nochblad

The fermo pesca is usually from the start of August until September 10 which coincides with the period when many fish are reproducing.

This is not to say that many restaurants will not serve fish (high season for tourists) but it just won't be local. Whenever I have visited Pescara during that period I have never eaten fish.

bvlenci

The fermo pesca is at different periods along the Adriatic coast. The exact time is not announced very far in advance, but Nochblad's information is more or less correct. This year, the Adriatic was closed to fishing from the 1st of August to 10th of September, <b> except </b>in the zone of San Benedetto del Tronto, near the southern border of Le Marche, where it was from the 28th of August to the 8th of October. This meant that there was very little impact on the sale of fresh fish, as the fish markets sold fish from San Benedetto (or so they said) for all of August.

The fermo pesca doesn't apply to all fish, just that caught with drag nets and other mechanical means. The catch of mussels, for example, continues during the fermo pesca, and the mussels from just south of Ancona (Portonovo) are especially prized.

Restaurants also serve fish from the Croatian side of the Adriatic or from the Tyrrhenian Sea, or from Sicily, when they can't find local fish. These are not very far away, so it's not as if fish is being transported a great distance. In every period of the year, more than half the fish consumed in Italy comes from outside Italian waters.

Some species of fish are now extensively farmed. Branzino, one of my favorites, is farmed in Greece, and most of the branzino sold near where I live is now farmed. It's definitely inferior to the wild branzino, but that's increasingly difficult to find these days. If you think of ordering branzino from a menu, I suggest you ask whether it's farmed (da allevamento).

bvlenci

There isn't much to see or do in Jesi. You could almost stand in one spot and see most of the centro storico, and the rest is a vast commercial zone. Between Urbino and Jesi, I wouldn't hesitate a moment to choose Urbino.

Senigallia is a great destination if you want to find excellent restaurants. I'm not sure why you thought of skipping it. There are two 3-star Michelin restaurants there, Uliassi, and Madonnina del Pescatore. Of the two, I prefer Uliassi. There are also several excellent restaurants that aren't on the Michelin radar. I like Raggiazzurro, Fondaloro, Trattoria Rimante, and Al Cuoco di Bordo. Senigallia is also a very lively and pleasant town, with an old center. There are a number of charming towns in the hinterland of Senigallia, such as Corinaldo, Serra dei Conti, and Mondavio.

I like Ascoli Piceno a lot, almost as much as Urbino. However, since I live about two hours north of there, we don't visit terribly often.

I'm not the best person to ask about hotels. I don't frequent hotels in Le Marche often, and my taste in hotels is fairly plebian. I do know that middle-of-the-road hotels are prevalent in this area. There are not many hotels that could be called truly luxurious.

I agree with Nochblad's recommendations of Sulmona and L'Aquila. I don't know Chieti or Popoli.

I would suggest avoiding the entire period when a fermo pesca could be a possibility if you want great seafood. This would mean the period from mid-July to mid-October.

If you're interested in truffles, the best time to visit is late October or early November, when the prized white truffles are in season.

ekscrunchy

This is all wonderful advice. I just got the Bradt Abruzzo guide from library and will try to plan out trip from Rome to Le Marche and then to Abruzzo..high end hotels are fine....hope to include Sulmona, Sengalia, and Ascoli, and maybe L"Aquila. Really need to do more reading....

Can go either in May/early June, or even late September-November....maybe two weeks including one in Rome, or even a little more.....

Thank you all again, so much, for pointing me in the right direction.

We do not like driving after dark...one reason for basing on a town, or very close to one, once we leave Rome.

Leely2

I personally would go in June for the long daylight hours.

Give yourself enough time to take the smaller roads. Really beautiful drives, some gorgeous parks.

Have fun! I envy you.

ekscrunchy

OK..got Bradt guide. Now need to choose two or three bases in the regions after about 1 week in Rome....

Thank you for all the help..need to adjust to this new forum style.....

What about Monteconero Hotel? Worth spending two days there even if not swimming weather?

Palazzo dei Mercanti in Ascoli?

Matthew Fort's book has some good info on the regions....why cannot I post the links here?

ekscrunchy

Thanks to all..now will try to firm up plan for mid-late May, maybe fly to Ancona and begin there, ending in Bari, skipping Rome due to tourist influx at that time of year.......please keep me posted if you all think of any thing else, especially great hotels along or near eastern coast. I am finding t his forum horrific to even log on....so am not here as much as usual....does not work at all with Safari.

ekscrunchy

Leely: Is the Sextanto diffuse hotel located in a real town with real eating places and real people living there, or just a reconstruction of a historic hill town? My sister loved the one in Matera but that is an actual vibrant,fabulous town now, as you probably know..

First stop near Rieti, from FCO? Or even stay a night in Fiumicino and then get car at airport??

Leely2

It is a tiny village, very quiet. My guess is most people who live there live in the lower town, a little outside of the medieval village. There are a few--not many--dining choices in the village itself.

I would consider it more a place to go for peace and quiet than dining and a vibrant environment. They rolled up the sidewalk very early for this night owl.





