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Published: October 19th 2013
puglia & Calabria - 2013
Puglia and Calabria - Sept-Oct 2013Italy's Puglia and Calabria Regions in the deep south.
September 23 - October 17, 2013
This is our 6th visit to the region of Puglia in the last 10 years or so. Some of our previous trips are also on this blog. Our trips to Puglia always include one or more regions (Calabria, Abruzzo or/and Basilicata) In 2013 it was Puglia and Calabria.
September 23, Monday
We decided to travel to Toronto a day early(we live 200 km north) and stay at the Best Western on Eglington Avenue (first time.) We were surprisingly upgraded to a large suite with a jacuzzi. NICE! Joe's Best: the hotel suite
Carol's Best: same
September 24, Tuesday
We left for the airport at 1pm and our Alitalia flight left Toronto at 4:45 in the afternoon.
We arrived at Rome's Fiumincino Airport at 7:10am. Stewardess had told us that we
would likely miss our connection and to check in with TRANSITI. The very long walk to the connecting flight plus going through security control again with hundreds of people takes more than an hour. We were able to get a 10:40 flight to Bari and thankfully our lugguage also arrived with us! We have landed in Pescara and Brindisi on the Adriatic but this was our first time in Bari
We had a Fiat Punto reserved but Avis gave us FIAT diesel QUBO which looks like a big RED BOX and I guess it is an upgrade! Every year that we have rented/leased a vehicle in Europe there has been something unique about it. This year it took me some to realize that I was not stalling the car. If you stop and release the clutch, the engine turns off! When you push the clutch in again, it starts!! Even with GPS we could not get out of Bari so as has happened so often in the past, we asked a guy on a motorbike for directions and he said, “follow me” and led us to the expressway. I had picked out 3 possible b&bs near
Polignano a Mare and for the first time in my life actually booked a room in advance! We arrived at a 5 point rural intersection, saw the b&b sign and drove in. There was no one around except a girl in the kitchen. She did not know about our reservation but called someone and was able to show us some rooms. As soon as we unpacked I went looking for the swimming pool. To my surprise I could not find it, and another worker told me there wasn’t one! This came as a real surprise because I was positive that our b&b had a pool and a fridge and we had neither.
Three hours later I went for a walk about 300 metres to the crossroads and discovered my BIG mistake. We had turned in to the road for Agriturismo Crocifisio (one of my three choices) while behind me was another road with a very small sign pointing to Masseria dei Fornici (my reservation!!) The Agriturismo Crocifisio did not have any signs on the property so I just assumed that we were at dei Fornici. We drove the 800 metres to dei Fornici and explained adriatic
Beach at Torre dell Orso what had happened. They told us to stay where we were and they would honor our reservation for the following night. While here I found and picked almonds, apples, limes, pommogranates and grapes. I was able do this at most of our b&bs! One of my main reasons for coming to Italy is the frest fruit!
We had dinner at Crocifisio. The owner/chef reeled off what was available so we did not get a menu. We had an antipasto, a pasta dish, a ½ bottle of wine and water. The next morning our bill for this came to 50 Euros or over CDN$75.000. We were not told that it was a “fixed menu” at 25Euros per person. We felt cheated but decided not to make a fuss about it. Joe's Best: Getting the Fiat Qubo diesel van
Carol's Best: Our lugguage arriving in Bari same time that we did!
September 25 Wednesday
Breakfast was the typical sweets, yogurt and coffee. We arrived early at Masseria Casale dei Fornici - www.casadeifornici.it . We had a second floor room overlooking the pool, a balcony and a fridge in the room, and wifi.
