A Morning Run in Nettuno

Today we have taken a morning off and are currently sitting outside at a cafe right around the corner from our house. We come here often for cappuccino and a pastry, that is the normal Italian breakfast, Jeff is loving it. Today Jeff had a pear and chocolate croissant and I had a cappuccino, I have my jogging clothes on and am trying to will myself to go on a run.

It’s such a temptation to stay here at this sunny cafe and have another cappuccino and pastry instead. I’m a little apprehensive about running here, in Nettuno Italy, is it because the streets are so narrow and the sidewalks so full, or is it the fear of the unknown? Either way, I finally allowed my running shoes to hit the cobblestones. I left Jeff sitting at the corner caffe working on his second croissant and cappuccino while he cheered me on to fitness.

So I headed straight down Via Vittorio Veneto running down the narrow cobblestone street on the little sidewalk while tiny Fiats zoomed past. I ran past the butcher with delicious looking prosciutto and salamis, the fruit stands with heaps of ripe peaches, grapes, plums and pears on display, bakeries on every corner selling croissants and baguettes, tabbacco shops where you can buy bus and train tickets, “bars” for espresso and cappuccino and clothing shops. Each shop has workers or patrons standing outside eyeing me curiously until I say “buongorno!” And then a smile creeps across their face and a “buongorno” in return. I run past the little old nonnas with their shopping bags on wheels heading to the market. I ran past a enter plaza where the little boys play “football” (soccer) anytime they get a chance kicking the ball back and forth bouncing it off their heads and hips and knees and miraculously keeping within bounds not to hit patrons of the restaurant right next to them or people walking by.

I run until my street dead ends at the Borgo, the medieval old city with its large brown building stones looking like a medieval castle from a fairy tale. It stands in contrast to the plaster covered buildings with mustard, cinnamin and almond painted walls, the paint cracking and crumbling enough to reveal the white plaster underneath in delightful patches. In Italy there is old then there is very old, then there is ancient. The painted buildings being old (200,300 years old), the medieval being 500,600 years old, then the ancient being during the time of Christ (2000 years old) and the oldest being Etruscan dating back 500 years before Christ (500 BC). From what I understand the fortresses were built 500 years ago to protect the villages and kingdoms from invaders along the coast. Note to self: learn more Italian History.

It is called Borgo Medieval because the Borgias were one of the families most influential in Italy in the fifteenth and sixteenth century. The Borgo entrance is marked by the Fontana Del dio Nettuno (Fountain of the God Neptune) Yes, I guess the Romans were pagan before Christianity took over. This statue was inaugurated in 1882 but at that time was just the statue of Neptune. During WWII it suffered damaged and was relocated to its current locatiion and was improved with the addition of the shell chariot and horses in 1950.

I enter the medieval Borgo through the brick archway running past the the Palazzo Pamphlij, a Palace built by the Pamphilij Family in 1612. In the gable of the windows you can still see the carved symbol of the family and the dove with the olive branch.

I run through Palazzo Pamphlij and into another Plaza with the large church looming over the plaza and the statue of Paolo Segneri MCMLXXV with the Bible in his hand looking out over the people. Segneri was born at Nettuno,studied at the Roman College, and in 1637 became a Jesuit priest with connections to Pope Innocent XII.

From the plaza I approach the back of the Borgo and enter its exterior walls looking out over the modern day harbor. The Borgo was completed in 1503 , by Pope Alexander VI Borgia , to defend the Pontifical State from the assaults of predators, corsairs, Arab and African pirates.

The Borgo sits high above the waters reminding you of the reason for these ancient walled cities, to protect the people during invasion. I circle the Borgo running along the ancient city wall only two feet across in width. I have to stop for a mom holding her three year olds hand as they squeeze threw the narrow archway, they are holding sand buckets and blow up floaties on their way to the beach, she is counting in Italian to her bambino as they walk along. “Scuzie” I say from behind her and she promptly makes room for me to pass by. I run down the stairs from the Borgo to the beach and then down the narrow paved promenade that runs the length of the broad expanse of beach.

The venders are already dragging the blue umbrellas out to the beach and are set up to rent out lounge chairs for 5€ a pop. Before me lays the sparkling Mediterranean Sea and a sea of umbrellas and lounge chairs laid out on the sand.

Already I see Italians out in the sun coaxing their skin to a rich carmel color sun tan. You can tell they have spent many hours in the summer sun and everyone is glowing brown. I pass the Forte Sangallo (Ancient Fort built in 1501) that matches the look of the Borgo. There are a row of fluttering flags of every country blowing in the wind in front of the Forte making it appear even older. Pots of Geraniums bloom bright against the dark walls adding a cheerful site to the medieval building.

I leave this happy summer beach scene to run back up the stairs to the city streets above. I run past the Giornali (Newspaper Stand) and the florest and head back up Via Vittorio Veneto, past the boys playing soccer, past the Nonnas, past the butcher, baker and espresso bars.

I’m walking now as I approach Jeff sitting at his cafe. He looks up and smiles, he has finished his morning espresso and cappuccino and we walk back to the apartment. He says “How about a beach day?” I think it sounds like a great idea. He says “lets rent a couple of those beach lounge chairs down on the beach” I agree, it is time we join our fellow Italians on the beach working on our summer tan.

For Other Great Travel Stories from Italy in our Archives:

A Morning Run in Nettuno (Published September 10, 2017)

A Visit to Castelli Romani (Published September 13, 2017)

Dinner for Six (Published October 1, 2017)

Italian Cooking School (Published October 8, 2017)

Culinary Tour of Napoli (Published November 17, 2017)

Changing Seasons in Italy (Published November 25, 2017)

Our Trip to Englands Cotswolds (Published January 12, 2018)

Cooking with Pasquale (Published January 28, 2018)

A Tour of the Garden of Ninfa (Published May 7, 2018)

A Trip to Montefiascone (Published May 17, 2018)

San Gimignano, a visit to a Tuscan Hill Town (Published June 9, 2018)

Tuscan Hot Springs of San Filippo & Saturnia (Published June 13, 2018)