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| Sunset from Relais del Colle - great spot for an aperitivo |
Sated by the slightly ragged grandeur of Venezia we headed to a spot near Ripatransone, which is just off the Adriatic coast. On the way we got a look at a typical Italian summer beach scene which, to those used to long clean empty stretches of sand, looked alien: a veritable clogged maze of umbrellas, sunlounges...tucked behind paid admission entrances. Gulp - wonder what Amalfi will be like.
Those thoughts were forgotten when our larger-than-life host, Luciano, greeted us enthusiastically at the Relais del Colle. Peppering his speech with contented utterances of "perfe-ecto", he got us settled right in by suggesting a rest, a dip in the pool, with dinner to be served sometime after 8.30. We willfully added an aperitivo under the pergola, perched high on a hilltop, watching the sun's marvelous brazen orb sink behind the surrounding hills and turning to silhouette the numerous hilltop towns. Once full darkness fell these emerged again as twinkling fairy tale clusters of lights in the distance. Belissimo! The Marche area is mostly undiscovered by non-Italian tourists and has the look of what we imagine the Tuscan countryside to be (only a week until we'll be there to compare).
We were caught unprepared for the extent of dinner - well we thought we were hungry and ready, but the pace was challenging. The Relais serves its own organic/biodynamic produce, and it's delicious. Warm, sweet tomatos on bruschetta, dipped through little pools of sweet and fruity olive oil. Succulent cantaloup with prosciutto. A large platter of homemade tagliattelle alla Ascallana (with a sweet tomato & tuna sauce)....we shouldn't have finished that one, because no sooner we had than another (only half the size - ie enough for two or three people) appeared because we clearly needed more. Learning from our error we left some of the second helping, and were then confronted with the main course of roasted pork with a delicious saute of zuchinis. Fearfully, we tried to do it justice but barely managed half. Sweets were then upon us: a trio of sorbets that were pure in flavour and a relief (we'd heard talk of cake, which by this stage sounded scary). They also make their own organic wines wine flowed readily. Luciano then serenaded us with some lovely piano, before thrusting a guitar at Andrew and telling him it was his turn. It's been a lot of years....but the couple nearby didn't seem too critical. Luciano then whipped out a tray of digestivos: grappas infused with a variety of flavours (basil, sage, elderflower, peach and several others). All homemade with the farm's produce, and all delicious. After sampling a little of them we resolutely called time and waddled upstairs to bed.
Those thoughts were forgotten when our larger-than-life host, Luciano, greeted us enthusiastically at the Relais del Colle. Peppering his speech with contented utterances of "perfe-ecto", he got us settled right in by suggesting a rest, a dip in the pool, with dinner to be served sometime after 8.30. We willfully added an aperitivo under the pergola, perched high on a hilltop, watching the sun's marvelous brazen orb sink behind the surrounding hills and turning to silhouette the numerous hilltop towns. Once full darkness fell these emerged again as twinkling fairy tale clusters of lights in the distance. Belissimo! The Marche area is mostly undiscovered by non-Italian tourists and has the look of what we imagine the Tuscan countryside to be (only a week until we'll be there to compare).
We were caught unprepared for the extent of dinner - well we thought we were hungry and ready, but the pace was challenging. The Relais serves its own organic/biodynamic produce, and it's delicious. Warm, sweet tomatos on bruschetta, dipped through little pools of sweet and fruity olive oil. Succulent cantaloup with prosciutto. A large platter of homemade tagliattelle alla Ascallana (with a sweet tomato & tuna sauce)....we shouldn't have finished that one, because no sooner we had than another (only half the size - ie enough for two or three people) appeared because we clearly needed more. Learning from our error we left some of the second helping, and were then confronted with the main course of roasted pork with a delicious saute of zuchinis. Fearfully, we tried to do it justice but barely managed half. Sweets were then upon us: a trio of sorbets that were pure in flavour and a relief (we'd heard talk of cake, which by this stage sounded scary). They also make their own organic wines wine flowed readily. Luciano then serenaded us with some lovely piano, before thrusting a guitar at Andrew and telling him it was his turn. It's been a lot of years....but the couple nearby didn't seem too critical. Luciano then whipped out a tray of digestivos: grappas infused with a variety of flavours (basil, sage, elderflower, peach and several others). All homemade with the farm's produce, and all delicious. After sampling a little of them we resolutely called time and waddled upstairs to bed.
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| Tracey and friend - Ascoli Percena |
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| Palazzo at Ascoli Perceno |
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| Reflections at Hadrian's Villa |
We were beguiled by Luciano's offers of breakfast (including of grappa and/or limoncello, both of which we declined) but kept it light and headed off to Ascoli Piceno. This is the major town in the area, tucked away from the coast a little and ornamented by a charming old town centre. In the prevailing European tradition the heart has been largely pedestrianised which adds to the charm. The town was readying itself for an evening festival (possibly the major annual festival, or maybe just in honour of the local soccer club - it's hard to tell when you don't speak the lingo). We called our fathers for Fathers' Day (hi Eddie & Don) and then strolled around listening to marching bands warming up, observing numerous sets of wedding photos an generally liking the white stone buildings and streets. In one of the central piazzas we discovered lunch, which turned out to be a good-value stomach-stretching excursion through many typical local dishes. For a four to five course meal, with wine and coffee included, 26 euros was a bargain (note - your euro buys you far more food and wine in Italy than in France).
Luciano was happy to arrange a "light" (the term is relative) dinner of bruschetta + olivey nibbles, pasta and a mousse-like fresh peach dessert and more of their homemade wines - followed by a little nip of limoncello of course ;-) also homemade.
Leaving is always hard, and this was no exception. We hadn't found the chance to use the Turkish bath, have a massage, use their Wii or any other of the many diversions available. Relais del Colle goes down as one we highly recommend, and intend to return to.
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| Glory faded before the physique |
En route from Ripatransone we found time to pass through Tipoli (sorry, Tivoli, but it's a dump) to check our Hadrian's Villa. Some excellent Roman ruins warmed us up for a future excursion to Pompei.....
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