January 4th, 2017
Concai dei Marini is located in south western Italy. It is on the hilly coast, between Amalfi and Furore. In the Middle Ages it was trading base of the Republic of Amalfi.
An this is from the same angle the above photo was taken many years ago.
We were traveling from Terracina where we had spent a great week-end. If you want to check that post click on September, 2016 and scroll down to the 6. Driving in the Costa Amalfitana is an experience. The driver will not be able to do any sight seeing. It is a drive where the driver has to drive. We did it but my friend, Judith, had done it plenty of times.
We arrived at Hotel Belvedere, located at Via Smeraldo, 19, 84010. This hotel offers all rooms looking towards the Tyrrhenian Sea. I had already been in touch with the Manager and Owner Mr. Antonio Barbero. My friends have been staying there for a long time so it was like coming home. Their website is http://www.belvederehotel.it.
The inside of the hotel was comfortable and every day at 7 p.m. we would meet in the lobby for a little drink before dinner.
The Belvedere has a salt water pool….and yes they have elevators or plenty of steps for those who want to keep in shape after all the dining and wining.
The views from Hotel Belvedere are spectacular. We met people that have been going there for so many years at the same time. August is a big vacation month for Europeans.
In the mornings we would sit on the terrace overlooking those amazing views and soon the sea would be filled with boats and yatchs of all sizes.
And Giuseppe, the Maitre d’ was always there to welcome us breakfast, lunch and dinner.
It seems like everywhere we went in Italy there were fireworks, a celebration! Same thing happened in Conca dei Marini where the boat parade and fireworks began early in the evening.
Jumping into the Tyrrhenian Sea was an experience. Looking at the rocks under the water….I was freaking out, but peer pressure won and I jumped just like everyone else.
Food is coming next….
Concai Dei Marini “For the Amalfi people who go to paradise, the Day of Judgement will be a day like any other day.” Italian Writer, Renato Fucini
Ciao
September 6th, 2016
“Don’t be afraid that something happens to you. Be afraid that nothing happens to you. Nothing noteworthy or exciting or breathtaking. I’m more afraid of a life where nothing extraordinary ever happens. I am more afraid of putting my dreams on a shelf and later realizing that I am too jaded or to tired to live them.” we are sole sisters
Yes, it has been some time since I put my thoughts and my photos on this blog. But here I am. I was telling a friend not long ago that seizing those special moments is something we should all aspire to. Hey, you never know what is around the corner. So I have decided that once a month I Want To Go Somewhere! It does not necessarily have to be taking off on a plane. It could be a day trip with friends, a new museum. I don’t want to be stuck in a rut.
When my friends called me last April or so to tell me that they had planned a trip to Italy and were thinking if…..I am In, I said. I don’t think I let them even finish the sentence. LOL
My friends are the perfect traveling partners. Italy is home to them. Italian they do speak. I can manage with my Spanish. So off we went to an adventure. Guess what? It was a #girlswannahavefun kind of trip. We got along, we were on time when required, more so at 7:15, for drinks, a nightly ritual, we laughed and we were all 20 years apart.
Traveling is exhausting and you have to be patient. Meeting my friends from Boston to Rome I was supposed to be on that plane, but I won’t bored with the details, my plane was canceled from BWI to Boston so I got to Rome a day late and another expensive plane ticket in order to get there.
Our first stop was the seaside town of Terracina, located about 47 miles southeast from Rome; between Rome and Naples. Sandy beaches attract summer visitors and it is the perfect beach get away since it is only about an hour from Rome and Naples.
Our hotel was Albergo Mediterraneo, located on Via Veneto, 2, 04019 Terracina Lt. Website? www.albergo-mediterraneo.it. The hotels in Terracina are comfortable and simple. Visitors come mainly for the main attractions which are the beaches, bars, and restaurants.
Every town we visited had either fireworks or some sort of festival. Seafood for the evening with family friends.
The beaches were wide. Wide enough that right on the sand are clubs you can pay a fee and enjoy more of an upscale service. Plenty of music on the beach, as well. You can walk from one beach club to another choosing the perfect one for you and your family. No boardwalk here but the sidewalks and bike lanes were very well defined.
If you just wanted to sit on the beach, there was plenty of space to do that. The clubs just attracted my attention since we do not have that type of set up here in our Delaware resorts.
Beach vendors pass you on the beach. You could have bought beach toys to evening wear. And if you forgot your swimwear….hey, they had that too.
Judith, my friend, and I took off walking early. Terracina is a seaside town and fresh seafood abounds. The crates of fresh fish arriving daily. And the vegetables stands were simple and beautiful, showing us that eating fresh and local is so amazing.
By the bridge overlooking the canal and then my first fig tree showing up. After that I saw fig trees everywhere. I was in heaven!
Like many towns there was the new section of town; modern and then the historic sites where you could appreciate the ruins of the time and the old cathedral and the Piazza del Municipio. This piazza is the ancient Roman forum.
While in Italy we ate a lot, but lucky that portions are not super size like we have here in the U.S. Plus the fact that we walked and climbed steps. Boy did we ever!
While in Terracina a trip to the Temple of Jupiter Anxur is a must. You will be able to get a breathtaking and scenic view from that advantage point. This temple has towered over the city since the second century A.D.
During the Middle Ages there was a Benedictine Monastery dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel.
In the year 2000 the Temple of Jupiter Anxur was recognized as a National Monument.
And in 2008 it became part of the Natural Regional Park of the Ausoni Mounts and the Lake of Fondi.
It was 9 p.m. in Terracina and a delicacy called the Bomba Calda is a nightly ritual for many. It is like a stuffed doughnut with Nutella cream and Panna cream. There are other flavors but the best are these. Down the beach road we went by the hotel and here it was.
Nobody twisted my arm to have the Bomba Calda…..I needed that like a hole in the head. But, in Terracina you follow others. haha
In most parts of Italy, if you are thirsty drink from the fountains in town. Perfectly safe. Next is the Amalfi Coast.
Comments Off on Summer Travel, Conca dei Marini, Italy, Amalfi Coast, Hotel Belvedere, What Are You Waiting For? Costiera Amalfitana e Bella