Sunday, August 13, 2006

NUMANA (part VII): Everything from necklaces to Nutella

COME TO NUMANA if you love the beach, beautiful sights and a night out on the town.

It doesn’t hurt to be a dog-lover either.

There isn’t a better place to spend your time (or money) than a place like Numana. Located in the Le Marche region just minutes from the Ancona airport, Numana offers enthusiastic travelers a chance to wine and dine at delicious (and affordable) Italian eateries and spend the night at luxurious or more reasonable hotels, depending on what suits you.

The Gigli Hotel is located right in Numana on a cliff overlooking the Adriatic Sea. The hotel offers its guests great food and isolation from the rest of the town, surrounded by trees that close it off and make it barely noticeable as you walk by. For those guests who prefer a more fast, upbeat nightlife, they are minutes away from the center of the town where there is dancing, music and several café bars. For more information, contact the Gigli hotel at 071 9330930 or email at info@giglihotels.com.

For those looking to pay less and still have a great stay, Hotel Giardino and Sorriso are more affordable. Both are located in Numana and are also just a short walk away from the town. For more information on both, call 1-800-434-6835 or check them out at hotels.com. You can also stay at a hotel in Sirolo, a town similar to Numana about one kilometer away.

Spending a day at the beach in Numana can only be described as relaxing. English-speaking travelers won’t feel abandoned or alone while traveling in Numana, as many of the employees speak enough English to make sure you get your panini order just right, but not enough to make you feel like you’re back in the States.

There are literally dozens of places to eat throughout the town but I have to recommend Al Pelozzo di Mare. The menu lists an array of food, but the restaurant’s specialty is pizza, which tastes like little slices of heaven. The restaurant is located on a side street in Numana and offers outdoor seating, which is perfect on a warm summer night. The telephone number is 07117360133 and website is nemtudom@libero.it.

The stores in Numana are also worth a visit. Ranging from exotic necklaces to Nutella in a jar, there is almost any souvenir being sold by friendly, helpful Italians. There is a outdoor market in the piazza during the evening, so while preparing to do some dancing, you can peruse the tables full of hand-made jewelry, scarves, T-shirts, mugs, bowls, personalized postcards, and sparkly pants.

Like most towns in Italy, Numana seems to be home for a lot of dogs. Good-looking dogs, heinous-looking dogs, short, fat, skinny, long, hairy and hairless dogs. You name it, Numana’s got it. I’ve found that Italian culture embraces their pets more on an every-day basis. Sure, Americans love their dogs. But seeing a dog not on a leash or sitting with his owner at a café is rare if not unheard of here .

Numana is just another place to see how much Italians treasure their dogs.

- Ann Curran

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