Characteristically shaped as an ellipsis, Castelvecchio Calvisio is located on top of a hill at 1607 mts of altitude, an ideal position that overlooks on one side the Tirino Valley, and on the other the low basin of L’Aquila.
The fortified town presents many narrow alleys and characteristic houses on multiple levels that make more complex yet more artistic its urban complex.
It is believed that the town was founded around the fall of the Roman Empire, and there are multiple elements that demonstrate its function as a fort: gates, external defenses, moats, towers, etc.
Today, Castelvecchio Calvisio has become a small touristic center, visited every year many hundreds of tourists that wish to step back in time.