Buses run by ARPA (www.arpaonline.it) connect nearby towns like L'Aquila, Pescara and Scanno, all about an hour away. Other buses connect Sulmona with Naples (2-1/2 hours). Trains are another affordable option from cities like Rome and Pescara. Check out trenitalia.com for Italy's national rail carrier. Once at Sulmona's station, bus A will take you to the center of town. If you have a car, just take the A25 autostrada or the SS17 south from L'Aquila.
In additions to several interesting museums in Sulmona, the most common tourist activity is strolling through the city's old squares and neighborhoods to check out beautiful churches, gardens and fountains. A beautiful example of Sulmona's history is the Cathedral of San Panfilo, named after the city's patron saint.
Sulmona is known for its Good Friday Procession, a colorful parade through town from the city's Holy Trinity Church, and more particularly for its Easter morning tradition known as "Madonna che scappa," which means "Madonna who runs in the square." In the latter, the Madonna statue is covered in black cloth and carried through the city only to have the cloth removed when the statue "sees" the resurrected form of Jesus. Sulmona hosts a Chivalry Joust in the last week of July. More than than 500 locals dress in full costume to reenact duels with horses. For a complete list of festivals in Sulmona, check http://www.sulmona.org/manif/calendario.en.php.
Many travelers use Sulmona as a base for exploring the beautiful mountain backdrops of Abruzzo. Abruzzo also boasts pristine forests at Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, and a sandy coastline at the edge of Lazio e Molise. Famous for its medieval towns--L'Aquila and Sulmona--Abruzzo's dramatic landscape is dotted with foreboding castles and charming "borghi" (local villages).
Sulmona has a good selection of restaurants for various budgets and tastes, from street vendors to gourmet Italian fare at Gino or Taverna de li Caldora (be sure to make reservations).
