There’s a moment at Punta Aderci when the night quietly steps aside and the first breath of the day takes over. In that fleeting instant, the promontory becomes a natural stage suspended between sea and sky. It was precisely at that magical hour that Filippo Impieri found himself facing a scene every photographer dreams of capturing: three riders moving silently along the trail, sculpted by the golden light of dawn.
The Punta Aderci Nature Reserve, stretching along the coast near Vasto, is one of the wildest and most untouched corners of the Adriatic Sea. The promontory rises about 26 meters above the water, offering sweeping 360-degree views over beaches, vineyards, and pine forests. Here, nature calls the shots: the wind carries the scent of salt in the air, the rhythm of the waves echoes across the cliffs, and the colors of the landscape shift minute by minute—especially when the sun begins to rise over the horizon.
Filippo walks along the dirt trail that runs along the ridge—once a railway line and now transformed into a panoramic path—and lets the light guide him. He knows that sunrise at Punta Aderci is always special. The sky slowly ignites with shades of pink and orange, the cliffs glow with copper tones, and the sea turns into a mirror reflecting the morning spectacle.
But that particular morning, something felt different.
In the distance, just beyond a bend in the path, three dark silhouettes appear against the glow of the rising sun. They’re horses, walking calmly, guided by their riders—most likely returning from one of the early-morning excursions that cross the reserve and reach the beaches of Punta Penna and Mottagrossa.
The muffled rhythm of hooves on dry earth, the breathing of the animals, and the whisper of grass swaying in the breeze all merge into a scene that feels almost cinematic.
What makes this sunrise on horseback at Punta Aderci so striking is the way different elements blend together: the ruggedness of the land, the fluid movement of the sea, the quiet strength of the horses, and the fragile glow of a light that lasts only a few precious minutes.
The reserve itself—covering around 285 hectares of protected land with sandy beaches, pebbled shores, cliffs, and rolling hills dotted with vineyards—becomes the perfect stage for an experience that goes far beyond a simple walk or photograph.
For travelers who crave authentic contact with nature, following in Filippo’s footsteps means waking up before dawn and walking—or riding—along the trails that skirt the Spiaggia dei Libertini and the wild beach of Mottagrossa. It’s about letting the colors of the sky surprise you and watching the shapes of the promontory slowly emerge from the darkness as the sun climbs higher.
Filippo Impieri’s encounter with horses at sunrise wasn’t just a lucky shot. It’s a reminder of how Punta Aderci rewards those willing to experience it when the world is still asleep.
In that single image lies the true essence of the reserve: a land balanced between sea and countryside, where humans remain quiet guests and nature takes center stage.
Discussion about this post