Siren's Swimm

The Sirena pier reaches out into the open Adriatic from the heart of Francavilla al Mare, framing a stretch of calm, clear water where swimmers trace the town's seaside frontage. Siren's Swim is an open water swimming race held in the sea at Francavilla al Mare, in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Swimmers gather on the wide shoreline for an event organized by Gabrielino Pistilli, taking their marks at the water's edge before heading out into the Adriatic. Entering the sea, competitors find open water stretching along the coastline.

Between the Sirena pier and the beach: the race courses

The Siren's Swim first took place on August 20, 2023, as the sixth stage of the Circuito Adriatico Acque Libere, returning to Francavilla al Mare each August. Swimmers can choose between two race distances: a 1.5 km course and a 3 km event. Both courses start in the waters directly facing the Sirena pier. The field sets out heading south through the sea, with competitors sighting toward a turning buoy moored off the 'il Gabbiano' beach establishment. Swimmers competing in the 1500-metre race round the buoy off 'il Gabbiano' and loop directly back to finish at the pier. Those taking on the 3000-metre challenge continue northward past the pier, following the beach toward a second turn buoy anchored at the 'Conchiglia azzurra' establishment near the tourist port.

After making this northern turn, swimmers trace the shoreline back south to cross the finish line at the pier. In past editions, swimmers have encountered calm and crystal-clear waters in the Adriatic Sea, with the pier providing an unmistakable visual guide throughout the swim.

The Sirena pier, the Porta del Mare and the first edition's rules

The Pontile Sirena is a long pedestrian walkway on Lungomare John Fitzgerald Kennedy, right behind Palazzo Sirena. Built in the 1960s, the pier extends about 130 metres from the shore out to sea. On the sea side of Palazzo Sirena, the Porta del Mare opens in a semicircular wall of exposed brick and is topped by a wrought-iron sculpture by Mitoraj representing the mythical source of the winds. At the first Siren's Swim, in 2023, swim aids such as fins and paddles were not allowed, and wetsuits were banned from a water temperature of 24 degrees. That year the time limit was 60 minutes for the 1500 m race and 120 minutes for the 3 km, and the field was capped at 150 swimmers. The 2026 edition of the Siren's Swim was listed for 2 August on Lungomare John Fitzgerald Kennedy in Francavilla al Mare.

From medieval hill to seaside resort: the Francavilla waterfront

Francavilla al Mare was historically populated by farmers and fishermen, with a medieval urban layout that originally extended from the Civitella hill down to the sea. By the 13th century, the town had developed a thriving commercial life around its port, which included an active warehouse dedicated to the salt trade. The seaside district began to expand after the opening of the Ancona-Pescara-Bari railway line in 1865, connecting the coastal town to travelers from across Italy. In 1887, the Palazzo della Sirena was built on the shore as a leisure venue for the bourgeoisie, marking the transformation of the settlement into an elegant seaside resort. About eight kilometres from the race area, the Roman town of Aternum stood at the mouth of the Aternus river, operating a harbour used for commercial, fishing, and military purposes.

Ottoman galleys and lookout towers: defending the coastline

In summer 1566, an Ottoman fleet of 105 galleys and 7,000 men under Admiral Piyale Paşa besieged the fortress of Pescara, about eight kilometres away. The fortress had been erected on the site of earlier Byzantine fortifications and 12th-century Norman walls. Defensive artillery fire held off the armada, preventing the fleet from capturing the stronghold. After failing to conquer Pescara, Piyale Paşa's armada turned to sack Francavilla in July 1566. During those centuries, the port of Pescara was administered by an official known as the portulano, who managed maritime trade, duties, road upkeep, and water distribution. Inside the fortress stood the Bagno borbonico prison, which was prone to flooding that caused the death of inmates during a river overflow in 1853.

The fortress grounds also included the Saline marsh, which stretched toward the pine forest and delayed the urban development of Pescara. Further up the coast, about twelve kilometres away, the Riserva naturale Pineta di Santa Filomena borders the Adriatic Sea to the east, dominated by stands of Aleppo pines. About fourteen kilometres down the coast, Punta dell'Acquabella served historically as a landing point for Turkish pirates. To guard against coastal assaults, the Kingdom of Naples constructed watchtowers as part of its maritime defense system, including the 16th-century Torre del Moro built at the mouth of the Moro river.

Ripari di Giobbe and the cliffs of the Costa dei Trabocchi

Francavilla al Mare is crossed by the Alento river, while the Foro river marks its southern border with the municipality of Ortona. South of this boundary, the shore leads toward Punta Ferruccio, a promontory that forms part of the Costa dei Trabocchi. The beach at Punta Ferruccio sits below a headland bordered by a railway line that has shifted over the last century due to frequent landslides, which intensified after 2006. The Ripari di Giobbe promontory rises 60 metres above sea level and was established as a Regional Nature Reserve in 2007. Mediterranean scrub characterizes the coastal ecosystem along the cliffs. Below the headland lies a crescent-shaped beach of small pebbles enclosed by two jagged rock cliffs, while its southern beach features a 15-metre strip of pebbles followed by an artificial reef of large boulders.

Further along the Ortona coast, about eleven kilometres from the race area, stands the Castello aragonese. In 1946, a landslide destroyed nearly half the castle on the section facing the sea on its tuff cliff, though arcades at its base still reveal the historic presence of a water ditch. About twelve kilometres away, the Ortona Lighthouse has stood on the Adriatic Sea since 1937. Its octagonal tower rises 24 metres, supporting a lantern at an elevation of 23 metres above sea level that flashes two white signals every six seconds, visible across the water up to 15 nautical miles. About fourteen kilometres from the race area, the nature reserve at Punta dell'Acquabella covers roughly 28 hectares, designated in March 2007. Tracing these shores from the Sirena pier connects swimmers to a coastline steeped in maritime life.