Ortona, Coastal commune in Abruzzo, Italy
Description
Ortona is a coastal commune on the Adriatic in the province of Chieti in Abruzzo, situated on a cliff above the sea. A castle from the Aragonese period rises above the harbor and shapes the skyline with its towers.
History
Canadian troops liberated the town in December 1943 after street battles that lasted for weeks and destroyed large parts of the old center. Reconstruction began immediately after the war ended and largely followed the old street plan.
Culture
The cathedral preserves relics of Apostle Thomas brought here during the 13th century, drawing pilgrims from across the region. Wooden fishing platforms extend along the coast and testify to an old tradition that continues today.
Practical
The harbor sits near the town center and is easy to reach on foot, while the upper town lies on a hill. The narrow lanes of the old quarter are best explored on foot, as parking spaces are limited.
Did you know?
Wooden trabucchi still stand along the coast, once used for fishing and now among the oldest surviving structures of this kind. Some have been converted into restaurants, while others continue to be used for traditional fishing methods.
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Abruzzo brings together medieval villages, Roman sites, and mountain landscapes. Rocca Calascio rises to 1,460 meters (4,790 feet), offering views across the region from its ancient fortress walls. Gran Sasso and Majella national parks welcome hikers to explore trails through mountain terrain, where...
The Abruzzes stretch between the peaks of the Apennines and the Adriatic Sea. The landscape changes from high mountains to sandy beaches in a few miles. This part of Italy has three parks where hikers and skiers walk the paths in the Gran Sasso and Majella. Along the coast, old fishing platforms...
Aragonese Castle
367 m
Basilica di San Tommaso Apostolo
184 m
Castello ducale di Crecchio
9.1 kmMoro Viaduct
4.8 km
Palazzo Farnese
44 m
Battle of Ortona 1943 Museum
283 mCircuito Internazionale d'Abruzzo
5.9 km
Church of Holy Mary of Grace
235 m
Museum of Byzantine and Medieval Abruzzo
9.1 km
Spiaggia di Punta Acquabella
3.3 km
San Giuseppe
790 m
Church of Saint Catherine
271 m
Lido Saraceni
1.5 km
Diocesan Museum, Ortona
197 m
Museo Musicale d'Abruzzo
311 m
Museo civico d'arte contemporanea - Pinacoteca Cascella
80 m
Chiesa della Santissima Trinità
497 m
San Rocco
451 m
Spiaggia di Foro
7.2 km
Museum Battle of Ortona
279 m
Spiaggia di Ripari Bardella
4.7 km
Teatro Francesco Paolo Tosti
239 m
Ortona Lighthouse
562 mCasa Berardi
4.1 km
Riserva naturale controllata Punta dell'Acquabella
2.5 kmChiesa parrocchiale del Santissimo Salvatore
9 km
Spiaggia della Ritorna
577 mSpiaggia di Ghiomera
5.9 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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