Jori's Vasto Guide
A gem on the Adriatic
It's the land of fishermen and farmers, it's the land of vineyards and olive groves, it's the land of traditions and spectacular villages overlooking the sea. Abruzzo is where history and traditions blend into popular culture: the Trabocchi Coast. The Trabocchi Coast offers a diverse coastline, from sandy beaches to rocky stretches, creating unique coves, true postcards
In this guide to Vasto, you'll find details for food and activities around the area. This guide is divided into five sections ( 1. Lodging & Venue; 2. Transportation; 3. Things to Do & See; 4. Food & Restaurants; 5. General Information) with details as well as an interactive map. Happy exploring!
🏨 Lodging & Venue
The venue is Vistamare and the lodging is onsite at Camping Village Grotta Saraceno.
Options include bungalows or a hotel. At the venue there is a cafe, restaurant, and mini market as well as a pool and beach. The wedding venue and lodging are the same location. However, the venue is approximately a 10-15 minute drive from Vasto’s city center and to the beach town, Vasto Marina.
🚞 Transport
Vasto has a historic city center and beachside town, Vasto Marina. The surrounding area is also lovely to explore. In this section you'll also find options for connecting to other parts of Italy and Europe.
Bus Terminal
Another option for traveling around Italy is taking a bus. A coach runs from Vasto’s bus station to terminals in Rome and to the airport, as well as other Italian cities.
Here is the direct site for the company that offers Rome <> Vasto trips:
Train Station
The train station Vasto San Salvo (Vasto S. Salvo) is the closest station. From here, you can connect to other stations around Italy.
More details can be found on the Treinitalia website. If you’re looking to travel around Italy after the wedding, this is an option!
Car Rental
Driving can be a great way to see the historic center and Vasto Marina. Europcar provides options for cars for rental in Vasto.
Nearest Airport - Abruzzo Airport
The nearest airport is located in Pescara. It flies to domestic destination like Milan and Sicilia if you are looking to connect to other locations in Italy as well as locations abroad like London.
Taxi Service
Nicola Taxi n.1. - 3318858080
Cristiana Taxi n.3. - 3490510172
Vincenzo Taxi n.4 - 3891720053
Luigi Taxi n.8. - 3381189332
☀️ Things to Do & See
Museum and Gardens
Fun fact!
Roberto gave a TED talk in gardens above in the summer of 2022.
Biking
The Trabocchi Greenway "Via Verde" traces its path along the Abruzzo coastline, following the historic route of the Adriatic railway. It begins its journey in Ortona, a city steeped in both history and natural splendor, and winds its way to Vasto.
Traversing the Trabocchi Greenway unveils the captivating natural beauty of the Abruzzo coast. Towering cliffs command breathtaking vistas over the sea, while secluded coves beckon for moments of pause amidst the soothing sounds of lapping waves and tranquil ambiance.
For more information on the bike path, you can visit the official site to learn more about the route.
You can also view a detailed map of the bike route at the link below:
Here's me and Roberto riding along the path!
Sightseeing
🍝 Food & Restaurants
Abruzzo - a region of mountains & sea - is home to both delicious seafood as well meat dishes. The most famous meat is arrosticini, skewers of roasted lamb, is popular here. Brodetto, a slow cooked seafood stew, is another typical dish of the regions. Fried fish, calamari, and stuffed clams are other delicious foods of the area. And don't miss "Montepulciano d'Abruzzo" wine, local to the region!
Vasto Marina (Beach Town)
Arrosticini have been called "the best Italian food no one know about" for good reason: they're delicious meat skewers made of lamb and slow roasted.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/fwx-arrosticini-1-2000-de93481050dc4ebda4db1b992cf71a4c.jpg)
The two locations below are two casual food stands open in the warm summer evenings at Vasto Marina. There's a bit of a competition: who does it better? Fernando or D'Ottavio? Try for yourself and make the call!
Historic Center
Fun fact!
Jori loves the cocktail bar above! Here's a picture of her and Roberto's drinks along with some salami. Yum!
Surrounding Areas
✏️ General Info
Travel Requirements
No visa is needed to enter Italy, just a passport. (ETIAS has also been postponed to 2025 so no further documentation is needed - yay!).
Phone use and wifi
Many phone plans offer international packages. You can call your cell provider before to learn rates. In addition, many phones are compatible with "eSim" cards that allow you to purchase a temporary pass via an app.
Currency
Local currency is in Euros.
Weather
Here is the current weather in Vasto.
About Vasto & Abruzzo
Vasto is a town and comune on the Adriatic coast of the Province of Chieti, in southern Abruzzo. The old part of the town features a number of buildings and churches dating from the 12th-18th centuries, including: Vasto Cathedral, Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, with a quite tall bell tower, Castello Caldoresco, D'Avalos Palace and the Musei Civici.
Below the hill on which the town is located, the beach resort town of Marina di Vasto offers a large sandy beach and several hotels and other facilities. Further north the coast becomes rocky and features interesting pebble and stone beaches and coves, as well as the typical "trabocchi", typical wooden fishing machines of the Southern Abruzzo coast. Amongst the natural areas, also featuring a number of sandy and rocky beaches, is the protected natural area of the Riserva Naturale di Punta Aderci.
What is a trabocco?
These are fishing machines built on architecture with ancient traditions that, given their fundamental role for the people and tradition, have given the name to this magnificent stretch of coastline: the Trabocchi Coast.
Fun Fact!
Vasto is the birthplace of Gabriele Rossetti. The Rossetti family, including Dante Gabriel and poet Christina, were well known in 19th century literary, artistic, and poetic circles. (Jori also loved studying Christina Rossetti's poems at SIU!)
Hope you will fall in love with Vasto like I did! Here's a few snapshots I've taken. - Jori
The home for unique & authentic travel
