Sadly our father/daughter Italian road trip has come to an end. We added 1,900 km (1,180 miles) to the odometer of our little gray Fiat 500L rental car. Thank goodness I made sure our rental agreement with Hertz said unlimited mileage.
I’m so grateful for this time with my dad. It was a trip of a lifetime and one that I’m sure we will reminisce about together for years to come. We saw and experienced so much of the Italian landscape and culture. The tree covered hills of Tuscany with their fall colors putting on a show, the blues and greens of the Mediterranean Sea along the Amalfi coast and the wide open farm land displaying its deep rich brown soil on our way to Bari. We even saw some snow capped mountains ranges on our way back to Florence from Pescara.
Click here for my thoughts of my experience on the Amalfi Coast.
We spent nights in Assisi, Sorrento, two nights in Praiano (a tiny town between Positano & Amalfi), Bari, and finally Pescara on the Adriatic Sea before returning back to Florence where we met up with our favorite Italian, Luca. Who was super happy to see us and vice versa.
But I must say, the highlight of the trip (aside from spending quality time with my dad) was meeting the Nonne (grandmothers) in Bari. I have wanted to meet these women and watch them make their magic for a while now. I first became aware of them from an Instagram reel by ConsumingCouple…which says a lot about how the world works these days. The Nonne as they are called in Italian, are the grandmothers who make homemade pasta, primarily orecchiette – which looks like little ears, in the narrow streets right outside their front doors. It’s a beautiful art form…one that I had to see for my own eyes.
I did a little research before we left Florence and explained to my dad that we could go anywhere he wanted but this was the one stop on my list…and boy it did not disappoint. The Nonne are a resilient group of women who day in and day out make pasta to support their families…even if they’ve become internet famous, they haven’t forgotten their roots. I read about how they keep the family and Italian traditions alive through their pasta-making and even help raise the grandkids. Which reminded me of my trip to South Africa years ago. The grandmothers play a key role in keeping the family together, growing, and thriving. It’s amazing what women around the world are doing to keep us all afloat.
The small bags of pasta sell for €2.50 and the large is €5.00. “Take my money, all of it. Take it now.” It’s so colorful and beautiful lying out on the drying rack.
We interacted we several of the women though most of them don’t speak English, they were still welcoming and friendly with us. Usually, someone from the younger generations was doing the selling while they were rolling out the dough. An efficient & effective strategy if I do say so myself.
So if you ever make it to Bari, be sure to stop by the streets of Arco Basso & Arco Alto to meet the women who are making magic and keeping the pasta-making traditions alive.
Oh, and be sure to bring a big suitcase because you’ll want to buy from all of them as you stroll down the street. The trunk of our rental car was packed with pasta and other yummy treats that the Nonne baked.
But the party didn’t stop there. Once we were back in Florence and I showed Luca my haul, he offered to make the Nonne special orecchiette pasta for dinner in our AirB&B and it was delicious.
Our tour of Italy it’s not over just yet. Tomorrow we head to MotorValley to take a guided tour of the Pagani factory & museum. So all you motor-heads can check out Thursday’s post for a full update on what the experience was like.
Goodnight and much love from Florence! 🇮🇹