We used our GPS’s POIs (points of interest) to locate a grocery store in Polignao a Mare 6 km away outside of Monopoli. We stocked up on staples such as beer, wine, water, veggies, fruit and cheese. We spent the afternoon around and in the pool. At 5:30 we went for a long walk along the back roads. The fields were full of gnarled olive trees that were hundreds and maybe a thousand years old and still producing. Since dining room was not open, we ate a salad in our room
Joe's Best: Arriving at this beautiful agriturismo b&b
Carol's Best: same
September 26, Thursday
Once again a typically uninspiring breakfast. Later in the morning we went for a 5 km walk. Lots of olive trees but also lots of irrigation and vegetable farming. We thought we could see parsley, fennel, lettuce, arugula and other crops. Found more fruit to pick including apricots and figs – fresh off the trees. This was a typical day in Puglia of blue skies and temperatures in the mid 20’s,
Spent afternoon by the pool and had dinner here. This time we had a menu and were able to select! Joe's Best: Morning walk
Carol's Best: our walks so far September 27 Friday
We headed inland through Castellana hoping to take the scenic route but got lost in Castella and ended up driving back out and taking the Adriatic Coastal Highway which is faster, but we have been on it at least 3 times before. Our destination was only 60 km away. When we arrived in Cisternino (which we know well) we continued to follow the directions of our GPS instead of taking the route we knew. For some reason it took us off the main road and on to very, very narrow back roads. Because I did not have the exact address of our b&b (I knew how to get there from Cisternino) our GPS was taking us within a few hundred metres but darn if we could find it. Finally we found some people and sure enough we were only about 200 metres away. Our destination was Antica Aia b&b. This was our third visit and over the previous visits we have become very good friends with Franco and Elvira and their kids Andrea and Martina. Our accommodations are in a
Trulli (cone shaped stone houses) We were given the same room as last time, but this time there was a bed in each room. Last year they had just built but not filled a brand new pool. This year it was full and ready for our use. We spent the afternoon by it. Before dinner we went for a circle tour walk into the village of Casalini, which by now, we know almost as well as our own town.
Joe's Best: Arriving at Antica Aia again
Carol's Best: The pool
September 28 Saturday
This morning Elvira prepared a royal breakfast. There was too much in it to mention it all but this time it also included an omelette and various of my favorite fresh fruits. After breakfast Franco picked a huge basket of persimmon and figs for me from his trees. We had brought a number of English books for Andrea and Martina and I spent some time going over them and listening to Andrea read. He is in grade 6 and Martina has just started school.
Instead of touring, which we have done in the past, we decided to spend the day by the pool (we would do this a lot on this trip!) We went for another long walk and then for dinner returned to
La Locanda di Ristoro - www.lalocandadelristoro.com in Casalini. We have eaten here 3 or 4 other times. The appetizer alone consists of a complete meal and we have never been able to finish it. This time we ordered the antipasto for 2 and got 11 separate dishes and ate about ½ of it. NOTE to ourselves for next time: Order only ONE antipasto and share it!!!
Joe's Best: breakfast and the pool Carol's Best: breakfast, the pool and the fresh figs
September 29 Sunday
Another incredible breakfast. Another gorgeous day meant another pool day. Franco brought me more handfuls of persimmon, a huge pomegranate and rare fruit that was a cross between apple and pear. He also showed us how he had grafted prune and apricot branches to an almond tree 10 months ago and expects fruit by next spring!
Went for another 5 km walk along the backroads behind Antica Aia. For supper we went to
La terraza del Quadrifoglio . On our first visit to this part of Puglia many years ago, we stayed at this hotel and we return every year for at least a meal. We each ordered a pizza. We heard from Franco that the hotel is having difficulty and that it is converting to a seniors home.
Joe's Best: all of the fresh fruit we keep getting Carol's Best: same
September 30, Monday
The weather was not great today. Windy, overcast with some drizzle so we went in to the market in the nearby town of Cisternino (about 3 km away) Having been to this market before it was easier finding our way around. We bought some clothing for family and a gelato and coffee as well as take out food for lunch back at our b&b. This was not a pool day so we stayed around the trulli and got ready for our departure tomorrow. I asked Franco for a few millilitres of olive oil and instead he gave us a container plus a 1 ½ litre bottle to bring home. This is oil from their trees.
