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Home » Trip Reports » My Return To Paradise, Italian-Style
ItalyTrip Reports

My Return To Paradise, Italian-Style

Matthew Klint Posted onApril 18, 2019November 14, 2023 3 Comments

What a pleasure it was to return to the small town of Atina nestled in the mountains between Rome and Naples.

In between meetings last week, I took a day off to visit my friend Bruno in Atina, a town of about 4,000 in central Italy. Bruno grew up there before emigrating to the USA as a teenager and eventually becoming a very successful salon owner. Each year he returns in the spring and summer to his hometown. My trip happened to coincide with his.

a group of buildings with a valley in the background

a football field and a building on a hill

a view of a valley and mountains from a hill

a landscape with a city and mountains

The highlight of the trip, as it always is, was superb dining. The day starts with a cappuccino and croissant about 10:00 AM, but the culinary feast really picks up with lunch at about 1:00 PM. We ate at a beautiful little restaurant called Le Cannardizie.

a stone wall with a sign on it

a door to a building

a door to a building

a room with tables and chairs

a room with tables and chairs

a room with tables and chairs

a room with tables and chairs

a wooden cart in a cave

Lunch included a delicious pasta with truffles followed by roasted lamb. A little olive oil, a little parsley, a little butter…what more is needed? It was a perfect lunch that ended with a strong espresso and a slice of “thousand layer cake” from a local bakery (it was actually a birthday lunch). 

a plate of sliced bread

a plate of pasta with parmesan cheese and a fork

a bottle of wine on a table

a bottle of wine on a table

a plate of meat and a lemon on a table

a plate of meat and a lemon

a brown box with gold text on it

a cake with a knife on a plate

a piece of cake on a plate

a slice of cake on a plate

a cup of coffee on a saucer with a spoon

Bellissimo!

After a pennichella (afternoon nap) and some work, we headed to a seafood restaurant at about 9:00 PM. 

a sign with blue and white text

a courtyard with a fountain and plants in front of a building

As we entered, we saw the food that awaited us: all the seafood was still alive.

a display of seafood in a glass case

a pile of fish and seafood

a tray of fish on a table

a lobster in a white container

If you read me regularly, you know I love fish, but other seafood items…not so much, especially raw. But look what arrived for the first course:

a plate of seafood on a table

a plate of seafood on a table

I smiled. This is the year to eat everything put before me. So I did. All of it. And you know something? I liked it. Honestly, I liked it. I still don’t think It is ever something I would order alone, but I was happy to sample it.

Oh, that was just the first course.

There was more:

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food on a table

a shell with a green and white sauce

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food on a table

a close up of food

And more:

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food with shrimp

And more:

a plate of fried food

More, more, more…

a plate of shrimp and a spoon

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food on a table

And fruit for good measure:

a plate of fruit on a table

a strawberries and whipped cream in a waffle bowl

 I would have been happy with just the seafood ravioli followed by fish, but tonight was the night to exceed the comfort zone. In case you are wondering, all this food was for four people.

Back at Bruno’s house, I tried to nap before my pre-dawn departure to Rome. I was stuffed, but contented. It had been another great trip to Atina.

> Read More: My Trip to a Charming Italian Village

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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3 Comments

  1. PM1 Reply
    April 18, 2019 at 4:23 pm

    Awesome posts on Atina!

    • Ann O'Hara Reply
      February 9, 2022 at 5:11 am

      I am glad you enjoyed your trip to Atina.My late wife Anna Lena is first cousin to Bruno.Best wishes Joe Capaldi London UK.

  2. MeanMeosh Reply
    April 18, 2019 at 11:14 pm

    Love it, We’ll make you a foodie yet!

    Seeing those shrimp reminded me of a funny personal story. I took my wife to New Orleans for her birthday last year, and a co-worker recommended an old school Italian place to go to in the Garden District. He told me the BBQ shrimp is their signature dish (it is renowned throughout New Orleans) and so I ordered it. I stay away from any food where I can recognize the head of the animal. It just grosses me out. So imagine my surprise when the waiter showed up with a bib, and a plate of jumbo shrimp – with the heads still attached. I wasn’t about to waste all that food so I ate it anyway. (For the record, it was good.)

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