Campli, Italy: travel guide to the medieval Abruzzo town, its Holy Stairs and the Farnese palace

Campli is a historic town in the province of Teramo, in Abruzzo, set on a plateau at the foot of the Twin Mountains within the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park. Counted among the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy, it is a compact treasure-house of medieval art and architecture and an important place of pilgrimage.

For travellers searching for Campli Abruzzo, the Scala Santa, Palazzo Farnese or medieval villages in Teramo, the town offers a rich blend of history, sacred tradition and renowned local food.

History and the Farnese

Inhabited since pre-Roman times, as the necropolis at nearby Campovalano shows, Campli enjoyed its greatest splendour in the Middle Ages and later under the Farnese family, becoming a meeting place for artists. Its 14th-century palace, the Palazzo Farnese, with its elegant portico and triple-lancet windows, today houses the National Archaeological Museum, displaying finds from Campovalano.

The Scala Santa and main sights

Campli's most famous attraction is the Scala Santa, or Holy Stairs, a sanctuary beside the 14th-century Church of San Paolo where pilgrims climb 28 oak steps on their knees in penance, retracing the Passion of Christ. In 1772 Pope Clement XIV granted these stairs the same indulgences as the celebrated Holy Stairs in Rome. The town also boasts the 14th-century Cathedral of Santa Maria in Platea, with its fine painted wooden ceiling, and the Church of San Francesco, while the Romanesque church of San Pietro stands at Campovalano.

Food and surroundings

Campli is famous for its porchetta italica, a slow-roasted spiced pork celebrated each August at the Sagra della Porchetta Italica, held since 1964 and considered the oldest food festival in Abruzzo, while truffles grow in the surrounding hills. Set within the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park, the town is also a fine base for mountain walking and exploring the Teramo countryside.