Through family connections, my rugby chum Sean Perry was allowed to use an apartment in San Vito, Abruzzo, Italy, free of charge, and he kindly invited me to join him. It was a no-brainer with return flights costing less than £50 and shared parking fees. So, at 3 a.m. on the 10th of March, I picked Sean up from his home, and we headed off to Stansted Airport.

As expected, the roads were quiet at that hour, but our journey wasn’t entirely without incident. A road closure on the A14 added half an hour to our travel time, and a missed exit off the M11 cost us another 20 minutes. On arrival, a full car park caused an additional 15-minute delay before we set off on the 10-minute walk to departures.

Running slightly behind schedule, we encountered a further hold-up at security when Sean fell foul of one of the scanners and had to be ‘processed’. Nevertheless, we still managed to enjoy a leisurely breakfast of Eggs Benedict and several coffees before boarding our 08:10 Ryanair flight to Pescara.

We left behind the drizzle and chill of the UK and stepped off the plane into a warm and sunny Italian morning. Amusingly, while we were peeling off our layers, the native Italians were busy zipping up thick puffer jackets, wrapping scarves around their necks, donning bobble hats, and pulling on gloves.

Outside the terminal, we paused briefly to figure out how to get a ticket for the bus to Pescara Centrale station, the next leg of our journey to San Vito. A helpful Polish couple showed us how to purchase tickets and directed us to the bus stop on the road outside.

Before long, we disembarked at the busy central train station, where we bought train tickets that were laughably cheap by UK standards, and made our way to the platform. The journey south followed the coastline, passing through several attractive beach resorts. Inland, the snow-capped peaks of the Apennines sparkled against a deep blue, cloudless sky.

The train system proved to be highly efficient. The carriages were clean and comfortable, the ride smooth, and there were clear monitors and announcements in both Italian and English. Our scenic half-hour journey ended with our arrival at San Vito Chietino, where just a handful of other passengers joined us in stepping out into the sunshine.

Using a simple hand-drawn map, it took only 10 minutes to find the block of apartments located right beside the beach at San Vito Marina.

The apartment is located on the third floor and comfortably sleeps five to six people. It features a fully fitted kitchen, a dining area, and a small lounge equipped with a TV and a stereo system. The toilet and shower room are generously sized, and there is also a utility cupboard housing a washer and dryer. The balcony offers a lovely view over the pier and beach. The apartment block itself contains several restaurants and is just a short, though rather strenuous, walk up into the historic old town.

After exploring the apartment’s impressive facilities, we took a short stroll along the pier to view the two trabuccos (traditional fishing platforms), which, like many others along this coastline, have now been converted into restaurants. We continued our exploration with a gentle amble along the combined cycle path and walkway that stretches both north and south of the resort, before settling on a small restaurant at the corner of our block for a meal of freshly cooked fish.

Tired after our journey, we spent the evening watching an Italian game show, amusing ourselves by trying to guess what the contestants were saying. Eventually, Sean retired to the bedroom while I settled under two duvets on the large futon in the lounge. We both slept soundly, lulled by the rhythmic sound of waves breaking against the rocks at the base of the pier.

18th March 2023

The apartment has electric shutters which block out the sunlight completely, leaving the interior in deep darkness. It was something of a shock to the eyes, but a balm to the soul, to open them and be greeted by another bright, sunny day.

For breakfast, we took a five-minute walk to a gelateria at the base of the hill on which the old town is perched. The Wi-Fi was excellent, so we lingered a while, catching up online, before mustering the energy for the demanding climb to the viewpoint at Belvedere Marconi. The effort was well rewarded with a stunning 360° panorama of the surrounding area.

After a short rest, we continued our wander through the town, pausing again at a viewpoint that offered sweeping views over the train station and the mountains beyond. Retracing our steps, we stopped at a Spar shop to pick up some essentials for lunch: bread, cheese, butter, coffee, milk, and a bottle of red wine.

It was midday by the time we returned to the apartment, where we took our provisions out onto the balcony. There, we sat in the sunshine, enjoying our simple meal while watching locals walk their dogs and couples strolling hand-in-hand along the pier below.

