Stage 12 was starting from Città Sant’Angelo Village at 12:05 and was going to make its way hugging the Adriatic until it reached Porto Recanati 206 km later.

Based on the Gazzetta Dello Sport timetable it was going to pass Pineto at around 12:45.

We wanted to make a day of it and take in the atmosphere of the Giro but also visit some new places. Regular readers of this blog will know that I’ve spent quite a few sunny days in Pineto so since it didn’t qualify a “new” we included Silvi Paese in the plan.

Silvi Paese shouldn’t be confused with Silvi Marina which is a lovely seaside town nearby. Silvi Paese is perched on a headland and has fantastic views of the Adriatic and the surrounding country.

We got to Pineto at about 10:30 and did what any normal red-blooded Italian would do on arrival – we had a coffee. Then we walked around the town and back to our car along the beach, passing the time pleasantly as we waited for the cyclists.

The Giro wasn’t going through Pineto itself but was passing by on the SS16 (Adriatica) so at 12:00 we based ourselves on the roundabout where you’d exit the SS16 to enter Pineto.

Apart from traffic police and a local photographer there weren’t that many people waiting in anticipation.

After a few minutes more spectators arrived. Mostly they came on foot but a few amateur cyclists arrived to see their heroes in action.

We waited…

There was a sudden flurry of activity and lead police cars and motorbikes whizzed through.

Then, out on his own, came the stage leader quickly followed by his team support car. I don’t know much about cycling tactics but with about 4 hours cycling ahead of him I suspected he wouldn’t be the ultimate winner of this stage.

We waited…

Two chasing cyclists sped by with their support cars.

We waited…

The peloton arrived and charged through the roundabout looking unconcerned by the minutes between them and the leaders. The remaining four hours worth of cycling was going to be less painful for a chasing pack then a lone lead cyclist.

After the trailing bunch went by and a convoy of team support cars, the Giro, as far as Pineto was concerned, was over.

I could say it was all over in a flash. I could say we waited for an hour to see less than a minutes actual cycling. But that would be unfair. In a country that can sometimes get bad press for its organisation abilities the Giro seemed to pass though Pineto without a hitch.

Yes there were a few motorists that were unhappy the roads were closed for a period before and after the Giro passed, but there were plenty of signs up saying when this was going to happen. There were also plenty of traffic police ensuring that the safety of the cyclists and that of the spectators was in hand.

I’m really glad I was there. Since I was based within easy driving distance of Pineto it would have been a shame not to see the Giro d’Italia as it passed. Next time I may try to park myself near the finish line or perhaps a stage starting line where I bet the atmosphere is more intense.

Feeling a bit hungry we walked back into Pineto hoping to find somewhere nice for lunch. Earlier it didn’t look like the seasonal restaurants on the beach were open yet so we went into the town centre.

On the way I took a few photos of some of Pineto’s impressive houses and also a town model of house miniatures.

After finding nowhere suitable to eat we asked a local and he gave us directions to a restaurant called La Braceria on the road to Atri, not far from Pineto.

It was really good. We shared ravioli with ricotta, rucolo and spec, and after that some agnello alla brace.

Back into the car we drove off to Silvi Paese. I was told by friends that Silvi Paese was a lovely little town with fantastic views of the Adriatic. They were right. As we approached the views from the road were getting more and more spectacular.

After parking the car we wanted around the new walls and stopped practically every 50 metres to take in the scenery. It’s well worth a visit. The town is very pretty and the relatively new fountain outside the church is a nice addition.

Well we’d had a damn fine lunch so there was nothing for it but to sit down and have some gelati taking in the views and watching the world go by.

Post from: About Abruzzo

Giro d’Italia Stage 12 and Silvi Paese

Share/Save

Related posts:

1. Giro d’Italia Stage 17 Chieti to Blockhaus, Abruzzo Back in December 2008 I wrote a post indicating that...
2. Giro d’Italia 2010 stages in Abruzzo I may be alone in this view but I think...
3. Pineto: Sun, Sea and Sand We’re in the middle of summer and I’ve not written...

We were definitely the only tourists in Les Arcs. In fact most of its clients that day appeared to be construction workers having their well earned lunch. We went for the ravioli with ricotta and waited patiently. There were a few orders ahead of us, but when it arrived it was very tasty. For €6 each we were suitably fortified and ready to go exploring.

