Our Italian Christmas Adventure – Part I

Posted on   May 20,2024   By John Compisi

We have traveled to Italy numerous times in the past 16 years but never have we enjoyed Christmas and New Years Eve in our favorite travel destination. That all changed this past Christmas when we journeyed to Abruzzo, Naples, Pompeii, Florence, Assisi and Rome over a nearly three-week odyssey. Our journey was prompted by the desire of our daughter’s mother-in-law, a Neapolitan by birth, to visit her brother, his children and her extended family that reside in Naples and Rome. This is Part I which focuses on our first week including Abruzzo, Naples, Pompeii and Capri.

ABRUZZO – Forte e gentile

We began our journey with a brief visit with our dear friend Antonio in his home Province of Abruzzo. After landing in Rome and picking up a rental car, we drove toward Abruzzo before stopping in the northern outskirts of Rome (Hampton by Hilton, Rome North) to rest up from or overnight plane ride.  In the morning, we enjoyed a great breakfast and coffee and then headed east toward the Apennines. We had no clue what beauty awaited us.

Although we had been along the Abruzzo, Adriatic coast before, this route was new for us. We traveled east skirting south of the Parco Naturale Regionale Sirente-Velino and then through the Parco Nazionale Della Maiella. The Apennines run, virtually, north and south at a distance of approximately 1,200 km (750 miles) through the middle of the Italian peninsula.

Snowcapped mountains in front of us and wonderful hilltop towns to our left and right. Each province or region of Italy has characteristic terrain, flora and fauna. Abruzzo was up to the distinction of having this diversity including the last of the Italian wolf and the Marsican brown bear, according to Wikipedia.  

After an amazing drive we met Antonio at a local restaurant and salumeria named Poggio del Sole. The owner, chef and butcher, Francisco Angelini, welcomed us as we sat down with Antonio for an extraordinary dining experience. Fresh salumi, roasted lamb skewers and pasta were the fare of the day. The accompanying local wines were outstanding and different from other Italian varietals we had tasted in the past.

After a leisurely lunch, Antonio led us to his country villa, formerly the home of his grandparents. This charming and recently updated villa would be our overnight accommodations.

We took a siesta and freshened up before Antonio came back to take us to dinner in Francavilla al Mare, a seaside town on the Adriatic.

We arrived in Francavilla Al Mare, just south of Pescara, at Ristorante la Nave at dusk. Beautifully located right on the Adriatic Coast, Ristorante la Nave, is owned and operated by twin brothers Enrico (Sommelier and front of house) and Vincenzo (Chef) Mancinelli.

La Nave has been in this same location and operated by the family since 1950. The seafood is divine and the dishes prepared by Vincenzo were sublime. Their graciousness was unmatched and we have Antonio to thank for exposing us to his favorite haunts in Abruzzo, forte e gentile – strong and gentle, just like him.

The next morning, after a relaxing and peaceful overnight at Antonio’s villa, we followed him to his favorite coffee and pastry shop, Caffetteria Pasticceria L’Isola delle Tentazioni 2, in Francavilla al Mare. We reveled in the wonderfully rich Italian coffee and the Bomba, a local cream filled pastry. In some regions of Italy, the Bomba is called a Bombolone. It could be described as a custard filled doughnut but the pastry is very light.  Really yummy.

We left Pescara and, at Antonio’s recommendation, headed to the Provincial City of Sulmona. Tucked away in this mountainous region we found Sulmona to be welcoming and very interesting. It was the home of the Roman poet Ovid and has a bronze statue to memorialize that fact. Many assert that Sulmona is one of the prettiest towns in Abruzzo. We agree!

It is also the home of Confetti. Confetti is an Italian confectionery, sugar coated almonds (quite similar to Jordan Almonds), and like Jordan Almonds, are traditionally given to friends and relatives at weddings and other special occasions. These confetti are so pretty they can be used as a decorative accent.

We completed our stay in Sulmona by enjoying a superb lunch at the restaurant at La Locanda di Gino. This Michelin Bib Gourmand was truly outstanding. White table cloths and impeccable service accompanied the great dishes we enjoyed.

NAPLES

Our drive from Abruzzo to Napoli was beautiful and uneventful, through snow lined mountain passes, until we arrived at the outskirts of the city. Then, something called traffic, happened. It was December 23^rd and a Friday. What could go wrong. The highway and city streets were packed with automobiles, like brick work, and the grout was mopeds, as they seemed to fill every open space between the cars.

It was harrowing as we drove in circles to find our hotel, which, it turns out, was in a pedestrian only area. The machinations we went through between turning in our rental car, near the downtown train station, and getting our bags to the Hotel Galleria Umberto could be a story in and of itself.

