Roccaraso

Sister cities

• Borgosesia

History

The town of Roccaraso dates back to around 975 AD, and is located near the Rasinus stream, from which some believe it took its original name, Rocca Rasini. It developed as a farming village, inhabited by herdsmen and craftsmen, which guaranteed its people a peaceful and prosperous life. During the late 19th century, the opening of the rail link with Naples begins to bring the first tourists, attracted by the beauty of the natural environment, who were soon welcomed by various hotels that at that time were beginning to rise. A sharp setback came with the Second World War. Roccaraso was located right on the head of the Gustav line, the system of fortifications with which the Germans tried to stop the advance of the Allies after the landing at Salerno in September 1943. The town was completely destroyed by a bombing, which caused the loss of 'Interalia', a theater built in 1698, one of the oldest in Italy. The roccolani did not lose heart; after the end of the war the town returned to everyday life and soon became one of the most popular tourist destinations in Italy. Between January 25 and 26, 2025, the town was at the center of the controversy regarding overtourism, mainly caused by Neapolitans. The wave of tourists was partly driven by videos from Neapolitan influencer Rita De Crescenzo, in which she talked about the location. The large number of Neapolitan tourists and their uncivil behavior damaged the area so much that the media reported the news as the "Neapolitan invasion," and the mayor of Roccaraso described the events as "a real assault".