Roads Less Traveled Italy
Sustainable Independent Off The Beaten Path Travel To Italy For All Budgets
Going Local in Abruzzo May 15, 2021
Wanting to enjoy a more local and natural beach experience in Italy, we made a beeline for the small coastal town of Pineto in Abruzzo. It turned out to be the perfect spot for a unique getaway!
Pineto is home to the Marine Protected Area of Torre del Cerrano and offers one of the oldest identified Blue Flag Beaches in the country (beaches certified for their environmental standards). But, before we headed to the beach, our first stop was to our charming Agriturismo in the hills – Agriturismo Col Morino. We were warmly greeted by our proprietor and settled into a room overlooking the hills just above town.
The next day, we grabbed our towels and swimsuits to enjoy a day of swimming, relaxing and wandering the pine fringed beach. No need to reserve or pay for loungers here – just lie back and relax at the Spiaggia Libera (free beach). Don’t plan to spot too many English-speaking tourists here as this is a place where the locals go – just the tickets for a Roads Less Traveled Italy adventure!
After our fill at the beach, we took a long walk through the pine forested pathway. It’s part of a longer bike path that runs along the Adriatic for 10 km. Shaded and not very crowded, we wandered at will, checking out Torre del Cerrano, a 13th century tower built during the reign of the Kingdom of Naples.
For a dinner of super fresh seafood, we visited Ristorante Gianforte, a humble and charming establishment that is just the kind of place we love to discover in Italy. We feasted on Linguine with Clams and Frittura di Paranza dell’Adriatico (mixed local fried seafood) drenched in lemon.
Our last stop on this little adventure was to the hill town of Atri, just west of Pineto. Filled with churches, little alleyways, and great views to the sea, we found ourselves learning about its rich history, go back to Roman times and beyond. Top spots to check out there are the Duomo, with its frescoes and charming cloister, and the municipal theater. For a treat, to bring back with us, we visited one of the small shops in the piazza for Panducale, a sweet bread now famous in Abruzzo, but originated in Atri, and locally made licorice.
For sustainable travelers in Italy, this off the beaten path jaunt makes a great little adventure!