Romantic Night in the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy

A night dedicated to love in Penne

The Romantic Night in the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy is a national event that, on a single evening at the start of summer, transforms participating villages into havens of love and romance. Promoted by the Association of the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy, the event is celebrated simultaneously in over two hundred villages from the north to the south of the Peninsula. Among these is Penne, in the province of Pescara, a member of the association since 2012 and one of the most fascinating historic centers in Abruzzo.

The 'Brick Village' dressed in candlelight

For one night, the historic center of Penne—the famous city of brick, with its palaces and alleys entirely made of exposed red brick—dims its standard lights to glow with candles, lanterns, and torches. The medieval alleys that wind through the village's four hills (Colle Sacro, Colle Romano, Colle Castello, and Colle Cappuccio) become a romantic candlelight path, where you can walk hand-in-hand through timeless vistas, from the monumental Porta San Francesco to the ancient 15th-century walls.

What happens during the evening

The program for the Romantic Night varies from village to village but follows a shared spirit everywhere. In Penne, the evening typically weaves together:

• Candlelight strolls through the alleys and squares of the historic center;
• Live music, concerts, and folk serenades in the most evocative corners of the village;
• Guided tours, exhibitions, and installations to discover the artistic heritage of Penne;
• Tastings and gourmet trails featuring the typical flavors of the Vestina area;
• The official dessert "Pensiero d'Amore", served on the same night in all participating villages;
• The traditional midnight kiss, which symbolically unites all the Italian squares involved.

Penne, capital of the Vestini

Choosing Penne as the setting for the Romantic Night means experiencing the event in a place with a millennial history: of pre-Roman origin, the village was the ancient capital of the Italic Vestini people and preserves an extraordinarily intact medieval and Renaissance layout. The noble families who distinguished themselves here between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance—the Gaudiosi, the Aliprandi, and the De Sterlich—left behind villas and palaces that make the atmosphere of a night dedicated to romance even more intense. Nestled halfway between the Adriatic Sea and the Gran Sasso, at the gateway to the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park, Penne offers a landscape that blends art, history, and nature.

The Romantic Night is free to attend and involves both residents and visitors: it is an opportunity to rediscover the historic center of Penne in a different light, amidst emotion, culture, and the flavors of Abruzzo.