But before we would arrive in Italy, we had some borders to cross. First stop was in Bamberg, Germany.
It split the distance to our 1st stop in Italy in the middle: 600 resp. 640 kms).
BAMBERG. This is the 13th-century Cityhall. The main building is connected to a 'Fachwerkhaus' which
leans, seemingly precariously, over the
river.
'Bamberg is a town in Bavaria, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main.
It had 79.000 inhabitants in 2022.
The town dates back to the 9th century, when its name was derived from the nearby Babenberch castle.
Cited as one of Germany's most beautiful towns, with medieval streets and buildings, the old town of Bamberg has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.
It got stuck in my brain when I read years ago that Bamberg is known for its smoked Rauchbier and is home to 11 breweries..!
Walking around I found little evidence of the popularity of beer, just another 'coffee, tea and cakes' town.'
[¬ en.wikipedia.org:_Bamberg] |
I had to try the Rauchbier of course, but found it no match to Guinness or
most IPA beers.
'In February 1926 Bamberg served as the venue for the Bamberg Conference, convened by Adolf Hitler in his attempt to foster unity and to stifle dissent within the then-young Nazi party. Bamberg was chosen for its location in Upper Franconia, reasonably close to the residences of the members of the dissident northern Nazi faction but still within Bavaria.'
en.wikipedia.org:_Bamberg |
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After we crossed the Alps I had booked 2 nights in the hamlet of Calliano, a little south of Trentino.
The first drinks @Bar da Matita, a local affair. On a pleasant balmy evening near our hotel.
Villagio Hotel Aquila. An affordable
& satisfactory hotel but a pity Calliano has little to offer.
This area would have been nice to enjoy the evening for some quiet evening if only the hotel had drinks
on offer or if Calliano had a supermarket, but nothing of the kind.
Calliano is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 15 kilometres south of Trento. Calliano borders the following municipalities: Besenello, Nomi, Folgaria, Volano, and Rovereto.
Some of the destination
this trip were 'in the footsteps' of my parents and I remember how they talked about Rovereto in their earlier years of vacationing in Italy. So we added it on the list to visit. |
We noticed this castle from outside our hotel and planned to visit it the next morning
CASTEL BESENO
The castle was over the years expanded and adapted to have cannons on these two towers.
Castel Beseno is a sizable, medieval fortress in a picturesque, hilltop setting.
Strategically placed.
The Adige Valley, the southern part is known as the 'Vallagrina', has since ancient times
been the principle
axis of communication between the countries of Central Europe and Italy
towards the east of the alpine range.
| In the region (Trentino) there are numerous castles. With the financial aid of Province, some of them could be restored and are now open to the public. Here the most important:
§- Castel del Buonconsiglio, in Trento;
§- Castel Thun, in the Val di Non;
§- Castel Stenico, in the Vallagarina;
§- Castel Beseno, in the Adige Valley;
§- Castel Toblino, in the Valle del Sarca;
§- Castel Cles, near Cles in the Val di Non;
§- Arco Castle, in Arco.
It looks I have this area to explore
for more castles. We tried to visit Castel del Buonconsiglio in Trento but failed as we could not find a place to park the car! |
Don't forget to visit the museum when you get here, it's excellent!
The history of Castel Beseno is fascinating, dating back to the Middle Ages. The castle was originally built as a defensive fortress and has seen several important events over the centuries.
It has been a symbol of power and wealth for the rulers who owned it.
The castle has seen many important events over the centuries. It has served as a residence for noble families, such as the Lodrons and the Thun-Hohensteins.
The castle has also experienced several sieges and conflicts, sometimes changing hands. These events have contributed to the castle's rich history and shaped it into what it is today. |
A force not to ignore, the foot soldiers with their long lances, marching in several closed lines.
A fresco in a poor state; it does not seem to be protected from the elements..
'We never look at just one thing; we are always looking at the relation between things and ourselves.' ¬John Berger
'We see the world as 'we' are, not as 'it' is; because it is the "I" behind the 'eye' that does the seeing.'¬Anaïs Nin
Big brother learning his little Sis play chess..
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ROVERETO
An afternoon stroll in Rovereto - but in spite of the loving memories my parents had, I could not see the charm
Memory to WW1 a.k.a. the Great War
I was surprised to come across the Venetian lion, Rovereto must have
been under the influence of the Venetian Rulers.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was here!
"In Vallagarina, rediscover the 18th century by retracing the steps of the most famous composer of the time, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Stroll through the streets of the historic center of Rovereto and visit the rosy St. Mark's Church, where the Salzburg genius gave his first Italian concert, Palazzo Todeschi-Micheli, also known as the 'Mozart House', and the Bridi-De Probizer Garden, two places where the musician loved to spend time during his stays in the city."
¬ www.visitrovereto.it/sulle-orme-di-mozart |
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Italy is a country of many provinces; we drove from Trentino, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Le Marche,
Abruzzo, Puglia, Basilicata, Lazio, Umbria, and home through Toscana and Lombardia.
The toll gates are quite irritating, always uncertain whether to expect man or macine, leaning out of the window
to reach the payment pad, struggling to get it working and twice we had to resort to 'the voice in the box'.
An abandoned restaurant with a Tu-134A and a DC-6. See my detailed report included on my OFF-airport EUR
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URBINO
- 
I love these groups where mean and women gather seperately, typical for Italy I think!
Urbino is a walled city in the Marche region of Italy, southwest of Pesaro, a World Heritage Site notable for a remarkable historical legacy of independent Renaissance culture, especially under the patronage of Federico da Montefeltro, duke of Urbino from 1444 to 1482.
