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Laureen

    Europe Travel  --  Food & Drink

    Tasting Sicily – Surprising and Delicious

    Unique Culture & Cuisine

    Location: Sicily, Italy

    Sorprendente! What a surprise Sicily was. I was lucky enough to spend three weeks in Sicily, the island just off the toe of Italy’s boot, during the month of February 2024. It was an interesting time of year to visit – very few tourists and many restaurants closed for the winter. But, as we always do, we found lots to do and spent time Tasting Sicily – Surprising and Delicious.

    Olives – A Staple Food Everyday

    This beautiful island is really something special. I could easily spend several months here and still not get enough of it. You probably know I love to talk about, write about and EAT local cuisines. So today let me explore with you the cuisine and culture of Sicily in the first of a two part series on Sicily. I think I can tempt your taste buds and entice you to visit this delicious island, the largest in the Mediterranean. Here we go!

    Culturally Diverse

    I loved this place, its people and its food. Every local we had the chance to talk with referred to themselves as Sicilian, not Italian. There is a very strong sense of cultural identity here, and the people embrace their unique history. You see it in the agriculture, architecture, art, history and most definitely in the food.

    This beautiful platter of traditional Sicilian foods we enjoyed in Palermo

    History

    From the day we arrived we felt the difference between Sicily and Italy. Sicily felt more like Malta to us than like Italy. It felt a bit like Morocco. It also felt like Cyprus and Greece. Memories of Tunisia came to mind as well as Spain. The language is Italian, but the dialect is different. The people look a little Arabic. It’s a melting pot of thousands of years of the island changing hands.

    Wikipedia says;

    The history of Sicily has been influenced by numerous ethnic groups. It has seen Sicily controlled by powers, including Phoenician and CarthaginianGreekRomanVandal and OstrogothByzantineArabNormanAragoneseSpanishAustriansBritish, but also experiencing important periods of independence, as under the indigenous SicaniansElymiansSicels, the greek-siceliotes.

    We came to Sicily expecting Roman history and Italian food but found so very much more. And thanks to this incredibly diverse cultural history, Sicily is singular in its identity. Although part of Italy today, it remains, Sicily.

    Cefalu port

    Embracing Locally Grown

    Every gastronomic experience we enjoyed was touted as seasonally produced, and locally sourced. Sicily produces an astonishing array of foodstuff. Local cooks and restaurants alike choose the island-grown always…and often just do without if it can’t be sourced from Sicily. Seasonal favorites like cherries or sardines figure heavily in dishes produced at particular times of the year. The locally produced list is long, and I can’t even begin to mention all the ingredients that are grown and originate on the island. But here are just some of the most delicious island produced foods we reaped;

    From the Fields

    Citrus – everywhere we looked, including in our own front yard of our Airbnb, there was citrus weighing down the branches of every tree. Winter is harvest time and the oranges and lemons are colorful, juicy and abundant.

    Lemons in the grove next to our Airbnb in Western Sicily

    Pistachio – first introduced by the Arabs, today Pistachios are considered like “gold” to several local economies, especially the city of Bronte in the province of Catania where much of this lovely nut is cultivated.

    Pistachio is part of both savory and sweet dishes throughout the island

    Artichoke – Also introduced to the island by the Arabs, we enjoyed artichokes in several dishes, which were everywhere freshly harvested in February.

    Artichokes were in season during our late winter visit

    Eggplant – another popular winter vegetable finds it’s way into so many delicious dishes. It’s one of my favorite vegetables, under-utilized back home in the USA but definitely loved in Sicily.

    Delicious Grilled Eggplant with Zuchinni and Peppers

    Capers – the small island of Salina, one of Sicily’s tiny islands, is where most of the delicious capers come from. A perfect briny compliment to so many dishes.

    Wild Fennel – I was intrigued on our hikes and walks the abundance wild fennel growing fast and furious in February. This delicious vegetable shows up in many Sicilian dishes and as a garnish too.

    Wild Fennel

    Almonds – available year around, but the spring pink blooms are a harbinger of the late summer nut.

    Wheat – the Romans brought wheat to the island, and in most homes locally-produced flour similar to semolina is used to make fresh pasta and bread. The bread here is truly amazing. Though dried pasta is available in the grocery store like in the USA, home cooks still make the pasta on Sunday. The Trapani area near where we were staying is famous for the egg less Busiati pasta, a curly long pasta made fresh with local flour, oil and water.

    Fresh ground wheat made into fine flour was what we used to make the busiati

    Couscous – surprising to us, we found couscous a favorite dish available in many restaurants and in grocery stores. The Arabs brought this dish to the island, along with a mix of raisins, pine nuts and spices that have become part of the Sicilian diet.

    Couscous with Fish is a Sicilian Favorite

    From the Sea

    Squid and Octopus – stuffed squid and several octopus dishes enticed us during our visit. There are so many seafood dishes available in restaurants as well as fish mongers sharing the daily catch, you can never go wrong with fresh seafood from the waters that surround Sicily.

    Octopus with Potato is a local favorite

    Tuna – I’ve eaten a lot of fresh tuna in my life but two memorable restaurant dishes with fresh caught tuna in early March were unbelievable.

