Monday 22 May 2017

South of Naples

They say that 'Northern Italy has euros but Southern Italy has soul'. It was certainly very noticeable that the south of Italy is far cheaper - for instance, who could resist a delicious Italian geleto that costs only 2 for a super double scoop in any of your favourite flavours?
In the south tourists are thinner on the ground, reminding me of a visit to Siena over 40 years ago, and having it almost to ourselves. 

Tourists clutching 'selfie sticks' were noticeably absent, but there were several delightful groups of chattering, happy, school children in the Baroque treasure trove of Lecce, one of Southern Italy's appealing cities.
A flight to Naples marked the start of our southern journey eventually ending up in what is known as 'Italy's heel'

It was hot - the sun shone brightly all day, everyday from dawn to dusk
Fine wines

and 
good
delicious food was on the menu
freshly made pasta
80% of Italy's pasta is made from the durum wheat grown in this southern region 

We visited and travelled along the coast of the Adriatic Sea
to the 
rocky spectacular Gargano peninsula with it's dramatic geological coastline of caves, grottoes, 
































and deserted beaches.

Cities were explored



















 and quaint hilltop towns 













An ever present feature were the brilliant colours of both the wild and cultivated flowers
and the Olive groves were laden with blossom
In the next post we discover a link to Cappadocia in  Turkey which we visited over three years ago.


46 comments:

  1. Oh, I love Italy so much, it is so beautiful it hurts! The flowers and fruits, the pastel and stone cities, the sea and the grottos - all are Perfection. Thank you for sharing it all - and tempting me to want to go back again :)

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    1. Dear Patricia - I too have had an ongoing love affair with Italy from teenage years. We travelled there two or three times a year, but this is the first time that I have returned for about 5 years, and now I am wondering why I left my return for so long.

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  2. Dear Rosemary, a lovely post giving me a lot of memories. I remember going to the Cathedral to witness the miracle of San Gennaro and hearing the locals singing their hearts out when the miracle occurred. Your photos are great. Where was that church with the tiled roof?
    Bye for now,
    Kirk

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    1. Hello Jim - we flew into Naples but didn't actually visit the city this time. The ceramic tiled dome roof is on the top of what is now a museum in the white-washed hilltop town of Ostuni, but it must previously have been a church.

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  3. You had a wonderful time I see, I liked the heel of Italy very much. It is some time ago I was there but have good memories.

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    1. We loved it there, and I am pleased that this brought back some good memories for you.

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  4. Such charming villages. I love the wonderful colours of sea, food and flowers.
    A real taste of summer for you, Rosemary.

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    1. The colours of Italy are something rather special

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  5. Hello Rosemary, Another beautiful place that seems to have it all--scenery, antiquities, and a great market. Those look like sour cherries--were they?
    --Jim

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    1. Hello Jim - the cherries were actually sweet and ready for immediate eating - it is quite unusual to come across sour cherries over here.

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  6. Hello Rosemary,
    I feel like I was with you as I read your post of today. I can almost smell the fresh fruit. It is the perfect time to travel when the tourists are not yet there.

    Have a glorious week
    Helen xx

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    1. Hello Helen - it was a lovely much enjoyed trip - that southern area of Italy is never busy with tourist and is known as 'undiscovered Italy' - most people head towards Rome, Florence, Siena, Pisa etc. However, as the years pass I can see that changing - now is the time to go.

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  7. Hi Rosemary, It looks like you picked the perfect time to visit. Lovely weather and no tourists. I think I would go as much for all that delicious food, even if it wasn't so beautiful there. Glad you had a good time. ;-)

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    1. Hello Catherine - as I have mentioned to Helen, the south of Italy is not a tourist trap as yet, but I foresee it happening as the years pass. I carried home several different pastas in a variety of colours and flavours which I look forward to trying.

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  8. What a riot of color, just gorgeous. Italian food is my absolute favorite, I could eat my weight in ravioli. Naples and Pompeii are as far south as we've been in Italy. This fall we're finally going to make it to Sicily.

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    1. I am sure that you will love Sicily - I certainly did. We came home with lots of different coloured pastas that we look forward to trying.