Spoltore is about 8 km from Pescara, located between the rivers Tavo and Pescara.

There are five important historical buildings there:

• The ruins of the castle in the highest part of the old centre
• The parish church of S. Panfilo, with a fine portal and stuccos by Alessandro Terzani, canvases by Giuseppangelo Ronzi and a 16th century statue of the Madonna col Bambino.
• The church of Madonna della Porta, with a wooden statue of the Virgin (10th century)
• The convent of San Francesco d’Assisi (15th century), with a brick facade and a fresco cycle telling the life of the saint
• The church of San Francesco d’Assisi, attached to the convent, mostly Baroque in style

Unfortunately all the churches were closed while I was there. But that was fine as what I really wanted to do was walk up to the highest point of the old town, beside the castle ruins, and take in the Majella (south), the Gran Sasso (west) and the Adriatic (east).

The pictures below give a flavour of what Spoltore has to offer.

When we reached the highest point we found an abandoned 5l bottle of wine. I could easily see friends relaxing and chatting, sipping a glass of wine, watching the sun go down. Then, when it gets dark, looking at the stars, constellation spotting or maybe turning their attention to the bright lights of Pescara.

Although it was a bit hazy, we stayed quite a while looking out at the wonderful views.

On the way back down we met Alberto, who was stripping the paint off some wooden shutters. We stopped, said hello, and he kindly allowed me to take his picture. Stripping the paint of wooden shutters looked to me like a long and painstaking task but Alberto seemed to be enjoying himself in the afternoon sun. We actually had a brief conversation about Dante Alighieri, Verdi and the relative merits of the English and Italian languages. I was well out of my depth! 

I’ll be visiting Spoltore again. I’ve three good reasons for doing so:

• see the inside of the churches that unfortunately were closed
• see the fantastic views on a day that isn’t so hazy
• pop in to Almond 22 and pick up a couple of bottles of really good beer

Post from: About Abruzzo

Spoltore (PE) Abruzzo: Saint Patrick’s Day (afternoon)

Share/Save

Related posts:

1. Almond 22, Spoltore (PE) Abruzzo: Saint Patrick’s Day (morning) I knew it was in Spoltore. I’d seen it on...
2. Spoltore: Wonderful Views And A Microbrewery Too For quite a while now I’ve been looking forward to...
3. Giro d’Italia Stage 12 and Silvi Paese It was the Giro d’Italia after all, so we expected...

Post from: About Abruzzo

Video Trailer: Seven Aspects Of Abruzzo (Le Sette Vie D’Abruzzo)

Share/Save

Related posts:

1. Scenes From A Magazine. Tesori D’Abruzzo and D’Abruzzo are two tourism magazines which highlight...
2. 2010 Wishlist and some Random Photos of Abruzzo I can’t believe it’s almost a month since I last...
3. Campo Imperatore Nothing quite prepares you for Campo Imperatore. It’s located in...

Going to Atri is the obvious first step. But I’d been there at least three times and each time the cathedral was closed for restoration.

This time there were no signs of any work going on but the doors were appeared to be locked. After wandering around the building trying doors without success my wife encouraged me to ask someone.

This was a winning suggestion because it gave me an excuse to try my Italian. Asking about access to the cathedral is only part of the process. My wife knows that I’ll try to turn it into a conversation about what else we should visit, where we should eat and what are the local specialities.

So off I went brimming with enthusiasm to the nearest friendly shop. In my experience they’re all friendly. I picked one that sells ceramics and the woman there greeted me with excellent English! Ah well, I may not have had a chance to practice but she did tell me that the cathedral was open and the side door on the wall facing the shop was the way in.

It didn’t disappoint. It was built on the remains of an earlier Romanesque church. Outside you can see the impressive 56 metre high bell tower. But I’d seen that before. It was what was inside that excited me – the frescoes by the 15th century Abruzzese painter Andrea de Litio.

He is one of the region’s most important painters and the fresco cycle in the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in Atri is considered his masterpiece. (I understand that an example of his work can be found in the New York Metropolitan Museum.)

