Ascoli Piceno and Villa Rosa di Martinsicuro

On our way back from three weeks in the Gargano area of Puglia we stop at Hotel San Remo at Villa Rosa near Martinsicuro, none of which you will probably have heard of and nor had we until I spotted a uhm err bargain of all bargains on Groupon. Enough said. The hotel is "All inclusive" so our daily tariff includes breakfast, lunch and dinner including drinks with meals, coffee, water, sun umbrella and two sun loungers, parking, and even an hour of bicycle rental free (we have fun riding down the cycle path before the rain starts the following afternoon). Oh yes, and, miraculously, we have a sea view. I am amazed and highly contented. The beach is just across a deserted road and the sea is a poetic blue and shelves gently. Perfection. Our first day involves a longish drive in the morning so the afternoon and next morning we officially laze.

Then, after lunch, we go to Ascoli Piceno. As usual we chug around the outskirts of the historical centre looking for free parking and find it. Then we take Corso Mazzini towards Piazza del Popolo. Corso Mazzini is an important road in the old centre of Ascoli but is not pedestrian, cars come rumbling down quite fast and we have to keep a look out while observing the old buildings. 

On the way we also see the Torri Gemelli in Piazza Agostino, some buildings were damaged by the earthquakes in 2016 and 2017.

Piazza del Popolo with two sides of red brick and arches is almost in contrast with the rest of Ascoli's almost severe palaces in Travertine stone which has become dark in places. 

Nevertheless when the sun comes out even the side of the San Francesco church towards the square warms a little. 

Inside, the church is unadorned except for the stained glass windows. The main entrance, with its 'organ pipes' consumed by centuries of people trying them out, does not give onto the square but onto Via del Trivio which is also the street to take to see the Cloisters. After this diversion we carry on along Corso Mazzini, past the big banks and other historical buildings to Forte Malatesta. It's closed, but from the modern bridge near it there's a good view of Ponte Cecco across the ravine with the 'garrison' in the middle.

The other important square, which is also where the tourist information office is situated, is Piazza Arringo. From Corso Mazzini we get a glimpse of the portal of the Cattedrale di San Emidio and so walk up Via dei Bonaparte. Sant'Emidio is much more decorated but little is visible of the painted ceiling due to the protective netting. The crypt is being restored but the central frescoes and the 20th century mosaics are visible. In the main church, in the Cappella del Sacramento we like the Polittico di Sant'Emidio and the unusual 12th century wooden cross. 

Back outside in Piazza Arringo we admire the unusual fountain with horses with tritons' tails and bask a while in the late afternoon sun. Piazza del Popolo also offers Caffè Meletti, a historic liberty style Caffè which is worth a look and where Andrea has an ice-cream tasting of Anisetta, that is the typical liqueur they produce based on aniseed.

We have a last wander around the old centre the other side of Piazza Arringo. Here it's much quieter, the old buildings are similar in style, quite tall, squared, austere but the whole is harmonious. On the way back to the car we stop in Chiesa di Sant'Agostino where there's an exhibition about migration and stop a while to chat to the organizer. We are back at the hotel by dusk. An interesting day.