Classic Cars

For my petrol-head friends…

We have seen a couple of lovely classic cars recently – a Lancia and a VW Beetle, quite apart from several cute, original Fiat 500’s, but haven’t seen them parked up yet. Would love to bring my little Giulietta over so they can play together.

Just before the entry to the autostrada (motorway) we noticed a hotel and restaurant. So before the trek to Rome a while ago, we stopped for lunch there.  As soon as we had parked we noticed the row of Lambretta scooters on the first floor balcony and the vibrant yellow Alfa Romeo Coupe and classic VW Beetle in the car park.  Inside the reception area the husband and wife team were very welcoming and showed us into the dining room. This was crammed full of antique furniture and assorted memorabilia and photographs, but, more interestingly, a couple of cars and a Piaggio truck. All had been converted to house an intimate dining table complete with table lamps and flowers.

Just out of shot and in front of the black car was a yellow Fiat 500, also converted.  The hotel owner explained that the cars were his passion; his wife had her Bichon Frises (not an illness but a breed of small fluffy white dog). We had an interesting chat about my old Giulietta Coupe and by the time we had eaten lunch I was already enthused about bringing her over as he assured me that parts and labour in the area were not a problem.  Who knows…..oh, and the food was excellent.  I had spaghetti carbonara and ricotta with honey and hazelnuts for pud.  I believe Jamie had pasta alla matriciana (a tomato and bacon sauce) and a creme brûlée.

With the web of narrow streets, in all the medieval towns around here, the answer is definitely the Fiat 500 or a Lancia Ypsilon.  Other than these cars the most incredible little workhorses that can be seen, and heard, are the tiny three-wheeled Piaggio trucklettes.  You see them everywhere loaded with firewood or transporting building supplies up and down the hills and through the narrow streets.

And as a passing note, this is my favourite parking bay (people do park in it)!