Arriving in Sirolo – Riviera del Cònero

By the time we reached the coast, exploring the little seaside towns and trying to find our way around various one-way streets and roads that didn’t end up where we thought they would, we were pretty tired. The hotels didn’t have (or want to rent) rooms for just 2 nights (a mistake we made in not staying through Saturday night) or were more expensive than we could afford. We had some help from the tourist office and finally found a little hotel “The Hotel Stella” (of course Bob couldn’t help but yell “STEL-LA!” like Marlon Brando in “Streetcar Named Desire” but that’s to be expected!) with one tiny room available. A large closet is really closer to the truth but it had a clean, double bed and a private bathroom and was right in the center of Sirolo, the charming little beach town we wanted to stay in. The view out our window was of the bell tower and a little square below. Tired (and more than a bit cranky at this point) we took it and tried to make the best of it. Of course, I wanted to stay in the fancy place down the street which was not in the budget of us “retirees” living on a pension, trying to “live cheap and make art!” It turned out to be just fine, centrally located and with the best breakfasts we have found so far. A huge spread in a bright and airy dining room with pink geraniums spilling out of the windows on either side of the room. All included was a wonderful spread of yogurt, fresh fruit, cereal, an array of fresh-baked cakes and rolls, juice and cappuccino or café as you prefer. Rick Steves would certainly approve of this place. They provided for parking but it was a trek to get to and from the car, so that wasn’t the most convenient. But at least there was a place for it and we didn’t have to pay extra. Now that we know where the beaches are and what we liked, if we go back there we will make reservations beforehand so we don’t have to waste any of our precious beach time looking for a room.

Some of these incredible sandy & rocky beaches are not easily reached, as are the beaches of California or Florida, for instance where you just drive up to them, park, and walk down to the shore. The hardest part might be just finding a parking spot. This is bit more challenging. Some of the more beautiful, like Le Due Sorelle (two sisters) is reached by climbing down a very steep path or by boat or bus. We did attempt to climb down but found it too strenuous for us old geezers and had to content ourselves with a very beautiful view from above. We wanted to take the boat that goes out to these rock formations but misunderstood the time schedule and missed it. Something for next time!

We spent the afternoon driving around, checking out the various beaches until we decided on the one to plant our towels. They provide umbrellas and chairs for a small fee (around 15 euros) for the day, but since the day was already half gone, we decided to just lay on the beach and mostly wanted to be IN the water anyway so that’s what we did. The beaches of Grotto Urbani are a combination of smallish rocks – not a sandy stretch. The advantage to this is that you don’t have sand in your bathing suit or in your hair, which I found pretty comfortable after a day at the beach. The disadvantage is that you really must have some sort of beach shoe to get you to and from the shore. Once you are in the water, it’s incredible and you float in the most turquoise blue, clear, clean water and you could care less what is on the shore. I must admit I do prefer a soft, sandy beach for walking on but between the water and the views of Monte Cònero and the curving shoreline around it, I was quite content!

To reach most of the beaches of the Riviera del Cònero if you don’t have a car you can take a bus down to a point and then walk the rest of the way. On Thursday we actually walked from our hotel, around a 20-minute walk. We have found that the Italians always seem to underestimate the amount of time it will take to get somewhere. So when the hotel manager said it would be a ten-minute walk we happily headed in that direction. Down to the shore was easy, going back up a bit more difficult, just because the path is a bit steep, not rugged. And again, we were reminded that everything is a trade off. The beaches are so glorious, but it is not that easy to get to them, which probably keeps a lot of the lazy folks away and makes it quite a wonderful, natural experience.

On Thursday evening we ate dinner in one of the outdoor restaurants. We are not always the best at choosing a good restaurant when we are traveling and this one was not as great as we had hoped. The location was though and we enjoyed being right in the center of the town with the backdrop of the sea and a great people-watching spot. There was music in the square – a karaoke sing along party, which was very fun to watch and listen to. All the little kids were sitting on the ground in front of a little stage with grownups pushing strollers and carrying babies, milling around and attempting to sing along. This area is very much a family place and we met the most delightful family there, a young couple and their three children, with another one on the way. We had talked with them on the beach in the afternoon and then kept running into them all weekend. Gianni and his wife Francesca were so sweet and friendly and it was a good chance for me to practice my Italian with people who did not speak English. It’s harder if they do because as soon as they figure out that you don’t speak Italian (which doesn’t take long!) they launch into English and you don’t have to push yourself. The most fun was listening to their four-year old son who described to us how they went fishing and he caught a fish and then ate it. We understood all of what he said, amazingly, as he talked very fast, but clearly and with so much expression, it was easy for me to interject an “è Vero!” (is that right!) at the appropriate pauses. Very, very fun.

After the obligatory cup of gelato, we wandered back to our room, exhausted, drifting off to sleep listening to the sounds of the city partying on, from our open window.

Buona sera,
Rosemary & Robert

(to be continued: see “A day at the beach”)