    Simply prepared fresh tuna was one of the best I have ever eaten at a Cefalu restaurant

    Sardines – early spring is the peak of the sardines, and we ate them multiple times including in the famous Sicilian dish pasta con le sarde.

    Pasta con le Sarde might be Sicily’s most famous dish

    Salt – for centuries the west coast of Sicily has been home to salt harvesting. Similar to many places around the world we have visited, delicious salt from the sea is a staple for Sicily and also an export

    Salt Flats near Marsala

    Say Cheese

    Cheese – there are many locally produced cheeses, my favorite from the island was the abundant and creamy ricotta. But there is more than one ricotta produced on the island, as well as several hard cheeses. You can’t go wrong with any of them. Learn more about Sicilian Cheese here.

    Cannolo made with fresh Sicilian Ricotta. This one was orange flavored.

    And the Best of All…

    Olive Oil – Sicily is dotted with miles and miles of olive trees…many older than most humans. First introduced to the island by the Greeks, families produce their own years-worth supply of olive oil each fall, and larger productions of the ubiquitous liquid goes to market. You can’t cook or eat Sicilian without this golden ingredient.

    Wine – did I save the best for last? Wine of course is part of every meal and the grape varieties were crisp and delicious. The Romans brought the grapes to the island, and today vineyards produce about 160 million gallons of wine each year. Some popular new-to-me varietals included Nero de Avola, Grillo and Cattarratto.

    Grillo was one of our favorite Sicilian variatals

    Tasting Sicily – Surprising and Delicious

    One of the best things we did during our three weeks was enjoy a wonderful cooking class with Liliana at the historic farm known as Baglio Florio. Liliana’s organic farm ingredients from Adamobio helped guide us through the amazing local dishes that take their flavors from the island. During our class all the ingredients we used and ate were locally grown and produced – including the amazing wine. If you are coming to Sicily, cooking with Liliana is an absolute must. In addition to cooking classes you can take wine tours with lunch or have events at the beautiful historic farm. Check out her website and her Instagram page.

    Cooking class at historic Baglio Florio

    Caponata

    One dish that will remind any Sicilian of their childhood is caponata. Served cold or room temperature it is an absolute favorite. Both a summer and winter dish, we ate caponata as part of an aperitivo before we even knew what a local specialty it was. Liliana introduced us to it in our cooking class. Caponata is usually made with eggplant (aubergine) but the recipe can be very flexible to available ingredients. In fact since Liliana only uses ingredients from her farm, on this day we replaced the eggplant with apples. This dish is simple and easily made in advance for perfect entertaining. And absolutely delicious. Try this recipe.

    Caponata, usually made with eggplant, is a favorite for Sicilians

    Stuffed Sun dried Tomatoes

    This delicious appetizer also showed up on aperitivo trays. Sun dried tomatoes are a favorite snack plain as well. Usually dried in the summer and stored, the tomatoes can be soaked in water for a few hours to rehydrate and used multiple ways for a powerful flavor punch. Here we made a filling of bread crumbs, garlic, orange rind, mint, water. The filling was placed between two similarly sized halves of tomato then very quickly fried in olive oil. Served at room temperature, I absolutely loved this.

    Busiate Trapani (Almond Pesto)

    Our visit to Sicily was spent entirely in the western region where this regional dish is a favorite. Trapani is a port town as well as a region, and almonds are a favored local nut. This dish can also be made with pistachios, another Sicilian favorite. Busiate was a new to me pasta, the shape important to the dish. We made the pasta by hand, using a wooden skewer to roll each piece into it’s distinctive shape. The shape holds the pesto sauce perfectly. I will definitely make this locally significant dish again. Try this recipe.

    Handmade Busiate Pasta
    Almond Pesto was delicious and easy too

    Cassatelle

    Sicilian’s love the ricotta and this dessert uses the best of local ingredients. This delicious dessert is a favorite of mine because it is not too sweet. The lovely dough can be prepared easily and the filling is made from the delicious local ricotta, a hint of sugar and usually tiny chocolate chips. We fried these in a mixture of vegetable oil and olive oil. Served at room temperature they were the perfect complement to our meal with Liliana. Try this recipe.

    Ricotta stuffed Casatelle

    So much fun spending these hours at Baglio Florio and we loved all of these delicious and authentic dishes. Liliana kindly invited us to return for dinner or a wine tour but unfortunately we could not make that happen in the days before we left. You must visit Liliana and eat with her when in Sicily. You can’t possibly feel more a part of the local culture than this.

    Thank you Liliana

    Simple and Loved

    Just a couple more dishes I want to mention because these simple peasant foods have continued to be part of the daily staple of Sicilians for generations. You will find these as take and go items just about everywhere you go. Fresh, filling and inexpensive, Sicilians love these daily and delicious lunch fare.

    Pane Cunzato

    This amazing sandwich is a go to for Sicilians. The ingredients usually are cheese, tomato and anchovy but the most important ingredient is the incredible bread. It is made fresh daily and consumed in great quantities. Try this recipe.

