First stage of the Giro d'Italia 2023: from Fossacesia Marina to Ortona

We start from Fossacesia Marina, a town overlooking the crystalline waters of the Adriatic and nestled on hills covered with sea fennel and broom. The cycle path was built on the old railway line, with panoramic views of the sea and mountains, from the Trabocchi Coast to the greenery of the Maiella.

In the small bay at Golfo di Venere, there are beaches with white pebbles, with short stretches of sand dunes further south. Its history is very old. An important witness to this today is the monumental complex of the Abbey of San Giovanni in Venere, composed of the Basilica and the Convent, both dating back to the 13th century, and located on a hill overlooking the coast, where, according to tradition, a temple dedicated to Venus once stood. Archaeological excavations in this area have unearthed an Italic necropolis dating back to the 5th century BC, the first to be discovered in the lower Sangro area. The earliest part of the monastery is dated to the 6th century, although the first documented traces of its existence are from three centuries later.

The prestigious heritage of culture and traditions can also be found in the excellent local cuisine, based on fish, which simply must be tasted.

The race continues towards Ortona, the 'jewel' of the Abruzzo coast, an enchanting stretch of coastline, in the same province of Chieti, where history and nature happily merge, as strong and refined as the wineproduced by these vineyards since ancient times, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, and as sweet as its 'Nevola'. Its origins are very distant, dating back to Italic times, in the area where the Aragonese Castle with its trapezoidal base towers majestically over the sea. Ortona enjoyed a prominent role in the Middle Ages, as can be seen in the historic centre.

The Cathedralpreserves the relics of Saint Thomas the Apostle, which were brought here in the 13th century from the Greek island of Chio. It is the starting point of the Way of St. Thomas, a spiritual trail, also of cultural and naturalistic interest, about 300 km in length, which begins at the cathedral and passes through the heart ofAbruzzo to finally arrive atSaint Peter's Basilica in Rome.

There are many places, churches and historical monuments to visit. For example, the Palazzo Farnese, built by Margherita of Austria to a design by architect Giacomo Della Porta in the 16th century, which now houses the Museum of Contemporary Art. A must-see is the Passeggiata Orientale, a scenic route that skirts this extraordinary town, overlooking the harbour and leading up to Aragonese Castle, offering breathtaking views.

The beaches are among the most beautiful on the Abruzzo Coast, and there is something for everyone: the coastline stretches for about 20 kilometres, with fine sand interspersed by coves, rocky cliffs and crags, and spectacular unspoilt landscapes on the crystal-clear sea, awarded the Blue Flag.