Feeling fully fortified, we took the two bicycles provided in the apartment and set off south along the coastal cycleway. We occasionally passed walkers and were in turn overtaken by more seasoned-looking cyclists. Dressed in our everyday clothes, we probably looked somewhat out of place next to the sleek, Lycra-clad riders flashing past. But it was equally clear that we were relying on pedal power alone, unlike the majority, who were quietly cruising along on electric bikes.

The cycle to Marina di Montenero took a couple of hours at a leisurely pace. However, Sean, unused to riding a bike, voiced growing discomfort each time we paused to view a trabocco or other point of interest, blaming his saddle for the ongoing agony.

At the marina, we stopped for coffee and pizza at the only open café, taking the chance to connect to the internet and rest our legs.

About half an hour into the return journey, I was annoyed to discover a flat rear tyre, forcing us to walk the remainder of the way. By the time we reached the apartment, the sun was setting, and we settled once again on the balcony with more Italian cheese and red wine.

Earlier in the day, we’d passed the MaNa Beer Pub, and by 8 p.m., we were inside, enjoying a game of pool and sampling some of the local brews.

19th March 2023

We woke to another startlingly sunny morning and enjoyed muesli and toast for breakfast out on the balcony. Today, we planned to venture further afield and take the train to Pescara.

After buying return tickets, we boarded the 10:10 train to Abruzzo’s capital. The carriage was fairly busy, mostly with students heading to college or university, many of whom disembarked at the station before Pescara Centrale.

Having done little in the way of planning, we left the station and made our way towards the beach. A significant amount of work seemed to be underway to pedestrianise the city centre, which required a few detours, but the roads were good, and the route took us past a mix of interesting shops and several churches. We only ventured inside one large basilica, just to see if it offered anything different to the many I’ve seen before (it didn’t).

Pescara has a vast beach which, today, was almost entirely deserted apart from a few hardy dog walkers. In the height of summer, no doubt, it would be a completely different scene. Hotels and eateries line the beach road, and the large marina was packed with yachts wrapped in their winter coverings. The Fiume Pescara meets the Adriatic here, and along its quays on both banks, the city’s fishing fleet was moored.

Spanning the port is a strikingly designed foot and cycle bridge, which we crossed to take some photos. Everywhere along the beachfront, there was an air of anticipation, frontages were being spruced up, fresh paint and signage were in evidence, and beach furniture was stacked in readiness for deployment once the real tourists arrive.

We found a McDonald’s and sat with coffees, consulting Google Maps for inspiration. But at this time of year, and perhaps at our time of life, there seemed little else to really capture our interest.

Wandering back into the city, we picked up salad, bread, and cheese before stopping at a small café in a piazza for burgers and chips. Back at Pescara Centrale, we noticed a poster advertising a return bus trip to Rome for just €20. Intrigued, we made enquiries before catching the train back to San Vito.

On arrival, we climbed once more to the Spar in the Old Town and bought three bottles of the same excellent red wine we’d enjoyed the night before. One of them accompanied our evening salad as we sat out on the balcony. The rest of the evening was again spent over a few beers and a couple of lively games of pool at the MaNa Beer Pub.

20th March 2023

Overnight, we’d decided to take a trip to Rome, having been advised to book tickets in advance as it’s a popular route. By 9 a.m., Sean was on the train to Pescara to buy them, while I stayed behind to tidy the apartment and do the washing up.

With the chores out of the way, I set off on the remaining ‘good’ bike and cycled northwards along the coastal path towards Ortona. The scenery was much the same as the previous day’s ride south, occasional tunnels breaking up the otherwise continuous views of sea and stone. It took just 15 minutes to reach the marina at Ortona, the town itself perched high on the hill above.

I rode along the beach for a short while and then paused to watch a solitary fisherman about a hundred metres offshore, slowly rowing his small boat while feeding out a net in the hope of catching his supper.

Arriving back at the apartment at 11:45 a.m., I was pleased to find Sean returning just a minute later. Without delay, we both set off again to catch a train south to the ancient city of Termoli. Our goal was to see Castello Svevo, an imposing fortress built during the Norman reign, dating back to the 11th century, and dramatically positioned between the city and the sea.

Leaving the train station, we strolled downhill through the town towards the coast and were delighted to find ourselves emerging beside the castle. Of its original four defensive turrets, only one remains intact, still in military use and unfortunately not open to the public.