    Pane Cunzato

    Arancini

    Another great food of Sicily is Arancini. Available all over Italy and Sicily, I have eaten arancini in many places around the world, but in Sicily I had some of the best. Made Traditionally with tomato and mozzarella, there are many other flavors as well. Often in Sicily the arancini is shaped like a pointy hat, and is a take and go meal. Learn more here.

    Arancini

    Sfincione

    Wow this dish knocked my socks off. A traditional food of Palermo, we had a delicious version from a bakery in Scopello. A cross between pizza and bruschetta, it is, once again, all about the bread. Makes a perfect light lunch or snack. You must try it when in Sicily. Learn more here.

    Sfincione on the right

    Consider Sicily

    Have you considered visiting Sicily? If not you should. There are many, many reasons to visit but the food, culture and people are hands down the best reasons. You will fall in love with all three. As a visitor you will be embraced by the locals who share their love for their island and it’s unique history through food. Go book a ticket today. Sicily is waiting to feed you.

    So delicious

    Next week I’ll share with you some of the special feelings I have about this beautiful island. I can’t sing its praises enough. Come back for more next week. Meanwhile…I’m going to go have a glass of Sicilian wine. Molto bene.

    See last week’s post Adora la Puglia – I love Puglia, Italy’s “Segreta”.

    We love it when you pin, share and comment on our blog posts. Grazie.

    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review The Samurai’s Garden: A Novel by Gail Tsukiyama.

    This beautiful, easy to read novel made me choke up at the end. I highly recommend it. Here is my Book Review The Samurai’s Garden: A Novel by Gail Tsukiyama.

    1930’s Japan & China

    Tsukiyama, who herself is part Chinese and part Japanese, creates a beautiful narrative of 1930’s pre-war China and Japan. We are introduced to a 20-year old young Chinese man, who comes home from university to recover from tuberculosis. His family sends him to their summer home in Japan, to get him out of the city and to help him recover near the sea.

    Stephen misses his family, especially his younger sister, but over the course of year he becomes close to Matsu, the caretaker of the families home. Despite the Chinese boy and the Japanese man’s different upbringings, economic status and cultural differences, the two develop a bond. And Stephen learns about Matsu’s secrets, his loyalty and love.

    Matsu will teach Stephen about devotion, and survival in a world that prizes honor more than life itself. As we learn more about past tragedies in Matsu’s life, Stephen both matures and returns to health.

    But when Japan invades China, and World War is mounting, the two friends will say good bye with hopeful hearts to see one another again.

    Book Review The Samurai’s Garden: A Novel by Gail Tsukiyama

    A short and easy to read novel, with an underlying message of tolerance and love, that goes beyond any Chinese or Japanese story I have read before. *****Five stars for The Samurai’s Garden by Gail Tsukiyama.

    See last week’s book review Still Life by Sarah Winman

    We love it when you pin and share our book reviews. Thank you.

    Europe Travel

    Adoro la Puglia – I love Puglia, Italy’s “Segreta”.

    Puglia, a little secret – at least it was to me. Having traveled to the big five of Italy; Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice and Naples, I kinda thought I had “done” Italy. We were researching Bologna, and then I stumbled upon Puglia. And now Adora la Puglia – I love Puglia, Italy’s “Segreta”.

    Puglia in SE Italy on the Adriatic

    Our five days in the Puglia region was a whirlwind. I thought it would be plenty of time. Re-examining I wish we had ten days, even though we made it work. Interestingly, visiting in February had the advantage of almost no tourists but the disadvantage of many shops and restaurants closed for the month. Evidently this is when many business people take a vacation. It was not a hardship for us, we found plenty to see and do and really loved how quiet and uncrowded it was. We had beautiful weather which we were very grateful for.

    Bellisima

    In the course of our five days we hit nine cities and villages. Most places we just wandered aimlessly through the streets, astonished at the history, architecture and beauty. In a few other places we hired a guide to give us more in depth knowledge. And everywhere we ate the incredible food, and drank the incredible wine.

    Sassi di Matera

    Below is a list of the nine places we visited over our five day visit. For your planning purposes I would recommend you look beyond these nine, as there are other places we did not get to. But for this blog post, this is what we did – Adora la Puglia – I love Puglia, Italy’s “Segreta”.

    A Note – you can do this tour by train, but I really recommend a car. It is a law to have an International Drivers License in Italy so plan ahead. During our visit we used an app called Easy Park to help us find and pay for parking in every city we went to. Italians drive like crazy people. Take it slow and safe and they will go around you.

    Alberobello

    This beautiful little town is what first attracted us to the Puglia region. After seeing a photo of the iconic Trulli architecture of Alberobello we were smitten. We spent our five days in a historic Trulli turned Airbnb, and used Alberobello as our Puglia base. Alberobello is a UNESCO World Heritage village and has grown in popularity for visitors and group tours over the past few years.

    Our historic Airbnb
    Our Airbnb, part of an old farm

    Trulli

    What is a Trulli? In the 17th and 18th century Alberobello was overseen by a feudal lord. In his effort to avoid taxes, he had all the peasants live in the Trulli – a stone house with a conical roof that were built without mortar. The lack of mortar made the structures “temporary” and thus no taxes. At the time, the area was a vast forest (Alberobello means beautiful tree) and the peasants were clearing the trees. Until the late 1700’s Alberobello was not a designated town.

