Montesilvano: So Much More Than a Beach Holiday

When you think of Montesilvano, the first thing that probably comes to mind is the sea: a long stretch of sandy beach, the Adriatic on the horizon and lazy days with nowhere you need to be.

And that's certainly a good place to start. But one of the things we love most about Montesilvano is that every day can be different.

You can spend the morning on the beach, hop on a bike in the afternoon, stroll along the seafront at sunset and, the next day, leave the coast behind to discover a hilltop village, the mountains or one of Abruzzo's many hidden gems.

If you're considering a holiday here, these are some of the reasons we think Montesilvano is well worth discovering.

Eight kilometres of sandy beach

Montesilvano has around eight kilometres of sandy coastline, with a mixture of beach clubs and free public beaches.

One of the reasons it's particularly popular with families is the shallow water, with a seabed that slopes gently away from the shore. If you're travelling with children, it makes days at the beach that little bit easier and more relaxing.

But you certainly don't need children to enjoy it.

The beach is wide, the seafront is made for long walks and, especially outside the busiest weeks of summer, there's something wonderfully simple about finding your favourite spot, opening a book and forgetting about the time.

A seaside town made for walking and cycling

One of the pleasures of a beach holiday is being able to leave the car parked.

Montesilvano's flat seafront is perfect for walking, jogging and cycling. The coastal cycle path continues towards Pescara, making it easy to explore the coastline on two wheels.

Along the way, you'll pass beaches, pine groves and plenty of places to stop for a coffee, an ice cream or something to eat.

At least once during your stay, we'd recommend getting on a bike and simply heading towards Pescara without too much of a plan. Stop whenever somewhere catches your eye. It's one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to experience this stretch of the Adriatic coast.

Pine groves, the Saline and Montesilvano's greener side

There's more to Montesilvano than beaches and seaside buildings.

The pine groves close to the coast provide welcome shade on hot summer days and are perfect for a walk or a break from the sun.

Further north, around the mouth of the Saline River, the landscape changes again. This coastal environment is of botanical and ornithological interest and is home to birdlife including herons, little egrets and cormorants.

It's a side of Montesilvano that many visitors never discover, and a perfect example of something very typical of Abruzzo: the landscape can change completely within just a few kilometres.

Discover the original Montesilvano

To really get to know the town, leave the seafront behind for a few hours and head up to Montesilvano Colle.

Perched on a hill around 150 metres above sea level, this is the historic heart of Montesilvano, long before the modern seaside town developed below. The village still retains its medieval character, with narrow streets, brick houses and surviving sections of its old walls.

But there's another very good reason to visit: the views.

From the hill, you can look out towards the Adriatic in one direction and the mountains of Abruzzo in the other. Towards sunset, the atmosphere couldn't feel more different from the busy summer seafront.

Our suggestion? Head up in the late afternoon, wander through the village at your own pace and stay for dinner.

Montesilvano may surprise you

As you explore the town, you may come across colourful murals and works of street art. Urban art has become another way in which modern Montesilvano tells its story.

And there's one building on the seafront that's particularly hard to miss: Stella Maris, known locally as l'aeroplanino – “the little aeroplane” – because of its extraordinary aeroplane-shaped design.

Designed in the 1930s, it's one of Montesilvano's most distinctive landmarks and has recently begun a new chapter as a space dedicated to education, culture and research.

They're details you might easily miss on a simple beach holiday, but they reveal another side of the town beyond sun loungers and umbrellas.

What about the evenings?

In summer, the seafront takes on a completely different atmosphere after sunset.

Beach days give way to evening strolls, ice creams, restaurants, markets and outdoor events. Throughout the summer, you'll find concerts, shows, sporting events and other activities taking place around town.

Because programmes change from year to year, we recommend checking the official Montesilvano Tourist Information Office events calendar during your stay to see what's happening while you're here.

The real bonus? The rest of Abruzzo is on your doorstep

For us, however, one of the best reasons to choose Montesilvano is everything you can discover beyond the town itself.

Pescara is just down the coast, but head inland, and the scenery changes remarkably quickly.

The Gran Sasso and Majella mountains, hilltop villages, castles, hermitages, lakes and national parks make it easy to combine a seaside holiday with days in the mountains. Head south instead and you can explore the Trabocchi Coast, one of the most distinctive stretches of the Abruzzo coastline.

That's one of the things we love most about this region: you don't have to choose between a beach holiday and a trip filled with sightseeing and nature.

You can have both.

Montesilvano, the way we know it

We live here, so perhaps we sometimes take for granted the little things that first-time visitors notice straight away.

Being able to walk to the beach. Cycling along the coast. Seeing the mountains appear on the horizon on a clear day. Spending the morning by the sea and having dinner in a hilltop village that evening.

That's exactly what we'd like to share through this blog: not simply what to see in Montesilvano and Abruzzo, but how to experience them during your stay.

We'll be sharing day-trip ideas, beaches, places we enjoy, things to do with children, and some of the lesser-known corners you might not find in a typical tourist guide.

Beach Apartments may be where you sleep during your holiday.

But everything waiting outside the door is what we hope will make you want to come back.