Vasto

Vasto stands on a height above the Adriatic, looking across a broad gulf on the Abruzzo coast. Its castle and the palace of the d'Avalos family overlook the town and the sea. The d'Avalos became lords of Vasto at the end of the fifteenth century and held it until the abolition of feudal rule in the early nineteenth century. The palace served as the centre of their estates.

In 1566 an Ottoman force under Piyale Pasha attacked Vasto, burning buildings and carrying inhabitants away. The d'Avalos palace was gutted, leaving its outer walls standing. Its owners began restoration in the same year, rebuilding their residence after the raid. The town's exposed position gave access to the Adriatic but also brought the danger of ships approaching from across it.