    Beautiful Alberobello
    Spring is in the air
    Alberobello Aia Piccola
    Looking towards Rione Monti

    Aia Piccola

    Today, throughout the region for miles around Alberobello you will see historic Trulli dotting the landscape, including the Airbnb we stayed in. But within the historic center of Alberobello there are two distinct areas of tightly compacted Trulli. We did a private walking tour with a local through both areas. Our guide Guido showed us the smaller Aia Piccola which is still home to many locals. It is a small neighborhood of friendly people. We went inside one home to see how people once lived.

    Rione Monti
    Cats of Alberobello

    Rione Monti

    The larger more touristic area is Rione Monti. This neighborhood is positioned on a hill and provides perfect photo opportunities. This is also where the shops and restaurants are. Many shops are local products including popular wood and ceramic works as well as jewelry and clothing. I purchased a beautiful scarf, a small Trulli shaped olive oil decanter and a charm for my bracelet. On our first day we discovered two delicious local specialties; Orecchiette with turnip tops and Braciole, a delicious slow roasted rolled beef.

    Beef Braciole at the tiny but delicious My Grandmothers Pantry

    Monopoli & Polignano a Mare

    After our morning walking tour of Alberobello and a quick lunch, we headed out towards the coast and the two larger cities; Monopoli and Polignano a Mare.

    Monopoli

    An ancient fortified city, Monopoli was founded in 500 BC by the Greeks. Similar to much of this southern part of Italy, Monopoli passed through the hands of the Romans, Goths, Byzantines and Normans. Today it is a beautiful seaside city with a gorgeous Basilica of the Madonna della Madia, sparkling turquoise water dotted with quaint fishing boats and lots of restaurants and shops for visitors. In the summer it is a popular beach destination.

    Monopoli
    Basillica of the Madonna della Madia
    Monopoli
    So picturesque

    Polignano a Mare

    Another seaside town perched ontop of limestone cliffs with beautiful views of the Adriatic. A rich ancient history beginning in the 4th century, Polignano was likely originally named Neopolis by the Greeks, while some historians say Julius Caesar founded it as a hub along the Via Traiana, one of several ancient Roman roads in the region. Today Polignano a Mare celebrates itself as a modern city popular with tourists all year long. A statue of native son Domenico Modugno, best known for the song Volare, is a popular tourist photo spot.

    Next time I’d love a hotel room with this view
    Domenico Modugno

    Ostuni, Cisterno, Martina Franca and Locorotondo

    On day three we set out early to explore four ancient hilltop villages all within about an hour or less from Alberobello.

    Ostuni

    We actually arrived in Ostuni so early nothing was really open yet. But we parked the car and took a long walk around the “white city” – referred to for it’s white walls and buildings. Ostuni is very popular with visitors and the population explodes in the summer. On the morning we were there we seriously had the place to ourselves. It was wonderful to just wander and peek into the various alleys and stairways. The original settlement here can be dated back to the stone age.

    Hidden treasures in Ostuni
    One of many artful doors in Ostuni
    Ostuni Citadel

    Cisternino

    We really enjoyed the hilltop village of Cisternino, with views across the valley to neighboring Martina Franca. The village was just coming awake on our arrival. We enjoyed an espresso before wandering the streets, taking in the view from the panorama vista and visiting some local cathedrals.

    The original town is said to have been destroyed by the Goths, and it was rebuilt as a monastery by the Basillian Monks in the Middle Ages. Today it’s dense interior gives it a maze feel and offers visitors to enjoy a treasure hunt as they wander.

    Cisternino high on the hill
    A wonderful view

    Martina Franca

    Named for Saint Martin and founded in the 10th century, Martina Franca is famous for its olive oil production and its Baroque architecture. It’s another good place to take a slow stroll within its gated walls, or wander outside the gates where commerce continues and locals sit and watch the world go by.

    One of the Baroque gates of Martina Franca
    The main square in Martina Franca

    Locorotondo

    One of my favorites of this day was our final stop in Locorotondo. Another very small hill top village, with the name meaning “round place”. The village was a unfortified walled city from about 1000 AD, founded by Benedictine monks. Today it is a tourist mecca for its beauty and architecture.

    Locorotondo

    We had a late lunch/early dinner here in Locorotondo, and it was one of the best meals we had anywhere in Italy. We just stumbled into Osteria Il Rosoni, one of the few restaurants that were open. It was a great discovery. We drank the local Verdante wine and ate several local specialties. It was a great way to end day three.

    One of the best meals we had in Italy at xx
    Lamb Shank

    Sassi di Matera

    Day four we headed out from Alberobello about an hour and 15 min drive to Matera. I had seen photos of this place and I knew it had a unique history but was not prepared for how amazing it was. We spent the entire day in this town and if I were to visit again I would spend a night or two in this remarkable UNESCO site.

