Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Grado, Italy: Isle of Sun with History Peppered Past

The ANNOTICO Report

 

Oh, another gem that I missed. The List grows, and I always felt I had "covered" Italy SO Well!! :)

 

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Grado, Italy: Basking in the Isle of Sun

Reading Eagle

Reading Pennsylvania

September 26, 2006

Look at a map of the Adriatic Sea and you will notice, at the northern flap of the entrance to the Gulf of Trieste, an unremarkable dot that marks the location of the island and resort town of Grado, Italy.

Find that dot. Go to that resort town. It is truly a gem of the Adriatic.

Grado's past is peppered with Caesar's legions, Attila's hordes, the Huns, the Ottomans, the Byzantines, the Lombards, the Franks and the earliest Christians.

Its present is spiced by a sunswept climate, shallow sand seabed beaches, a wide selection of hotels, a century-old marine thermal bath spa built by Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph, a seaside golf course, busy marinas and a variety of water and land tours.

Called the Isle of Sun, Grado is actually connected by causeways to the mainland. The heart of town is a web of narrow streets now reserved exclusively for pedestrians. Its historical highlights include the stabilized ruins of the Castrum, or Roman fortifications; the Basilica of S. Maria delle Grazie, one of the earliest Christian churches in the world; and scenes that seem to leap from paintings of Italian street scenes.

Wine bars, restaurants, and bakeries are in abundance. Each of the many campielli, or small squares, is lined with trattorias and cafes. Dramatic lighting in the pedestrian quarter gives it a romantic glow after dark, and after the sun sets, local theater groups present traditional open-air musicals with a backdrop of rugged stone and stucco homes and apartments.

Grado's beaches are divided into two zones. The private strand, dotted with colorful bathers' huts and beach umbrellas, is open only to hotel guests. On the other end of town is the public beach, open to all.

Collectively, Grado's beaches have consistently earned prestigious Blue Flags of excellence and were recently awarded the Regina delle Spiaggie (Best Beach in Italy) tourism award.

More information: www.gradoit.it.

 

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