We left Tel Aviv with a feeling that it had more to offer. So out of all the Middle East countries we just visited this is one we think deserves more time. It has so much to offer and is more liberal. People were friendly just felt it had a great vibe.
So we are off to Split, we have visited Dubrovnik a few years back . We have hired an airbnb place just out of Split old town. We pick up our little golf UP cute as but it has been a while since we have driven on the other side of the road and a manual. Tony had it, he’s a natural, thank-goodness. As I am not sure my brain operates back to front.
We pick up some groceries as we are or I am super keen to make my own food and not eat out. Always eating food that we don’t really want and don’t feel like.
We found our airbnb in a house that use to be one big old house right on the beach/rock shore line. It had been carved up into small apartments. It was perfect, modern nicely decorated and views of the ocean. Heaven, the best thing ever which is an on going pain in the preverbal is having a washing machine to wash our clothes.
The old town was 20 mins walk if you so desire. But it’s hellish hot. We found the free carpark and walk the rest. Huge mega yachts are parked at the foreshore being spit and polished for their clients. If only we could just have little sneaky look. As they look awesome. Could just imagine ourselves swanning around on the deck with a glass of bubbles. You can only dream…..
Walking around the old town was fascinating the long alleys with little bars and restaurants, the little shops with souvenirs and clothing stores. Balconies with flowers over flowing and shiny marble paths. Finding a place to eat. I know, I just said I wanted to cook and so we do but only one meal a day and usually dinner. Lunch is out. We found a restaurant that we went back to twice called http://www.Bokeria.hr has this great little text up on the walls and I quote
One of the nicest things about life
Is the way we must regularly stop
What we are doing and pay attention to eating
Yes, that totally correct so lunch most days is that. We both had the best bbq’ed octopus there and the way it was presented with a little charcoal smoke like it has just come off the bbq awesome, yum, yum….
We also went to Trogir another little town about 45 mins from Split for lunch and a swim. Gorgeous little old town with the same vibe of little alleys and shops and restaurants right on a harbour. But as we know don’t eat in the piazza its tourist food, its yuk so what do we do. Eat on the harbour awful, only thing good was the beer. Life is about choices. We choose so no-one else to blame here. But we had a beautiful swim after off the rocks as it was so, so very hot.
We also went to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its a 3 hour drive to get there. We wanted to go to Mostar to see the famous bridge were the young and brave dive from. Well it was an interesting drive when google maps disappears and you can’t read the road signs. A few wrong turns on the auto Strada. We got to the border, check out of Croatia down a few hundred meters check into Bosnia with a small fee.It was all very civil and not intimidating at all. Smooth as. The country side was beautiful with grapes been grown everywhere. The homes were basic but similar. No wealth to be seen anywhere. We got to Mostar and snagged a rock start car park for a price but worthy of its convenience. It was so touristy like over the top. It was pretty in its own way, the bridge and pretty little buildings. No svelte young men in budgie smugglers diving with beauty into the clear crystal blue green river below . Apparently it only happens once a month, on a Sunday. Oh well, today wasn’t that day. Had lunch then we decided to search out a water fall on the way back to Split. The Kravice, with some wrong turns which didn’t matter as the country side was gorgeous . It was s stunning water fall many people there, so a quick photo and we are gone. Took the coast road back to Split. So beautiful all these coves we could of stopped and explored each one they looked so beautiful with their the little harbours. It took hours as it was a slow windy road. Another reason to return to explore more of Split it has so much to offer. We didn’t go out to the islands. All next time.
We drove up to Zagreb about a 3 hour drive to a nice modern little hotel in the burbs of old town Zagreb. We had to go the Australian embassy to get some paper work witnessed . Never been to an embassy before it was very impersonal . I would hate to go there if I was in serious trouble. As I am not sure they would have any compassion for you, very stern and no feeling of empathy. We had a nice couple of days in Zagreb wondering around visiting a few quirky museums . But two days was plenty we were ready to leave.
