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Leely2 Thank you.
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Whitehall, I'm already feeling nostalgic for the daily updates to your trip. I've been pretty occupied with other stuff this week, including two days in Fabriano for medical visits. I thought of you while we were there, but we didn't even glimpse the "centro storico". We stayed in a hotel near the train station and near the ophthamologist's office, which was in the commercial center of Fabriano.
When you come back to Italy, why not spend a month in Le Marche? There is a wealth of things to see here: mountains, seaside, and hill towns galore in between. I think Le Marche has the highest density of castles of any place I've ever been. It was a borderland (the marches) and every little lordling had his own little castle. (They're mostly little domestic castles, not like the castles in Wales, or even like the Castello Sforzesco in Milan.) Here is the tiny castle of Loretello Attachment 6075 Of which a tiny house has been constructed in one of the tiny towers: Attachment 6076 |
Whitehall, it was so relaxing and fun to sit back and enjoy traveling with an expert. Thanks to you and all the whitehalls!
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Thanks so much for your wonderful trip report and photos. Although I have been to Italy a half dozen times and actually lived in Torino for a year and a half a long time ago, except for a couple of brief visits to Orvieto I have never been in Umbria. In 1997, we were in Siena in September, the day of the Assisi earthquake with plans to go there the following day. Now, thanks to your report, I feel like I have "seen" some of Umbria as you experienced it.
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Originally Posted by bvlenci
(Post 17304822)
Whitehall, I'm already feeling nostalgic for the daily updates to your trip. I've been pretty occupied with other stuff this week, including two days in Fabriano for medical visits. I thought of you while we were there, but we didn't even glimpse the "centro storico". We stayed in a hotel near the train station and near the ophthamologist's office, which was in the commercial center of Fabriano.
When you come back to Italy, why not spend a month in Le Marche? There is a wealth of things to see here: mountains, seaside, and hill towns galore in between. I think Le Marche has the highest density of castles of any place I've ever been. It was a borderland (the marches) and every little lordling had his own little castle. (They're mostly little domestic castles, not like the castles in Wales, or even like the Castello Sforzesco in Milan.) Here is the tiny castle of Loretello Attachment 6075 Of which a tiny house has been constructed in one of the tiny towers: Attachment 6076 https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8a96690fab.jpg On one trip to Sicily, after bringing our camera tripod through security in two US airports and then Paris, without question, the Naples security agent seized it as a potential weapon. After that, we gave up on our good camera, and our 2012 photo quality reflects what was available for quick point and shoot then. But we did see some castles, starting on the northern edge with the magnificent but diminutive country of San Marino. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cb90f377a4.jpg This was May, but I think our memory of Le Marche then was rolling green hills. Very green. Reminded us of Vermont, which has been an important part of our lives. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f0d738f971.jpg And, snow still not far away. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...44a1f72b67.jpg We have always said that our experience was that Le Marche has some of the best pizza in Italy. And, at that time, five euros for pizza and beer! https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...61d82643e0.jpg We went to San Benedetto del Tronto to see the sea. The preparation for cruise ship style seating on the beach is not our style. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cd0d3deaa5.jpg We did see a music video being produced there. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4779ddad84.jpg We remember getting a private tour of the beautiful arena or stadium in Macerata. We were surprised to hear it was only 200 years old, built for sports, but used today more for entertainment and music. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4b3d84f12b.jpg We also spent extra time, day and evening, in the beautiful square in Ascoli Piceno. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7555f8062b.jpg The Ascoli square is home to Caffe Meletti, one of our most memorable coffee shops in all of Italy. Snappily dressed staff serve everything in a decadent fashion at a paltry cost. The shop has been in films produced in Italy and the US. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b83cc1a55a.jpg And in the middle of Le Marche, while we were just driving around, there was the breathtaking Furlo Gorge and its green lake. |
Another Le Marche fan. Looks like we've been to many of the same areas, whitehall. So thanks for another little walk down memory lane!
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Another fantastic TR comes to an end.... thank you, Whitehall.
Your narrative and photos and reader enjoyment are what makes Fodors. |
More thanks, whitehall. Until I read your note, I couldn't believe someone was exercising on the beach in stilettos. 😁
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"Whitehall, it was so relaxing and fun to sit back and enjoy traveling with an expert....."
