Vasto - Central Italy - By Night

Vasto After Dusk

As the dusk falls over Vasto, so the Passeggiata begins. The transformation which takes over from the quiet of daytime Vasto is nothing short of astonishing. This medium sized town is made for the night. In the afternoons a scattering of individuals pass by on the quiet streets. The cafes have a handful of patrons. The piazzas have but one or two sharing a quiet conversation. Many of the shops are closed, the shutters down. The town feels almost deserted, In Vasto the tradition of siesta is alive and well.

But it is the evening that Vasto is born for. As dusk falls the elaborate street decorations gradually twinkle into life. As the skies darken the lights which are at first barely visible, blossom into a kaleidoscope of multi-coloured coronets and rosettes, Street lamps shed their amber light and the paving stones glow in the colours of the night. The residents of Vasto emerge from their houses and begin to fill the streets, The shutters come up, the shops come alive.

The town of Vasto is a town where the tradition of  Passeggiatta can be seen in its fullest sense. The promenade where old and young, families and lovers stroll is a circuitous route winding through the central square of the town and then around the perimeter where the Old Town walls still remain and the castle towers still stand. This perimeter wall is the boundary to Vasto Old Town. From it the hillside drops away to the expansive view of Vasto a Mare and the deep blue sea far below. The promenade is wide but it fills with the residents of Vasto. Not a weekend, just an ordinary week day warm summer's evening.



It is now that the cafes and bars come to life and the street tables are filled with young and old enjoying a family gathering over a meal, or an intimate dinner for two. In the central piazza sides of meat sear over open flames. Chunks of this sizzling smoky meat are carved off  and sold in bread rolls to the passers by. Small stalls cluster around the area, selling trinkets and jewellery.

Once the crowds ease and the night's activities come to an end these stalls will be packed away and gone. Tomorrow night they will return to do it all again. In Vasto the days are calm and tranquil, but the nights are rich and exciting. It is a town of many shades.'

Also Pip McCurdy's New Zealand posts:

On Blogspot, Pip McCurdy on the Road
Vasto by Day

Website: http://www.unusualstays.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Stay-Somewhere-Strange-273777766054597/

Vasto - Central Italy - By Day

High Town Low Town Day Town Night Town

A journey up the east coast of Italy will lead you to many seaside towns full of charm and history. Rimmed by the blue, blue ocean and long stretches of sandy beach, these are glorious places to spend some time. Vasto is a town such as this, dominated as it is by its multi-layered castle and walls, with the town clustered around the foot of the castle. Vasto is divided between the hilltop town where the castle and Centro Storico can be found, and the low lying beach-front town of Marina de Vasto where most of the tourist hotels and shops are based.

The hilltop Centro Storico however, has a charm all its own. Much of the ancient town remains in tact, and the towers and walls surrounding the castle are weaved into the fabric of the town itself. Restaurants tuck into the shelter of the old stone walls. Wide stone walkways weave in and out of the town, circling the castle, opening out into spacious squares and plazas then closing in between tall plastered walls.

From many vantage points the views spread out across the Marina de Vasto below. The wide expanse of golden beach clings to the curve of the bay and the buildings camouflage among the many trees clustered along the shore. The low-rise urban landscape folds pleasantly into the leafy plane of the bay. Many of the hilltown cafes and restaurants take advantage of this panoramic spectacular view.

Vasto has a long history - its oldest buildings dating from the fifteenth century - and many of its oldest buildings are built over even older remains which once occupied the same sites. It is not just the historic castle to see in Vasto. There are beautiful gardens, pleasing squares and fountains. The Palazzo d'Ávalos is full of colour and charm. There are layer upon layer of ancient buildings pressed in around narrow streets; there are gates and arches, cobbled lanes and interesting nooks and crannies to explore.


Near to Vasto you will find the odd trabucco where you may see the vast nets being hauled out of the sea heavy with fish. On a sunny day there is no place nicer to spend some time than Vasto. However it is at night that Vasto truly comes alive. (see Vasto by Night)

Also Pip McCurdy's New Zealand posts:

On Blogspot, Pip McCurdy on the Road

Website: http://www.unusualstays.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Stay-Somewhere-Strange-273777766054597/