Ancient fishing machines on stilts along the coast
Along the southern coast of Abruzzo, in the province of Chieti, between Ortona and Vasto, stretches the Costa dei Trabocchi, a stretch of coastline of great beauty, with cliffs, coves of pebbles and sand, green hills covered with olive groves and vineyards that descend to the sea, and its symbol: the trabocchi. These are ancient fishing machines made entirely of wood, built on stilts anchored to the rocks and connected to the shore by long, narrow footbridges, with long arms, the "antenne", from which a large square net is lowered into the sea, raised by a system of winches when the fish pass. Their origin is uncertain, perhaps Phoenician, but they have been documented on this coast since the eighteenth century, and they allowed fishermen to fish without having to go out to sea in bad weather.
Gabriele D'Annunzio, who spent a summer near San Vito Chietino, described the trabocco as a "great spider" in his novel "Il trionfo della morte", and the Trabocco Turchino, near Punta Turchino, is linked to his memory. Today many trabocchi have been restored and transformed into restaurants, where you can eat fresh fish, suspended over the sea, an unforgettable experience, especially at sunset. The coast can also be explored along the Via Verde, a cycle and pedestrian path about 40 kilometres long, built on the route of the old Adriatic railway, which runs along the sea through tunnels, beaches and nature reserves, such as Punta Aderci, near Vasto.
Tip: book dinner in a trabocco well in advance in summer; ride the Via Verde by bike, renting one in San Vito or Fossacesia.
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