    Looking across the ravine to Matera
    Astonishing history

    You definitely should start your visit on the Murgia side, across the ravine, to get a good look back at this astonishing cave city. What you are looking at is a prehistoric troglodyte village, thought to be among the first human settlements of what is today Italy. The oldest Neolithic pottery found dates to 7500 BC. It is truly one of the oldest inhabited settlements in the world.

    Today’s city is built on top of the original caves, but many cave dwellings still exist and are occupied in their updated form. In the 1950’s it was considered the “shame of Italy” because the inhabitants were so poor. The government relocated them to a new area. But eventually in the 1990’s the potential for tourism and commerce started to be noticed, and today it is really one of the most remarkable places in the world. Read the Smithsonian story about it here.

    Ancient but living
    A fascinating way of life
    Such a great day

    We enjoyed a really delicious meal in Sassi di Matera at Il Terazzino within a cave. Great food and service too. It was a favorite day and I am so glad we visited this remarkable place.

    Eating in a cave
    Melon and Prosciutto so delicious

    Lecce

    Our time in Pugla flew by, and on our last day we were tired, but decided to make the hour and half drive south to Lecce. We figured it was unlikely we would ever return to this area, so we didn’t want to waste a day. The drive was on a good freeway much of the way and we arrived with plenty of time to find parking and then search out the tour we had booked ahead.

    Symbol of Lecce
    Roman Coliseum

    Lecce has a fascinating history. Most of the architecture is Baroque dating back to the 12th and 13th century. But legend dates the original city to the 5th BC. Below the current town only recently (early 1920’s) was discovered an entire coliseum, and nearby an entire Roman theatre. Both areas are still to be full excavated but will eventually be opened to tourists.

    Roman Theatre

    Lecce has several stunning cathedrals, including the recently restored Basilica de Santa Croce. You should also visit the city’s Bell Tower, popular with tourists and you can climb to the top. The walls of the original city, dating back 2000 years, can still be seen in several places around what is often referred to as the “Florence of the South”.

    Lecce hidden gems
    Lecce

    Back to Alberobello

    We made the drive back to Alberobello, where we wanted to enjoy this little gem after dark on our final night. We had an outstanding dinnner at 100Metricubi, a unique menu of local octopus, bean mash (a local favorite) and of course, wine.

    Alberobello at night
    Beautiful scene Alberobello
    Our final meal was amazing
    Primativa our favorite

    I do not take lightly how astonishing my travel life is. It can be exhausting and sometimes it’s a lot of work for the planning and execution. However, the result is a treasure chest of memories of people, places and experiences that have forever changed me, taught me, inspired me and made me a better steward of the earth. Thank you Puglia, you were something special. Adora la Puglia – I love Puglia, Italy’s “Segreta”.

    Ciao Bella, Puglia

    Thank you for reading my post Adora la Puglia – I love Puglia, Italy’s “Segreta”. I hope you will consider adding Puglia to your travel bucket list.

    See last week’s post San Marino Hiding in Plain Sight.

    See this week’s book review Still Life by Sarah Winman here.

    We love it when you pin, share and comment on our blog posts. Grazie!

    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review Still Life by Sarah Winman

    I loved this book. One of the best novels I’ve read in months. Unforgettable characters and a story of love, family, poetry, art and war. Here is my book review Still Life by Sarah Winman.

    War

    At first I thought this was going to be a WWII story. And though we start in Italy in 1944, when we meet Ulysses and Evelyn, at it’s heart it really isn’t about the war. The war will certainly follow the characters through the story and through the next thirty years, but the real story is about love.

    Love

    I’m not talking a romance novel here. Oh no. The love in this book is about so much more than physical attraction, although there is a lot of that too. The love that comes out of a chance meeting in Italy at the end of the war will surround this novel and it’s fascinating collection of character. Winman expertly guides the reader through all ranges of the emotion from the love of a man and women, the love of a women and women, the love that comes from friends who are closer than family. The decades long epic novel explores the love of art, food, poetry, as well as authors, artists even a parrot.

    Confused? Don’t be. Open your heart to this book, it’s beautiful story, it’s well developed characters and it’s underlying sizzling theme.

    Saga

    Winman takes the reader from 1940’s Tuscany to London and back in this sweeping thirty year portrait of people you will fall in love with, as they fall in love with each other, life and country. It’s a deeply respectful epic of generations thrown together and clinging for dear life. And one parrot.

    Book Review Still Life by Sarah Winman

    *****Five stars for a perfect book that will make you laugh and cry and fill you with wonder. Thanks for reading my book review Still Life by Sarah Winman. See last week’s book review Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride.

    We love it when you pin and share our book reviews. Thank you so much.

    Europe Travel

    San Marino – Hiding in Plain Sight

    Europe’s Hidden Jewel

    Location: San Marino

    The tiny Republic of San Marino, only 23 square miles, is hiding in plain sight. Sitting on top of Mount Titano, the country’s capital is the City of San Marino. The city/state of San Marino is landlocked and completely surrounded by Italy. From the mountain top every which way you look you see Italy…the Adriatic to the East and Umbria to the West and South. And here sits San Marino – Hiding in Plain Sight.

