Sante Marie is an ancient village, like all the villages in Marsica. It shows a medieval village-fortified structure, which has the highest point in the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, from which one can see a breathtaking view. The ancient part deserves to be visited, as it is a fantastic example of a medieval village with very a interesting urban planning.

Immediately afterwards, there are the many churches present in the territory of the municipality, starting with the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, which dates back to 1580. The village, though affected by the 1915 earthquake, is however one of the best preserved villages in Marsica, many of which were instead often destroyed.

In the past, the village was affected until the 1860s-70s by the phenomenon of brigandage, which unfortunately was very strong in these areas. Until 1861, the town lay almost on the border between the State of the Church and the Kingdom of Naples, and therefore its territory saw a continuous passage of people.

Since this territory has always been full of mountain forests, it was the ideal place for brigands, who could hide in the woods to assault and rob the people passing by. Of course, nowadays this phenomenon no longer exists, but it has become an important tourist attraction which the village managed to exploit.

In fact, Sante Marie developed a remarkable tourist circuit that follows the salient facts of this brigands’ history. This produced the Brigands’ Path, which is a tourist route that goes along the path mostly followed by these people who had chosen the way of the underworld. For anyone who wants to learn more about the brigands history, there is the Museum of Brigandage set up in Palazzo Colelli, in the historic center of the town.

Also, at Palazzo Colelli there is the Multimedia Museum of Astrophysics (Mu.M.A.), which consists of three rooms: the Solar System Room, the Stars Room and the Universe Room.

Apart from culture, however, the essence of Sante Marie remains the magnificent territory in which the town is immersed, and a jewel of this are the caves, which are worth a visit. Some of these can be visited through guided tours.