The work they are doing there is interesting and I hope they make a go of it. Here is a brief note about the village and the project in The Telegraph.
Santo Stefano di Sessanio Italy's 19 most beautiful villages - Travel

ekscrunchy

Revisiting this thread: It looks as if flying to Ancona is not a good idea, from NYC. So we could fly in and out of Rome, and spend the first night, after the overnight flight, in the town of Fiumicino, resting, walking and having a meal. Next day, go to airport, rent car, and drive to....Norcia?? With idea of making a circle and returning car to FCO after 2 weeks or so.

Please give me comments on good stops for this circle trip. I know about the damage to Norcia but always wanted to visit...good idea or no, for the first stop from the airport.

ekscrunchy

Trying to get some insight into plotting a circular route, flying in and out of Rome, since Ancona does not look to be a good option. So I thought of sleeping near the airport after morning arrival in Rome. Walk on beach promenade, have seafood meal in Fiumicino. (Any hotel recommendations in that town?)

Then return to airport to pick up rental car and head (??) north to Umbria for first night's stop in or near Norcia. From Norcia it is 2.5 hours drive, partly through the Monte Sibillini Park, and through Jesi, to Senegalia, which I plan to make a stop of a couple of days, mainly for good eating. Maybe visit Da Maria in Fano for lunch.

From Senegalia, head inland to Ascoli Piceno for ???? nights. Anyplace I should stop en route (Sirolo?) Good to stay in Sirolo? This would be late May,, early June. Then on to Francavilla, Chieti, and Sulmona, before heading back to Rome.

Where is best place to access Gran Sasso Park?

Does this sound like a fairly decent, if unedited plan?

A million thanks!!

Maria_G

Hi - we have family in Abruzzo, on the coast, so have been there a number of times, usually in the Spring or Fall. It's absolutely beautiful, with everything from lovely beaches to snow capped mountains. We stay in Giulianova, right on the beach, and use that as our base. Hotel 900 is terrific. From Giulianova it's an easy drive up into the Gran Sassi, we ususally stop in the tiny village of Moscioni, or Campotosto, on Lago di Campotosto - spectacular scenery. Ascoli Piceno is a great place, gorgeous architecture. And yes, don't leave Abruzzo without tasting the stuffed olives!

TDudette

Can only help with Hotel Raphael in Rome. It is a stone's throw from Piazza Navona: Raphael Hotel in Rome - Piazza Navona - Quality and Prestige in a Luxury Hotel in Rome

ekscrunchy

Thanks for all help so far. I am now revising to eliminate stay in Rome. Too crowded at this time (late May/early June) and we can now have more time driving around.

Thinking first night near FCO airport, then pick up car and drive to Norcia. Has anyone been recently who can advise about the state of renovations? I was thinking 2 nights there, and then on to Le Marche, perhaps beginning in Senigalia where we could stay a few days before moving south, to Ascoli (??)

ekscrunchy

Anyone, please??

Huggy

My wife and I drove the eastern coast of Italy last fall, starting in the Dolomites and then south. Our first stop after the Dolomites was in Monterado (near Senigalia.) We stayed at Castello Di Monterado, which we liked very much. Does not have a restaurant, but will recommend several very close. Beautiful, renovated property by a family decendent. Stayed 2 nights. Then off south to Ascoli Piceno for 3 nights. We liked the town very much but probably would recommend a maximum of 2 nights

Gwendolynn

I've been studying an old Michelin driving guide... but my navigation skills seem to have left me. I believe you asked about Urbino before.
I think that is well worth a visit. I'll be interested to hear your eventual route Maybe then I'll be able to find things on the map!
We drove from Rome thru the Abruzzi to L'Aquila but I gather you want to go further north. I remember it was a lovely drive.

Leely2

eks, I was in the same boat (though no earthquake damage, so actually quite a bit different...). In other words, I sort of had to blaze my own trail and pick my estimation of the best route/stopping points--from Spello to Ascoli and then leisurely down to Napoli. Since you have a particular interest in food, why don't you build your route from Rome around interesting restaurants/regional specialties? I think this will be an exploratory trip for you and your partner. That's how mine was, and in spite--or because of--a few hiccups it was one of the best Italian vacations I've ever had.

Buon viaggio e in bocca al luppo!

jamikins

Hi there

i haven’t been to Norcia, but did visit the area near San Ginesio last year, about a year after the earthquakes there and the damage to the villages there was very much still evident. Works had been done to stabilise towers and walls but that’s pretty much it. In many places businesses had set up temporary shops outside the damaged areas (which were usually the old centres) so town centres were pretty quiet in these impacted villages. According to the hosts at our agriturismo restoration was slow going. Almost all the churches in the area were closed due to the risk. Bvlenci I think has a summer house in the area so she may comment if she sees this and is still posting.

in saying that, we still loved the area. It is hard to get information in English for the area. Our agriturismo has this guide that we found helpful for their area https://issuu.com/vacationinsiders/docs/marche_italy_insider_guide/1?e=12259451/33376017.

what about driving to Senigallia from Rome, it looks to be about 4 hours (just based on google maps) via Perugia. Then you could explore the coast and then meander south to Ascoli Piceno then back to Rome via Rieti, like a big loop. I haven’t done this route but it looks logistically like it would work.

if you are in the Macerata area I highly recommend this restaurant- reserve for their 12 course tasting menu in advance!

happy planning!

jamikins

Oops forgot the link to the restaurant

https://www.picciolodirame.com/