The Trabocchi Coast: an enchantment of sea and history in Abruzzo

Along the coast of Chieti, the Adriatic Sea meets a landscape of rare beauty and tradition, forming one of the most fascinating treasures of Abruzzo: the Costa dei Trabocchi (Trabocchi Coast). The name comes from the trabocchi, which are ancient wooden fishing structures that dot the coastline like sentinels of a maritime past. Today, they have been transformed into symbols of culture and gastronomy, and they extend along the entire coast from Ortona to San Salvo.

The Trabocchi Coast features stretches of pristine shoreline and is a mosaic of golden beaches, wild cliffs, and hidden coves, immersed in crystalline seas. There are towns that offer breathtaking views, such as San Vito Chietino, Fossacesia, and Vasto, as well as stretches of crystalline sea like the Punta Penna beach and the Punta Aderci Nature Reserve. The reserve is a corner of paradise where flora thrives. In fact, the scents blend here: juniper, myrtle, and rosemary side-by-side with the saltiness, while the wind caresses the maritime pines.

The biodiversity is also noteworthy: Punta Aderci hosts rare species like the Kentish plover, a small coastal bird, and sea turtles that swim in its waters. In the sky, Herring Gulls and cormorants fly peacefully, while the seabeds are teeming with life, featuring sea urchins, starfish, and schools of fish that attract divers from all over Italy. The trabocchi, suspended between sea and sky, are not just a visual attraction, but also places to savor fresh fish dishes, such as the local specialty, brodetto alla vastese (fish stew).

Traveling along the coast on the Via Verde (Green Way), a 42 km cycling and walking path that runs along the seafront, is a unique experience: you pass through vineyards and olive groves, and picturesque villages like Rocca San Giovanni. Every season offers different emotions, but summer is definitely the perfect time to visit here.

The Trabocchi Coast is easily reachable from the A14 motorway and is a journey through nature, history, and flavors.