Wild and free beaches in Abruzzo: where to find them

Abruzzo boasts one of Italy's highest percentages of protected coastline. Nature reserves, marine protected areas, and undeveloped stretches alternate with equipped beaches throughout the region. If you're looking for the sea without beach clubs, sunbeds, and crowds, you'll find some of the Adriatic's most beautiful beaches here.

This is part of the complete guide to the sea in Abruzzo.

Punta Penna and Punta Aderci Nature Reserve

Abruzzo's wildest beach lies in the municipality of Vasto, within the Punta Aderci Guided Nature Reserve. Punta Penna is a long stretch of fine, golden sand that alternates between open areas and small coves among the rocks. The further you walk from the entrance, the more pristine the landscape becomes.

Behind the beach are dunes with rare vegetation: this is one of the few Abruzzo coastal areas where the Kentish plover nests, a small shorebird protected at the European level. The water ranks among the cleanest on the entire coast, transparent with sandy seabeds that slope gently.

There are no beach clubs, no facilities. You'll need to bring everything from home, including an umbrella. In return, you get one of the finest beaches on the Adriatic coast, just a few kilometres from Vasto's town centre.

Spiaggia del Turchino

Between the headlands of the Costa dei Trabocchi, at San Vito Chietino, lies the Calata Turchino, known as Spiaggia del Turchino for its turquoise waters. It's a wild beach on a jagged coastline, reached on foot via a path from the road above.

Here stands the Trabocco Turchino, one of the most famous historic trabocchi (traditional fishing structures) on the Abruzzo coast, cherished by Gabriele D'Annunzio who described it in his novel 'The Triumph of Death'. The structure is now managed by the FAI, Italy's National Trust for the Environment. Nearby is the Eremo Dannunziano, the hermitage where the poet spent time in 1889.

The beach isn't large, but the turquoise waters that gave it its name are unforgettable.

Torre Cerrano and the Marine Protected Area

At Pineto sits one of the rare marine protected areas on the entire Adriatic: the Torre Cerrano Marine Protected Area, established in 2010. It stretches for about seven kilometres of coast, with a free beach without commercial facilities, protected by a centuries-old pine forest that reaches almost to the water's edge.

The contrast between the green pines, pale sand, and azure sea creates a landscape unlike any other stretch of Abruzzo's coast. The seabed slopes gradually, making the area suitable even for weaker swimmers.

The area is protected: amplified music, fires, and litter are prohibited. This maintains a quality of silence and landscape that equipped beaches have long since lost.

Borsacchio Nature Reserve and Cologna Beach

Just kilometres from the busy, developed Roseto degli Abruzzi lies a completely different beach. Cologna Marina beach sits within the Borsacchio Nature Reserve, an isolated sandy stretch surrounded by holm oak and Aleppo pine trees, quiet and easily accessible.

The reserve hosts migratory birds and rare species. The beach is wide and sandy, with clean waters. It's one of the most cherished destinations among those who know the Abruzzo coast well and want to avoid organised lidos without sacrificing quality.

Il Foro at Ortona

North of Ortona, Il Foro is one of the region's most ecologically interesting coastal stretches. The beach features very fine sand, with dunes where the Kentish plover also nests. The hinterland is marked by wetlands where the Ghiomera stream and Arielli river meet the sea, creating an ecosystem that blends fresh and salt water and hosts unusual biodiversity for an Adriatic shore.

Access is via the beach or through an underpass and cycle path. There are no beach clubs.

Practical tips

Abruzzo's wild beaches share common traits: no services, no artificial shade, car parks often far from the sand. A few things to consider before you go:

Bring an umbrella, water, and food: nature reserves have no bars or refreshment stands nearby. Wear sturdy shoes to reach the most isolated coves: many access paths cross rock or beaten earth. Arrive early in July and August: even free beaches fill up during midday hours, especially well-known ones like Punta Penna. Check the weather forecast: without fixed structures and umbrellas, the Adriatic wind is felt much more strongly.