Activities in and around Vasto
The conference schedule is packed, but if you need to relax and explore the town, here are some local highlights and recommendations:
In Vasto City
- Castello Caldoresco
- The remains of Chiesa di San Pietro
- Terme Romane
- Cattedrale di San Giuseppe
- Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore
- Musei di Palazzo d'Avalos: archaeological museum, costume museum, art gallery and the Neapolitan garden. Open in the evenings during the VAM weeks (late June: Tue–Sun 10:00–13:00 & 18:00–22:00; July: daily 10:00–13:00 & 18:00–24:00)
- Loggia Amblingh & Belvedere: evening walk along the old town walls with views over the Gulf of Vasto
Around Vasto
- Vasto Marina: beaches, restaurants, and seaside promenade
- Punta Penna: lighthouse and sandy beaches 10 min drive north of Vasto
- Punta Aderci: regional nature reserve and dramatic coastal bluffs close to Punta Penna
- Blue Flag beaches: Punta Penna, Vignola/San Nicola and San Tommaso were awarded the 2026 Bandiera Blu for water quality and services
- Via Verde dei Trabocchi: 42km flat cycle and walking path along the old coastal railway from Vasto Marina to Ortona, passing Punta Aderci and the trabocchi (historic wooden fishing platforms, several now seafood restaurants). Bikes can be rented in Vasto Marina
A bit further away...
- Parco Nazionale della Majella: large national park and UNESCO Global Geopark, with pristine mountain reserves, hiking trails, hermitages and mountain villages
- Termoli: historic coastal town 30km south of Vasto
- Isole Tremiti: picturesque archipelago reachable by regular ferry and hydrofoil from Termoli (there is currently no direct service from Vasto)