A peek into our summer.
This year’s summer was so great. We spent two weeks in Italy with family and friends and another week in Greece. The plan was to have an intense two weeks in Italy and then relax at the resort in Greece, which worked out pretty well. We went to Mitsis Laguna which is a five star, luxury hotel, and yes, we don’t usually go out on resorts or hotels, but we wanted to do Greece, an island, all-inclusive, kid friendly, so we did it. No regrets. Not a lot, anyway. But will talk more about Greece in a separate post. For now, let’s stick to Italy.
I read somewhere that we only get 18 to 20 summers with our kids. Doesn’t that seem crazy? Not that I live my summers, or even winters for that matter, centered around my kid, but still, she is in fact an important factor when we plan our summers now and it’s mind-boggling that we’ve already done three.
We mostly stayed around Nonna’s place, obviously because we wanted to spend time with her. It was pretty hot, like 34-36 degrees and she doesn’t have AC so I was dying. But the little one was just happy to be there. She just has such a special bond with her Nonna, it’s so sweet to watch and I do cherish these moments. And she learned so much Italian!
And of course, we ate a lot of delicious food, both home cooked and from restaurants. The best pizza in my opinion is from La Cucchiara or Pitta la pizza col Sorriso, while for an overall seafood-y, traditional cuisine I would suggest Ristorante Osteria Scvnazz.
We also met our friend and celebrity pastry chef Nicola Giotti and it seems he’s planning some exciting new projects. But more about that later.
We managed to try out Gallo in Trani. We missed it last time for various reasons and I was really happy we made it this time. To be honest, I’m a bigger fan of Cortefiore, which was one of the best restaurants I’ve been to. (Their menu is amazing, best shrimps of my life, so nice and attentive staff and fantastic portions. If you are in the area and haven’t been, I recommend trying it out. Oh, it’s on the more expensive side, but no regrets. Worth every bite.) The only problem I have with it us that I’ve eaten there four times and I would like to find somewhere else that’s equally good. The kids were exhausted, not just because we started to eat late, like 10 p.m. but also because it took us forever to finish. Italian summers.
Cisternino and Locorotondo
Cisternino has become a favorite for us. The city’s speciality is Bombetta, and I have to say Al Vecchio Fornello is the one. Don’t even bother other places. Even if you have to wait, wait. They do something different to either the bombetta or the grilling technique. Bombetti are meat rolled up in bacon, rolled around in breadcrumbs and then grilled and fried… and this place manages to make them taste like butter. Melt in your mouth butter. I’ve tried these delicacies in numerous different places, but this Al Vecchio Fornello does them best.
Very into taking photos these days. Locorotondo was not so different from the other small, quiet Italian towns, but so pretty. They had some nice boutique shops, so if you’re into shopping, I would recommend this charming town.
Lecce
We decided to take Nonna for a short trip to Lecce, a city famous for its baroque art, architecture and culture and about 4 hours away from Giovinazzo. She later told me that this was the first “summer holiday” in 15 years. G’s father has been sick for a very, very long time so of course I understood the situation but it still broke my heart a bit and I’m so glad we did it.
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The city is nicknamed “the Florence of the South” and it has a number of beautiful and historical structures to prove it. I found it a bit overwhelming, there were just so many of them that under the scorching summer heat, I was a bit over it after the fourth or fifth cathedral or church. But yes, the architecture is different from other southern cities; much more elaborate and over the top.
Otranto and Gallipoli
Popular beach destinations, Otranto and Gallipoli were packed with (mostly) Italians searching for some sun and sea. Some tips, if I may. Both are famous for their crystal clear beaches, so swimming and sunbathing is a good idea. But of course, expect to stay there for a while. When in Gallipoli, take the mini bus tour that starts in front of the bridges that lead up to the center. It’s quite a walk and the (very short) tour brings you up near the center. You also get a beautiful view of the city and beach, so extra points for that.
If you don’t have enough time to do both, I would say go to Otranto. Gallipoli was a bit too hectic for us, Otranto seemed a bit more under control, easier to navigate and bit more photogenic.
Elsewhere
We also went to spend a day on the San Pietro beach in Bevagna. Beautiful beach. I would recommend renting an umbrella and sun bed because it does make a difference, including shade from the umbrellas, sun beds for the kids, a very clean bathroom, shower room and changing rooms.
For seafood, we were told about this restaurant near the seaside called Il Principe del Mare Ristoro in Fasano. It’s perched up right on the seaside, so you are literally sitting over the water. Their speciality is seafood, very raw and fresh seafood, but they do pastas and grilled fish as well. The presentation is quite simple, the seafood is washed and just plopped on a plate with lemon. Every single table had a huge plate of sea urchins so if you’re there, go for that.
Not sure if you could guess it, but it was quite the summer. We spent so much quality time with friends and family, A speaks so much Italian now, loves the beach and pool and so tanned. Oh and the parents are overweight. But we’re already excited for next year.
All photos by rachelsanghee. August, 2019.