Recommended daytrip from Rome: Scanno

If you’re after a proper winter experience as you visit Rome during this part of the year, make sure to consider Scanno for your daytrip out of the big city.

Situated North-East of the capital in the Abruzzo region, roughly 155 kilometers away (a little under 100 miles) from Rome, Scanno is a scenic mountain town known for its medieval buildings, part of Italy’s Borghi più belli, the network for the most beautiful villages in Italy.

A much loved destination for those visiting the Abruzzo National Park, Scanno is perfect in the summer, due to its cool climate, but is best visited during the Christmas holidays, when its alleys transform into picturesque corners. It’s no coincidence if Scanno has been nicknamed “the city of photographers”: it has been chosen as a backdrop for works by the likes of Henri-Cartier Bresson and Gianni Berengo Gardin.

A Christmas tradition: le Chezette

But back to Christmas! If you do decide to visit Scanno (and its nearby lake!) make sure you don’t miss the Chezette (keh-zeh-tteh) procession, happening every year on January 5, where young men in the Scanno community don traditional costumes and walk around the old town singing under the windows of women and girls alike.

The reason for the singing? If the object of the choir likes what she hears, maybe she will present the singers with excellent food and wine!

How to reach Scanno

The abruzzese city of Sulmona is connected directly to Rome by train – it’s the closest station to Scanno itself, which can be reached by a bus service operated from Sulmona by two different companies: Arpa or Schiappa.

As an alternative, regular shuttle services are operated from the Tibus bus hub outside the train station at Roma Tiburtina by a company called Paoli Bus.

The fastest way to Scanno remains with a car. You can use a rental, dropping the vehicle back in Rome (but we don’t recommend doing so in the city center, due to the sheer level of car traffic and the ZTL areas).

Or you can make the most of our partners at Gianni Conti Car Service: Mr. Conti and his fleet of vans and limos can help you reach areas of the country that are otherwise inconvenient if approached via public transport. Get in touch today and we can send you the best quote for a complete service to and from Scanno departing from Rome.