Food Lover's Odyssey

Best Places to Kiss in Italy

 

 

As Valentine's Day approaches, my mind is on romance.  I've been working on a romantic Valentine's dinner menu. One where each course includes chocolate.  Try as I might to focus on the menu, even a chocolate menu, my mind keeps wandering to Italy.  I know I'm not the only one that connects romance and Italy, right?  There are, however, particular places in Italy that are more enchanting than others.

Those places are etched in my mind as spots I want to return with that someone special.  Spots that induced "oohs" and caused heavy breathing from long inhales and deep sighs.  So magical, they deserve their own stories that start "Once upon a time" and end "happily ever after;" the place where the prince first kisses the princess.

Is this a cheesy, goofy, girly post? Yes, I guess so! I'm a hopeless romantic. Remember, I'm the one that rejected a gondola ride that included an offer to steer the gondola, to wait and ride with my anima gemella (twin of my soul/soulmate).  Although this post may tilt way on the side of "for the girls" hopefully, my dear male readers,  I haven't lost you.  If you're planning to whisk someone away on a romantic trip to Italy, for Valentine's Day or any other occasion, these little wanderings of mine could certainly be of help.

Here are my picks for ten best places to kiss in Italy.  You'll see a pattern in my choices. For me, water - be it an ocean, lake or river, along with long stretches of beach or promenades, and evening lights qualify as molto romantico.  I know there are far more than ten, but I'm hoping you, my fellow Italophiles and romantics, will help by adding your favorite(s) to the comments:

 

Rome - Castel Sant' Angelo on the Terrace of the Angel 

 
 Rome has many breathtaking hilltop views, but this is my favorite and, for me, the most romantic.  At the top of a castle with the Archangel Michael above, sword in hand, standing guard, your "prince charming" (principe azzurro) beside you, the Eternal City  all aglow below, and the hills of Rome twinkling in the distance.

     

 

Taormina - Piazza IX Aprile

 
View from Piazza IX Aprile in Taormina

 
Piazza IX Aprile in Taormina

Most of Taormina rests on the seaside cliffs of Sicily's eastern coast.  The lower part of the city is home to two beach areas.  Of course it's a city for romance.  The bustling Piazza 9 April is midway along the long, mainly pedestrian street, corso Umberto I.  You can snuggle in a corner along the railing at the rim of the piazza and look onto the eastern coastline of Sicily and the sprawling Ionian Sea.  The clock tower (Torre dell'Orologio) and St. Agostino Church are at the other end of the piazza.  While I was in Taormina, every night I saw countless brides and grooms strolling hand-in-hand out of St. Agostino and the other churches in the city. 

 

 

The Aeolian Islands - A boat ride around Stromboli

 
 

Definitely a spot for romance are all of the Aeolian Islands.  A boat ride around Stromboli at dusk and an evening ride back to Lipari stands out in my mind as the most romantic part of the trip. Stromboli erupted and spewed it flames of lava. (If only I were with my "one true love" instead of being bothered continually by a pesky marinaio.)   The pesky sailor did point out La Stella di Venere ("star" of Venus, actually the planet), which I had never seen before.  On the night ride back to Lipari, you could clearly spot the Big and Little Dippers, called Orsa Maggiore and Minore in Italian. (If the sailor wasn't good for romance at least he was good for learning a few new words in Italian.)

 

 

Vernazza - From Above or Along the Harbor

 
 

I couldn't leave "my happy place" off the list.  At dusk atop the hill overlooking Vernazza, you will certainly be alone.  I would suggest bringing a bottle of wine AND a flashlight.  Winding your way down in the dark, can be a struggle, even without having had any wine.  For those who don't want to climb, the harbor is just as romantic. 

 

 

Anywhere in Venice

 
Saint Mark's Square - Venice

 

I believe the water and the reflections of the city - its lights, its buidings, its glass - flickering above the water's surface does something to your senses. How can you not feel amorous here?  Kiss on bridges, in a quiet calle, along the small canals, on the steps of Santa Maria della Salute, on Giudecca - looking out at the Doge's Palace and the Campanile, in the back seats of an empty vaporetto.  Possibly the best place of all is St. Mark's Square when it's virtually empty, very late at night.   

