A Guide to San Giovanni Rotondo

San Giovanni Rotondo is located at the centre of the Garfano in the heart of the valley at the base of Mount Calvo. San Giovanni Rotondo has ancient origins deriving from the inhabitants of Castelpirgiano. The historic heart of the town comprises of towers from the period of Frederick the II, and numerous churches which were built between the sites of religious worship - the Convent of St Matteo and the Abbey of the Madonna di Pulsano.

The fame of San Giovanni Rotondo is linked to the figure of the late Padre Pio, whose presence can be felt in the Convent of the Cappuccini, the Chapel of St Maria delle Grazie, the monumental Via Crucis, the new church of the Convent, and the privately owned hospital Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza. Other sites to visit at San Giovanni Rotondo: the Church of St Orsola, the Church of St Onofrio, the Chapel of the Madonna of Loreto and the archaeological remains in the hamlets of Saint Egidio and La Curvara.

Local festivities include the Festa della Madonna delle Grazie, the Festa di San Giovanni Battista, the Anniversary of the birth of Padre Pio and the Anniversary of the death of the Saint.