    San Marino

    Take it Slow

    Most visitors to San Marino come on a day trip from Florence or Bologna or even off a cruise ship. But I think you should stay the night. In fact, why not stay two? That’s what we did and we found a beautiful, quiet and relaxing city in the evening and morning hours before the visitors arrived. Granted, we were there in February, and there are not a lot of visitors in the winter. I’ve seen the photos of the summer crowds though…I recommend visiting off season.

    Puerto in the historic city
    View from Hotel Rosa

    Where to Stay

    We loved staying at Hotel Rosa, perched at the very top of the mountain. Because it was low season, it was easy to drive all the way up, where Hotel Rosa has private parking for their guests. Driving into the city during peak season can be a nightmare. Another reason to visit off season.

    Hotel Rosa is a small and comfortable boutique style hotel with wonderful views and friendly English speaking staff. A delicious breakfast is included each morning with excellent Italian espresso. A great way to start the day.

    View from our room
    Sunrise coffee and a room with a view
    Tiny but comfortable
    A very nice breakfast

    Two Days in San Marino

    We arrived mid afternoon and after checking in to Hotel Rosa we headed straight out to see the sights. Although cold, it was dry and sunny and we wanted to take advantage of the good weather and beautiful afternoon light. We spent the next several hours exploring the three tower areas, a UNESCO Heritage Site. At the first tower we purchased the Pass Ridotto ticket. For just 8 Euro each this ticket gave us access to the towers, the tower museum and three additional museums in the city. On this first day we spent as much time as we needed climbing all over the beautiful towers, admiring the 360 degree views and taking so many photos. San Marino is like something out of a children’s fairytale book. I kept expecting Rapunzel or Cinderella to join our self guided tour.

    Climbing up to the first tower
    Looking from tower two over to tower three
    You can see for miles
    Arne enjoying tower two
    Note to self – there are lots of stairs

    After much tower climbing and astonished exclamations, we headed back to our hotel to refresh. After the sunset we walked through the quiet streets, admired the well-lit Piazza della Liberta, and then settled in for a beautiful dinner with a view at La Terrazza, one of San Marino’s highest rated restaurants. We enjoyed a nice spread of prosciutto and cheese, we each had pasta and I had fish while Arne had a wonderfully prepared veal. It had been a lovely day.

    La Terazza meat and cheese
    Gnocchi was delicious
    Dinner at La Terazza
    Piazza della Liberta houses the Government building and the statue of Liberty

    Day Two

    As I usually do, I awoke very early, and watched the sunrise from our window, coffee in hand, over the medieval city. What a site it was. Eventually we headed down to breakfast and then out to see what else this tiny town had to say. We visited three museums; Coin and Stamp Museum, Pinacoteca San Francisco and the State Museum of San Marino. The town has a funny collection of macabre museums we were not interested in; one about vampires, another about monsters and curiosities and a wax museum too. Not my thing.

    Cobbled streets and paths
    Hidden treasures
    Coin and Stamp Museum
    San Francisco

    We did a little shopping, picking up some leather gloves for myself and some gifts. San Marino is a duty free zone, and prices were really good. But, no room in the suitcase so the gloves were all we got. After a bit more wandering we settled into an early dinner at Ristorante Bolognese. Here we also enjoyed a beautiful view of the late afternoon sun while munching on delicious tiny vongole (clams), ravioli and gnocchi.

    Tiny Vongole sweet and delicious
    Enjoying lunch
    Excellent ravioli

    San Marino – Hiding in Plain Sight

    We really enjoyed our visit to this tiny country. San Marino is the 5th smallest country in the world. It is the third smallest country in Europe behind Monaco and the Vatican Holy See. It has a long and interesting history dating back to the original monastic community in 301 AD. When Italy was unifying in the mid 1800’s San Marino became a haven for those who objected to unification. And through that, San Marino was able to hold it’s independency. Today it is one of the oldest constitutional republics in the world.

    San Marino – Hiding in Plain Sight

    All of that and only 23 square miles. You should come and see this little gem, San Marino – Hiding in Plain Sight.

    Thanks for reading my post San Marino – Hiding in Plain Sight. See last week’s post Two Days in Bologna Italy. Be sure to come back next week for more of our Italian adventures as we explore Puglia.

    We love it when you pin and share our blog posts. Grazie.

    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

    I have only read one other book by James McBride, that was Deacon King Kong back in 2021. I liked that one. His new book The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store has garnered all kinds of praise. So I had to see what it was all about. Here is my Book Review The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride.

    Pay Attention

    McBride is a master of weaving a tale, and so you gotta be on your toes with this novel. In this book you will meet a wildly varied group of characters, each brilliantly developed and lushly described by McBride. We find ourselves on Chicken Hill, a run down neighborhoods of Pottstown Pennsylvania where African Americans and immigrant Jews live and work side by side.

    Margins

    The folks of Chicken Hill manage to get by despite living on the margins of the wider white community who control everything from the water system to the police. Blacks and Jews work the system as best they can, but without each other it doesn’t come together for the people of Chicken Hill.

    Our Story

    Our story focuses on Moshe an immigrant Jew and his beautiful wife Chona an American born Jew. There lives are entwined with Nate, a black worker at Moshe’s theater and Nate’s wife Addie who helps Chona at the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store. Nate and Addie’s 12 year old nephew Dodo, who is deaf, finds out the “State” is trying to put him in an institution. Trouble ensues as the entire community comes together to silently and conspiratorially help Dodo.