When I checked for accommodation I found most were full. I decided on a B&B outside town, it solved the problem of parking the car too.
Late afternoon we walked around and I came across a nice bookstore on this square where I found a great photobook which I just had to buy! |
I asked one of these gentlemen for a place to dine, and one pointed out the nearby Trattoria del Leone.
It was good advice to dine here, even though we are not 'fine dining' fans.
With the problem of parking the car outside the city walls we concluded this was all we wanted to
see of Urbino (this time), so we cancelled the 2nd night at the B&B (not entirely to our satisfaction)
and continue the next day and include a (re)visit to Perugia.
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PERUGIA
-
Perugia is the capital city of Umbria, crossed by the River Tiber, and of the province of Perugia. The city is located about 164 kms north of Rome and 148 kms southeast of Florence. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area. The region of Umbria is bordered by Tuscany, Lazio, and Marche.
The history of Perugia goes back to the Etruscan period; Perugia was one of the main Etruscan cities.
[¬ en.wikipedia.org:_Perugia]
The city is also known as a university town, with the University of Perugia founded in 1308, the University for Foreigners, and some smaller colleges.
My mother took a course in Italian here for 3 weeks, a long time ago. |
Piazza IV Novembre.
We parked the car at the 'autostazione' (@bus terminal) and took the scala mobile through the catacombs
up to the city center. The Corso Pietro Vannucci takes one in a straight line to the Piazza IV Novembre, but
first I noticed an excellent bookstore which I also know from my Rome visit: Feltrinelli Librerie.
Near the entrance to the catacombs, for our return to the Autostazione, we took a late lunch ('tramezzini').
Time to strap on the walking shoes again.. I had booked a hotel in Terni, but did not find the time to visit it.
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Italy Roadtrip 2023
The Abruzzo offered a varied landscape, but the Google SatNav stubbornly steered me to the coast and I had
to be alert with the directions for I wanted to keep on the scenic route through the mountains though it was longer.
Communities were often seen walled and on hills or mountain tops.
Castello di Celano
One of the best-preserved ancient military structures in Abruzzo, the fortress dates back to the 14th century. Badly damaged in the earthquake of 1915, the castle’s splendour was restored in the 1950s but its magnificent frescoes were lost forever.
Today, it is home to a sacred arts museum and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage offices.
[¬ https://abruzzowithgusto.com/most-beautiful-castles-in-abruzzo/] |
Not a good place to stay!
The castle has a magnificent museum
Brilliant artifacts on display here.
Stopping for a refreshment at the bar, it was the only bar open for a quick lunch.
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PARCO NAZIONALE DEL GARGANO
Our hotel in San Giovanni Rotondo: Hotel Valle Rossa. Remarkable 'decoration'.
Cats are not troubled by vertigo.. This was at a stop for coffees & bathroom visit on the coastal route.
Monte Sant'Angelo - Gargano NP | Parco Nazionale del Gargano
Obviously the men, most elderly, have been kicked out of the house by the working women..
We continued along the coast line of Gargano NP
A considerable area destroyed by fire. I noticed places with discarded beer bottles: fire caused by carelessness?
Only by getting out of my car and walking among the
destroyed trees and shrubbery, I noticed this hidden arch!
'The coast has interesting geology; cliffs composed of chalk-like white limestone, sparsely banded with thin
layers of flint. Next to the town there are two large, straight beaches. The remainder of the coast is
composed of gulfs and small, hidden sandy beaches. Erosion by water and wind has shaped the calcareous rock
into grottoes and arches. The coast is rugged, and many interesting sights are accessible only by sea.'
VIESTE (Province of Foggia, Apulia Region)
I seems every beach is referred to as 'Lido'. Note the white cliffs in the distance.
In medieval times, the port was frequently attacked by pirates, Saracens and other enemies of the Kingdom of Naples.
In 1554 approximately 7.000 inhabitants were enslaved by the Turks. Those deemed too elderly or infirm for slavery were executed.This event is commemorated in an annual ceremony.
Until a few decades ago, Vieste's primary economy was fishing and agriculture. Now tourism, with hotels, resorts and camping facilities, has transformed the town's appearance, economy and lifestyle. [¬ Wikipedia] |
The white cliffs of... Vieste!
We'd been lucky with the Zone Traffico Limitato (ZTL) not active and could park on the boulevard.
Art: Lorenzo Quinn's six pairs of hands on the boulevard of Vieste.
The poetic meaning of six pairs of giant hands, 15 meters high and joined, comes to life in the heart of Vieste, on the picturesque seafront of Marina Piccola.
These 'bridges' of hands are the soul of the monumental work " Building Bridges - Costruendo Ponti" by Lorenzo Quinn, which can be admired in the city of Vieste from June to September 2023.
Lorenzo Quinn is a well-known Italian sculptor and son of actor Anthony Quinn; he presented this impressive work of art for the first time at the Venice Biennale in 2019. Four years later, the work returns to Italy.
[¬ www.visitvieste.com/buildingbridges-mani-giganti-vieste/] |
So much colour to enjoy!
But I like the contrasts in B&W too!
Much of the town is white
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PESCHICI
While Peschici has a bigger and more attractive tourist profile than Vieste, I thought the reverse is true!
I thought this cemetery the only thing of interest in Peschici.
At 15:00 the town was closed and quite dead.
We drove back to our hotel in San Giovanni Rotondo, across the peninsula and over winding roads in a divers
landscape and 'found' this mural.
I love collecting them on camera. And would love to learn of the details: EMAIL
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Created: 26Nov23 - Updated:
28 Januari, 2025
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