Time to leave Croatia with an another rush of excitement, Italy. We had an overnight in Zurich. It was simply beautiful flying into. Another country that we need to spend some time. Not just one night. We are heading to Puglia. After arriving into Bari picking up the rental car a Citreon C3 Aircross quiet big for our needs but very comfortable. We are heading to Polignano a mare. We have rented a little place right in the old town a bnb called dei Serafini.. We park outside in a carpark and a a guy on a bicycle cart type thingo comes and picks us up. Luggage and all we are taken into the old village right on the cliffs. Our little place is like a cave so very comfortable and unique and perfect. Breakfast is across the walkway and the signoras make this amazing spread every morning of cakes and fruit and coffee in this long communal table. In a very pretty room. Everyone would come and join you from the different bed and breakfast places this company owned and there was many. It was so lovely and unique experience every morning. We met some lovely locals as we struggled with our Buongiornos and Grazie Milles. Hey, there is nothing wrong with having cake for breakfast is there? The Italians do, so go with the flow we are thinking. We also met lovely couple from Toronto travelling with their daughters. Nothing like some tips for dinner as well as villages to visit, grazie mille…
We have been gone now on this adventure for nearly 6 months. We have met up with some other beautiful friends in NZ it was awesome. Nothing like meeting the familiar and the ones you have known forever. Tom & Marnie are here in Italy. We are excited. Seeing them and giving them a heart felt hug . We met them in the piazza by the church as all piazza have a church. Seeing a familiar face is awesome so good to see. We love the aperitvo hour. Everyone is out and about strolling and looking for a spot to have that aperol spritz with a little snack. Love this tradition so civil everyone is dressed and fresh and out to impress. After to many aperol spritz and negronis, dinner of pizza, what else, so good and della casa vino. As tomorrow night we have to dress to impress. As we are all going to Grotta Palazzese we booked it back in February. We were going by ourselves but so happy that Tom & Marnie could come as well and share this amazing moment. A once in a life time dining experience. Next day we drove down to Lecce to check it out it was a little disappointing to say the least it was terribly hot maybe we missed the hi-light of Lecce we aren’t sure. Its been ticketed off the list anyway.
Let’s talk about the hi-light and the experience to last a life time. We had a booking from 7-9pm at Grotto Palazzese. We all are a little sceptical of the whole experience as sometimes the location can be compromised by the food or vice versa. Let’s start first with a little history of this awesome experience.
In the past it was called Grotta del Palazzo (Palazzo Cave), since it was owned by a feudatory, and it used to be a fascinating eighteenth-century ballroom, a meeting place for the nobility of Polignano along the Appian Way. It was during the grand tours that the nobility would come and then more and more tourists would visit.
The whole experience the meal the ones we are with was worth every euro. The service was fantastic never felt neglected or looked down upon. There was plenty of space in between tables with their white cloths and table lamps. You could see that is was a place for families on that special event in life or for the couples on a romantic evening.
We loved it all. When 9pm came up, so quickly too we weren’t told to leave which was nice . So as we watched the sea and the sky change to evening hues drank some lovely Puglian wines ate this amazing meal that evenyone’s dish was delish. We left feeling that maybe our bank account may seem lighter but the memory will last a life time. This night will be with us forever and we got to spend it with some of our closest friends we have known for about 40 years. Grazie mille Bellas.
