Trabocchi Coast

<< Abruzzo

The Trabocchi Coast is the coast of the Province of Chieti, on the Adriatic Sea. This coast features various popular seaside resorts and historic towns such as Ortona and Vasto. Its name comes from the widespread presence of a traditional fishing machine called trabocco or trabucco.

Ortona

Ortona is a town located along the Adriatic coast in the Province of Chieti. Inhabited since ancient times, it developed during the Middle Ages, and it is known for being the site of a bloody battle in 1943, during World War II. Ortona now hosts a seaside resort, and it is one of the main centers on the Trabocchi Coast.

Basilica of San Tommaso Apostolo

The Basilica of San Tommaso Apostolo is the main church in Ortona, originally built during the Middle Ages on the site of an ancient Roman temple. Damaged and restored several times, the church features Gothic elements and Baroque decorations. The basilica is known for hosting the relics of Saint Thomas the Apostle, which were taken to Ortona from the Greek island of Chios in 1258. The church also houses a museum of local religious art.

Music Museum of Abruzzo

The Music Museum of Abruzzo (Museo Musicale d’Abruzzo) is a museum in Ortona dedicated to local composer Francesco Paolo Tosti. The museum houses exhibitions on his life and works, as well as various historic musical instruments.

Aragonese Castle

The Aragonese Castle is a 15th-century castle erected on a hill overlooking the sea in Ortona. Heavily damaged during World War II, the castle has now been restored, and features some imposing walls and towers.

Palazzo Farnese

Palazzo Farnese is a historic palace in Ortona, erected between the 16th and 18th century and commissioned by the daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, Margaret. The palace now hosts an art museum featuring several works by the Cascella family.

Museum of the Battle of Ortona

The Museum of the Battle of Ortona (Museo della Battaglia di Ortona) is a museum dedicated to the bloody World War II battle fought here in 1943. The museum features several memorabilia and documents displaying the history of the war and the battle.

Fossacesia

Fossacesia is a town in the Province of Chieti, located near the Adriatic coast east of Lanciano. The town is known for hosting a historic abbey and a seaside resort.

Abbey of San Giovanni in Venere

The Abbey of San Giovanni in Venere (Abbazia di San Giovanni in Venere) is a religious complex located east of Fossacesia, on a hill near the Adriatic coast. The monastery was founded in the Middle Ages on the site of an ancient Roman temple and it was expanded several times, becoming one of the most important abbeys in the region. The current structure is in Romanesque style and the facade of the church features a decorated portal. The complex also houses some artworks and includes a crypt with some ancient frescoes. Thanks to its position, the abbey offers a great view on the nearby coast.

Vasto

Vasto is a town in the Province of Chieti located on a hill near the Adriatic coast. Founded in prehistoric times, it was a Roman city with the name Histonium, and has always been one of the main centers in the area. During the 20th century, it developed as a tourist destination, with the coastal hamlet of Vasto Marina becoming a seaside resort.

Palazzo d’Avalos

Palazzo d’Avalos is a historic palace in Vasto, which previously served as the residence of the local lords. Erected in Renaissance style in the 16th century, the palace features a small garden and now hosts a museum complex. Here is an archaeological museum hosting several finds from the town and dating between prehistory and the Middle Ages, as well as a rich collection of artworks and traditional costumes.

Vasto Cathedral

Also known as: Cathedral of San Giuseppe (Cattedrale di San Giuseppe)

The Vasto Cathedral (Duomo di Vasto) is a church in the old town of Vasto, erected in Romanesque style during the Late Middle Ages. The church features a rose window and an elaborate portal on its facade, while the interior, originally hosting Baroque decorations, has been reworked in Gothic Revival style in the 19th century.

Caldora Castle

The Caldora Castle (Castello Caldoresco) is a 15th-century fort in the center of Vasto. Built by the Caldora family, who ruled over the town, the castle was reworked a few times, and it features four bastions and an internal courtyard.