    Meanwhile the white elite of the town, including lecherous Doc Roberts and a local City Council man are creating additional problems for the people of Chicken Hill. This is when the bonds of friendship, love and community will come together. Not everyone will survive, but no one will ever be forgotten in the tight knit community of Chicken Hill, home of the Heaven and Earth Grocery Store.

    Thank you for reading my Book Review The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

    *****Five Stars for The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride. See last week’s book review After You’d Gone by Maggie O’Farrell.

    Thanks for sharing our book reviews.

    Europe Travel  --  Food & Drink

    Two Days in Bologna Italy

    Enjoy a Brief Visit to this Amazing City

    Location: Bologna Italy

    Two days isn’t really enough. But that is what we had so we made it work. We actually had a little more than two days, but we arrived in Bologna after a 32 hour travel day that started in Koh Chang Thailand. So by the time we got to our hotel, we were exhausted. But the next morning we hit the ground running, to see and do as much as we could with our remaining time – Two Days in Bologna Italy.

    Beautiful Bologna

    Three or Four Would Be Better

    I wished we had three or four days, mostly so we could just wander. This beautiful and ancient city was a treasure of antiquities dating back thousands of years. In addition it’s a fabulous foodie city. And don’t forget about the shopping. In and around the ancient history, it has a hip and young vibe, and although we were there in the winter, it was alive with visitors and locals out enjoying the city, it’s food and it’s rustic beauty.

    Lots of Italian Caffe gave us energy for Two Days in Bologna Italy

    A Brief History (thank you Wikipedia)

    Originally Etruscan, the city has been an important urban center for centuries, first under the Etruscans (who called it Felsina), then under the Celts as Bona, later under the Romans (Bonōnia), then again in the Middle Ages, as a free municipality and later signoria, when it was among the largest European cities by population. Famous for its towers, churches and lengthy porticoes, Bologna has a well-preserved historical center, thanks to a careful restoration and conservation policy which began at the end of the 1970s.

    Every turn something old and beautiful

    Where We Stayed

    I loved our little Bed and Breakfast in the Santo Stefano Piazza. A perfect location to walk to all the historic sites and restaurants. The piazza itself is home to a lovely church, several restaurants and weekly vintage market. Our Bed and Breakfast called Casa Isolani was on the top attic floor of an ancient Palazzo, still owned by the original family. A new addition of an elevator takes you up three floors, but then you need to walk up two additional flights. Breakfast is included but down the street at a very popular Pasticceria Santo Stefano where every morning we enjoyed fabulous Italian coffee, juice and brioche.

    Santo Stefano Basilica
    View of Bologna from our room
    Ancient Palazzo staircase in our hotel
    Ancient beams in our room

    How to See the City in Two Days

    After breakfast we spent our first day exploring on foot using GPS My City – one of our favorite apps for getting around a new place. GPS My City/Bologna is an easy to follow guide to 13 of the most significant sites within Bologna’s historic center. We spent several hours enjoying the sites using GPS My City. We missed a couple, but here are our favorites we did on day one;

    GPS My City Bologna

    Piazza Maggiore – Bologna’s main square, a gathering place for centuries, is home to multiple landmarks. Don’t miss the astonishing Basilica of San Petronio, the Notary Palace, the Clock Tower, the Accursio Palace/Salaborsa Library, and the Bianchi Palace. Music and festivals happen here throughout the year and the piazza is home to many shops and restaurants. It is the place to see and be seen.

    Neptune Fountain – a major landmark of the Piazza Maggiore is the Neptune Fountain. The bronze statue of Neptune was completed in 1566 to commemorate the election of Pope Pius IV. Most local walking tours meet and start at the foot of the Neptune Fountain.

    Basilica of San Petronio
    Neptune Fountain

    Churches

    Basilica of San Petronio – This church which dominates the Piazza Maggiore was begun in 1390 but the exterior was never completed. But be sure to go inside – the soaring vaulted ceilings are amazing.

    Saint Peter Cathedral – a church has stood on this site since 1028. The current church was built in 1184 with additions and changes made to the Baroque church multiple times through the centuries.

    Basillica of San Petronio
    Cathedral of Saint Peter

    The Towers

    Asinelle and Garisendo Towers – Via Rizzoli (Rizzoli Street) is a major thoroughfare that links Piazzo Maggiore to the Two Towers; Asinelle and Garisendo. These ancient leaning structures are named after the families who built them. In the photo below, there is an artists rendition of what Bologna may have looked like in ancient times when an estimated 180 towers existed. Both for defensive purposes but also for rich families to show off – each trying to build their tower taller than their neighbor. Only a handful of towers remain, with the Asinelle and it’s shorter neighbor the Garisendo the most famous.

    The Asinelle Tower is 97 meters and is the tallest leaning tower in Italy with a 1.3 degree slope. The Garisendo Tower is currently 48 meters. Originally 60 meters, it was lowered in the 14th century when it’s slope became dangerous.

