FAI Autumn Days in Rapino

Rapino tells its story with FAI

The FAI Autumn Days are the major national campaign of the Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano (National Trust for Italy) which, every October, opens hundreds of usually inaccessible places across Italy. Among the destinations selected in Abruzzo by the FAI Chieti Delegation is Rapino, a small town of just over a thousand inhabitants perched in the province of Chieti, at the foot of the Maiella massif.

The medieval village

The heart of the event is the medieval historic center of Rapino: a tangle of alleys, views, and architectural layers that tell centuries of history. During the special openings, visitors can cross the threshold of palaces and churches that are usually closed, rediscovering the identity of a town that survived the rule of the Orsini and Colonna families until the abolition of feudalism.

The potters' district

Rapino is known in Abruzzo as the village of ceramics. The FAI itinerary leads into the potters' district, among artisan workshops and the ceramics museum, to discover knowledge passed down from generation to generation. The local tradition of hand-painted majolica reached its peak thanks to masters like Fedele Cappelletti and other illustrious families of potters.

The Grotta del Colle

A symbol of the Rapino openings is the Grotta del Colle, a natural cavity frequented since prehistoric times and later by the Samnites and early Christians. Inside, a rock church is preserved, and it is from here that the famous Goddess of Rapino, a bronze statuette now kept at the museum in Chieti, originates. It is a place where archaeology, nature, and spirituality merge into a single setting.

FAI guides

Accompanying visitors are the Apprendisti Ciceroni, young volunteers trained by FAI who recount the sites with passion and expertise. The tour is free and supported by the contribution of volunteers; a voluntary donation helps FAI continue its work of heritage protection.

A weekend in the heart of Abruzzo

The FAI Autumn Days in Rapino are the ideal opportunity to discover an authentic village in the inland Abruzzo region, amidst craftsmanship, memory, and landscape. The event combines the urban dimension of the historic center, the artisanal aspect of the potters' district, and the natural beauty of the Grotta del Colle, offering a complete portrait of this corner of the Chieti province.