen). It's a very famous tradition that attracts about 20.000 attenders every year from all around the world. Here you can see some pics taken by Giovanni Rinaldi.
  • July and August- Castelbasso Fesival: Castelbasso is a small middle age village about 60 km north-west Pescara where every summer takes place a cultural festival in which the odience can visit exhibitions, theatre performances, concerts of italian and international bands. The festival is crowded and very much appreciated by local people.
  • November- The San Valentino Wine Fest: the 11th of November or the week-end after a wine fest takes place in San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore. San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore is a small and ancient village made of stone located just beside the Maiella National Park, on the top of a hill. It is a typical village of the inner part of the region, about 40 km west Pescara. The wine fest takes place in the the narrow streets of the old village: it is a packed street party flood by wine and music. Local people will open to visitors their private cellars where people can buy wine and food: old women will cook traditional dishes while the young people will care to sell food and wine. The whole local community is involved in the organization of the event. The wine and food will cost some money: but prices are really fair. As for the 2008 edition, the Pescara Group organizes a CS Bus. Here we have pics about the 2008 meeting].

What to see

Pescara itself looks like a modern town. But in the area around (within 100 km of distance) there are many interesting places to visit in terms of art and nature.

In Pescara

Museums

Around Pescara

  • Chieti, a town just beside Pescara that you can reach in 20 minutes by bus.
  • Lanciano, a small medieval town that you can reach in 30 minutes by train.
  • Sulmona, a small ancient town of Roman origin that you can reach in 40 minutes by train.

What to do

This section of the voice must be intended as a serial of suggestions for travelers, to spend time in town. We don't advirtise the following places but we intend only to provide some tips.

Bars and Cafes

Gelateria places

Book cafes

Night bars

WIne bars

Aperitifs

Late bars

Due to a recent Law reform, if you want to be sure to have some alcohol after 2 o'clock you can find it in places where they don't provide any entertainment activity. You can try at the following bars:

Live music clubs

In Pescara there are a few bars and clubs where they have live music. The following list is a selection of places and slowly we will try to add all clubs where they have live music. Please, for the adresses of the following place, look at their websites or map links.

Rock/Electro rock/Alternative

  • Mono Spazio Bar: it's a late bar focused on indie-rock music. They offer a very intense programma of concerts including both italian and international bands.
  • Wake up: this club it crowded during week-ends by a mixture of very different people. They have dj sets from local artists who play indie-rock, raggae and alternative music. They also have an intense programm of of concerts from bands from all over the world with a special focus on american indie-rock.
  • Ecoteca: this club offers a peculiar mix of art shows, live concerts from local and international bands, dj sets from all over the world.
  • Relecafè: this bar is a bit out of town, but it is not difficult to reach if you are here by car. The owner of the bar cares to offer to her customers a variety of events including art exibitions and indie-pop concerts (on sunday eve). It is also possibile to eat there.

Hard Rock/Punk/Metal/Death Metal etc...

Blues/Funky and other styles

  • Grand Canyon: the place looks like an american bar and it is easy to reach. Concerts are usually for free otherwise they charge a little fee entrance. In the place it is possible to eat hot meals until around midnight. Beers are pretty cheap.
  • Sanacore Bar: it is a new bar, pretty small but lively when they have concerts. It is located close by the old town They have a various program generally based on local bands: you can listen cover bands and bands playing blues, funky, rock and more. Usually, concerts are for free.

Jazz

Some time ago Pescara had a few jazz clubs. Now there are a few places where to enjoy live jazz music and drinking at the same time.

  • Discoteca Marni: Via delle Caserme, 44: this disco located in the old town provides a programm of jazz concerts, generally italian musicians. Usually they have concerts every Thursday.
  • La casa del Jazz: it is a program of concerts organized by a local association in February, March and April: the program includes some of the best local and national jazz musicians and singers. It is a small hall in the main boulevard of the city, Corso Umberto I, nr.83. Concerts start at 18:30 every Sunday and they are for free.

Discos and clubs

In the inner part of the town there are a few discos.

  • La Fabbrica: this discoteque is located in the area of the university.
  • Megà Disco: it is probably the biggest disco in town, located in the central part of the town, by the river.
  • Cantina Accademia is a student club located just beside university.
  • 1926 house club: this club is a small house music club located in the old town
  • Tipografia it's a club located in the initial part of the industrial area. A membership card is required to get in, but you cannot get it at the entrance. If you are interested to go there, just ask some info to local cs members.
  • Toky Club which is just beside the old town. They do require a membership card.

Restaurants

Pizzerias

Etno food

Useful things to know

Cheap places to stay

At the moment there is not a youth hostel in Pescara. Beside CS, the cheaper place to stay is:

  • B&B Flaiano: it is located in the old town. It can be a bit noisy in week-end nights, but it has a very good position. The fee for a room is of about 50 €uro.

Internet Cafè

There are a few places where an internet connection is available for public use:

AROUND THE CENTRAL RAIL STATION AND BUS STATION AREA
  • Caffè Ideale: it's an ordinary bar, in the hear of the commercial part of town. It should be open all days from 9:00 am till 8:00 pm
PORTA NUOVA AREA
  • Ecoteca: it is a nght bar and a club located in via Caboto n.19: there are a few computers available for no fee; no printers are available.
  • Sloppy Joe in via Marco Polo, 19: it is a 24 hours bar. There are a few pc available for the price of 4 €uro for one hour. The connection is pretty slow. No printers are available.
  • Tabaccheria at via Conte di Ruvo 35, open from 9:00 till 13:00 and from 16:00 till 20:00.

External Links

Tourism Information Office (Province of Pescara)

Pescara on Google Maps

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