Rocca di Mezzo

Rocca di Mezzo is located in the heart of the Rocche Plateau, and has been a passageway through the mountains of L'Aquila for thousands of years.

Today, the town is one of the most popular summer and winter resorts in mountainous Abruzzo. The ski area of Ovindoli and Campo Felice attracts enthusiasts from Rome and Naples, while cross-country skiing and, in summer, trekking are practised on the pastures of the Piano di Pezza. Rocca di Mezzo is also home to the Sirente-Velino Regional Park, with the Gran Sasso standing out in the background.

Of ancient origin, the town still preserves a labyrinth of medieval alleyways in its upper part, where the parish church of Santa Maria ad Nives features a side entrance from the 16th century. Also in the upper part of the town, film lovers may experience a little déjà-vu: here, in fact, Federico Fellini shot some scenes for his film La Strada (1954): in particular, Piazza Principe di Piemonte was the setting for the scene in which Zampanò, played by Anthony Quinn, performs in front of a handful of spectators while Giulietta Masina plays a drum.