It wasn’t possible for me to get close enough to the frescoes to take detailed photographs as they were roped off, but I hope the examples I have in this post give you a feel for the scale of the work and the significance of the cathedral.

After searching a bit I found these detailed photographs of the frescoes that decorate the apse and the columns.

All the frescoes are attributed to Andrea de Litio and all the photographs were taken by Giovanni Lattanzi. If you are interested in Abruzzo and/or photography I recommend having a look at the photographs Giovanni Lattanzi has taken of the many other places worth visiting in the region.

Post from: About Abruzzo

Atri: Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and Andrea de Litio

Share/Save

Related posts:

1. Atri There are many reasons for visiting Atri in the Teramo...
2. Loreto Aprutino in Pictures I have visited and stayed in Loreto Aprutino a few...
3. Pineto: Sun, Sea and Sand We’re in the middle of summer and I’ve not written...

But if a plan can go wrong it will, and sure enough, somewhere along the way we took a wrong turn and ended up travelling through a wood that had been damaged by a fire. Although there were five of us, only one of our group had any idea where the stone huts were to be found. After driving for 20 minutes more, there was nothing for it but to head back the way we came.

This is where it gets a bit tricky for me. I wouldn’t swear these directions are 100% correct. If I’m right, we took the wrong road out of Lettomanoppello. So starting again from there, we headed towards Passo Lanciano, and took a right at Hotel La Maielletta. Then we just followed the road for a few kilometres and just before a turn to the right we saw the dry stone huts up on a hill.

I think the hill is called Colle Della Civita and is part of the community of Roccamorice. I’d like to show you its exact location on a map but I can’t find a map reference for Colle Della Civita anywhere on the web. There are plenty of descriptions of the stone structures though. They have a few names; capanne a tholos, tholi or pajare, and date back to the 18th and 19th centuries. They are built by placing flat stones on top of each other. There are definite similarities with the trulli of Puglia. It’s possible that the structure of the Abruzzo huts may have been influenced by the Puglia trulli as a result of regular migratory movements of shepherds and their flocks between the two regions.

This seasonal movement of people and flocks at the end of Spring and beginning of Autumn, called transhumance (transumanza), can cover hundreds of kilometers. The routes followed a regular network of wide grassy paths or sheep-tracks (tratturi). No 4×4 or SUV was available to these shepherds as they travelled by foot along the traditional mountain routes.

If you decide to visit Colle Della Civita take some time to look around. Abruzzo is steeped in history and the refuges are a monument to the hard life of shepherds of the past. But that doesn’t mean you can’t look around, breath in the fresh clean air, marvel at the beautiful wild flowers and watch the chaotic dance of colourful butterflies.

Through this entire journey our guide was the wonderful Monica, who does not believe in saying “we can’t do that”! Grazie Monica for helping us have another glorious day in Abruzzo.

Post from: About Abruzzo

Five get a little lost in the Majella!

Share/Save

Related posts:

1. Santo Stefano di Sessanio We’re back in the Gran Sasso & Monti della Laga...
2. A Little Bit Of Repetition: Scenes from a Magazine Revisited Whenever I’m in Abruzzo I look out for two magazines...
3. Atri There are many reasons for visiting Atri in the Teramo...

In the car were two Irish and three Swiss.  I think it was cosy in the back but I was in the front with a little extra leg room. It was a very cosmopolitan journey; we moved from speaking Italian, to English, to French, to German as we avoided the motorways winding our way to Serramonacesca and the abbey. We took a route, roughly as outlined here, passing Pianella, Cepegatti, Rosciano and Manoppello before reaching our destination.

I knew nothing about the abbey, but one of our group had been there before and said the floors were wonderful and the short walking trail around the grounds was stunning. I’m not big fan of church interiors so I was delighted that there was an interesting walk as part of the deal.

On entering the Abbey I had an instant feeling of being inside something very old indeed. Although it was restored during the period 1967-1971 the current building dates back to around 1000 AD and the mosaic floor dates from 1275. I was most impressed by the pockets of light as they crossed the interior and the feeling of stillness and calm. Unfortunately the light near the faded frescoes wasn’t great, so I don’t think my photograph does them justice.

Once outside we headed down a short, slippery trail that led past wild figs and cobwebs to wooden bridges and a pool with a series of small waterfalls. The canopy of growth allowed little light though, but that added to the atmosphere as we carefully made our way.

