Palazzo Genova Rulli
Palazzo Genova Rulli, located at the intersection of Via Anelli and Corso Palizzi, was built in the first half of the 19th century. Its design blends late Baroque and Neoclassical…
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VASTO BORBONE CAPITAL
A Short Walk Through Two Thousand Years of History and Beauty
Vasto, perched on its hill close to the coast, is a collection of breathtaking views. The city is also a compendium of two thousand years of history, which you can relive by strolling through one of the largest pedestrian historic centers in Italy.
To help you enjoy it to the fullest, we’ve created seven itineraries that wind through the city center and its immediate surroundings. Each route is a journey into a different era, introducing you to monuments, events, and figures from that time—an engaging narrative that tells not only the story of Vasto, but also, more broadly, the history of Southern Italy.
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Discover the sites along the itinerary
The Genova Rulli Family
The name Genova Rulli evokes a deep sense of nostalgia among older generations in Vasto, recalling values of a bygone era. This sentiment stems from the legacy of Cavalier Luigi…
Church of Santa Filomena
The noble chapel of Palazzo Genova Rulli, the Church of Santa Filomena, stands today in elegant neoclassical form, shaped by the reconstruction carried out by architect Nicola Maria Pietrocola in…
The Rossetti Theater
The Rossetti Theater in Vasto is the second-oldest theater in Abruzzo, following the Marrucino Theater in Chieti. It was inaugurated on May 30, 1819, originally named the Royal Bourbon Theater,…
Palazzo Ciccarone
Palazzo Ciccarone, the most significant noble residence in Vasto after Palazzo d’Avalos, stands along Corso Plebiscito with its understated 18th-century architecture. Its symmetrical façade is punctuated by regularly spaced windows…
The Ciccarone family
The Ciccarone family, originally from Scerni, arrived in Vasto in the wake of the feudal abolition and the gradual decline of d’Avalos’ holdings. Francesco Paolo Ciccarone was an ardent supporter…
Municipal art gallery
A visit to the municipal art gallery of Vasto is an excellent opportunity to admire beautiful examples of mid-19th-century Verismo painting, and above all, to relive the city’s cultural history…
The Palizzi Brothers
The four Palizzi brothers were born between 1812 and 1825 to Antonio Palizzi, a Sicilian from a family long settled in Lanciano, and Doralice Del Greco, the daughter of a…
Museum of Traditional Costume
In the north wing of Palazzo d’Avalos, visitors can also explore the Museum of Traditional Costume, which began in 1995 with a collection initiated by the local Lions Club. This…
Church of Sant’Anna
At the top of the street that shares its name, where just a couple of centuries ago open countryside stretched just beyond Vasto’s gates, stands the Palazzo di Sant’Anna. It…
Church of San Michele
At the top of the Tre Segni hill, at the end of what is now the century-old Villa Comunale, stands a small church overlooking the sea. This is the Church…
The Patron Saint of Vasto
The veneration of San Michele, patron saint of Vasto, has deep historical roots, dating back to the Lombard rule, when a place of worship dedicated to Sant’Arcangelo stood near the…