We’ve been there before, we’ve already talked about it, we’ve lived it and loved it. Bagni Vittoria is a delicate and magical place on the shores of the sea in the area of Vasto Marina, in Abruzzo. It is located within the Gulf of Vasto, a moon-shaped bay where the river Trigno meets the Adriatic Sea. The sculpture of “La Bagnante” by artist Aldo D’Adamo overlooks the area standing still on a rock a few meters away from the water edge. Some hotels, beach resorts, campsites and clubs stud the sandy shores.
It’s a place that you can easily call home even if it’s the first time you’ve crossed the threshold, a warm, welcoming and bright home. A sweet dog immediately welcomes you. The scents of breakfast perfumed the air. Every guest is cordially greeted by two caring personalities who make you feel at ease instantly. The surrounding landscape looks like a watercolour painting, with infinite shades of green and blue merging. We soak our feet in a sparkling green meadow as soft as a carpet, both warm from the delicate sun and cool from the morning dew.
The breeze keeps the clouds moving up in the air.
The sky is an ever changing palette of blues, dotted with white spots that change shapes. And then we lower our sights, and we meet the protagonist: the sea. Its colour changes under the sun, fluctuating between an almost white blue and a deep blue. A rough sea that wants to say something or a calm and delicate sea that lulls you between thoughts. The waves break against the cliffs and you can hear the sound from every crevice. Close your eyes and let yourself go. Small white houses with large windows line up in the front row along the sea. Intimate and cozy rooms are awaiting you. Opening the ecru curtains, a wonderful view appears before your eyes. Just by lying on the bed, you are immediately dragged into a dream where the sea transports you into infinite worlds.
The smell of the sea breeze and the salt in your hair gives unimaginable sensations. For us, C41 staff members, it’s all new. Coming from a metropolis like Milan, it feels incredible to be in contact with the sea. Waking up and seeing the gentle waves breaking on the rocks, instead of the oppressing skyscrapers. Exiting the room and placing your feet on the soft grass instead of on the fiery concrete. A wonderful silence surrounds you and, finally, you can hear your thoughts clearly.
It almost feels like being in a movie. One of those old films in which an artist decides to escape from the chaos of everyday life and to seek refuge in a small fairy-tale place, to free his creativity and personality. All this is possible thanks to the founders of this magnificent place, Luigi and his wife Betta.
Through their natural kindness, they manage to convey the passion they have towards their project.
Two people with simple and honest personalities, always smiling. They perfectly reflect the soul of this “hotel” by the sea.
Bagni Vittoria is a little corner of peace that makes this chaotic world less stressful and more dreamy. In the morning, you can enjoy an amazing homemade breakfast. The table is like a banquet, covered with every kind of sweets and pastries, bread and fresh tomatoes, pizzas and cold cuts. Every request is welcomed with the biggest smile and every need is always satisfied with loving passion. In the evening, you can get comfortable in a beautiful orange trailer. Here you can prepare hot herbal teas or drinks: the specialty is a gin produced in the place. Or you can just sit on one of the armchairs at the entrance and enjoy the silence under the sparkle of the stars.
The great goal of the locals, as well as that of Mr. Luigi, is to bring back the spotlights to the area and to make Italians and foreigners understand how many possibilities and wonders fill the Abruzzo area. Here you can find both sea and mountains. The inhabitants are genuine people who want to convey their love for the land to all those who enter Abruzzo. Bagni Vittoria manages to make you feel inside a truly genuine and uncontaminated place.
When you go to bed at night and close your eyes, you never feel alone. The sounds of nature accompany your dreams and the melody of the sea cuddles you at all times. The night is a blanket embroidered with stars and the moon’s trail on the water. In the morning, a warm sun reflects on the sea. Bagni Vittoria is on the thin line between fiction and reality. Just like a painting.