But as you do, we carried on after dinner and hit the latest bar to pop up in the piazza. It only just opened the night before and we snagged a table and watched the passing parade of beauties as the book festival was in full swing. Ahhh….love the Italian way
We also visited Matera the next day not a long drive from Polignano . We arrived and as the usual couldn’t find a car park, did a few laps, found one that was free, Yeah.. As we were walking towards the old town the streets were empty, people were lined up everywhere on the sidewalks waiting for something big to happen. It’s another boiling hot, sweaty day. We could see the church on top of the hill that something was happening and a street parade was about to happen we skipped that and headed down into the small valley of the Matera old town. Walked around and thinking lunch . We came across a small cucina. The outside wasn’t what brought us in, it was the only place open. When we walked inside the air conditioned cooled us down to stop the sweat dripping down out backs. The signora was in the kitchen she beckoned us over and she lifted the foil off these trays of food she had cooked that morning. We choose and two glasses of bianco vino. Tony got the lasagne I got the stuffed mini eggplants . OMG, it was the best food we have tasted and the glass of vino was like a home pour, enormous.. We are thinking this is our kind of place. We thanked the signora loving her food. Then she wanted us to have desert we said no, no……. But she gave us for free a slice of all her deserts. They were all the best, so good. We loved them not that we needed it or anything and then out she came with a glass of digestive. What an amazing lunch. But the best was she gave me the best heart felt hug, so genuine. It was beautiful. What a lovely signora. Bella, plus a little souvenir of her cuccina. Grazie mille.
We also visited Ostuni another very pretty town on top of a hill. Wondering around the small narrow alleys with so many doors to peoples story. Balconies with todays washing hanging drying in the wind. Freshly white washed walls. Another lunch moment is needed. We found the spot. We are kinda hungry so we order bruschetta one each I had the grilled vegetable on with mint on top, well that’s a game changer. Will keep that in my catalogue of tips of good food recipes. But the best bruschetta is onions cooked slowly in olive oil of course with oregano and small cherry tomatoes not to many. Now that was so good on this amazing bread made from semolina. That is in the catalogue for sure. Tony also had a orecchiette with rape leaves. Think mine is better with broccoli. But it was another awesome experience and the waiter was so nice he made the experience one to remember. We did buy something to be shipped home a quirky art ceramic piece from local artist. I hope that arrives home safely not damaged , finger crossed.
We did think about going for a swim as we drove along the coast line past Polignano. So disappointing the rubbish that is strewn everywhere the beaches are rocks people lying on them like seals coming in to get warm. The beach clubs that you have to pay to sit park and swim we never went to those. How ridiculous to pay to be on a beach.
We left Polignano and headed not far to Alberobello to a town that has over a thousand tulle. We had a little Tullo we had booked through airbnb. It was the sweetest little tullo the owner Loredana was the loveliest lady. Tom & Marnie were just down the road. We would meet each night at apertivio hour for snacks and vino. Then out for wonder to see what we could find for dinner. One night we found a very good pizza bar all the locals were there 5 euro pizzas. that’s amore. Simple, crust was tasty it was worth the wait. Another night we went to a restaurant that Loredana recommended that was just ok bit to tourisic but did the job more wondering more vino, birra then some music was happening in the piazza we listen then we got up and had a dance to much fun. A family did fabulous karaoke rendition of a popular Italiano song we had no idea what they were saying but we gave them a score of 10.
Supermarkets we have been to a few but Conad or (gonad) was really good as you could buy vino there ,well every supermarket you could buy vino sometimes was a hit and miss .
Today we are heading down to Gallipoli. To us its a strange to find another town called Gallipoli when Gallipoli in Turkey is an important and disastrous moment in our history. We had booked a place in an old palazzo called Atlas. It was full of quirky pieces of art and things. Our room was spacious with a beautifully painted ceiling that was done in 1903. Again it’s so very, very hot in Gallipoli. The buildings have a lot more patina than we have seen. Has a huge church with some beautifully painted ceilings and walls. During the day its like a ghost town. But soon as apretivio hour arrives everyone is out and about. The streets are full everyone is searching and wondering. It’s a lovely atmosphere. But still it’s very, very hot in evening. No breeze can be found to funnel into the alley ways. One day we drove out to The Cave of Poetry it was about an hour to the other side. The photos looked amazing. We found it, the water was clear and blue no rubbish piled up everywhere or floating in the sea. It was so beautiful swimming, so cooling and refreshing. We took the coast rode back to Gallipoli stopping and swimming in the beautiful waters were there was hardly a person to be seen. Our last stop was called the Maldivian beach. Well, we have been to the Maldives several times and the couple we met in Polignano said we should go. Ok, big mistake wall to wall umbrellas and beach chairs not a free spot that was a free beach. It’s a sandy beach I will give them that, but hell no. We walked ,we looked ,we left. Our time has come to an end with Tom & Marnie our apertivio hour won’t be the same. We hugged said our goodbyes we will see you in 7 months time. As we say good bye and they head to the Amalfi coast and we head to Tropea in Calabria a town the over looks the Tyrrhenian sea. After struggling to find this hotel I booked. We settled in for a two night stay. It was on a cliff with awesome views to Mt Stromboli we could see it puffing some smoke. It was a nice hotel .
