Santa Maria: Church, Bascialonga and Landscape near Basciano

Santa Maria Between Church and Landscape

Santa Maria a Porto Lungo stands on a hill in the Santa Maria district of Basciano. Basciano enjoys a scenic location overlooking Gran Sasso and the Vomano Valley. These two geographical references alone give the destination a clear profile: the church is connected to a specific historic site, while the location opens up views of a striking landscape. For your planning, this makes it possible to approach the area through cultural history and the landscape experience as two distinct aspects.

Santa Maria a Porto Lungo

The Romanesque church was built in the 14th century on the site of an ancient pagan temple. It is also known as a church “fuori le mura” (“outside the walls”). A 14th-century coin was found beneath the old flooring; it is considered the only surviving trace of the past of Santa Maria a Porto Lungo. For visitors interested in cultural history, the appeal lies in the combination of Romanesque architectural history, an older sacred connection and a single surviving archaeological find.

A prehistoric grave from the Protohistoric period was also found in Santa Maria. This discovery opens up another chronological perspective for exploring the area. Those interested in the history of Italian settlement areas can view this significantly older archaeological trace alongside the 14th-century church, without equating the two finds.

The Bascialonga Between the Town Center and the Nature Reserve

The 2025 Bascialonga covered ten kilometers and led to the Church of Santa Maria a Porto Lungo. After leaving Basciano’s historic center, the route continued to this church. From Santa Maria a Porto Lungo, the Bascialonga passes through fields and side roads into the Castel Cerreto Nature Reserve. The green landscape there is characterized by diverse flora and fauna. In this way, the route combines the historic connection to the town with a landscape area that offers a different focus from the church.

The Bascialonga’s tasting stations offer typical specialties from Abruzzo as well as Montonico wine. If you would like to combine cultural sites, landscapes and regional cuisine on a trip, the Bascialonga offers several different points of connection.

Religious Routes and Local Traditions

In September, the Passeggiata delle Canestrelle includes a procession to the Madonna of Ponte Lungo, during which gifts are presented. A religious tourism route combines religious celebrations with food, singing and embroidery. Santa Maria’s religious tradition therefore appears not only as a connection to a church building, but also as an expression with festive, culinary and craft elements. For your travel planning, the procession’s seasonal timing in September provides a particularly clear point of reference.

Further Places for Travel Planning

Nerito, Ripoli, Cerchiara, Ripattoni, Floriano, Villa Vomano, Guardia Vomano, Cermignano

For the main travel overview: Teramo.