Carol was not feeling well, so I went for another 5 km walk alone. Tonight we were eating in when Elvira knocked on our door and presented us with a bowl full of what Carol says is similar to hush puppies in USA. I used my cell phone and an app to connect via wifi with my sister back home.
Joe's Best: Nothing except a neat Italian t-shirt I bought at the market
Carol's Best: the market October 1, Tuesday
After breakfast we took photos and then headed for the coast via Ostuni and Brindisi (another familiar route) I had hoped to try out a new Masseria (ancient fortified farm) near Melendugno in the suburb of Borgagne. We got lost in Melendugno asked for help and sure enough people used their phone to call the Masseria and get directions for us. The Masseria Baronali is another gem. It is located 1 km outside the village of Borgagne, It has a HUGE pool and hectares of lawn grass and olive trees.
We have stayed in Cursi, Calimera and Torre dell Orso all within a 10-20 minute drive from here. Spent a bit of time by the pool and then I walked in to Borgagne by myself. There are roads that go off everywhere and not one sign. So naturally on the way back I missed a turn and had walked about 1 km, the wrong way and also feeling that perhaps it was not the right way. There is nothing but olive orchards and sometimes you might see a gated home in the distance. I got lucky and came across a family having a picnic who told me I was indeed way off and they offered to drive me back! How nice! Carol has picked up a sore throat and cold. We decided to eat at the Masseria tonight. They offered a half board option but we decided to go a la carte and share. It was more than enough.
Joe's Best: Discovering Masseria Baronali
Carol's Best: same October 2, Wednesday
Good breakfast at the Masseria with meat, cheese,fruit, yogurt and all the coffee we wanted at a self serve buffet. After breakfast we drove into Borgagne where I found a barber. He was young, very friendly and used mostly scissors and even a straight razor to shave. His father had also been a barber. At the end he offered us a coffee. His name is Gaetano and he is very active in local soccer associations. On his wall he had photos of himself with some of my favorite players from AC Milan. He also has Ferrari photos as a mechanic for the team comes from this village! From Borgagne we drove 7 km to the beach at Torre dell Orso. This has become our favorite go to beach in Puglia and is written up in detail in every other blog. Our friend Gino the fruit and vegetable vendor is still alive and well, but has been reduced to selling just from his truck. We met him our first year when he used his cell phone to help us get our b&b and we visit with him every time.
We bought a drinks and a bit of lunch before hitting the beach. The Adriatic Sea was very warm and perfect for swimming. Spent time by the large pool at the Masseria and then went for a long walk and did not get lost! Another good supper at the Masseria where we made friends with a Polish and a German couple. Of course they spoke English!
Joe's Best: haircut by Gaetano and return to Torre dell Orso
Carol's Best: return to Torre dell Orso and seeing Gino October 3, Thursday
Carol is still suffering from cold so she stayed inside all day. After breakfast I used one of the bicycles at the Masseria to bike into Borgagne and explore the side streets. It is a very pretty town with a beautiful town square. This town is actually laid out in a partial grid so it is easy to find your way. Stopped in to see Gaetano again and got one of his business cards.
More pool time and then another bike ride on the back roads.
<strong style="font-size:
1.4rem;">After dinner we closed down the place as we chatted on and on with our German and Polish friends.
Joe's Best: having access to a bicycle
Carol's Best: talking to our new friends
October 4, Friday
A
fter breakfast we had long goodbyes with owner and friends. We headed towards the coast and then south for 10 km to our other favorite beach at Alimini just outside of Otranto. This is our third visit to this long wide beach with huge sand dunes and at least 3 km in one direction from where we park. It was the perfect day: Cloudless, about 22’C, warm water, warm sand and only a few people spread out on the beach. In the distance you can watch ocean freighters moving north and south. For lunch we stopped off in Otranto, another very scenic town on the Adriatic. We found a pizzeria with tables located within splashing distance of the waves. We worked our way south through some familiar and some not familiar areas as we headed for the village of Felline near Ugento. We are returning to B&B Dolce Felline -www.dolcefelline.com, and our friend Olga Pantovic, that we met last time and have kept in touch ever since. Olga is a Serbian/Italian who speaks near perfect English. This was a nice change for Carol to be able to to converse with someone else beside me!! We were excited to return to
Antico Monastero - www.anticomonastero.com for dinner since we had raved about it last time. This time we were disappointed. The meals cost more and neither one of us was able to finish the house and fish antipastos. They did not compare to last year’s meal.