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  9. Wonderful photos of a wonderful holiday.
    Margaret P

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    1. Thanks Margaret - glad that you liked them

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  10. Hi dear Rosemary -
    Wasn't it all so amazingly heartbreaking, and yes one wonders why it took so long to return! I've never seen such colorful wildflowers, billowing across the hillsides and along the roads, wafting in the perfect breeze and daily sunshine, with the amazing blues of the Mediterranean Sea encircling us and rocking us to sleep at night.
    We've been back a week and, like you I'm struggling to get all the beauty of Italy, and Malta, posted on the blog - but it will take time.
    Fabulous pix - how can we go wrong when every angle the camera captures such beauty.
    Hugs - Mary

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    1. Dear Mary - glad that you are safely back home - we only arrived back yesterday, so I hastily did this post between unpacking, washing and then getting the clothes out into the sunshine to dry.
      I will pop over and have a look at your blog once I have cooked tonights meal of pasta carried back home in our bags.

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  11. You always take such spectacular photos! Looks like a marvelous holiday!

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    1. Thanks very much Debra - you have made my day. I just point the camera and hope for the best.

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  12. Such colourful flowers and lane-way there in Italy.
    The cherries look good.
    Close look at the washing on their lines, interesting for me.

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    1. Yes, I liked the way that the washing was gently 'ballooning' in the breeze.

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  13. Beautiful set of photos that really capture the Italian lifestyle and location. I've only been in the north for the Italian Alps and the Dolomites but I really enjoyed the people and the culture. Respiro is one of my favourite foreign films for capturing the essence of Italy(set in far flung Lampedusa in the Med off Sicily) all intense sunlight, white limestone and vivid colours as well as being a great story nicely told. Can't beat a holiday in a non tourist district as it always feels special, more like an adventure of discovery.

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    1. I have travelled right across Italy now from north to south, and also Sicily, but Lampedusa I do not know. I imagine that is very similar to some of the southern sights that we have just seen.

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  14. A perfect time to visit Italy, you get it almost all to yourself without the masses of tourists...yet ! Really loved the photos of Italy's treasures !

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    1. I suspect that it will not be too long before the south starts to catch up with the north of Italy - glad you enjoyed the photos - thank you

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  15. It's a very grey and mizzly day down here today so the vibrant colours in this post are a welcome sight! Italy without the crowds, sounds bliss Rosemary.

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  16. When I think I have seen the prettiest picture ever...then I scroll down to the next one. You are amazing.

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    1. That is such a sweet comment - thank you Janey - the camera loves Italy

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  17. Wauuu and wauuu .. these photos are full of colors, lovely. I love the flowers, houses, views... I cannot say what is my favorite, these are all so beautiful. Love all of them.

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    1. You are very generous with your comment Orvokki - thank you very much

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  18. Dear Rosemary, Welcome back. I knew that we would be in for a treat and sure enough, what beautiful photographs! I hope that you will share more of them and soon.

    Of all the places we travel to, Italy is always our first choice. Just looking at your photos makes me yearn to be there.
    I don't think that my ancestors are all from Prussia. I think that there is a little Italian blood mixed within. I will soon know.

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    1. Dear Gina - I shall look forward to learning more about any Italian blood that you may discover.
      It is so easy to take photos in Italy - isn't? everywhere you look there are so things to delight the eye.
      Your comment is very kind.

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  19. Dear Rosemary,
    you took lovely pictures! Really enjoyed them!
    Best wishes,
    Lisa

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    1. Dear Lisa - thank you - we have enjoyed a lovely time discovering this area of Italy which was new to us.

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  20. Welcome back, Rosemary! This post reminded me of “Sea Naples and die.” Bright sunshine, luscious fruits, colorful, cheerful flowers, blue sea, quaint hilltop towns, and different geographical aspects of each region… all are fantastic. Especially I’d like to stroll around the alley like the fourth image in person.

    Yoko

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    1. Thank you Yoko - do call back again and I will show you more of that little town where you would like to stroll - it is very unique.

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  21. Dearest Rosemary,
    Well, you no doubt did visit at the perfect time of the year; everything looks so colorful and fresh.
    What a supply of fresh fruits and veggies and great quality mushrooms you photographed.
    With your mention of geleto you of course mean the famous Italian gelato.
    Anxious to read next about the link to Cappadocia!
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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    1. Dear Mariette - I do believe that you are right, this is the best time of the year to visit this area. It becomes very very hot into the summer and all the vegetation dries up. They had already harvested the fields - that is at least three months before our crops are ready here.

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    2. Smart timing dear Rosemary! Happy weekend to you.

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    3. and to you too Mariette

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  22. Those are wonderful images Rosemary. You have captured the heat, colour,and beauty of Southern Italy. I feel as if I am instantly back there which is particularly welcome on this cold and windy evening! Sarah x

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  23. Fotos maravilhosas, iluminação perfeita, parece ao vivo. Parabéns!

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