Coming out by the side of the abbey it was time to stop and have a picnic. The sandwiches were delicious, grazie Arnaldo! Then up to Le Chateau De Ma Mere, with a view down to where we’d been, for coffee, hot chocolate and cheesecake.

A good trip so far.

Post from: About Abruzzo

Five Go To San Liberatore!

Share/Save

Related posts:

1. Five get a little lost in the Majella! After a really enjoyable visit to the abbey of San...
2. L’Aquila Although I have travelled around L’Aquila provence I have visited...
3. Atri: Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and Andrea de Litio I’d wanted to see the inside of the Cathedral of...

• The Santa Maria Assunta cathedral which dominates the town’s historic centre
• The frescoes contained inside the cathedral
• The erosion furrows surrounding the town
• The views of the Adriatic Sea, and the peaks of the Majella and Gran Sasso
• And if you’re up for it, the walk/cycle from Atri to Cittá Sant’Angelo

Atri is a fascinating, ancient town that historians believe gave its name to the Adriatic Sea. It sits on a hill between two valleys and is about 10km from the coast and 30km from Pescara. If you decide to visit, try to do so on a clear day, the views are spectacular.

Monday is market day, which has advantages and disadvantages. The obvious advantage is the town is hopping. People are in from the surrounding areas exploring the stalls, buying their weekly shopping and greeting friends and neighbours. But it is hard to find parking, and since it is a Monday, the restaurants are often closed.

If you are adventurous, there is a walking route from Atri to Cittá Sant’Angelo, described in the pamphlet “Abruzzo: The Guide To Its Unknown Wonders” which is available in tourist offices. Be warned though, one reviewer said that the maps and instructions in the pamphlet are not easy to decipher. Of course you could always drive there, about 15km, 30mins – less strenuous, but maybe not as much fun.

Finally, in two days time, from the 18th to 21st June there is the Atri Festival of Reportage, along with exhibitions running from 18th June to 18th August. A quote from the website says “The subject of reportage is discussed, studied and illustrated in all forms: from photography to radio and print media to video. An all round approach is adopted to focus on the reporter’s profession in an unusual and absorbing way by contrasting different international situations”.

The details of the exhibitions associated with the festival are available here. Regular readers of this blog will realise I have an interest in photography and I have to say I’m really looking forward to seeing the work on display.

Post from: About Abruzzo

Atri

Share/Save

Related posts:

1. Atri: Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and Andrea de Litio I’d wanted to see the inside of the Cathedral of...
2. Giro d’Italia Stage 12 and Silvi Paese It was the Giro d’Italia after all, so we expected...
3. The Sea (Il Mare) Abruzzo We’re still in August and with the temperatures touching...

The 1953 movie Roman Holiday was a marketing dream for the Vespa with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn making good use of one around the streets of Rome.

Corradino D’Ascanio (1891 – 1981) was an aeronautical engineer who prior to designing the Vespa, designed the first production helicopter for Agusta, now AgustaWestland.

The Vespa is everywhere in Italy. But it’s another idea of Corradino D’Ascanio I really want to talk about. The Ape (pronounced Ah-pay), started off as a Vespa with two rear wheels and a load bearing platform. It is bigger and fatter than the Vespa, hence Ape (bee). They are even available in the UK.

They have torque suitable for carrying loads and going up hills, essential in the Italian countryside.  Their top speed is quite low, so they are often seen hugging the curb so other traffic can easily pass.

If the Vespa is the essence of Italian cool, then the Ape must surely be the essence of Italian pragmatism. Their small size makes them ideal for nipping around the narrow streets of Italian towns and villages. They can park practically anywhere.

I think they’re fantastic, but some are quite elusive. As you can see in this post I’ve taken some photos of the Ape in its natural habitat, but I haven’t taken pictures of all the versions available. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get a picture of the Ferrari red Ape, too quick for me I guess.

They’re really only designed for one person, but I’ve seen couples cosily driving around in them. The cabin space is quite limited, so I think if you see two people together in an Ape, they must be very close indeed. Still, as the saying goes, if you’re happy in your Ape clap your hands!

Post from: About Abruzzo

Helicopters, Wasps and Bees.

