After a long wait we are finally on board the Grimaldi ferry from Barcelona Spain to Civitavecchia Italy. As luck would have it we are parked at one end, and we had to walk all the way to the other end of the ship as only one stairway was open from deck 7 to access reception. We were just one floor up and on this stairway to 8181. The cabin was pretty comfortable and the shower nice and hot.
We had prepaid for breakfast and lunch so we didn’t have to think about it. Good thing with so little sleep. The portion sizes here are massive. For 6 E breakfast was buns or croissants jam and butter, coffee, yogurt, juice and a bottle of water. A business lunch was 20E but included tomatoes and Buratta salad, a choice of 3 pastas, a choice of 3 meat dishes, a choice of side dishes, water, and dessert. The night as expected was long with the majority of the yelling and slamming continuing until 3 am. We had breakfast ( no one there as all the kids are still asleep) and went back to sleep.
We were in the pass between Corsica and Sardinia about 1330 when we went up for lunch.
The ship is packed with gangs of very boisterous teens and it’s hard to find a place to relax despite all the choices. We had to vacate the cabin at 3 pm and the ferry finally docked late at 8. The disembarking was a bit chaotic with several decks unloading at the same time with cars and motorcycles trying to get off while trucks and busses are turning around on the lower decks and everyone is vying for position. We finally escaped and just had a short 5 km trip to our bnb. The apartment was nice and the host super friendly. She has a locked garage inside the underground which is always a bonus. Stoked to be in the land of gelato!
The goal for this trip to Italy is to tour in Puglia as we have not yet been there. This means booking it south on ground we have already covered. The first leg from Civitavechhia was 345 km south and east to Benevento. The fastest route still takes 5 hours.
There are two types of drivers in Italy one who is going under the speed limit and driving half in the lane and half in the shoulder and the other driving up to twice the limit, passing with little or no room, tailgating, and other aggressive moves. There is little or no enforcement that we can see. The supposed speed camera don’t slow anyone down. There were lots of times today when the limit was 60 and the traffic flowed at 100. We started out along the coast, then skirted Rome before heading essentially south and east over mostly secondary roads.
We arrived to our bnb to be met by the host, who had parked her car in the square out front to reserve us the spot. Our room has a floor with a window to the cavern down below.
This is an ancient city with a number of Roman ruins including an amphitheater and several gates and arches.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE
https://youtu.be/2_rRHc1OoKo?si=lGxyPYfzH55h2x-y
It was a chilly 14 degrees at 10 am when we set out from Benevento. The route today was only 274 km but should take about 4 hours with a stop in Castelmezzano on the way to Sassi di Matera. The route is a combination on state and Provincial roads with a detour on a windy narrow road up to see CM.
It finally warmed up to 18 degrees by noon. The ride to CDM was supposed to be THRU the town and out, but like many small towns the exit on the south side the road is closed as the tunnel has not been maintained so it’s an In and out on the north side. We have run into several other road closures because of non functional tunnels and bridges. Luckily there are so many road in Italy the way round to detour is rarely a big deal. Another chance to try out the Dronie!
The last 100 km are mostly on a 4 lane divided road and despite the posted limit of 80 the majority of cars passed us like we were standing still while going 110. Like everyday here aggressive driving is the norm. Matera is situated on a hill and the Sassi or old city is separated from the new town and is almost exclusively pedestrian only. There is one car access road but it is heavily restricted from 7 am to 8 pm. Our hotel has a shuttle service that picks you up from a secure parade in the new part of the city. The falcon has its own mini garage inside the garage. We spent the afternoon and evening wandering the streets, alleys, and staircases of the old town.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
https://youtu.be/qMoaw1J3hco?si=KBBTB3puuUlkXzwy
Today we just have 202 km to Lecce but the planned route should take about 4 hours. We spent the day riding thru incredibly lush Italian countryside on the secondary roads. The first waypoint in Locortondo, which is one of the Borghi pui belli d’Italia ( one of the most beautiful villages in Italy). I had planned a night here on our way south, but we decided to get the ferry to Greece a day earlier to coincide with our friend Petros’s holidays. So today it was just a sweep thru, but its beauty is in the pedestrian only old city unfortunately for us.
We headed south to the extremely picturesque village of Martina Franca where we did spend some time exploring on foot and a lunch break. This region of Italy is famous for the Trulli houses with their unique conical stone roofs. They are all over the place between Martina Franca and our next destination point of Ostuni, but they are most concentrated in the town of Alberobello ( we have visited there before).
We are spending 3 nights in Lecce so we can explore the walled city with 48 baroque churches, ride out from here to the coast and Gallipoli , and be close to the port of Brindisi to get the ferry to Greece. We are staying in a 10 bedroom villa that has been converted to a family owned hotel and it is just 50 m from the Porta san Biagio gate. There are a lot of preparations for the Easter celebrations going on.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE
https://youtu.be/34pzTWcEwfA?si=QAKeG7EhYgy9aakC
Today’s circuit route is 195 km. We will start routed south west to Gallipoli, which is about 45 minutes on the secondary roads and then head south east another 40 min on the highway to the southernmost point in Puglia at Leuca. From here we will take the small road that skirts the coast of the Adriatic Sea towards Otranto before returning back to Lecce. In Gallipoli we did a bit of a walk about on the sea wall and in the old town before having an incredible lunch of fresh seafood on a terrace with a view of the sea.
WATCH VIDEO HERE
https://youtu.be/s2KnP2fSkU8?si=KNybWEo3BecqB0J7
Now for a relaxing day in Lecce starting with coffee and local sweets called pasticciotto or an oval crumbly pastries filled with cream or chocolate , lots of Baroque churches, and a lunch of Orecciette a particularly Pugliese pasta shaped like ears and sagne ncannulate a pasta with tomato and ricotta.
Hi there. what an amazing journey. I’ve had the privileges’ of going to Italy twice. My girlfriend was born in Rome and then after the war moved to Gaeta where her father became involved in restoration and her home there is in the old part of the town on the side of the bank.
Gordon and I have packed our bags for the last time and are now waiting for our ship to pull into dock for the last time. We are in a lovely independent -graduated care and for that I am thankful because if something should happen to me Gordon would be in place and well cared for. He is truly a sweetheart but his brain is getting tired.
Stay safe and enjoy all of this history. hugs auntie ruth
Thanks for the message. So glad you are getting settled in a place you feel comfortable. Hugs.