Tourism in the city of Vasto

Vasto is my city, an Italian municipality of 41513 inhabitants, located in the province of Chieti, in Abruzzo, a region of central and southern of Italy.

1.     Monuments and places of interest

As for religious architecture, there are various cult structures, mostly present in the historical center. The most ancient and important of the city are: The cathedral of Vasto (concattedrale of the arcidiocesi of Chieti-Vasto), the church of Santa Maria Maggiore (with the iconic bell tower), the church of Maria Santissima del Carmine and the church of San Michele Arcangelo (dedicated to the patron saint of Vasto).

The municipality of Vasto, and especially its historic center is characterized by  a multitude of historic buildings whose construction and style ranges from the fifteenth to the twentieth century. The most important are the Palazzo D’Avalos and the Palazzo Aragona. The first was built by Giacomo Caldora. Consists of courtyard and garden, of which the garden has recently been restored, and two levels with neoclassical features on the windows. Little or nothing remains of its original appareance, as well as of the ancient teather inside it.

Currently, it is the archeaological museum, the costume and the gallery. The archeaological section houses female statues, heads of Aphrodite, Eros, Zeus and Silenus, plus a series of bronze statues, all depicting the figure of Heracles.

The Aragon Palace is located near the municipal villa, built in 1522 by Dario D’Antonello, who dedicated it to Maria D’Aragona, marquise of the city. In 1922, the complex was sold to Umberto Mariani and his wife Giulia Zaccagnini, who modified it by adding new bodies. The spaces used today as exhibition halls and cultural center are the same in which the 50s were the laboratories of the washing of tobacco.

2. The tourism in Vasto - the growth in recent years

Tourism in Abruzzo has grown in one year, from 2016 to 2017, by 1.5% in terms of arrivals, and 1.3% for days  spent. The “average stay” in total accomodations facilities is 4 days. Superior in “complementary” structures, such as bed & breakfast and campsites, equal to 6.46 days, compared to the traditional hotel structures, of 3.31 days. Tourism in Abruzzo, which is now known, focuses mainly on the coast, which has absorbed most of the tourism movement: 64 percent of arrivals and 76 percent of presences. In the top ten of the most popular destinations, Vasto is positioned as fifth.

Another source of values for programming is the origin of tourists : 86 percent come from other Italian regions, while foreigners are 14 percent. However, foreigners stay on average more than Italians : 4.57 days against 3.92 days.

The handicraft businesses active in the sectors affected by tourism demand in the first quarter of 2018 are 4,744 , 15.6% of the total, -2.3% compared to the same period of 2017. On the top of the Abruzzo ranking for numbers and rate of tourism, above average national, is the province of Teramo, followed by Pescara, L’Aquila and Chieti. We then saw an increase in the summer season of 2018.

2.1 Vasto, “The story of an Adriatic charm”

Vasto, a small town in Abruzzo, is a very popular tourist destination for those who choose the Adriatic coast for their holidays. It is a city to visit for its tourist attraction and its historical beauties. The city boasts a cultural heritage that rests on a long tradition of civilizations that have followed each other leaving priceless traces of their customs and habits. The city stands on a hill that protrudes over the sea, a coastline that can be enjoyed with pleasure, and along with the beach of Vasto Marina extends. Every summer there are many tourists who crowd this stretch of Adriatic coast.  The sea of Vasto is the main tourist attraction, having been awarded for several times with the title of Blue Flag of Europe!

Walking through the historic center of Vasto it is possible to visit the Caldoresco Castle (1439), which was built by the Sienese architect Mariano Di Jacopo on the wishes of Giacomo Caldora, feastsor and lord of Vasto. 

2.3 The most beautiful beaches of Vasto

The whole coast present itself in an inhomogeneous aspect, sometimes made up of sand, now of cliffs now of dunes and rock. A deep blue water, transparent seabed is the natural habitat of dolphins and sea turtles.

The beach that most offers tourism for families and children is that of Vasto Marina, set in the gulf of the same name, looks like a huge moon-shaped arch bounded by the mouth of the river Trigno to the south and the imposing damselfly statue, “La Bagnante” (also called “Little Mermaid” by Vasto habitants) to the north. It is a beach of soft golden sand very wide and long kilometers, which presents, in addition to a real urban agglomeration with hotels, clubs and camps, the splendid dune formations that, together with those of the beach of Punta Penna, they represent one of the best preserved natural habitats of the whole coast.

The beaches most frequented by young people are those of Punta Penna and Punta Aderci, also called “Maldives of Abruzzo”, both parts of the huge Nature Reserve. Punta Penna beach is one of the few wild and free stretches of the Abruzzo coast. It is a wonderful place in every aspects, where you can rent canoes and discover the Riviera from below or swim accompanied  by dolphins that sail the entire coast.

But what makes Vastese tourism special is the famous “Costa dei Trabocchi”, located along the Adriatic coast of the province of Chieti, characterized by the presence of the trabocco, an old fishing machine made of structural wood on stilts. Most of the overflows can be visited by tourists, and some of them have been turned into restaurants, making the environment more evocative and romantic than ever.

3. The major tourist attractions

For the older ones, Vasto offers a sequence of hotels and residences located along the gulf, offering a breathtaking view even from the inside. Each of these is placed in a strategic position in order to reach the beaches even on foot, through natural paths. What can not escape their attention is the “Loggia Amblingh” (also called “Belvedere”), a wonderful walk along a staircase in the historic center, from which you can admire the entire Adriatic gulf.

As for youth entertainment, Vasto offers a summer calendar full of events consisting of festivals, concerts and days out.

One of the most popular festivals in recent years is that of the “Siren Festival”, named in honor of the statue “La Bagnante”; it is not a series of concerts but a real festival: four days of fun, music and relaxation, six stages, over 30 live, international dj-set, lecture, excellent food carefully selected and a blue flag sea! The festival takes place both in the historic center and in the Marina of Vasto, creating a magnificent connection between the two parts. It is one of the most fashionable festivals in Europe, it hosts artists from all over the world and it is making the city a summer tourist destination for thousands of young people.

Obviously this does not obscure the typical summer of Vasto, which is concentrated in the promenade of Vasto Marina, miles of promenade that remind Miami beach, dotted of bars and clubs that comes on especially in a special night called “Pink night” that hosts concerts, wagons themed and various bands that play in every point of the waterfront.

Instead, childrens can not wait to enter in the “Acqualand del Vasto”, second largest water park in Italy, consisting of a large variety of pools and slides and a well-stocked catering service. Inside the park you can play many activities, including sport gym and climbing.

For anyone spending an holiday in the city of Vasto, and walking through the famous “Loggia Amblingh”, you will not miss the slightest distance from the “Isole Tremiti” (archipelago of the Adriatic sea) visible right from the historic center. It is a small corner of paradise, consisting of five small islands, where the clarity of the sea, the colorful and clean backdrops, the pleasant climate, the pure air, the lush vegetation, the uncontaminated nature, the open coasts and suggestive caves create areas of an etheral beauty that no passionate about the sea and nature should resist. They are located just 20 km from the Porto of Vasto, so they can be reached by ferry at moderate price, thus constituiting one of the major summer attractions for tourists.

Antonella Stivaletta

(Artigo de opinião produzido no âmbito da unidade curricular “Economia do Turismo”, de opção, lecionada a alunos de vários cursos de mestrado da EEG, a funcionar no 2º semestre do ano letivo 2018/2019)