Joe's Best: The time at Alimini and returning to Dolce Felline B&B Carol's Best: same October 5, Saturday
After breakfast we headed south to the Ionian coast. Going back and forth we have likely traversed this part of the coast about 8 times. We headed for the beach at Marina di Pescoulose where we have spent time before. Had lunch at a beach restaurant (Lido Venere.) At this time of year it is almost impossible to find any dining areas open. Fortunately it was a weekend and the weather was good so a few had decided to open.
For supper we tried a new place in Felline called Posto divino (right beside Antico Monastero), Fabiano Viva the owner spoke a bit of English. We had a great meal of pasta, pizza, wine and water for 21 Euros.
Joe best – dinner Carols best – dinner and talks with olga S
unday Oct 6 It rained overnight and it was continuing to drizzle. After breakfast we took the express route (instead of the sea route) to Santa Maria di Leuca the village at the tip of the heel where the Adriatic meets the Mediterranean. Once again this is a place we visit every time we are in the area. It is always windy here and the waves smashing against the rocks makes for a real show. We went into a restaurant for coffee and then headed home. On the way I found and we stopped in to look at a Masseria that I had found on the internet for a possible stay our next time. The owner took the time to show us all of the rooms and when we were done he offered us wine and an antipasto. The place was gorgeous and we decided that next time we would have to stay here.
While I watched a Formula 1 race Carol and Olga chatted for hours! That night Carol went to charge her camera and could not find it. By process of elimination we figured she must have left it in the bathroom of the restaurant in Santa Maria di Leuca. I am a pack rat at collecting business cards so of course had taken one, otherwise we would not have had any idea what it was called. We were fortunate to have Olga who was able to call for us, and sure enough they had the camera. Joes best - walking around Santa Maria di Leuca for the umpteenth time
Carol – talking with Olga Monday oct 7 Had another long chat with Olga before leaving. Had a real rain storm overnight which turned the streets to rivers. Olga said this only happens every few years. This is a desert area and when water falls it runs off rather than soaking in. In the towns of course all the water running off the roofs runs onto the streets.
We drove back to SM di Leuca to get Carol’s camera. This time the winds were even stronger and the waves smashing along the rocks and cliffs were awesome! While there we decided that since it was a lousy day and we had a few days to spare we were going to return to the Masseria Ruri Pulcra - www.resortruripulca.com, that we had seen yesterday. Reni, the owner welcomed us but because of the storm last night, some of the upstairs rooms had water in them and we were not able to get one of the rooms that we wanted. The first floor room was fine, just a bit smaller. We had excellent wifi and once again I was able to connect with my sister and our friend Peter back in Canada using the phone app. My sister was at the seniors home where my mother lives and she connected to wifi allowing us to talk to mom (90 ½ years old) We had and excellent supper at the Masseria, once again ordering one and sharing it. The Masseria Ruri Pulcra is about 1 km north of the beach at San Gregorio althought officially it is located in Patu and 4 km from Santa Maria di Leuca. Joe's Best – watching the giant waves smashing against the cliffs Carol's Best – supper Tuesday Oct 6 It continued to be a warm but cloudy day so we decided to stay another night. We have a bright room and excellent wifi … what else would we want except for sunshine! Drove down to San Gregorio and walked around the beach and village then headed back to Santa Maria for lunch. This time we ate at a hotel/restaurant called Rizieri, which was one of the few that was open serving a tour group. The rest of the day was cloudy so we spent it in the room. The excellent wifi reception allowed us to tune in to various radio stations from our hometown and the rest of Canada so for the afternoon it was like we were sitting in our living room listening to the radio and the traffic reports from Toronto!! Reception was crystal clear.
