A Day Off The Bikes In Vieste

We slept in a bit and then after breakfast we ventured out to do some shopping and run a few errands. After dropping our purchases off at our room we set out to explore the centro storico. We crossed the entrance to Via Monte Grappa. Nineteen years ago we climbed the real Monte Grappa in Northern Italia on bikes. The two share one feature, they are steep as heck!



The old time Italians built their towns on high places that were difficult to attack. Here is the way you would have to go to get to church on Sunday.



Here is a view from the old town looking at the limestone pinnacle in front of our hotel.





There is a local artist, Crisciello, who is fascinated with archaeology. He has taken symbols and shapes from neolithic art and used modern materials and colors. Many of his pieces decorate our hotel. Here is a mural of his in town.



For dinner we went to a restaurant we had seen the night before. It had a wonderful bruschetta of toasted bread with gorgonzola, with anchovies, and with grilled vegetables. We also ordered one of our favorite antipasti dishes, prosciutto and melon which is a wonderful blend of flavors.



As we ate a large party entered the restaurant and we recognized one of the women was a local politician pictured on many posters in Vieste. It was election day and the group was celebrating an election win. It was fascinating to watch the comings and goings of the politicos and the reactions of the other diners in the restaurant.

Vieste is a lovely town and we wandered through the old town, the new town and the harbor area. Tomorrow we leave the Gargano peninsula, one of the national treasures of Italy.