Along the 18 km of coastline that belong to the territory of Vasto, stands a promontory that ends in crown, almost as if you are self-elected ruler of undisputed beauty. Actually Punta Penna and its promontory has been included among the ten most beautiful beaches in Italy, not only for the crystal clear sea that turns into deep blue on the horizon, but also for the beach, soft like flour and pastel gilding, typical of timeless places. It is a beautiful wild and in some places even primitive, made of Mediterranean dunes that degrade to the Regional Nature Reserve of Punta Aderci. A weekend in this paradise, guarded and kept away from mass tourism, could become an interesting alternative for lovers of medieval history and culture. The 8 km that separate Punta Penna from Vasto, are worth the route for a mandatory visit to the artistic wonders of this fascinating municipality without neglecting the nature trails marked within the Aderci Reserve. The silence and quiet that the beach offers will end an unforgettable three days out of town.
1st Day As soon as you arrive and found accommodation in one of the accommodation facilities scattered along the coast or in the village in Vasto, you can start the first tour to discover the historical and artistic beauties of the area. A visit is a must to visit Vasto: the municipality houses the splendid Cathedral of St. Joseph, built around the mid-1200 as evidenced by the date shown on the lunette of the portal. Over the years it was also used as a monastic building and then became a Cathedral named after Saint Joseph in honor of Giuseppe Napoleon Bonaparte. The two-color of the stone inside the Cathedral and its structure with a single nave, as well as the frescoes in Gothic style, were inserted later, during a restoration in the 20s of the 20th century. Also in the second half of the '200 dates back to the first construction of Santa Maria Maggiore, beautiful with the bell tower once used as a defensive bastion, it is a splendid example of Romanesque art. The interior preserves examples of paintings from the Titian's school. If you are in Vasto, you can't miss a walk to the Palazzo d'Avalos, an admirable sixteenth-century building, surrounded by a precious Neapolitan garden whose beauty has been brought back to light. The Palace now houses the Civic Museums with an adjoining a very rich Art Gallery. Going up on the terrace of the Palace you have the splendid panorama of the entire Gulf of Vasto. The city symbol, however, remains the Caldoresco castle, which stands on an ancient Roman amphitheater. The defensive walls are reinforced by great ramparts, and by defensive towers. In the 19th century, new residential buildings were added by the Avalos family, which turned the fortress into a complex prestigious home. Vasto gave birth to the poet Rossetti, and his house, declared a national monument, can be visited and constitutes the seat of the Municipal Library. The tour in the village can only end from the view of the Amblingh loggia, a loggia overlooking the walls of rocks and bricks that collects in a single panorama the Gulf of Vasto, the islands Tremiti, the offshoots of the Gargano and the hills of Molise.
The long tour in Vasto will certainly excite your appetite: Vasto is a renowned seaside resort, surely you can choose one of the many clubs, including restaurants, trattorias, taverns or pizzerias where you can take a taste of the taste of the Abruzzo sea. For those who want to make an aperitif first, you can stop in a lounge bar or in a wine shop: a good glass of wine and a satisfying cutting board of cold cuts and cheeses typical of Abruzzo will satisfy the the most refined palates.
Day 2 The second day can be dedicated completely to the sea and nature. Sea and breathtaking landscapes are the peculiar feature of the area. Punta Penna is easily accessible by car, but you can also choose to take a bus, several lines lead to the charming seaside resort. Punta Penna has an extension of 2 square km, and is the last segment of the Alderci Nature Reserve. The beach of Punta Penna starts from the railway station of the Port of Vasto. Beach of ancient beauty, starting from the sea of a blue that fades starting from the intense blue on the horizon, to the transparencies on the shore. The seabed is sandy, steep as you enter the water populated by coral algae where they found mother-porarian, celenterary and encrusting sponges. The conformation of the backdrop offers the possibility of various water sports in complete safety for young and old. Near the cliff that encloses the bay can be seen numerous mussels, clams, cannolicles, combs. On the shore the runner crab will visit, who will escape from the sight of the man. The sand is fine, of a pale golden protected by wonderful dunes dotted with species of flora often even rare.
The maritime Ravastrello, the Salsola and the Nappola protect Euphorbia from the action of the sea but above all the Ginestrino of the beaches, the tail of Hare and the Silene. On the cliff there are unique species such as the Carrot of the Cliffs and the Lemon Virgato. From the beach it's not difficult to see the sea brother, or the grey heron, the little light, or the kingfisher. There are also numerous birds of prey that rise in flight passing from the beach: the swamp hawk or the lesser harrier, the sparrower or the pecchiaiolo hawk. Admiring the unspoilt nature of Punta Penna, time will pass quickly but for those who want it will be interesting to continue their visit to the Reserve. which extends to the mouth of the river Sinello.
The hinterland has centuries-old olive trees but it is in Punta Aderci that you can admire the most beautiful seaweed in the Mediterranean: the Halymenia red floresia. Pebbly beaches are those of the Libertini and Mottagrossa. After breathing nature deeply, you can go up with a stop at the Punta Penna lighthouse, the second Italian lighthouse by height, after that of Genoa. It is a two-storey building that contains the homes of the respective families of the two guardians, offices and from the first floor the real lighthouse, 70 meters high. The top can be reached by a spiral staircase that has 307 steps. Next to the lighthouse, the small church of Santa Maria di Pennaluce that brings back to the early Middle Ages, as shown by the ogival entrance and the exposed stone masonry that covers it.
The evening will be full of a good dinner. Seasonal products, always very fresh fish freshly caught from the Adriatic Sea, which like a mother offers her children the best fruits, dinner can be enjoyed in one of the many outdoor venues with sea view, relaxing at the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. First courses with seafood or succulent brodetti alla vastese and fish soups, fried and roasted the choice will be awkward and the palate will thank you. You can end the evening at a nightclub or in one of the venues with outdoor music, in the village as well as outside the door. For romantics, a long walk on the seafront is recommended, with the moon wobbling over the water and the view of the coast of overflows in the distance will not seem to be in Abruzzo, nor in Italy, but in a far and Caribbean place where stilts, the ancient buildings planted in the water, are places still inhabited.