We circumnavigated the city wall on the seaward side before entering the old town through the port entrance. We were thoroughly impressed. The old town is undeniably charming and steeped in history, a place we’d both be keen to explore more fully should the opportunity arise.

Lunch was enjoyed at a splendid trattoria nestled in a small park at the heart of the town. Afterwards, we continued our gentle wander through the maze of narrow streets before making our way back to the train station late in the afternoon.

Once again, we opted for a simple yet satisfying evening meal of local cheese and wine on our apartment balcony before heading to bed early in anticipation of a very early start the next day.

21st March 2023: Roma Bound

Today was Sean’s birthday, though it began on a sombre note as he received the sad news that his brother’s son had died under tragic circumstances in Sweden.

We were up and dressed by 5 a.m., walking through the still-dark streets to catch the train to Pescara. Arriving at the city an hour ahead of our 7:25 a.m. coach departure, we spent the time exploring the surrounding area a little further.

When it was time to board, we were pleasantly surprised by the comfort of the modern coach that would carry us on the 2.5-hour journey to Rome. The trip went smoothly, and we arrived punctually at Roma Tiburtina, a major transport hub that links trains, metro, and buses into and out of the capital.

Purchasing 24-hour Metro roving tickets, we squeezed onto a very crowded train bound for the Colosseum. Emerging from the underground into daylight, we found ourselves just steps away from that most iconic of Roman landmarks, alongside a flood of fellow travellers. The scene felt more like the build-up to a football match than a typical sightseeing stop!

After queuing to purchase our entrance tickets and passing through tight security, we were surprised by how quickly we were ushered inside. We joined a steady shuffle along the designated route, pausing often to take photos and quietly reflect on the incredible history surrounding us. It was genuinely impressive. The scale, the architecture, the sense of drama, it all made it easy to imagine what this colossal arena was built for. And oddly, the size of the crowd added to the authenticity, helping us visualise the place in action two thousand years ago.

After spending some time at the Arch of Constantine, we wandered toward Palatine Hill, but the long queue dissuaded us from entering. The same went for the Roman Forum, perhaps another time. Instead, we chose to indulge in a splendid lunch at a restaurant near the Colosseum, enjoying the view and the atmosphere without the queuing.

Well-fed and rested, we set off towards our next major destination: Vatican City.

The crowds on the Metro were even worse than earlier. Boarding meant aggressively pushing yourself into any available space. Unfortunately, that’s when your guard drops, and society’s scum can take advantage. As I squeezed through the door and immediately pressed myself against its side, the doors closing behind me, I instinctively checked my velcroed trouser pocket for my wallet,  and it was gone.

From just one step on the platform to one step inside the carriage, my wallet had been lifted.

Sean had boarded just a few metres away, but we were separated by a press of bodies. I shouted to him what had happened, and those nearby looked startled. Suddenly, a smartly dressed woman next to me stepped back and pointed to the floor, where lay my wallet.

I thanked her and picked it up. She got off at the next station.

That’s when it hit me, she was the pickpocket. Because I had caught on immediately and shouted, she dropped the wallet to avoid being caught with it. I was lucky. Once off the train, I zipped my wallet securely into my fleece pocket and kept it there for the rest of the day.

From the Metro station, it was a bit of a walk to the Vatican City walls. The crowds were enormous, and the queues for the museums and other sites stretched endlessly. We managed to find our way into the main plaza, snapping photos of the stunning buildings and the Swiss Guards in their almost surreal ceremonial dress. Not having RSVP’d to the Pope for a visit today, we thought it would be rude to drop in unannounced. So, after a quick consultation with Google, we decided to head for another iconic spot, the Trevi Fountain, the largest in Rome.

Back in the Metro, the platforms were just as packed as before. This time, I was more vigilant. As I pushed myself into the sardine-can of bodies, I again instinctively checked the velcroed pocket where I kept my mobile phone, and immediately felt a wrist clutching my phone.

The culprit was a smartly dressed man squashed beside me, earbuds in place.

I shouted out to the carriage, calling him out on his theft. Startled, he dropped my phone. I called him a thief and threatened to ‘smack him’, but with everyone watching, he just stared straight ahead. When we slowed for the next stop, a woman nearby laughed and spoke to him. They both got off together. Clearly part of the same pickpocketing team, the woman would have taken whatever he’d managed to steal.

