Hotel Campo Imperatore

Abruzzo


Built in the 1930s, the Campo Imperatore is the hotel where Mussolini was briefly imprisoned in 1943, before his dramatic rescue by German paratroopers. The large art-deco structure (re-branded as a rifugio, mountain refuge, in more recent times) had become a little rough around the edges by the early 21st century (being located on a windswept plateau didn't help), though it was still functioning as a hotel as recently as 2017.

In late 2018 it was earmarked for a lengthy €3 million refurbishment to upgrade it into five-star accommodation. When we passed through, it was due to reopen in 2020 at the earliest.


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