What to see
The coastline is a sequence of rocky cliffs, coves, and beaches. Moving from north to south, visitors encounter the beaches of Torre Sinello, Mottagrossa, Punta Aderci, Libertini, and Punta Penna. The Punta Aderci promontory features a traditional wooden fishing machine known as a trabocco, part of a historic coastal network. At the southern boundary stands the Punta Penna lighthouse, which is the second tallest in Italy after Genoa's lantern. It is flanked by the church of Santa Maria di Pennaluce, the Punta Penna tower, and fixed fishing machines on the northern pier of the port. The reserve also contains a designated archaeological area. Parallel to the shoreline, sand dunes support a highly specialized ecosystem. Closest to the water grows the sea rocket, followed by sand couch grass and pungent sparto grass, which serves as the floral symbol of the reserve. The crevices of the lower cliffs harbour the red algae Halymenia floresia, while the surrounding Mediterranean scrub includes myrtle, sea daffodils, yellow hornpoppies, Italian helichrysum, and sea fennel. The wildlife is equally diverse. The dunes and wetlands host the Kentish plover (the reserve's animal symbol), greater flamingos, grey herons, kingfishers, and marsh harriers. Wild boars roam the inland hills, while striped and bottlenose dolphins swim in the open waters off the coast.
Visiting
Recognised as a Site of Community Importance under the Habitats Directive and managed since 2000 in partnership with the COGECSTRE cooperative, the reserve is highly accessible via a network of trails. A dedicated cycle path, forming part of the extensive Ciclovia Adriatica, runs along a decommissioned railway line directly through the coastal pine forests. An additional trail connects the site to the Bosco di Don Venanzio nature reserve in the neighbouring town of Pollutri. Beneath the waves near Punta Penna beach lies a submerged natural marine amphitheatre, home to several endemic aquatic plants. Visitors will notice ongoing ecological restoration efforts, as arson damaged the vegetation and infrastructure at Punta Penna in 2020 and Mottagrossa in 2021.
Our editors' tip
Walk up to the 26-metre summit of the Punta Aderci promontory on a clear day. This vantage point provides a rare geographical alignment: looking northwest across the water, you can clearly see the distant mountain peaks of the Gran Sasso, the Maiella, the Monti Sibillini, and Mount Conero all in a single panorama.