Ultimately, we found our hotel, Hotel Galleria Umberto, which was located inside the Galleria Umberto I in a pedestrian only area of the historic center of Naples. We returned our rental car later that evening, to the Naples Airport to save time the next day.

The Galleria was built between 1887 and 1890 and dedicated to Umberto I, Italy’s king at the time. It is an amazing structure with glass roofs and a dome allowing wonderful natural light into the interior. It is a shopping mall with familiar storefronts like Sephora and McDonalds lining the retail areas. The Hotel Galleria Umberto occupies one section on the 3rd and 4th floors.

It is delightfully appointed with baroque art from Neapolitan artisans, bright fresh paint and a wonderful reception and breakfast area which serves typical Italian fare. Breakfast was included in our rate.

Each day we were in Naples was a dining extravaganza. With 13 people in our party, we frequented the dining scene along the streets and alleys of Naples and avoided the larger formal dining opportunities. Sometimes our tables were perched along a steep side street requiring real ingenuity among the staff, which was always present.

Having native Neapolitan speakers in our group clearly made a positive impact as servers scurried around to find extra chairs or larger tables to accommodate us. The food was Neapolitan, of course, and always delicious. Pizza was a regular item but never the only item on the table. We truly enjoyed the local wine as well. Most often Aglianico, one of the most widespread grapes in Campania (Region where Naples is located), Piedirosso and Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio which translates to “Christ’s Tears at Vesuvius”.

Naples is a charming city of constant chaos, especially at night. Originally settled by the Greeks in the 8^th Century BC, the old section, where we stayed and wandered over the five days was jammed with character, beautiful churches and basilica, art and history.

The high density living in the Centro Storico (Historic Center – includes the Spanish Quarter) ensures that the locals, especially the younger people, spend most evenings out walking, laughing, dining and clubbing.

POMPEII – Frozen in Time

One of the highlights of our stay in Naples was the day trip to Pompeii. Twelve of us loaded into a motor coach right from our hotel to journey about 45 minutes to Pompeii, the ancient Roman City that was buried by as much as 20 feet of volcanic ash and pumice when Mount Vesuvius erupted violently in 79 AD.

Pompeii remained preserved and virtually undisturbed until it was accidentally rediscovered in the late 16th century. Early excavations were sloppy and destructive to what had been the most well-preserved Roman City of antiquity. More recent excavations have employed modern techniques to preserve full homes and banquet halls complete with frescos.

We arrived on a gloriously sunny and warm day and were soon joined by our private guide, Giovanni. Giovanni humorously and expertly guided us through an amphitheater, many complete buildings and homes as well as the Forum, the center of Pompeii’s social, cultural, economic and political life. The streets, plumbing, sewer and other engineering innovations portrayed the Roman civilization so far ahead of the rest of the world.

The onsite museum, Antiquarium of Pompeii, is well worth an hour to peruse the trove of artifacts, statuary, frescos etc. that have been salvaged and preserved from the city and its dwellings. Many more treasures have been moved to National Archaeological Museum in Naples where they can be appreciated by a larger population of people. This building is nearly 500 years old and the contents are an amazing collection of Roman, Greek and Renaissance antiquities including many from Pompeii.

We experienced a bonus after our expertly guided tour of Pompeii. Our group spent the next 3 hours at the winery and resort, Bosco de Medici, located in modern Pompeii just outside the the ruins. The luncheon and paired wines were quite amazing and this venue is highly recommended for weddings, corporate events or just an awesome tasting experience.

CAPRI

Despite a cold and overcast day, our entire party boarded a ferry from the Naples harbor and made the 50-minute cruise to Capri. Capri is an island in the Bay of Naples. It is well known for its rugged landscape, luxury hotels and shopping. It is as believed to be the home of the original Caprese salad.

One of its best-known natural sites is the Blue Grotto, a dark cavern in which the sea glows electric blue. Apparently, sunlight passing through an underwater cave creates this natural wonder. Unfortunately, the weather and sea state were not conducive to this side trip, so we missed it. Perhaps another time. Our research tells us that the tour to the Blue Grotto can be expensive and take a couple of hours due to the wait to enter but when you do get inside, you remain only about 5 minutes. You decide.

We disembarked and took the funicular to the retail and tourist area at the top. Due to it being the off-season, only a few shops and restaurants were open but the sights were still magnificent. We wandered around, bought some gifts and then found a very friendly restaurant where we enjoyed wine and pizza. Spending this wonderful time together was a real memory maker. After just a few hours on Capri, we returned to Naples Marina Grande and back to our hotel.

The first week of our Italian Christmas adventure had come to an end.

Part II, to follow, takes us to Florence, Rome and Assisi. Come with us.