An Afternoon in Cesenatico with Frecce Tricolori

We took a train from Bologna east to the Adriatic Sea for an afternoon visit to the coastal town of Cesenatico, Italy and a bite of seafood, and unexpectedly ended up with front row seats to Frecce Tricolori’s aerial performance. Though we’re partial to the Blue Angels, these jets held their own.

Cesenatico, founded in 1302, is now a cheery little town of 20,000, most famously home to a port canal surveyed and drawn by Leonardo da Vinci.

It welcomes Italian and German holiday makers more often than English-speaking tourists, and its quaint little streets feel a bit a time trip.

Conserves, giant pits lined with brick, stand as relics of the ancient fish trade: pre-refrigeration storage facilities for layering ice and fresh-caught sea creatures.

Weekend markets buzz with berries and color and sunshine.

We walked to the pier to catch a glimpse of beaches and boats…

…and in swooped the Frecce Tricolori!

I’ll admit. We nerded out.

I grew up going to airshows with my dad. My favorite PJs as a four year old? An oversized Blue Angels t-shirt. My uncle was a fighter pilot in the navy. My grandpa once gave me the controls in his little two-seater as we flew high above the brush out in distant Eastern Oregon. My brothers and I watched The Rocketeer a million times: “It’s all part of the show…” (Obscure reference, I know.)

The surprise performance lasted thirty or forty minutes. We watched on as the Italian military aerobatics team performed stunt after stunt of coordinated precision and daredevil maneuvers.

Ted snapped at least 45 shots on his iPhone; I was as trigger happy with the big camera….

They’re just too cool!

After the last buzz by the beachfront, we turned to walk toward town and a bite to eat.

Along main street, we paid a visit to a newly opened design shop, Brandina, sporting handbags, swim caps, and accessories made in the style of brightly colored beach furniture of the Italian Riviera.

Cheers to Blogville companions: Jess, Nicola, and Nick!

Turns out that Brandina designer, Marco Morosini, has background in photography and design: he’s lectured at the University of Urbino on Theory and Techniques of Image Processing, published two photography collections, designed tourism posters for Italy’s coastal hot-spot Rimini, and has been architectural planner and designer for the Ferrari and Maserati auto show exhibits since 2005.

It’s always fascinating to me to learn about the characters we meet in far corners of the world.

Thoroughly (and literally) jazzed and champagned from the boutique opening, we set off down the street in search of one more deep fried shrimp meal as followup to Ted’s #shrimpface ordeal in Comacchio.

A few fish, shrimp, and a fine beer later, another successful Italian adventure complete.

P.S. We’ve dubbed Cesenatico the Cannon Beach of the Adriatic. Now, if only we can coordinate a Blue Angels fly over next time we’re at the Oregon Coast…

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For more fun reads:
A Fish, A Fish, Delish {via Punk Domestics}
One food-loving visitor’s fishy experience in Cesenatico, Italy.

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This post is part of a series from Emilia-Romagna: A region of Northern Italy ripe for exploration. Artisan Local Foods (tortellini, lasagne, pancetta, traditional balsamic vinegar, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to name a few!), Historical Cities (Modena, Ferrara, Bologna, Rimini, and more), and Beautiful Natural Areas (the Po River Delta, the Apennine Mountains, and the green, green farmland in between)…

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