San Benedetto Del Tronto Italy: The perfect place for a vacation in Italy

Ok so the title isn't exact because after all what is "perfect?" In the event you are looking for a great place to take your family in Italy, then this is it. The travel guides you read will tell you everything you need to know about Rome, Venice, Florence and the rest but if you have seen them already or if you want to take a vacation where the Italians go then San Benedetto Del Tronto is the spot you're looking for. This isn't the only Italian destination but it is one of the better ones. There are many things that make this city perfect for a holiday but the simplest reason is that it was designed that way.

The lungomare or seaside is designed so that the tourist hotels and a few bars are on the road that is parallel to the beach opposite the beach of course. (The first picture is one of the many hotels, the second is the view from the front of another hotel) Just on the other side of the road is the bike path where if you're not careful you will get run over by one of the many bicycles that are constantly taking advantage of having their own road. Just past the bike path is the sidewalk and this isn't a narrow two and a half foot wide sidewalk, this is near twenty feet in some places, so there is plenty of room for people to walk up and down without feeling crowded and without having to dodge cyclists.

Along the sidewalk are, alternating between chalets (restaurants), bars (a bar in Italy is a place to buy an espresso and other snacks along with some alcohol but not a bar you would find in America,) parks and playgrounds for children. This is much to be said about how clean, neat and tidy this quaint seaside village is. If you were to fly above the beach in a helicopter you would see how square and organized it looks. The chalets all have umbrellas to rent on the beach and they all have different sets of colors that make the beach look colorful and festive.

I wish I could give some sort of review on a few of the restaurants but sadly, I never at on this beach. The only thing I was able to eat when I got here was a few gelatos or Italian ice cream. I spent many Euros on ice cream and the best gelatos I had in Italy were when I was in this region of Italy. It was rare to find a place that didn't make outstanding, flavorful and inexpensive gelatos. Average cost of a small two flavored cone was €1.50, medium three flavored cone €2.00 and large three or more flavored cone was €2.50. Gelatos are well worth their weight in gold, that might be a bit redundant for those of you who have had one. Warning: The fruit flavors are made with the actual fruit instead of flavoring and they are slightly addicting. Just because they are healthier for you than standard American ice cream does not mean you won't gain weight. Overall satisfaction of my time in San Benedetto, complete and total satisfaction! I feel in love and plan to go back one day. I actually like destinations that are full of locals and natives rather than tourists and travelers.

Moresco Italy's Folkloristico Festival 2013

One of the many, and I mean MANY, festivals you will find going on in Italy during the summer is in Moresco which is in the La Marche region of Italy in the hills overlooking the Aso Valley and the Adriatic coast. In terms of scenery, this part of Italy is hard to beat.

One strange fact about Moresco is that it is home to one of the only seven sided medieval towers in Europe.

We were lucky to have been able to visit during this time of year, the Folkloristico Festival was fun and interesting to see. I love how this festival was more of a community gathering or almost what American's would call a "block party." Since the town of Moresco is a very old Medieval town, the way it is built, everything is connected. There are apartments all around the square and during they day you would see people opening and closing their shutters depending on the weather. We weren't so lucky in the fact that this was the wettest start to a summer Italy has seen in a long time so we did have to wait out a rain shower here and there.

Another couple of interesting facts about Moresco is that it has a heptagonal shaped watch tower and is home to frescos (Seen Below) by the famous Italian painter Vincenzo Pagani, which we were told is worth tens of millions of dollars. The tower (seen above) is strange in the odd number of sides that it has but from the top of the tower that rises 25 meters, you can get an amazing view of the Aso Valley, Pedaso and on a clear day you can even see the coast of Albania which is approximately 70 km away.

The folkloristico festival is all about the way it used to be in Moresco. There are a few people who dress in the traditional Italian costumes, they sing and dance to old songs in Dialect. There are about close to thirty people in different groups playing the accordion and another with the a tambourine. I fell in love with an older lady who sang and danced for the entire time we were there which had to be close to 6 hours. I hope when I'm her age I have as much energy. You see her pictured below and I'll post the video as well.

There are big reasons for coming to Italy which everyone knows and dreams about but I have learned that in Italy there are more reasons NOT to go to the over crowded, over priced and often over romanticised tourist traps. While I too went to or will go to Rome, Florence, Milan and Venice, I have found that some of the most beautiful sights have been in the small medieval towns. I learned that the only place to find Italians, is to go where the tourists aren't. Rent a car and drive away from these cities and after an hour the first B&B you find, stop there and you will find your heaven. Festivals go on in every town all across Italy all it takes is a bit of luck and adventure. Growing up and learning about how civilization got it's start in Italy somehow makes it very romantic in but in reality the real beauty of Italy is in the homes of Italians, in the kitchens, in the bar's and in the center of town during these festivals. The heart of Italy beats strong off the beaten path.

The prices of food and drinks outside the tourist traps are cheap to reasonable. You can get a liter of very good wine from 2 to 4 Euro's and rarely pay more than 2 Euro for a slice of truly Italian pizza which is very filling. But don't stop at just the pizza because they have a pork sandwich called "porchetta" that will make your mouth water with every bite. There isn't anything anyone should be afraid to try in Italy, they aren't very adventurous with spices except for basil, rosemary and olive oil which you will find on most everything. So don't be scared, go off and explore and learn what real Italy is all about.

Monterubbiano Italy's Armata di Pentecoste Is a sight to see

We got lucky when we got to Italy. The family we were staying with lives about 5 minutes down the road from Monterubbiano which is a tiny town in the hills above the Aso valley in Marche Italy. "La Marche" is known for being the shoe capital of Italy and for having rich soil for crops. Another thing it should be known for is amazing views of the mountains, the valley and the ocean. Looking east I could see the Adriatic sea, south east I see the valley and to the south I see snow capped mountains also referred to as a little slice of heaven. Below are a few pictures but trust me when I say that these pictures only give you an idea of how beautiful it is.

Another way we got lucky was that we arrived in Italy at the beginning of festival season which is pretty much the entire summer. The first festival we were lucky enough to attend was in the town of Monterubbiano and the festival was called "Armata Di Pentecoste" or roughly translated to army of pentecost. The town has no records of the age of this festival but most of the townsfolks we spoke with say that it could be as old as Italy itself. The festival lasts for 3 days with activities like the band march, which is a group of about 15 drummers going up and down the streets banging out different songs. There is also the "meet and greet" which is where the "teams" for the Picena race or the "ring tournament." There is also a holy mass that the town holds outside near the racecourse. We weren't able to attend all the events but below are a few pictures of the ring tournament, the flag demonstration and holy mass.

This festival is one of many that few non-Italians get to see because this region isn't on the "tourist's" radar. We believe, after staying here for nearly two months that this should be right up there with Rome, Florence and Venice. The views are unbelievable, the food is incredible and the beaches are perfect for families. There is just as much history in Fermo, Moresco and too many more to name. So if you don't like all the crowds and hordes of photo snapping tourists then try the Aso Valley, you won't be disappointed. The last few pictures I'm adding are just some of the many cool things we saw and did. So if you find yourself planning a visit to Italy take head in the best piece of advice I can give you about this lovely country, beware of the tourist. They come in droves, they take a picture of everything and they move much like cattle, slow bunched up and groan about everything. Enjoy!