As we are heading to Palermo on Sicily. The ferry ride is a short 20 minute ride. The drive from Messina to Palermo is a fast 2 hour Grand Prix race through many tunnels that are dark and not well lite. We are staying again in another Palazzo on the Piazza Marina which in its time was the largest of piazzas in Palermo. We park our car in this tiny garage and are taken up two floors to this massive apartment with three bedrooms. It was awesome so much room and wonderful kitchen and washing machine, tick, tick. Huge windows, and five little balconies. The owner Luigi was hysterical. Not that we ever met him in person but I spoke with him several times on the phone. What an Italian smoothie. His place was just wonderful. I hope he didn’t mind that I re-arranged his knick knacks. I couldn’t help myself. hahaha….He didn’t call me and say anything.
Palermo was interesting place the churches we went into were just amazing the art on the ceilings. The palace was ok. The street food was interesting if you are into offal style panini , yuk not that desperate. Cannoli of course was everywhere . The streets where very grotty though some of the buildings looked like no-ones cares for the outside but I am sure like Luigi apartment that it was a different story inside. We had some nice food there never felt unsafe or bothered. But the 2 days was enough.
So we are heading to Salina an island in the Aeolian group. Well, we are staying at Hotel Ravesi in Malfa it just beautiful, the staff the space the wet edge pool is perfect. Its just a short walk down to the rocky foreshore for a wonderful swim in the clear blue ocean. We met a man who was diving for sea snails well that’s what they looked like a shell fish type creature that you leaver off the rocks with a knife. What a nice man, his English was good enough that we could have conversation about his connection to Salina and what he had harvested from the sea and how he was going to cook them. As we gathered from him that a lot Malfian left in the 1950’s going to Australia mainly Melbourne and America. To make a better life. We had met earlier in our Israel journey with Intrepid Justin, his family was from the exact town we are in right know. How small is this planet, sometimes you just wonder.
We hired a car one day and and did a drive around this magical place. Went to Marina Salina where the ferries come in. We found an awesome place for some lunch not many there it was delicious tuna pasta and fritti misto and of course the famous cannoli, so good. Then this table next to us broke out in a acepella singing this beautiful song in Italian it was just magical . Thats amore…
At Hotel Ravesi each evening at 6.30pm was aperitivo hour has become our favourite time of the day. Carlotta the nonna would make this awesome selection of yummy food to have with your cocktail . It was so tasty . Sitting there watching Mt Stomboli puff some smoke in the distance drinking your negroni and having a snack how Italian can we become. Each night we would walk up the main street to the same trattoria their food was just so tasty. I think my own cooking at home is more Sicilian when I come to think of it, just love it. The lady that owned the restaurant was from Melbourne she was married there and lived in Geelong for 15 years before coming back and opening her restaurant, they had returned to paradise I think.
All things do come to an end we are sad to leave but we have awesome memories of this place. Just loved it.
