The fishing platforms of Abruzzo called Trabocci

The unique contraptions allowed men to fish without going out on a boat.

Trabocco origin story

The coast of Abruzzo, Italy is dotted with characteristic fishing platforms called Trabocci. In fact, they are so common that the area from Ortona to San Salvo is called The Trabocco Coast.

There is a story that the Traboccho were invented by Jews fleeing persecution in northern Europe. Since they had no experience in fishing boats, they created platforms with a series or wooden arms, winches & pulleys, and ropes to lower nets into the water and pull up fish. This complicated mechanism needed at least three men (pervasive misogyny dogma said women were bad luck) to operate; one to spot the schools of fish and the others to move and lower the net.

Though not as dangerous as going out on the rough and unpredictable Adriatic Sea, working on a Trabocchi was difficult with men sometimes getting injured on the rickety and poorly maintained platforms.

Traboccho revival

Many Trabocchi were abandoned in the 70’s and 80’s, but a government program to rehabilitate them has led to renewed interest. Some families have converted their Traboccho into restaurants, shops, or cultural centers, helping to preserve this heritage.

If you want to have a fresh seafood dinner on a Trabocco, Trabocco Punta Isolata is an excellent choice. It’s less than an hour from Pescara and the experience of dining right over the water can’t be beat.

Although not technically on The Trabocco Coast, Pescara, the largest city in Abruzzo, has a wealth of the structures. At the end of the Pescara river, several seemingly abandoned Trabocchi sit side by side. I would guess that the platforms became obsolete when the breakwater was built, preventing the tide from coming in high enough to make fishing viable. Still, it’s fascinating to walk on the beach where you can get under the platforms and see the piles that support the Trabocco.

Getting to Abruzzo

Abruzzo has a small “international” airport with flights to London, Prague, Brussels, and Milan among the destinations. There are no direct flights to anywhere outside of Europe aside from one to Egypt so if you’re coming from the United States, you’ll need to connect.

About the Author

Brent Petersen is the Editor-in-Chief of Destination Eat Drink. He currently resides in Setubal, Portugal. Brent has written the novel “Truffle Hunt” (Eckhartz Press) and the short story collection “That Bird.” He’s also written dozens of foodie travel guides on Destination Eat Drink, including several in Italy. Brent’s podcast, also called Destination Eat Drink, is available on all major podcasting platforms.