Aug 14
Amalfi coast is probably – in my opinion – the most panoramic and picturesque place in the world. Because of its unique topography and landscaping, Costiera Amalfitana – like Italians call it – is one of the most visited spots in the Mediterranean during summer. Unfortunately due to its popularity, Amalfi Coast has become a touristy zone and very expensive, therefore it is easy to fall into turist traps.
When I travel to the sea coast, I want to try the local food specialty – that is, fresh seafood. Right? Well, this is what we all hope for while travelling, and most of all, we want to eat where locals eat. In Italy, not all seafood is created equal, and this is true throughout the boot-shaped Italian peninsula.
While in Ponza, I was impressed of the quality of this island’s street food. Due to its proximity to Naples, Ponza is well known for its scrumptious pizza, the most ubiquitous staple of the Italian gastronomic culture. Yet pizza doesn’t taste the same throughout Italy, and the best locations for eating pizza are Rome and Naples, where locals brag rights to the best pizza in the country. Indeed, in Italy there are two different kinds of pizzas: the Roman and the Neapolitan, and you can read the differences of both pizzas in my post Pizza in Rome.
Since I met my husband back in late 2004, he always wanted to take me to Ponza. He used to tell me that if I went to this island, I would not believe that such an amazing place was just 70 miles away from Rome. I always thought that in order to see beautiful Italian islands, I had to go all the way down to Amalfi Coast, Sardinia or Sicily.
“Tita was the last link in a chain of cooks who had been passing culinary secrets from generation to generation since ancient times, and she was considered the finest exponent of the marvelous art of cooking”.
From the Novel Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Esquivel.
Favignana is famous throughout Italy for its “tonnara”, an arab origin term, which means tuna fishing and processing. Every year during Springtime – between May and June – Favignana islanders engage in Red Tuna fishing. This event attracts a lot of domestic – as well as international tourism – to Favignana since fishing is conducted according to traditional old methods.
Before travelling to Favignana, most of our friends advised us to be careful about choosing where to eat in Favignana since we could easily bump into tourists traps. In fact, while walking down the streets, we noticed that there were quite a few touristic spots.
My husband, who is very picky about eating out, always does research by consulting Italian Restaurant Guides beforehand. He relies specially on Guida del Gambero Rosso , Osterie d’Italia di Slow Food , and Ristoranti d’Italia dell’Espresso. To complete his homework, he further reads reviews on Tripadvisor.
Being a small island, Favignana is very easy to get around by scooter or bike. In fact, most people you come across in the island either are riding scooters or bikes. Another option is renting a boat, but we refrained from doing so because we were only staying for three days. Had we had a week in Favignana, we would have definitely rented a boat. The best way to discover Italian seacoast is by boat. Being able to take a bath while admiring the Mediterranean coast from the sea is an experience worthwhile trying.
“When I am an old man and live by the sea, will all your thoughts fly to me? When I’m far away from the places we’ve known, will all your love bring me home?”
That was the chorus of the song “Fly to me” by my favorite British band – Keane (Fly to me – Keane). That haunting, beautifully written song I was listening upon my arrival by ferry to Favignana was just perfect to describe my feelings throughout my journey in this wonderful island.
Tales of Ambrosia 