We returned to Sciliy and our first stop is Scopello a small fishing village about an hour from the Palermo airport. Really nice piazza nice host we met for our accommodation but really it does disappoint us that photos they put up aren’t anything like the room you are given. Grrr…. It’s ok. The restaurants are yummy and that’s the main thing. We did do a walk in the national park. So 5 euro to park your car in a paddock then its 5 euro to enter the national park of Reserva della Zingaro. Righto…. So we start walking in the sun its very hot as we walk along the edge following the others on a journey to bottom of the cliff to perch on some rock. You could walk 20 mins to first cove but no, we think no-one will want to walk the hour to the next cove. Wrong, we arrive at 11am its packed to the rafters every rock and nook and cave are taken with a sea of umbrellas in a colourful display. We found a nook amazingly, made spot and tried to get comfy on them rocks, which is skill to organise under ya bum. The water is blue and clear and refreshing. After some time bum can’t take it no more, time walk the hour back. Sweating and just feeling really so dam hot. There is one place to visit in Scopello is a famous old tuna factory which is owned privately now but has this iconic pink building down at the sea front Tonno di Scopello . So its 7 euro each for pleasure to go down and sit on a chair if you desire on the paved area and swim in the water that lapped at the front. So many boats parked out front from small little fishing boats to the massive ships for the rich and famous.We did see the Packer boat out there one day. It was all very nice.
A little history about Tonno di Scopello
The complex, naturally protected by the two stacks, was also guarded by two watchtowers, one from the Middle Age and the other from the 15th century.
Tonnara date back to the 13 th century. Over looking each side are two towers.
Between the 15th and 16th centuries, after the acquisition by the Sanclemente family, the Tonnara
underwent considerable changes. The family arranged the works for the construction of additional spaces, which, together with the old nucleus, make up the baglio of the Tonnara.
Later the whole complex was left to the Jesuits. Additions to existing buildings were carried out, such as the small church, the warehouses for the boat storage and the building used for the accommodation of the fishermen.
In 1874 several families, among which the Florio, won the Tonnara in a public auction. The Florio family increased the fishing productivity, thanks to a good administration and the use of better fishing tools. The “Palazzina Florio”, precisely, was commissioned by the family to lodge the
administrative offices. The Tonnara di Scopello tells the tradition of the local economy in a unique landscape, surrounded by Sicilian nature and its crystal-clear water.
We left there and are heading to Trapani which according to the map is maybe an hour or less away. On our way there we spotted a huge mountain or very large hill with a village on top. So we headed up to the hilltop town of Erice. Very pretty quiet village or course with many churches of different dominations. We had a lovely walk around but it was quiet steep and the paths are made from marble so slippery I guess with years and years of carts people walking them has made them smooth and polished. It was always a laugh if we were going to go hand over tit….. Thank goodness we didn’t. Made it down to the very windy town of Tranpani our next stop. Room mate hotels. In a beautiful palazzo, well we got one room it was gorgeous but we got an up grade for the second night. Wowsers, it was very opulent with its so very high ceilings and fabric covered walls and gold furniture and mirrors and a huge chandelier. Felt very king and queenie, hahaaa…
Trapani was and ok to wonder around for a few hours but we decided to go and check out San Vito lo capo. On the way we think they were marble quarries the hills were being gouged out on what looked like white marble. It looked something from Egypt where slabs of stone are cut from hills. San Vito lo capo was one big holiday town the beaches were a sea of colourful umbrellas touching each other. Streets full of cafes and places to eat. Owners vending for your company to enjoy their food. We were there in the afternoon imagine at apertivo hour people strolling looking so tanned and dressed in lovely summer dresses looking for that aperol spritz perfecto spot to watch the passing parade and chat with joy about the days goings on. We enjoyed a gelato but there is a thing that you put gelato inside a brioche bun. Haven’t had the pleasure of this treat it all just looks wrong for some strange reason. A bun with gelato, what the…..
