Overview
Moscufo stands on a hill crossed by the Tavo River. From the village's panoramic viewpoints, you can enjoy views of the Apennines and the Adriatic Sea.
The village dominates the entire valley and is surrounded by olive groves and olive oil mills, providing the inhabitants and travelers with beautiful views. The area has been inhabited since the earliest times: it was an ancient Roman "pagus" and originally arose further south than the present settlement, as evidenced by the numerous artifacts found.
We suggest that you visit the Abbey of Santa Maria del Lago, the village's flagship abbey of national significance. The church, anciently so called because of its proximity to the forest (Lucus), was a Benedictine abbey, as evidenced by the ogive-shaped side openings to the cloister. The extremely bare and simple facade leads to a distinct and sober interior with elegant 12th-century frescoes, which unfortunately have been partially faded by time and the superimposition of other paintings. But the real masterpiece of the church is the polychrome ambo, made by master Nicodemo da Guardiagrele, which is a beautiful example of Romanesque sculpture. The abbey also still houses a valuable Madonna and Child from 1490, which is attributed to Andrea de Litio, the greatest Abruzzese painter of his time.
Also worth a stop on your tour is the Church of St. Christopher, of which there are traces already in 1324, even though the present building dates from the 17th century. The Baroque facade dates from 1607. There are numerous stucco works by Ambrosio Piazza. The silver reliquary of St. Christopher is from 1780.
Then don't forget to stop by the 18th-century Palazzo dei Ferri, which has been remodeled several times and preserves valuable ceramics made by Tommaso and Giovacchino Cascella, paintings by Alfonso Muzii and prints by Basilio Cascella.
The heart and symbol of the village, which has a distinctly agricultural vocation, is olive oil. In fact, along with Pianella and Loreto Aprutino, Moscufo is part of the "golden triangle of oil": here is produced a very high-quality extra virgin olive oil with extraordinary chemical and organoleptic qualities. In fact, every year a festival is dedicated to the oil, to be experienced among food tasting and entertainment.
We suggest tasting other local specialties: ravioli, pasta alla chitarra and fettuccine, pasta alla pecorara, meat and liver arrosticini, peppers and eggs, cacio e uova, and cipollata.