Hi, I'm going to do a great circle of the coastline of Italy...by train
this year. Has anyone favorite spots on the Adriatic coast...mid to
southern, that is. I like peaceful and near the water and good food.
thanks. bill frogg

On Thu, 11 Dec 2003, billfrogg wrote:

    > Hi, I'm going to do a great circle of the coastline of Italy...by train
    > this year. Has anyone favorite spots on the Adriatic coast...mid to
    > southern, that is.

I am not a beach type, and therefore I find the Adriatic coast a bit
boring from the scenic point of view, large flat sandy beaches
(exceptions may be the two rocky promontories of Monte Conero, near
Ancona, and Gargano in the north of Puglie) more or less crowded.

If you are interested in art cities instead, you might find interesting
spots in Romagna and Marche (the centre of Rimini itself, Gradara
castle*, Pesaro, Fano, Senigallia, Ancona, Fermo*) and in Puglia (Castel
del Monte*, Trani, Barletta, Molfetta, Bari, Ostuni*, Lecce, Otranto).
The asterisk mark sites a few km from the coast.

I've listed only places where I've been, and excluded places in the
interior (but you should not forget e.g. a city like Urbino), therefore
Abruzzo, Molise and northern Puglie are excluded, but may be worth
while.

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"Giovanni Drogo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:Pine.OSF.4.30.0312111118180.326...mi.iasf.cnr.it...
    > On Thu, 11 Dec 2003, billfrogg wrote:
    > > Hi, I'm going to do a great circle of the coastline of Italy...by train
    > > this year. Has anyone favorite spots on the Adriatic coast...mid to
    > > southern, that is.
    > If you are interested in art cities instead, you might find interesting
    > spots in Romagna and Marche (the centre of Rimini itself, Gradara
    > castle*, Pesaro, Fano, Senigallia, Ancona, Fermo*) and in Puglia (Castel
    > del Monte*, Trani, Barletta, Molfetta, Bari, Ostuni*, Lecce, Otranto).
    > The asterisk mark sites a few km from the coast.

And surely Ravenna, also near the coast, not much north of Rimini.

In article
<[email protected]>,
Giovanni Drogo <[email protected]> wrote:

    > On Thu, 11 Dec 2003, billfrogg wrote:
    >
    > > Hi, I'm going to do a great circle of the coastline of Italy...by train
    > > this year. Has anyone favorite spots on the Adriatic coast...mid to
    > > southern, that is.
    >
    > If you are interested in art cities instead, you might find interesting
    > spots in Romagna and Marche (the centre of Rimini itself, Gradara
    > castle*, Pesaro, Fano, Senigallia, Ancona, Fermo*)
Thanks, Govanni, I think the art locations will be most interesting, as
well as Lecce, where I have been before. bill

On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 11:25:02 +0100, Giovanni Drogo
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >On Thu, 11 Dec 2003, billfrogg wrote:
    >> Hi, I'm going to do a great circle of the coastline of Italy...by train
    >> this year. Has anyone favorite spots on the Adriatic coast...mid to
    >> southern, that is.
    >I am not a beach type, and therefore I find the Adriatic coast a bit
    >boring from the scenic point of view, large flat sandy beaches
    >(exceptions may be the two rocky promontories of Monte Conero, near
    >Ancona, and Gargano in the north of Puglie) more or less crowded.
    >If you are interested in art cities instead, you might find interesting
    >spots in Romagna and Marche (the centre of Rimini itself, Gradara
    >castle*, Pesaro, Fano, Senigallia, Ancona, Fermo*) and in Puglia (Castel
    >del Monte*, Trani, Barletta, Molfetta, Bari, Ostuni*, Lecce, Otranto).
    >The asterisk mark sites a few km from the coast.

Castel del Monte is absolutely worth a visit. It's a 11th-12th century
castle, very well preserved, built of white stone in an octagonal
form. It's very simple in its style, sort of on the cusp of the
Romanesque and the Gothic. I don't know about public transport.

I agree that the beach area itself is rarely scenic, and I also am not
a beach type. Just inland are many beautiful little hill towns.
Unfortunately, most of them are not served by train, but there are
busses that go inland from the coastal cities. However, getting around
this region by public transport might be a bit tedious. There aren't
many hotels and restaurants, and connections between towns may not be
frequent. Also, the bus lines are all independent and finding
schedules and bus stops isn't terribly easy. Where I live, for
instance, the tourist office has bus schedules for the line that
connects our town to Senigallia, but none of the bus stops in town are
marked. I have a feeling that if you got off the train in Senigallia,
you might have trouble finding any information about bus schedules in
the vicinity of the train station. However, there are lots of things
to see in the area if you are willing to do a little research and
planning.

    >I've listed only places where I've been, and excluded places in the
    >interior (but you should not forget e.g. a city like Urbino), therefore
    >Abruzzo, Molise and northern Puglie are excluded, but may be worth
    >while.

Urbino is indeed worth a detour. You can get a bus there from either
Fano or Pesaro.
-----------
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

billfrogg <[email protected]> wrote in news:101220031752595025%
[email protected]:

    > Hi, I'm going to do a great circle of the coastline of Italy...by train
    > this year. Has anyone favorite spots on the Adriatic coast...mid to
    > southern, that is. I like peaceful and near the water and good food.
    > thanks. bill frogg

You might want to try Silvi Marina in Teramo Province. There are beautiful
hills behind the beach and small hill towns such a Atri or Loreto Aprutino.
Atri has some great food and ancient churches including some Roman ruins.
You might also want to look into Vasto futher down the coast in Chieti
Province. I've heard good things about it but have never been there.

    >And surely Ravenna, also near the coast, not much north of Rimini.

Definitely do not miss Ravenna! The mosaics are unparalleled anywhere. Also,
a lot of history resides there.
Jimoran

"Jimoran" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > >And surely Ravenna, also near the coast, not much north of Rimini.
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > Definitely do not miss Ravenna! The mosaics are unparalleled anywhere.
Also,
    > a lot of history resides there.

Pesaro is well worth a visit. Rimini is also very interesting once you get
half a mile inland behind the hotels which could be on any beach in the
world. And don't miss the chance to take a bus inland to Urbino.

Alan Harrison

billfrogg <[email protected]> wrote:

    > Hi, I'm going to do a great circle of the coastline of Italy...by train
    > this year. Has anyone favorite spots on the Adriatic coast...mid to
    > southern, that is. I like peaceful and near the water and good food.
    > thanks. bill frogg

When I was a kid, we often went to Otranto (the extreme east point in
Italy), and it was a very nice place. But it was 30 years ago and I
don't know it the place is still as good.

--
Luca Logi - Firenze - Italy e-mail: [email protected]

On Fri, 12 Dec 2003, Luca Logi wrote:

    > When I was a kid, we often went to Otranto (the extreme east point in
    > Italy), and it was a very nice place. But it was 30 years ago and I
    > don't know it the place is still as good.

I was there for the first time last year and was favourably impressed.
Nice centre, a nice small church with romanic frescoes, and an
impressive (though very naive, but also impressive because naive)
ancient floor mosaic in the Cathedral.

--
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