Overview
In a setting of rugged and lonely nature, you will be surprised to find a mighty and elegant castle in front of you in a small, scattered village in the province of L'Aquila: Molina Aterno, a silent sentinel on the right bank of the river that gives it the name.
Abruzzo is full of excitement and cultural and scenic beauty that you never thought you would encounter.
The ancient castle of Molina (whose availability should be verified by contacting the municipality) is located in Piazza San Nicola and was restored in the 15th century by the aristocratic family that was then in vogue, becoming a noble residence: Palazzo Piccolomini, with a porticoed courtyard, a Renaissance gallery and an ashlar doorway in cushion.
Your feet stand on a very ancient land, which was already pulsating in pre-Roman times when it was perhaps a pagus of the city of Superaequum. This is evidenced by the Campo Valentino district (and other localities), traditionally indicated as the site of an ancient city that was destroyed. There have recently come to light inhabited nuclei with mosaic floors, productive rooms for wine production and pressing as well as several tanks and doli for the collection of the must. The chronology goes, with alternating events, from the 2nd century B.C. to the 4th century A.D.
On your tour of the city center, don't miss the church of St. Nicola, adorned with a rare 17th-century bell tower. Its facade is horizontally terminated with a Renaissance portal surmounted by a semicircular lunette and, on the lintel, there is an engraving of the symbol of the preaching of St. Bernardine of Siena.
And don't forget to buy the star of the area: L'Aquila's PDO Saffron. It is cultivated here as well as in Tione degli Abruzzi, Fontecchio and Fagnano Alto: it's a happy area for this spice with aphrodisiac properties, originally from the Arabs, because of its dry and windy climate, very permeable soils and the great ability of the local communities to "brush" it by hand, pistil after pistil.
Just think that 200,000 flowers and 500 hours of labor are needed for a single kilo of saffron threads, so don't complain about the price; you have the so-called "red gold" of Abruzzo in your hands.
In addition to saffron-scented dishes, at the table you will find "sagne", widespread throughout the territory. This is a dough made of water and flour, to be enjoyed with beans, with the traditional local mutton or with veal and pork sauce, softened by truffles, of which the forest is rich. Also the pecorino cheese, still made according to ancient processing techniques, is delicious and you can pair it with sweet mountain honey.
What else to see:
- The church of Santa Maria in Colle
- The rural church of S. Pio