The Church of Maria Santissima del Carmine stands on a site that once housed a smaller chapel dedicated to San Nicola of Myra, dating back to the 14th century. Though replaced by the elegant Baroque structure seen today, San Nicola’s legacy endures in an altar dedicated to him within the church.
San Nicola held deep significance for the Croatian community in Vasto, many of whom fled the Adriatic coast during the Ottoman advance. To them, this 4th-century bishop of Myra—now in modern-day Turkey—was the “first emigrant,” having symbolically journeyed to Italian shores when his relics were brought to Bari in 1087.
By the 1300s, Croatian pilgrims from Vasto and nearby towns were already making the long, week-long trek to Bari on foot to honor the saint. Remarkably, Vasto remains the most distant starting point for the annual pilgrimage to the Basilica of San Nicola, a tradition that continues to this day.
When the original Church of San Nicola of the Slavs was demolished in 1638, its legacy continued. A chapel was built on a hill above La Meta, a historic harbor overlooking the sea where Torretta Castle once stood. Restored in 1875 by the Miscione family, it now stands at the end of Via Santa Lucia, forming a scenic pathway from Vasto’s center to the northern coast.
Behind the chapel, a beloved scenic overlook offers breathtaking views stretching to the Punta Penna promontory. Every year on the third Sunday of May, a vibrant celebration brings the community together. The statue of San Nicola is paraded from the chapel, placed on boats, and sailed along the coastline to Marina, where it receives a blessing at the Church of Stella Maris. This heartfelt tradition blends history, devotion, and the beauty of Vasto’s coastline into an unforgettable event.
