REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT ORTONA (ITALY) THIS SUMMER

Ortona is a small town in the province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region of Italy. It is situated on the coast of the Adriatic sea. This town may be small but it is full of character.

Passegiate Orientale

Here are four reasons why Ortona should be your next summer destination.

1. Because it is a city of art.

If you are a history buff like me, you would enjoy it here. Ortona is very rich in history.

Il Castello Aragonese.

View of downtown Ortona from the window of il Castello Aragonese.

On its coast, you'd find the ruins of Castello Aragonese. It was originally built in 1452 as a fortress and was later converted into a private residence. Now, it is owned by the city of Ortona can be accessed by the public freely.  I like to hang out in here most of the time. There is a window on the left side of the castle facing the sea that just gives you the most breathtaking view of the coast of Ortona. (Check the first photo of this blog post!)

From il Castello Aragonese, you can see a view of the port of Ortona.

Because of its close proximity to the sea, Ortona became a strategic location during the second world war. A battle lasting 8 days took place in this town between German and Canadian soldiers. If you'd walk along the main corso you'd still see bullet marks on the old buildings lining the streets. I'd suggest to also pay a visit to the museum dedicated to the battle of Ortona.

A random street in Ortona.

If you are a religious, a 2-minute walk from Castello Aragonese would lead you to a Piazza San Tommaso where you'd find the Cattedrale di San Tommaso. It houses the bones of St. Thomas The Apostle.

La Cattedrale San Tommasso

Teatro Francesco Tosti

Not much far away from the piazza, you will find Teatro Francesco Paolo Tosti. It was initially named Teatro Vittoria and was built in 1929. On 2006, it was bought and renovated by the municipality of Ortona and was renamed and dedicated to Francesco Tosti who was born and raised in Ortona. He was a famous Italian and British composer and music teacher.

Not yet convinced? I'm sure no. 2 would change your mind.

2. The Adriatic Sea

Ahhhhh. The beach! I grew up in a really remote village with a lot of rice fields so living in close proximity to the beach really excites me.

You get the best of both worlds in Ortona - mountains to the west and the Adriatic sea to the east. Such a beauty.

I self-categorized the beaches here into two types. (Side note: "self-categorized" makes me feel like I'm a scholar or something. LOL.)

Lido Riccio, Ortona

The first type is what they call "Lido Riccio" or "Ricchio" which means beach resort. You'd find most families renting out umbrellas here and making tanning as a profession. Italian women love to tan during the summer! (Another side note: Exhibit 1 above)

Ripari di Giobbe, Ortona

The second one is my favorite one, the "secret beach"! The place is called Ripare di Giobbe. It is a white pebble beach which is also a camping village. I say secret beach because the beach itself is not accessible to cars or trains. You'd have to go down a cliff to access this beach. It's like a whole other world waiting for you when you finish the trek down. For more info, you can visit this website.

Still not convinced? Okay, check out no. 3. This time I'm sure you'd change your mind.

3. Wine and vineyards

Ortona and its neighboring towns are all covered in vineyards. If you have a car, I suggest you drive around to see those vineyards. They are like carpets covering the hill. The sight is majestic.

Dora Sarchese is a cantina (wine manufacturer) where you'd find a wine fountain where you can drink red wine from. And it is for free. What more could you ask for?

The wine fountain in Ortona

I know I convinced you already but here's another one just to make sure you won't change your mind.

4. Food

We all know Italians know best when it comes to food. Al Vecchio Teatro and Trattoria di San Domenico in front of the Aragonese castle are my top 2 restaurant recommendations. Their fish menu varies according to the catch of the day so you know you are served fresh food. Food recommendation you ask? Insalata di mare, frittura di pesce, and spaghetti alle vongole are not to miss!

Happy exploring!!! Hit me up if you have any questions with regards to the beautiful town of Ortona and other neighboring towns. :)

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Until the next post. Ciao, ciao xx