I
had booked one night at an expensive B&B, hoping to find a cheaper one for
the following night (which I did). Turned up at the B&B and he informs me
that there has been an overbooking. Great. Just what I want after 20hrs of
travel. He kindly drives me to the new place they have reserved for me….right
in the centre of the old town on the piazza. Perfect.
Mid-afternoon stroll through the Old Town. Very pretty. Snaking lane-ways with cars
and bikes whizzing dangerously around blind corners. Even had the main square
at the Duomo to myself for a moment until old mate on his purple bicycle turned
up for his regular cigarette at 4pm. The south is very quiet in October,
perhaps too quiet.
I
wasn’t heading straight through to Sicily any more (which was loosely the plan).
Thought I had better see some of the “heel”, the “arch” and the “toe” whilst I
was in the area.
It
really is difficult to travel around this end of Italy. Public transport is
often non-existent between towns. A car is most definitely the best option,
particularly if travelling in a small group.
* Trattoria di Nona Setti. Cozy downstairs area by I was thrown upstairs by myself. Was I being punished for being a tourist? No, the place quickly filled up. I was just a little early.
- Eggplant parmigiano with meatballs was very good, just needed to be warmer.
- Salsicciano sausages were tasty morsels
- 1L of water and a quart of house red wine that got better with every sip (first mouthful not so good)
- €18.00
* Il Refugio Buono Stella. Beautifully old interior. Tastefully, if not minimally decorated. First one to arrive. Again, too early. Don’t bother showing up before 8pm. Four or five others tables were later taken. It is quite small. Would be full each night of the week in peak season.
- Mixed fried mezze – not sure what this was going to be. Glad I got the piccolo though. Medium sized basket of eggplant balls (amazing), mini potato croquette and cauliflower thingos. Great drinking snacks. Probably needed a dipping sauce though.
- Tagliatini ai fungi (porcini mushrooms) in an olive oil sauce (maybe a little cream too). Incredibly meaty taste for a vego meal. Incredibly tasty. And beautifully fresh pasta too. Take that Croatia!
- The waitress opened a fresh bottle of Negroama red wine for me so I could have a glass. Even got to taste it before accepting the glass. That’s a first!
- Friendly waitress. She wasn’t busy but was constantly on the ball.
Stopped at Piazza Duomo on the way back. Beautiful spot at night. Take a bottle of red and sit on the stairs on a summer’s night. Alternatively head to the central gathering spot in town, Piazza San Oronzo, where the ruins of a Roman amfiteatro lie in full view along with a mosaic of an oak tree and a wolf (but don’t walk on it).
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| Piazza Duomo |
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| One of the four main gates leading into the Old Town |
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| The amfiteatro in the centre of town |
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| Duomo at night |
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| Me mate who rode his purple beast to the Duomo at 4pm each afternoon to have a cigarette |
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| A wedding whilst I was sitting in the Duomo with my mate |
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