We left Trapani only to travel a very short distance to Marsala. The home of Marsala wine or liquor . We have tried but I am not sure this was something we love. The only time we used marsala is in cooking so drinking it as a drink seems weird. The town seems nice enough with a stroll around the central area. Staying in another palazzo with a beautiful walled garden. Lovely room, beautiful breakfast. Oh yeah, breakfast in Italy. Cakes and more cakes even chocolate cake, tarts, sweet pastries, sugar and more sugar. Still can’t get use to it and we have been in Italy nearly month. It all looks amazing but in our mind its says no, that is so wrong to have cake for breakfast again.
last dinner in Marsala we are sent around the corner to a trattoria de pinto a family run kitchen that has been going for over 50 years. Not much English spoken at all. We were lucky to snag a table, really. Very popular with the locals. But they had a help yourself table of antipasto it was so good. We ordered some vino, Bianco della casa and just love it comes in a jug . I had spaghetti de sarde which is with sardines. Tony had a risotto of seafood. It was all so delicious the best food we have had. We were sitting next to the kitchen and the plates coming out looked so good. You could also choose your fresh fish or lobster etc. Really well priced. Goodbye Marsala has been fun.
We had a big drive today to Agrigento for a night or two. We wanted to see the Valley of Temples which was a collection of 8 Ancient Greek temples from the 5-6th century. It’s a UNESCO site since 1997. The most impressive was the temple of Concordia. It was extremely hot day but very interesting as well. We had booked into a little BnB but finding it was so hard we did several laps around the one way streets getting a little snitchy with each other as you do out of frustration. But after a few more laps we released if he had mentioned a name of hotel nearby everything would have been so easy. The place was certainly over the top Italian decor so we decided to stay one night. Had a great walk around the old town which was close by in search of dinner. Really warm at night. Did come across a vending machine for cannabis how interesting, but it was almost empty. Really expensive we thought. That was funny. obviously the good stuff was taken….
Next village we headed to Ragusa a hilltop town with origins dating back 2 millenniums , now that’s old. With occupation of arabs some of the time from 848 AD to the 11th century. In 1693 Ragusa suffered a huge earth quake the village Ragusa Ibla was rebuilt to what you see today but they decided the village is to be built on the other side of the valley as well known as the Ragusa superiore . In 1863 an asphalt mine was discovered and it is still working today. We found an awesome place to stay in an old building which just been renovated that use to be a farm house as the animals did live below which is now the restaurant. We had a lovely walk around and watched a Italian wedding on the steps of the cathedral of San Giorgio . Driving off in the little fiat bambino with cans attached. So cute… We had another awesome dinner at a trattoria, so tasty. Very pretty village not to busy with tourists either, really liked it.
We are heading to Cefalu (chef-a-loo) on the coast about an hour from Palermo to have two nights on the coast to do some laundry which is a chore but has to be done. We seem to focus on does it have a washing machine is there a laundrymatt close by. Driving from Ragusa to Cefalu we decided we needed to see Mt Etna, well we did in the distance. The temperature outside was 40 degrees so we kept on driving around the bottom. Mt Etna wasn’t doing anything not even puffing out any smoke. So it just looked like any other mountain but landscape below was very dark with volcanic rocks and very low trees and shrubs. We drove through the national park so green and lush and so much cooler only 23 degrees. Just beautiful.
Cefalu was a very busy holiday town the passing parade of people on the esplanade was shoulder to shoulder. So many restaurants it had a very busy vibe to it. We found an awesome restaurant opposite the Duomo de Cefalu which was built by Roger II of Norman. A beautiful church which backed onto the promontory of Hercules a 270m high rock face as it was known to the the Phoenicians. Last night in Cefalu we also went to this amazing restaurant the food was so beautiful we felt so spoilt in this gorgeous modern court yard. The service was impeccable the food was so different and modern. A fabulous last night of the month long Italian adventure. We are ready for a change of the diet from pasta, pizza and cake. We loved it all but not sure the waist line did.
We are heading to Athens tomorrow…………..
tonyandsharon 