Once again, I’d been lucky.

When you buy your ticket, every Metro, train, and bus ticket machine in Rome audibly warns you to be wary of pickpockets, and with good reason. It’s not a pleasant feeling to discover you’ve been targeted, but on this occasion, I was very lucky and lost nothing. As Sean wisely pointed out, had I been more forceful, the thieves might have been carrying a knife, and things could have ended much worse.

After that unsettling experience, we set off on another fairly lengthy walk to the Trevi Fountain. The plaza was predictably packed with tourists, the atmosphere buzzing with excitement. This Baroque masterpiece is truly beautiful and definitely worth a visit, though it’s best appreciated when the crowds are thinner, and that means very early in the morning!

I climbed the steps!

We chose to follow Google Maps and walked to our next point of interest, the Spanish Steps. It was a twenty-minute stroll, interrupted only once when we paused to reflect on the rampant thievery in Rome. We stumbled upon dozens of discarded clothing security tags scattered across the pavement, remnants stripped from the metal foil that triggers store alarms. At that moment, the ancient and harsh punishment of removing the hand of a thief seemed strangely fitting.

The Spanish Steps themselves were less crowded than the other attractions we had visited that day, perhaps because to truly claim you’ve been there, you have to climb all 135 steps. In the bright, warm sunlight, that’s no easy feat.

Time was running short before we had to catch our bus to Pescara, so we opted for a quieter, much less congested Metro line to Bologna. This local route was clearly not a magnet for thieves, as few tourists used it. We found a small café near a roundabout and enjoyed a pleasant half hour surfing the Net and watching the locals go about their daily routines.

Using Google Maps, we then walked to the bus terminus, where we had 45 minutes to wait before boarding. Our coach left on time, but about an hour into the journey, a lorry several vehicles ahead suddenly burst into flames. Traffic came to a halt for an hour while emergency services tackled the blaze. The spectacle was both dramatic and fascinating, but with a train to catch, we were eager to move on. Fortunately, with just five minutes to spare, we managed to board the 21:02 (last) train to San Vito.

Hungry and thirsty on the way back to the apartment, we stopped at our now-favourite bar, the MaNa Beer Pub, for burgers, chips, beer, and a lively game of pool.

With the sun warming our backs, we decided it was time for a bit of exercise. We found the start of a path that traced a small stream winding steeply up a narrow ravine towards the Old Town. We scrambled and panted our way to the top, pausing to catch our breath at an ancient spring once used for washing clothes, and again at its more modern successor built in 1902, now derelict since washing machines made it obsolete.

Before heading down the hill for the last time, we made one final stop at the Spar to pick up a bottle of our favourite red wine for the evening. Then, treating ourselves, we settled in at the Gelateria for a much-deserved gelato. They were absolutely wonderful!

We had a simple lunch of cheese, bread, and olives on the balcony before catching a train north to Ortona. From the station, we climbed to the hilltop settlement via a series of decrepit, little-used steps. It was easy to see why locals prefer driving the switchback roads rather than risk the precarious walk. We were very impressed by Ortona and took a thorough stroll to uncover its charms. Eventually, we settled in a bar with a spectacular view over the port and beach for a well-earned beer. The Wi-Fi was strong enough for me to call Sue, who had paused briefly from hoovering the lounge to complain about the persistent rain back in Harborough. I promised to bring the sunshine home with me.

After returning by train to San Vito, we relaxed on the balcony with our final bottle of red wine before walking down to a restaurant at the base of the hill for dinner. Of course, the evening ended with a visit to our favourite bar for a beer and a game of pool.

23rd March 2023
We woke at 7 a.m. to a warm, overcast morning. By 8:30, we’d showered, tidied the apartment, and were on the train to Pescara by 9:35. After catching the bus to the airport, we had lunch at the mall nearby. Security and customs went smoothly, giving us three hours to wait before our flight, which left on time and landed twenty minutes early. An hour and a half later, we were back in Harborough.

That evening, England was playing France in the Six Nations at 8 o’clock, and I showed the match in the garden room with Sean and Jim. Frustratingly, England managed to throw the game away in the final minute and lost.