Had another great dinner at the Masseria.
Joe.s – Just relaxing in the room and listening to radio as if I was at home. Carol’s best - relaxing
Wednes Oct 9 After breakfast we put on a big push to reach our destination in Calabria over 550 km away. The fastest route was also the longest – via Lecce, Brindisi and Taranto and we reached our destination by 4:30. Along the way we stopped for the second year at the Sybaris Hotel and Tavola Caldo in Calabria. It is like a truck stop with a large hot and cold buffet and you just pick what you like. We arrived in Botricello, Calabria at La Casa di Botro . This was another Masseria that we were trying out for the first time and if we had thought that it could not get any better than Ruri Pulcra, well this place did it! We splurged for a large 2 bedroom suite with a living room. They also have a pool and a private beach.
Joe’s Best – discovering another gem at La Casa di Botro Carol’s Best – dinner and the new b&b Thursday Oct. 10 We have decided to spend 3 nights here. Breakfast was outside and once again we were given the option of eggs. After breakfast we went into town (about ½ km away) for some food and then spent the afternoon by the pool. We have excellent wifi reception here so again we are able to listen to radio stations from home. Went for a walk into town and then had supper here again Joe’s Best – just relaxing Carol’s Best – same Friday Oct 11 The last few years it has seemed that although the weather in Puglia has been nice, once we get to Calabria it is even better. This year it is no different with constant sunshine and tempts in the mid to high 20s. After breakfast we followed Luigi to their private beach on the Ionian about 3-4 km away. They own a fair bit of property scattered in the area, and this particular farm property borders on the sea.
The beach is wide, sandy and just gorgeous. They have built a bamboo shelter on the beach and each of their hotel rooms is equipped with two lawn chairs, an umbrella and a picnic cooler. The only people on the beach were two couples from our hotel and they left shortly after we arrived. This was one of our best afternoons! Spent more time by the pool and then had supper here again. Joe’s best – The fabulous beach on the Ionian Sea Carol’s Best - same Sat Oct 12 After breakfast we set off and as has happened everytime that we had to pass through Catanzaro (can’r really go around) we had difficulty. Signs and directions suddenly disappear and you find yourself on some small narrow side street. We finally gave up and trusted that our GPS could somehow keep up with the twists and turns and get us out. At the same time it had started to cloud over and rain. Without the GPS we might still be lost in Catanzaro. Our destination was the
town of
Amantea on the Tyrrhenian Coast about 50 km away.
We had stayed two previous years at a gorgeous resort called Trevi Village with individual cabanas right on the beach. To our surprise it was closed! It should not have been a surprise as the two previous times we had been there (off season) the huge resort had 2-3 people staying there. Fortunately this beach area was one that we knew very well so we drove about 600 metres to Hotel MareBlu www.hotelmareblu.com, which we first stopped at in 1990 and have had lunch and visited in the past. Once again we opted what they called the Suite, which was a room at the top with a rooftop deck to ourselves and a huge bedroom/living room. The beach was a stone’s throw away. We were the only guests. Over the next few hours we came across a few minor problems that sort of soured us on staying longer – missing light bulb, tv not working, deck umbrella missing, deck full of leaves and no broom available, wifi signal very weak. We were the only two people for supper but have to admit, it was very good.
We walked about 500 metres up the road to check out another hotel and were shown 5 different rooms. We decided to move the next day.
Joe’s best – Lying on a deck chair on the roof deck with a warm breeze blowing and looking all the stars. Carol’s Best – Same Sunday October 13 This morning we moved over to Hotel La Tonnara www.latonnara.it, where we had had lunch last year. We have a nice room with a small deck and two beds. Beautiful view of the beach in both directions, excellent wifi, a large shower, a large pool and for 10Euros less than last night. We spent the afternoon on the beach and by the pool but had to turn around from a walk on the beach in the 32’C heat. We had dinner at the hotel and for the first time had a waiter with a bit of an attitude. He spoke Italian and German and seemed impatient with us in trying to decide what we wanted. Carol and I spent a bad night as we both had a bit Ionian Sea
Marina di Pescoluse of diarrhoea.