Share/Save

Related posts:

1. Oil In Three Parts This is a post of three parts, all related by...
2. Pasquale Celommi, Artist Up until the beginning of May, I’ve had two posters...
3. The Feast of San Zopito, Loreto Aprutino This is special. A genuflecting white ox dressed in colourful...

So how did Penne, the Abruzzo, town get its name?  Well it used to be called Pinna in Roman times and I guess the name just evolved.   If anyone out there knows the history, please let me know.  

It’s a lovely town, which appears from a distance to be built on two hills.  I’ve visited Penne many times but as I was looking for pictures for this post I realised that I didn’t have very many.  Most of photos I do have seem to be taken on dull days.  I must do something about that, as Penne deserves to be shown in much better light.

From the impressive main entrance, Porta S. Francesco, to the many churches and museums, Penne should be enjoyed slowly.  You can have a lot of fun wandering the narrow streets trying to figure out where you are.  There are plenty of places to eat.  I’ve enjoyed lunch in both Ristorante La Grotta (Via Pultone Vivo III, 8 ) and Ristorante Osteria del Leone (Piazzetta XX Setembre, 3).   Just don’t expect a menu – you’ll be offered whatever is good on the day.

What Penne has to offer doesn’t end with the town itself.  The nearby Lago di Penne (Lake of Penne) is well worth a visit.  It has a picnic area and and on a good day a walk on the trail beside the lake is lovely.   The lake itself is artificial reservoir.

On a silly note, I always refer to the lake as Lago di Penne and not an English equivalent.  Firstly because it is better for my Italian, and secondly because otherwise I might have the song “Penne Lake” by four Liverpudlians in my head for days!

I think after that you deserve some tips:

• don’t drive into Penne, leave your car, if you have one, at one of the free car parks outside the old town walls.
• if your route passes by Penne expect slow traffic around the walls
• Penne, Loreto Aprutino and Collecorvino are all within 10k of each other, and all are worth visiting
• you’ll find it here!

Post from: About Abruzzo

Penne

Share/Save

Related posts:

1. Loreto Aprutino in Pictures I have visited and stayed in Loreto Aprutino a few...
2. Traditional Meal In A Farmhouse Restaurant I’d passed by Il Casolare (the farmhouse) many times before...
3. Market Day (giorno di mercato) I love market day in Abruzzo. There’s always a buzz...

There aren’t too many constellations I can recognise without resorting to a book, but that can be overcome easily enough, as I’ll explain later.  One of the key things to know about stars is that their position changes with time and location.  So it’s good to have an anchor, some star pattern you recognise and from which you can easily find others.  The usual suspects are the constellations  Orion and Ursa Major, and bright stars like Sirius and Polaris.

So tonight, between 21:00 and 22:00, find a location that doesn’t have too much artificial light (street lights, shop lights), look west and at an elevation of around 20 to 30 degrees – you should see Orion (The Hunter).

Looking higher in the sky, but again in a general west direction, you’ll see Castor and Pollux, the brightest stars of the constellation Gemini.

Going back to Orion, there are three stars that make up Orion’s belt.  If you use Orion’s belt as a pointer, follow it towards the left (south) you’ll meet Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, part of Canis Major.  If you go the go the other way, following Orion’s belt to the right, you’ll meet Aldebaran, part of Taurus.

There are many great free computer programs that help you spot constellations and identify stars.  I use Stellarium and Cartes du Ciel.  Although the user interfaces are different, they both will give you star positions based on your location, the date and the time.  The screen shot I have provided was created using Stellarium.

Stargazing (with the naked eye) is certainly not expensive (perhaps the price of a bottle of wine!) and it can be done just as easily on your own or with family and friends.  All you need are the right conditions, which Abruzzo can easily provide.

Post from: About Abruzzo

Clear Skies – Time For Stargazing

Share/Save

Related posts:

1. A walk in the country, near Loreto Aprutino I’m enjoying a little time in Loreto Aprutino right now....
2. Spoltore (PE) Abruzzo: Saint Patrick’s Day (afternoon) Still in Spoltore and feeling a bit peckish we looked...
3. Pescara Jazz 2009 The line-up for the 2009 Pescara Jazz festival is impressive....