    Unfortunately neither tower are open to the public. Asinelle was closed recently and the ground around the towers is currently being stabilized in hopes of saving both towers. It is unknown if the public will be able to access the towers (Asinelle has 496 wooden steps to the top) in the future.

    Artist depiction of medieval Bologna towers
    The towers today undergoing structural work

    On day one we also did a little shopping, had a manicure and got my hair cut! It was a busy day.

    Delicious Bologna Specialties

    Mortadella

    Mortadella Bologna is one of this regions most well known specialties. And if you, like me, grew up on American style Boloney sandwiches you need to be re-educated. Mortadella Bologna is a delicious, soft and sweet ground pork style cured meat. The name derives from the ancient use of a mortar and pestle to grind the ingredients. This is not American bologna. It’s ubiquitous around the city and easy to find good quality delicious mortadella sandwiches, charcuterie, pizza and more. A must when in Bologna.

    Amazing mortadella
    Open wide, so delicious

    Cheese

    Parmagiano Reggiano – Italian Parmigiano Reggiano can only be produced from the milk of cows that feed in a strictly defined area between the cities of Parma, Reggio, Modena, Bologna, and Mantova. The first record of Parmigiano-Reggiano making is from 1254. Throughout Bologna you will find delicious parmigiana. We stopped for wine and cheese at Simoni, a famous producer and distributor in Bologna. I really wanted to take an entire wheel home with me.

    Bolognese

    Bolognese – well you can’t visit Bologna without eating Bolognese. One of my favorite things to eat when I am in Italy, but I rarely order it in the USA. There is just something about the way the Italians make this rich and delicious meat sauce, served at La Trattoria Del Tempo Buono over homemade tagliatelle

    Wine and Parmigiana at Simoni
    Bolognese at La Trattoria

    Day Two

    Despite some rain in the morning, we set out on day two to climb to the Sanctuary of San Luca . The climb is the amazing part of this destination, although the cathedral at the top is also beautiful. However, from our hotel in Santo Stefano Piazzo we walked the four miles to San Luca with 95% of the walk being undercover in Bologna’s famous porticoes. Bologna’s Tourist Website says;

    Wikipedia

    The Sanctuary of San Luca, located on Colle della Guardia, has been the symbol of Bologna as well as a place of religious worship for centuries. It is connected to the city centre by a road that, starting from Porta Saragozza, unwinds for four kilometers with a portico that boasts over 600 archways and is the longest in the world. Together with the other city porticoes, it was included in UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 2021.

    Sanctuary San Luca (Canva)

    The portico started being built in 1674 and, during Ascension week, a procession has been walking along it carrying the Byzantine Madonna with Child to the Cathedral since 1433. The Sanctuary church was, however, built later in the 18th century to replace a previous 15th-century construction. 

    The sanctuary offers marvelous views over the surrounding landscape. In addition, the panoramic terrace opened in 2017 at a height of 42 metres above Colle della Guardia (300 m asl), enables visitors to admire a unique 180° view of Bologna from the hills to the centre stretching out as far as Casalecchio di Reno.”

    Portico
    The View

    Portico Climb

    It was a fascinating way to see this ancient part of the city, all under cover so perfect no matter what the weather. It’s a workout too. We were doing the climb on a Saturday, and lots of locals use this climb for their weekend run, hike and even cycle. The view from the top was bellisima!

    Sanctuary San Luca

    Returning back down to the city we visited the Mercato di Mezzo, a lovely market with gorgeous fresh fruit, vegetables, cheese, fish, meat and fresh pasta. We worked up an appetite for our next excursion, a food tour.

    Mercato produce
    Cheese!

    Food Tour

    We spent the evening with Tours and the City a local company providing walking food tours in Bologna and elsewhere in Italy. Our guide was great and she helped us learn more about the wonderful foods of this region of Italy. We tried new-to-us things like Tigelle and Lambrusco and had lots mortadella, prosciutto, parmigiana, pasta and gelato too. I definitely recommend doing a food tour to get a wide understanding of the delicious and varied foods of this region.

    Tigelle
    Tortellini
    Prosciutto
    Lambrusco

    Final Night

    Yep – we did all of that in two days. It really was too brief, but if you only have Two Days in Bologna Italy, you can enjoy it. I highly recommend the food tour, and the GPS My City tour. Don’t miss the porticoes and San Luca, and eat everything you can!

    Portico in Santo Stefano Piazza

    Two Days in Bologna Italy

    I have traveled a lot in Italy over the past forty plus years, but had never made it to Bologna. In fact only recently has Bologna gotten on my radar. It’s the lesser known city with most tourists hitting Florence, Rome, Venice and Milan. I’ve been to all of those and I have to say Bologna has just as much to offer with incredible history and delicious food and an ancient beauty all it’s own. It’s time to get Bologna on your travel radar. Next time I will definitely stay longer.

    Thank you for reading my post Two Days in Bologna Italy. See last week’s post Sometimes We Enjoy a Travel Perk or Two here. Be sure to keep following for more about our Italy adventures – coming up next week our visit to San Marino.

    This week’s book review After You’d Gone by Maggie O’Farrell