  

 

 

Florence - Ponte Santa Trinita: Looking onto the Arno and the Ponte Vecchio

  
 

While students, tourists and young lovers pack the Ponte Vecchio, take a stroll along the Santa Trinita bridge for a bit of quiet, and a view of the Ponte Vecchio and the lights along the Arno.

 

 

Camogli - The Beach at Dusk

 
 

Camogli, one of the many picturesque towns in Liguria, has a long stretch of beach.  After the daytime crowds depart, this stretch of beach allows you to carve out a private spot for smooching and watching the sun set on the Ligurian Sea.  To top it off, Camogli celebrates lovers during St. Valentine's Day and the week preceding it.  The festival is called "Innamorati a Camogli."  Hotels have special deals for couples, there are art and poetry competitions dedicated to love, and hearts are strung everywhere in the city.  You can add your heart to the fishing nets along the harbor. 

  

Sorrento - Belvedere di Sorrento

 
View from Belvedere di Sorrento

 
Naples and the Gulf of Naples from Sorrento 

Behind the Convent and Cloister of San Franceso is the terrace called Belvedere di Sorrento.  You have sweeping views of the coastline, a look down the cliffs onto the Marinas Grande and Piccolo of Sorrento, and out onto the Bay of Naples.  Many couples end their walks through Sorrento here, cuddled together against the terrace railing or along the park benches.

 

 

Lago Maggiore - The Terraced Gardens on Isola Bella

The island on Lake Maggiore houses Palazzo Borromeo and one of the most spectacular gardens in all of Italy.  The terraced gardens lush with greenery, flowers and statues are a sight all by themselves.  Adding to the beauty are the white peacocks that roam the gardens, the views of Lake Maggiore and of the mountains, snow-capped in Winter and Spring.  The variety of plants in the garden provide color from March to October.  The beauty of both the gardens and the surrounding views make it a perfect place for a prince and his princess.  Actually, legend has it that the ladies of Count Borromeo's household asked him to build the palace on the island because they didn't want to hear the prisoners' cries from the dungeons in the mainland's castle.

 

Napoli - Via Partenope

  

Via Partenope is part of a long stretch of road that edges along the sea, the lungomare, in Naples.  It runs from the neighborhoods of Santa Lucia to Mergellina.  Along the Via Partenope stretch is a long promenade with views of Castel d'Ovo and Mt. Vesuvius in the background.  Other lovers have left their mark along this classic lovers' stroll.  Along the promendade, look out for padlocks, painted with couples' names and locked around poles.

  

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Where are your picks for most romantic spots and the best places to kiss in Italy?

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A Day at the Verrazzano Castle and Winery in Tuscany

 

A hilltop castle overlooking rolling hills of Tuscan vineyards, a castle tour, the Tuscan sun warming us from the outside, a tasting of Chianti wines warming us from within, a 5-course meal paired with these wines, a dining table filled with fellow travelers sharing stories of travel and of life.  A blissful afternoon shared with others. 

 

 

We couldn’t ask for anything more, yet we got so much more:  A Lorenzo de' Medici quoting host whose passion for wine and Chianti equals Lorenzo the Magnificent’s passion for art, a meal that ended with Parmigiano cheese dipped into “Oh my God” balsamic vinegar, and a walk around the gardens and patio of the castle with views evoking more moans of "Oh my God!"

 

 

Gino Rosi, our guide and host, took us through the Verrazzano castle, gardens, and historic cellar.  He stopped us along the way and had us rub sage and rosemary into our hands, so we could more easily detect it later in the wine.  We walked through the gates and onto the gardens espying wild boars below.  He told us the Verrazzano name comes from a mix of two Latin words meaning “land of the wild boars.”  He would drop in a “Ginoism” with dramatic hand gestures along the way: “Alcohol is not a killer, it’s a preservative.”  During our walking tour, Gino’s stories were a patchwork of history, Latin, Chianti lore, poetry, all punctuated by his passion for the land and its food and wine.  Like the vines that surrounded us, each tale intertwined with the other, creating a whole much greater than its parts. 