Joes’ Best – What else – doing nothing
Carol’s Best – time on the beach Monday October 14 Breakfast was really great with all kinds of food set up at buffet tables. Unfortunately Carol and I were still not feeling well, so we did not eat much. We tried to find a post office in Amantea and finally gave up. Relaxed all day by the beach and pool and I finally went for a jog today. This was also Thanksgiving back home and we managed to have long phone chats with our daughter and my sister. We had a different waiter for dinner tonight and he was much better.
Joes’s Best – Beach and long talk with family Carol’s Best – Same Tuesday October 15 Another excellent breakfast and this time we even had boiled eggs. This resort must cater to Germans since waiters all seem to speak German. Our final destination was the town of LaMezia Terme about ½ hour away where the airport is located. Before leaving on this trip we had said that we were going to do very little touring (been there, done that) and just spend more time at fewer places and just plain relaxing. Well we actually ended up going to 7 new places (two not by choice!)
The five new Agriturismos and Masserias are ones that we would (and likely will) go back to again. The Masserias are a bit more expensive but off season, they area bargain and you likely get more personalized treatment. We stayed at a b&b in LaMezia last year, but this year I found a Masseria that claimed to be within 3 km of the airport. I was surprised that it was easy to find Masseria I Risi - www.masseriairisi.it, and what another GEM. It is a working farm mini/zoo with all kinds of animals (horses, donkeys, pigs, rabbits, goats, hens, doves, ducks, turtles etc) as well as olive and fruit trees. Some of the animals wander free at times. And although it is rural, it is only a 10 minute walk to the train station! We opted for a large 2 bedroom, sitting room and complete kitchen since these would be our last two nights. In the afternoon we took a test drive to make sure we could find the airport at 5am on Thursday. In the afternoon we walked around town and came across some familiar landmarks from last year.
We had supper here and got a pleasant surprise. It was the best meal, the most generous portions and the most reasonably price that we had had so far!
Joe’s Best – Masseria I Risi was a pleasant surprise that I had not expected and supper Carol’s Best – Supper Wednesday Oct 16 Breakfast was pretty basic but during breakfast we discovered another new fruit. It is about the size of a walnut, tastes like orange and pineapple and in Italian it is called Faijoa. We used the internet to get more information on this native South American fruit also known as Pineapple guava grown for the fruit and flowers. Since I liked it so much the waitress went and got a bowl full for me! I managed to wrap them up really well, and buried them in a suitcase. They made it home! Since we are leaving at 5am I went to prepay our bill and got a very pleasant surprise. When we checked in we were quoted a rate of 110E per night (by far the highest on the trip.) When we were given our bill however, we were only charged 68Euros per night. An extremely good value for what we got!! So great value for both meals and lodging.
Took another drive to make sure we could find the airport (everything will look so different at 5am in the dark) and then went for another long walk around town and found many of the places that we had been to last year. It was not a pleasant day, with sunshine and showers and wind alternating. Another great dinner here and then tried to go to bed early for our 4:30am rise and shine.
J
oe’s Best – The Faijoa (aka Pineapple Guava) Carol’s Best – supper Thursday October 17 Well my tablet alarm did work and we got up up at 4:30 and drove to the airport in pitch darkness. Dropped off our Fiat Qubo at Avis (about 50 metres from airport front door!)
Our flight left on time and we arrived in Rome with about 2 hours to catch the flight to Toronto. Flying home is always so much nicer since it is during the daytime. We were about ½ hour late in landing then took about an hour to get our luggage. It was rush hour in Toronto, and raining and we were tired so we decided to spend the night at the same hotel as when we left. Every trip seems to be our best and this one was no exception. The BEST!
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