|
The medieval town is about a 1 mile scenic walk from the villa. There are some steep hills to get there. We are daily walkers and started walking more hills at home to get ready for our mini Olympic treks to the village.
We were lucky to meet the thoughtful owner and his delightful parents when we first arrived in Oratino the end of September. The owner is from the UK and told us from design to completion the villa took 20 years! Mary is the kind and attentive manager. She prepared a huge breakfast buffet each morning with fresh pastries from the local bakery. There are 3 restaurants in the medieval center that we have tried. They were all walkable and have been great for freshly prepared local specialties, welcoming service, and reasonable prices. When we returned to Oratino this year two of the restaurants and one of the grocery stores closed and went on holiday. We were able to get special permission to use the kitchen which was a delight to use. There is even a water dispenser that offers still or sparkling water at the tap! The town has 2 small well equipped grocery stores with just about everything you could need. There’s a pharmacy, a butcher, a baker (it’s so easy to want to add in the candlestick maker here) and a pizzeria, too. |
Oratino
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2e8fda7ff.jpeg
The butcher shop in the center. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...64fdebbed.jpeg Taverna del Duca was open during our visit! An appetizer, bread, local pecorino wine, two entrees and a shared dessert was 34 euros. The waitress was so patient and helped us order with our limited Italian. The meal was so enjoyable! https://www.tavernadelduca.net/. Check out the armor in the dining room! |
Following! I just logged on to get input for where to spend time between Rome and a week's tour of Apulia. Looking forward to ideas from your report.
|
Italy-No car required
Originally Posted by PJTravels
(Post 17501326)
Following! I just logged on to get input for where to spend time between Rome and a week's tour of Apulia. Looking forward to ideas from your report.
|
it is worth looking at the main train lines say between Rome and Taranto or Bari. Naples jumps up as does Potenza (both for different reasons)
|
To get to and from Oratino our first visit we took a train from Naples to Isernia and arranged an hour’s long private transfer from there. When we left we arranged an hour’s long private transfer to the Termoli train station.
For our 2nd visit we traveled from the Termoli train station and then on to Campobasso. The train was the way we were supposed to travel to and from Campobasso but we learned a bus was replacing the train. The bus ride was wild, two seatbelts per passenger were in order. The roads are at most times one car width wide with steep drop offs on either side. The hill and mountainside scenery was incredible and it was like getting an inexpensive tour of the Molise countryside. From Campobasso the private transfer was about 15 minutes of easy driving to Oratino. Our next stop after Oratino was supposed to be Vasto, about a half an hour from Termoli. Vasto has a medieval town center but there is a considerable distance to the beach and marina. The apartment we had rented was having unexpected construction done. We liked Termoli so much we decided to return for 5 more days. Termoli’s advantage is you have the old town and the beach in close proximity to each other. |
The Return Visit to Termoli
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d912de047.jpeg
The Termoli bike path is next to a sidewalk we enjoyed walking every day along the coast of the Adriatic. The Termoli bike path is part of the Adriatic 1300 meter bike path that when complete will connect 7 regions of Italy from Trieste to Santa Maria de Leuca in Puglia. No trains required! |
At the entry to the Old Town
When we returned to Termoli we stayed in an apartment in the old town. The Rejecelle, the narrowest alley in Itlay is in the old town. It is fun to find and walk through it (before you eat your dinner and gelato!) It measures 34 cm wide.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...79ce8527a.jpeg The narrowest alley in Italy is in Termoli https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cec59a645.jpeg Another optional street sign |
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...74dcc8118.jpeg
Our favorite gelateria and we tried a few! Laboratorio a vista Corso Nazionale, 49 A patisserie shop with the sweetest petit pastries was Le Delizie Del Grano on Via Marconi 51. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c45a59ff1.jpeg Ristorante da Nicolino (Via Roma 13) had their famous brodetto fish soup for 39 euros you can see at the top of this photo. You get a bib, a bowl of pasta you pour the broth on, then have 10 different kinds of fish in another bowl. No extra charge for lots of little bones! To sop up the sauce they bring you grilled bread. The plate in the front is spaghetti alle Vongole Lupini. We went here a couple of times but dh had the brodetto once, it’s enough to last a lifetime. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b14ec6631.jpeg In the old town, Ristorante Svevia on Via Giudicato Vecchio 24 was in a few guide books and worth a visit. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d4a78ac5f.jpeg I had written to see if they had non fish options and here is one. The burrata was sooo good! |
Termoli Trattoria
Another favorite restaurant near the train station was Trattoria Monika. The menu was hand written and changed daily. Reservations are needed.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...629bf11d3.jpeg La Trattoria da Monika, Corso Umberto 1, offers both fish and meat options. |
One pizza place in Termoli had the worst red house wine ever! We never finished it nor did we complain because there was some infighting going on in the kitchen! We wanted to escape quietly before they came back outside and made us finish the wine!