 

After a tour of the grounds, we went into the cellar.  More of Gino's stories and the scent of the grape nectar maturing and mellowing in the massive Slovenian barrels whetted our appetites.  We peeked into the balsamic vinegar room.  Two rows of barrels, each the size of a baby bassinet, filled the room.  Guests squealed “Oh my God how cute.” And, Gino noted that this is why he calls the balsamic vinegar the “Oh my God” vinegar, predicting that we would say this exact thing twice more - when we tasted it and again when we saw the price.  The tour ended with Gino reciting a poem about happiness, which he accentuated with his engaging hand gestures.

 

Because we chose the “Wine and Food Experience” tour, a lunch of traditional Tuscan fare was part of our package.  Each course of the meal was paired with a Verrazzano wine.  Gino guided us through the tasting of each course’s wine.  In between bites and sips we were able to chat, get to know the others at the table and compare tastes and travel tales.  I especially liked the Chianti Classico Riserva and Super Tuscan, later buying some to take with me.  We savored a teaspoon full of the dense balsamic vinegar with a chunk of Parmigiano.  The taste elicited more moans of “Oh my God!”  The meal ended with crunchy cantuccini and a glass of the estate’s Vin Santo.  And, yes I bought the balsamic vinegar.  Its price of 50 euros for the 75 ml bottle caused another exclamation of “Oh my God.” Like Gino's tales, each part of our afternoon at the winery added together to create a memorable and enchanting experience.

 

 

Useful Information:

 

The Verrazzano Castle has many tours and tasting options available.  The castle is located near Greve-in-Chianti along the Via Chiantigiana.  It is more convenient if you have a car, but you can easily get there by SITA bus from Florence (about an hour bus ride).   I would suggest making reservations at least 2 days in advance either via the website or by phone.

 

Verrazzano website – www.verrazzano.com

 

Greve-in-Chianti website – www.greve-in-chianti.com  

 

More pictures of Verrazzano (see photos of Verrazzano Winery)

 

A video of Gino and the tour (see Video of Verrazzano Winery Tour) 

 

 

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Come back to Food Lover’s Odyssey tomorrow, and I’ll show you how I mixed a little Tuscan love (the balsamic vinegar) with a California springtime dessert favorite.

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Related Posts:

 

Wine Tasting in Tuscany Along the Chianti Trail

 

Italian Biscotti From Tuscany

 

Best Picnic Spots and Picnic Fare in Rome

 

Best Ways to Savor Venice

 

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Italian Biscotti from Tuscany

 

Biscotti in Italian means twice (bis) cooked (cotto).  They are cookies that are first baked into a log, then sliced and toasted.  You can find biscotti everywhere in Italy, but my favorite biscotti are the ones from Tuscany.  Whenever I’m in Tuscany, one of the first things I do is buy a bag of these to have around for snack time.  They are tooth-breaking crunchy, studded with almonds and perfect for dipping into the local sweet wine Vin Santo, holy wine. 

  

 Because these cookies, also known as cantucci, are such perfect companions with Vin Santo, they end many Tuscan meals.  My family actually loves these for breakfast and dips them in espresso instead.  Whether dipped or alone, they are crunchy, nutty and a great end, or beginning, to any meal.

  

 

  

 

 

Biscotti from Tuscany

 

  

(Makes about 40 biscotti)

 

  

3 1/2 cups (500 grams) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

2 1/4 cups (450 grams) granulated sugar plus about 4 tablespoons

4 eggs plus 1 egg white

2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

About 2 cups (9 ounces/250 grams) almonds, toasted

 

  

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

 

  

Beat together the 2 1/4 cups sugar and 4 eggs until the mixture is pale in color.  Add the honey, almond and vanilla extract and combine.  Stir in half the flour mixture, stopping just when the flour is almost all incorporated.  Stir in the remaining flour mixture just until the flour is almost incorporated and add the almonds.  Mix into the dough.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

 

  

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and lightly grease two baking sheets.

 

  

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide into four equal pieces.  On a very lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a log 1 inch in width and 10-12 inches in length.  Place two logs on each baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.

 

  

Remove from the oven and turn the temperature to 250ºF.  Cool for 10 minutes, then slice the logs into 1/2-inch thick cookies.  Lay the cookies flat onto the baking sheets and put back in the oven for 20 minutes to dry the cookies out.  Serve with Vin Santo or espresso.

