Teramo in September 2021

We set off at 3.40 pm, having dealt with most, if not all, the tasks we were supposed to deal with. Pumpkins and tomatoes have been collected, bags packed, the apartment at the lake has been cleaned and left ready for our Dutch regulars. It's a hot sunny afternoon but the traffic is mostly in the other direction and the Sunday lack of lorries means we make good time and arrive in the unfortunately named Pulce (flea) hamlet, just past Bologna, for the first overnight stop on our way south.

The accommodation is in a newly built 'Borgo', a cluster of brick buildings in the middle of the countryside inspired by the idea of a village with pedestrian central streets where children can play, but oddly interpreted because towards the street area the semi-detached houses have only tiny barred windows, giving the place a forbidding and unfriendly air. The house is enormous and most of the rooms are closed, it's a little unnerving although I feel better when I open the shutters on to the garden where there's a bench and a table. We eat there, a little gingerly, it's not exactly sparkling clean and I sleep badly dreaming of closed doors and wondering what lies behind a house of closed doors where a family used to live.

It's good to be up and off and we make good time to our next stop in Teramo. Antica Interamnia is a B&B just inside the historical centre of Teramo. There's a large garage for the car to rest safely and our room/apartment/suite is delightful, two bedrooms one of which with a kitchen area, an antique sofa, enormous bathroom and vaulted red stone ceilings. And all for 55 euros. Everything is sparkling clean and aired.

But it's time for lunch and studying TripAdvisor has led us to Trattoria da Mauro. The trattoria is small and has become more so due to scrupulously observed Coronavirus distancing. We are lucky to find a table even though we hadn't booked. The reviews also warned us about the size of the portions so we cautiously order one of each course to be divided by two. It turns out to be a wise decision.

The really sublime discovery is the antipasto, it's subdued name - formaggio fritto, doesn't do it justice, it's delicious, burningly hot and freshly fried in a soft and thick batter, the ultimate comfort food for an autumn we are travelling south to put off.

One of the TripAdvisor reviewers described the nests of typically thick spaghetti with a sauce of tomato and tiny meatballs as Condor nests. Rightly so. My pasta portions at home are large but Mauro beats me twice over.

Disappointingly little space remains for the excellent local grilled lamb and hand made chips. I'm defeated! With coffee, water and half a litre of Montepulciano we spend a total 40 euros, but have probably eaten enough for a day and a half.

After lunch we wander around the historical centre of Teramo. The city was damaged in the 2016 earthquake and there's a lot of scaffolding up and work in progress. The most interesting monument is undoubtedly the cathedral with its two facades 

and the interior not quite in line because the Gothic part was added later. There are still a few frescoes and a fine silver altarpiece but the tall unadorned columns and decorated ceiling make it well worth a visit anyway.

After a rest back at the B&B we go out for a longer walk, the historical centre is clean, quiet and pleasant. We have a look at the fountain with two lions. 

After the summer up in the mountains it's nice to see cafès and shops and people strolling and old buildings and a few minor churches. We go as far as Castello della Monica which is unfortunately closed but get a few glimpses of the outside from the road below.

A few tomatoes and cucumbers and bread are more than enough for supper. We turn in early and sleep soundly in the high vaulted room with cool air and silence coming through the open window. Our holiday has begun.