Zurers in Italy 2008
Italy Itinerary 10/13/08 - 11/13/08
We are off again....we leave for a month in Italy. I plan to be writing my trip reports and--internet willing--be sending daily e-mails.
Map of Itinerary
You can download a pdf map or our trip here
Day 1: Nettuno
We arrive in Rome about an hour late…but the sun is shining and the temperature is in the mid-70s. The flight over was reasonably okay…I slept over the Atlantic and Diana slept from London to Rome.
Day 2: Nettuno
We manage to sleep until after 8 am….this hopefully will take care of any latent jet lag. The weather is warm but overcast and a bit misty–it is hard to see the water past the boat harbor.
Day 3: Nettuno-Benevento
The weather is sunny, warm and a bit misty as we check out of the hotel. Before heading to Molise, we drive back to Anzio to visit the British war cemetery and the Museo di Sbarco.
Day 4: Benevento
The morning starts out overcast and cool as we leave the hotel and get in the car for a driving tour of Benevento.
Day 5: Benevento
The sun is out and it is quite warm as we set out for the center of Benevento in the car.
Day 6: Benevento-Trani
This morning we pack up and check out for our drive to Trani in Puglia.
Day 7: Trani
The weather is overcast this morning…lots of clouds over the water that we see from our window.
Day 8: Trani
The early morning overcast disappears by the time we set out for Bari….the weather for our first week has been wonderful–warm and sunny during the day, cool and pleasant at night.
Day 9: Trani-Matera
Another beautiful day…..we are able to eat breakfast outside in front of the hotel, the pleasure reduced somewhat by the noise from the street construction that is going on in front of the hotel. We pack the car and set off for Matera, which is less than a two hour drive.
Day 10: Matera
We climb up to the town, go to the garage to collect our car and set out for Aliano on our Carlo Levi pilgrimage.
Day 11: Matera
A bright sunny day as we climb to the center for our day of exploring Matera.
Day 12: Matera-San Benedetto del Tronto
This morning we pack up and leave Matera….we have enjoyed our stay here very much.
Day 13: San Benedetto del Tronto
It’s a beautiful sunny day as we have our breakfast on the veranda of La Torretta Bianca.
Days 14, 15, 16, 17: Oct. 27, 28, 29, 30: Four Days in Rome
Since we spent a lot of time during our four days in Rome socializing with friends, I will take the liberty of combining four days into one report, which also has the advantage of helping me catch up.
P.S. From Diana
P.S. from Diana -- Monday, November 10, 2008
Day 18: Rome-Chiocchio (Chianti)
Time to leave Rome….our last breakfast in the apartment where we enjoy more treats from the great bakery–Roscioli– just down the street. The warm "pizza bianca", fresh cornetti and terrific tiny rolls are all fantastic.
Day 19: Chiocchio (Chianti)
The weather looks mixed as we set off after breakfast for a drive around the Casentino area of Tuscany.
Day 20: Chiocchio (Chianti)-Florence
Before heading to Florence, we decide to take advantage of the sunny day and backtrack a bit to the Sunday market in Panzano.
Day 21: Florence
First thing this morning, I meet Mariangela downstairs and she guides me to the big parking garage called the Parterre just beyond the Piazza di Liberta’, about a 20 minute walk from the apartment.
Day 22: Florence
The rain is falling heavily as we leave Florence for Poggio a Caiano to pick up our friend Maddie and her aunt (who is visiting from Chicago) for a visit to Pietrasanta to make an inspection trip of a hotel there.