  

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Wine Tasting in Tuscany Along the Chianti Trail

  

  

Greve-in-Chianti is on a road from Florence to Siena called Via Chiantigiana.  The highway, which connects these two cities, winds through the Chianti wine region.  From the window of our vehicle, we saw rolling hills lined with pointy Cypress trees, olive groves, and rows of vineyards.  Castles, villas, and stoned farmhouses dot the peaks and valleys of the undulating green countryside.  The picturesque countryside and warm climate are probably the reasons so many tourists flock to the area year after year.  Well, there might be a few more reasons, like the wine and the food.

  

  

Our mission for our stay in Greve-in-Chianti was to learn more about the wine.  What we found was a wine cave where we could try 140 different Tuscan wines in one day!  It actually took two. Le Cantine di Greve in Chianti is a virtual underground cellar.  Stone walls keep things cool, and  brick doorways section off the cantina by wine type. 

 

 

You can swirl, sip, and spit (if you wish) up to 140 various types of Chianti Classico, Chianti Riserva, Super Tuscans, and a few Brunello di Montalcino whose full-bottle price would surely be a budget-buster.  Along with all the tastes, each day we had a little lesson in Chianti.

The set up is quite easy, and you set the drinking pace and the level of wine education.  All around the cantina are informational posters, and the friendly staff is available to give you as much or as little wine education as you’d like.  You buy a drink card and prepay the amount.  A staff member hands you a wine glass and gives you a quick orientation about the set up.  If you want a little wine lesson, just ask, and your lesson begins. 

 

To sample, place your card in the machine, press the button of the wine you'd like to try, put your glass up to the dispenser, and sip away.  The cost of each taste varies by the bottle price of the wine, ranging from 60 centimes to 6 euros.  Along with the Tuscan red wines, the Cantina also has Tuscan white wines, Grappa, dessert wines, and olive oils to sample.  You can purchase wines there by the bottle and the case.

If you need a break from drinking, you can sit at tables in the cantina or leave for a meal and to take in the town.  We opted for a lunch al fresco and a little shopping in Piazza Matteoti, the town’s main piazza.  Also in the piazza is the tourist information center where they will help you with winery visit reservations, bike rentals, and even with horseback riding reservations.  They will help you find and book lodging in the area.

Here's a little of what I learned about Chianti:

• Sangiovese is the grape used to make chianti wines.  Its name is said to come from sangue di Giove (the blood of Giove).
• To be called a Chianti Classico, the wine must come from the Chianti Classico region.  This region is roughly based around the Via Chiantigiana, which produces the richest and fullest chianti.
• Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Riserva must be made up of 80% Sangiovese.
• To be a Chianti Riserva, the wine must age at least 2 years in wood barrels and 3 months in the bottle.
• Brunello di Montalcino uses sangiovese grapes that grow in Montalcino.  Montalcino is about an hour south of the Chianti Classico region. The extra warmth of the region makes a bigger and bolder wine.  Although there has been much debate over the issue and tampering with the purity of the wine, to be called a Brunello di Montalcino, the wine must be 100% sangiovese and aged for 4 years, a minimum of 2 years in oak barrels. 
• To be a Brunello Riserva, it must be aged 5 years, 2 1/2 of which in oak barrels and another 6 months in the bottle.
• The Super Tuscan wines:  They also use sangiovese grapes but do not follow the DOCG guidelines.  Here winemaking becomes more of an art where the winemakers can experiment and blend different grape varietals (possibly Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Cab Franc, etc.) to make wine taste how they feel is best.  There are no restrictions as to what percentage of sangiovese is in the wine.

 

 

Greve-in-Chianti and the Cantina are great places to start your exploration into the Chianti wine region and a drive along the wine trail of Via Chiantigiana.  You can sample an abundance of wine, find the ones you really like, buy some and/or make reservations to visit those wineries. 

 

Although it’s most convenient to have a car, you can easily reach Greve-in-Chianti by bus from Florence.  SITA (their main depot is next to the Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence) has buses going to and from Greve-in-Chianti regularly.  Greve is about an hour from Florence. 

 

Every Saturday is market day in Piazza Matteoti.  Greve also has an annual Chianti Classico Wine Festival the second weekend in September (Sept. 10-12, 2010). They also have an Antiques Fair on Easter Monday, and a Flower Festival in May.

 

 

Useful websites for Greve and the Chianti region: 

 

www.greve-in-chianti.com

 

For information about getting around Greve and Chianti go here.