When we left Termoli to go to the train station we were approached by the local police for our passports. I believe they were checking to be sure that the hotels and apartments had registered our visit. Next stop, Bologna! |
Bologna was bustling! We had visited Bologna a couple times before and enjoyed the city for the excellent cuisine and the easy access by train to other cities. In the past we had arranged a private tour of car factories and car museums outside of Bologna along with visits to balsamic vinegar and Parmesan cheese producers.
This time we chose an apartment a short distance outside of the city center, ten minutes away from the train station and a good distance away from the crowds in the historic center. We revisited some new and some favorite restaurants and went on two easy train trips from Bologna to Parma and Ferrara. We had arranged a half day walking food tour of Parma. Before the tour we walked around to see the sights. The tour was at lunchtime and was 4 hours long led by a college student who spoke English well. We started with a stop at Pepen known for its panini and street food. The line to order was outside the door but moved quickly. We sampled the panini on a ledge outside the sandwich shop. The sandwich we tried was suggested by our tour guide, the carciofa made with artichoke and a melted cheese filling wrapped in a delicious paper thin bread crust. The next stop was at Panino d’artista. Here a sampling was arranged of 3 differently aged Parmesan cheeses, small round filled anolini with your choice of sauce or broth, fresh bread and some Lambrusco to wash it down. What we couldn’t finish was wrapped up to take home. The third stop was at Antica Rastelli. The tasting here was of prosciutto crudo, Bette, culaccia Affelatta, culatello di Zibello, spalla cruda di Palaso, coppa Parma and salame Felino. Luckily you could share the tasting because we were feeling like Wilbur the rat in Charlotte’s Web after his late night feasting at the fairgrounds. The tour ended at Anima dinParma with traditional and delicious dolci, a Maria Luisa tort and a crumbly 4 ingredient cake. What a great city to visit and the food tour was exceptional! Next up, Ferrara. |
Bologna and Parma
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8248a944e.jpeg
Parmesan with mustarda, anolini, bread and wine served here. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...be42006c3.jpeg In Panino d’Artista records decorated the walls and were used as place settings. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3a16db7ce.jpeg The Salumeria. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...eeabb0b74.jpeg The deli sampler. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...400d077d2.jpeg The Salumeria interior. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...95408efdc.jpeg Traditional dolci was delicious! |
Continued yums, tcinct!
|
Dolci
Thank you, TDudette. Glad you are still reading along!
Originally Posted by TDudette
(Post 17502774)
Continued yums, tcinct!
|
We usually travel by regional train for day trips. You don’t have to purchase tickets in advance and the price doesn’t increase if you wait to buy the tickets. That way you can choose the best forecast when planning for day trips and the cost is a bargain for the regional trains.
Starting September 30th, 2023 Trenitalia requires check in prior to boarding for regional trains. That’s great if you have internet. If not, you could use a paper ticket where you can use the machines to validate your ticket before you board if the internet is unreliable. For all the trips we took we only had one time the tickets being purchased were right before the train was leaving and the connection on our phone was still spinning. Electronic tickets need to be purchased 5 minutes before boarding. Luckily we were able to find and show the conductor our phone before the train left the station. We were able to purchase the tickets from him for 5 more euros. If we had left the station the fine would have been 70 euros more! Here’s more info from Trenitalia- https://www.trenitalia.com/en/purcha...al-ticket.html |
Ferrara was a worthy day trip from Bologna. The train ride was about a half an hour, the historic center was an easy 20 minute walk. We checked out the Duomo but it had very limited access due to renovations. We visited Este Castle which had an interesting exhibition of all 700 covers of Linus magazine displayed. Our favorite activity was a walk around Ferrara recommended by a local who shared his favorite parts of the city.
Lunch was outdoors at Ristorante ll’oca Giuliva. An amuse bouchée was offered of vegetable and cheese. The excellent caprese app was served with very thin shaved fennel. Cappellacci di zucca al ragù o burro e salvia and passatelli asciutti con calamari, zucchini e mandorle salate were our main courses with a local small bottle of red bubbly wine. Service was great, the food enjoyable. A small plate of cookies was offered with the check for 56 euros. Ferrara is a place we wouldn’t mind going back to again for a longer visit! |
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...dbabc4a79.jpeg
The impressive moat at Este Castle https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fb7185155.jpeg The Linus exhibition at Este Castle https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...24abf6d29.jpeg The orange tree garden at Este Castle https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...571dffbdf.jpeg The park where the Palio is held in Ferrara https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9d131835a.jpeg Lunch location Via Boccacanale di Santo Stefano, 38/40 Ferrara https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...517d7108a.jpeg The local specialty of cappellacci with pumpkin and sage was soo good! |
That cappellacci with pumpkin and sage looks gorgeous.
|
Joining your yummy trip.
|
| All times are GMT -8. The time now is 02:00 PM. |