The Legend of Vieste

Vieste's Legend

One of my favorite aspects of traveling is discovering the folklore and history that belong to the places I visit. The beaches of Vieste were some of the most beautiful I’ve seen. I visited nearly a year ago, in September of 2023. Vieste has a sad, but beautiful legend of love.

The legend goes that once there was a young fisherman named Pizzomunno and a maiden named Cristalda. The two were deeply in love and would meet every night on the beach.

The sirens who inhabited the sea grew envious of their pure love. Tragically, in a fit of jealous rage, they pulled Cristalda into the depths of the ocean. Pizzomunno pursued them in an attempt to rescue Cristalda, but to no avail. His love was lost to the sea. Stricken with grief, he transformed into the steadfast rock that still stands on Vieste’s beach. (As pictured above).

Some variations of the story say Cristalda transformed into sea foam. Even in the afterlife, Cristalda and Pizzomunno’s love remains eternal. Once every 100 years, the lovers magically reunite on the beach, just for one night. Their love is so steadfast that they would wait 100 years to be together, even if only for a fleeting night.

Wishes

It is said that if you circle the monolithic rock three times and make a wish, it will come true. My friends and I laid out our beach towels and sought refuge from the hot sun under the cool shadow of the rock formation. We lounged together and chatted, pondering what our wishes should be, among other things. I was the last out of my group to get up and make my wish. I made my way around the rock and slowly splashed through the crystal-clear water. The sand moved beneath my feet, and I held my wish in my heart as I circled the formation three times.

Vieste is the perfect Italian beach town to relax, soak up some sun, and enjoy an Aperol spritz. Because we went in September, which is the off-season, it was especially peaceful, but still comfortably warm.

Throughout the town of Vieste, there are nods to the story of Cristalda and Pizzomunno. The white brick walls are adorned with paintings of bright red hearts, while heart decorations hang from the ceilings of restaurants and shops. Additionally, poems dedicated to the lovers' legend are etched onto buildings in the street. One of the perks of having an Italian friend-- she beautifully translated them from Italian and read them to me in English

As for my wish, I am still waiting to see what may become of it. As time unfolds, I am doing my best to leave room in my heart for dreams and wishes every day. ❤️