bon_voyage Thank you. We’re hardly experts. But in every one of our trip reports (sadly, in retrospect, most without photos), our goal has been to show a style of travel that dares to do a lot in a short period of time. It is not for everybody, but we always grimace when newbies here are routinely discouraged from any ambitious itineraries. Yes, some should be encouraged to cut back. But, in our humble view, some also can do more. Hopefully, we have shown that it is “possible” to go to lots of places and still have successful travel. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...eb67f5e379.jpg Torino MaineGG Not sure if you live in Maine, but as former full-time and part-time “Maine-iacs”, that’s one of the best places anywhere six months of the year. Oops, make that five. You mentioned that you had lived in Torino, which we think is very under-rated. We loved it, especially the beautiful shops there. Here is part of our look from 2017, including the shopping arcade and some of the shops. "Another Le Marche fan" Leely2 Hard not to be a fan of Le Marche. But I still haven’t found a region of Italy I didn’t like. ".....Your narrative and photos and reader enjoyment are what makes Fodors." Adelaidean Kind and sharing people like you are an even bigger part of what makes Fodors a joy. “More thanks, whitehall. Until I read your note, I couldn't believe someone was exercising on the beach in stilettos. 😁” TDudette You always seem to pick up on the finer details. :cool: |
Thanks, whitehall; it's a blessing and a curse!
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Thanks for the photos of Torino. We moved there very suddenly for my (then) husband's job with our three-year-old and a baby in tow. No time to learn any Italian or learn anything about the city. The Torinese were so kind and patient with my early days attempts at Italian in the neighborhood shops and street market. I've only been back once with my (now) husband and loved walking around then having a coffee under the arches.
Agree with you that the pacing of an enjoyable trip can vary a great deal. We have enjoyed some really speedy road trips and have also loved slow travel. And yes, we do live in Maine. Fifty years ago I married a Mainer and we moved to Maine twenty-one years ago. |
Originally Posted by bvlenci
(Post 17304822)
Whitehall, I'm already feeling nostalgic for the daily updates to your trip. I've been pretty occupied with other stuff this week, including two days in Fabriano for medical visits. I thought of you while we were there, but we didn't even glimpse the "centro storico". We stayed in a hotel near the train station and near the ophthamologist's office, which was in the commercial center of Fabriano.
When you come back to Italy, why not spend a month in Le Marche? There is a wealth of things to see here: mountains, seaside, and hill towns galore in between. I think Le Marche has the highest density of castles of any place I've ever been. It was a borderland (the marches) and every little lordling had his own little castle. (They're mostly little domestic castles, not like the castles in Wales, or even like the Castello Sforzesco in Milan.) Here is the tiny castle of Loretello Attachment 6075 Of which a tiny house has been constructed in one of the tiny towers: Attachment 6076 |
<<MaineGG Not sure if you live in Maine, but as former full-time and part-time “Maine-iacs”, that’s one of the best places anywhere six months of the year. Oops, make that five. >>
Whitehall - sounds a lot like Cornwall. Great from March [possibly April] to October [or September]. November to February you really want to be somewhere else. |
Originally Posted by annhig
(Post 17307234)
<<MaineGG Not sure if you live in Maine, but as former full-time and part-time “Maine-iacs”, that’s one of the best places anywhere six months of the year. Oops, make that five. >>
Whitehall - sounds a lot like Cornwall. Great from March [possibly April] to October [or September]. November to February you really want to be somewhere else. |
Oh, many congrats on your daughter's wedding. I wish her many long and happy years of marriage.
I was lucky enough to visit Bar Harbor just over 2 years ago, in September 2019. Though it was busy it wasn't unbearable and we had a wonderful time. It seems like a dream now. |
Originally Posted by annhig
(Post 17307738)
Oh, many congrats on your daughter's wedding. I wish her many long and happy years of marriage.
I was lucky enough to visit Bar Harbor just over 2 years ago, in September 2019. Though it was busy it wasn't unbearable and we had a wonderful time. It seems like a dream now. Bar Harbor has gotten way too crowded at times, but it is one of the most beautiful places in the world (part of a small island with a mountain range). It’s no wonder that so many billionaires call it their second home. |
Originally Posted by yestravel
(Post 17307217)
Hi! Not to hijack but could you talk a little more about leMarche? I have a thread asking about places there.
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bvlenci I read that response. Very thorough as always. On the subject of Cinque Terre, we did hike in 2018 the lower, scenic trail from Monterosso to Vernazza to Corniglia and that was wonderful on a gorgeous day. We took the train into the other two villages due to landslides.
Senigallia looks like another place I have to add to my list. Thank you for your very informative posts. |
A different kind of Black Friday
Sadly our time in Umbria this year preceded the olive harvest. We often bring back fresh oil when we stay later, since we are fanatics about getting the real thing and getting it fresh. (There reportedly is so much fake stuff, often old, even rancid, and ineffective for any health benefits, in our supermarkets).
We shared our love for fresh oil with a new friend in Umbria. Below is his truck in early November, loaded with his olives near Montefalco. On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, he shipped via UPS some fresh oil to us, and we received it three days later, Black Friday in North Carolina. Huge gratitude to him for sharing and, despite supply chain issues, kudos to UPS for such a fast ship. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...dbc076418c.jpg Montefalco & North Carolina |
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