Castles and Coastal Towers in Southern Italy

The History of Coastal Towers goes hand in hand the political and military evolution of the Kingdom of Naples. Fortifications were built in Southern Italy over and eight hundred year period from the 9^th to the 17^th centuries. The original towers were cylindrical in shape, tall and with small windows. Their main function was to sound the alarm when pirate ships were sighted through the lightning of fires, allowing the local population to find shelter into the hills and grottoes inland from the coast.

Increased Raids during the 16^th Century led to Development of More Complex Coastal Defenses

Naples Viceroy Don Pedro of Toledo ordered the construction of massive, square-shaped towers with thicker external walls. The transition from circular-shaped towers to square-shaped ones was spurred by the introduction of artillery requiring fortifications whose functions now included sighting, signaling, shelter as well as the use of offensive weapons that could hit a ship approaching the coast.

Communications were carried out through a series of visual signals - smoke in the daytime, fires by night as well as acoustic signals such as bells, or shots from a cannon or arquebus, a precursor of the rifle. When a pirate ship was sighted from one tower, one of these signals would be used to warn the people of the area to prepare to fight or flee. The signal would be passed from tower to tower, up and down the coast, passing the word quickly and effectively. The ground level floor had no windows and was set directly above a large cistern to guarantee a constant water supply. This space was used to store food and munitions and also contained a millstone for grinding wheat, making the tower self-sufficient.

Saracen Towers can be viewed along the Southern Italian coastline from Gaeta to the Sorrento peninsula, the Amalfi and Cilento coasts. There are over 350 towers, including 30 along the coastal strip from Vietri sul Mare to Positano. Some have been restored and incorporated into modern buildings in small harbors such as San Marco, Pisciotta and Marina di Camerota. Further south, around Cape Infreschi just before reaching Scario, there are cliffs along the coast unreachable by road; here the original coastal towers stand just a few hundred yards apart.

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The Term Saracen has shifted over time. Ptolemy's Geography from the second century mentions Sarakene as a region in the northern Sinai Peninsula and refers to a people called the Sarakenoi. For Italians during the middle ages it meant Muslim invader, from the Arabs who rode the initial wave of Islamic expansion into Spain and Sicily in the 8^th and 9^th centuries to the Ottoman Turks who took Constantinople in the 15^th century.

Coastal Watchtowers were also as a point of reference for friendly ships. The towers were generally manned by a military team of four guards and a horseman, who often remained outside the tower ready to ride into town to carry a warning as soon as possible.

Castles and Coastal Towers Itineraries in Southern Italy

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Food Wine Ale Walk and Bike Trails in Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley

Food and Markets

The Philadelphia Culinary Tradition was shaped by several ethnic groups. Cheesesteaks and soft pretzels are well known icons of this city and the 1970s saw a restaurant renaissance that is continuing into the 21st century. Food traditions include Pepper Pot, a soup of tripe, meat and vegetables from the Revolutionary War era and Snapper Soup a thick brown turtle soup served with sherry. Cheesesteaks, hoagies and roast pork sandwiches have helped Philadelphia become

America’s Best Sandwich City

The Classic Hoagie is made built-to-order on a long Italian roll and is typically filled with deli meats and cheeses and finished with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, a sprinkle of oregano and a drizzle of oil and vinegar. Sometimes, they are stuffed with tuna, chicken cutlets and roasted vegetables or topped with punches of flavor like fried long-hots, sautéed greens and artichokes. The best hoagies are made with fresh bread and the best quality provolone, prosciutto, soppressata and roasted peppers.

Markets towards the end of the 19^th century, the large number of Italian immigrants in South Philly led to the creation of the Italian Market on 9^th Street with numerous types of food vendors as well as other shops. The Reading Terminal Market, located closer to Center City, is popular with visitors.

Wine and Vineyards

Pennsylvania is one of the top grape-growing states and in the top 10 for wine production. Some vineyards are at the highest elevation east of the Rocky Mountains, while others are in the river valleys of the southeast corner of the state; one of the top grape-growing states and in the top 10 for wine production, including:

Whites - Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Vidal Blanc

Reds - Cabernet Sauvingon, Pinot Noir and Chambourcin.

The Wine Country stretches from Philadelphia to the north, west and southwest with scenery filled with rich, lush farmland and river valleys. Three wine trails are located here:

Montgomery County - three wineries;

Bucks County - nine wineries;

Southeastern Pennsylvania - eight wineries within a 50-mile radius between the Brandywine Valley and the Amish countryside.

Delaware Wine the local climate benefits from the moderating effects of Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Inland, the state becomes quite rural and agricultural, particularly in the south. Grape-growing and wine production consists of three wineries, with adjacent vineyards growing Merlot, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Book Your Food Wine Ale Walk and Bike Trails Itinerary Here!

Travel Duration 3 nights and 4 days. Group Size Minimum 4, Maximum 50 persons.

Cost/Person USD 735 for adults age 19 to 64 USD 585 for seniors 65+ and children under 18.

Information for Booking First and Last Name, Passport Number, Expiration date and Issuing country, Date of birth, Email address.

Included Travel between cities and states that are part of the itinerary, 3 lunches and dinners, accommodations in double occupancy with breakfast for 3 nights, applicable local and state taxes, 3 one-half day sightseeing events, local transport services.

Excluded Evening entertainment and transport to tour location start and from tour ending location.

Day/time Day to day programs and specific events at each location, as well as the sequence of the tour stops, will be finalized with the participation of the clients after details on family/group composition have been determined to take-into-account client priorities and preferences.

Reductions Children under the age of 18 and seniors over the age of 65 traveling with parents and/or guardians, staying in the same hotel room receive a 20 percent discount.

Craft Beer Trails

The American Revolution also took place in Philadelphia’s taverns and, through most of the 19^th and part of the 20^th century, this city was home to over 90 breweries; hence the appellation Cradle of American Libation. The craft beer boom began in the 1980s and helped it regain its reputation as one of the preeminent beer cities in the country and around the world.

Major Craft Breweries include Victory, Sly Fox and Yards, which produce and distribute some of Philadelphia’s most well-known and widely accessible craft beers. Mainstay brewpubs like Dock Street and Manayunk Brewing have been around for years and in recent years have been joined by micro- breweries and brewpubs like Tired Hands, Forest & Main and Round Guys.

Brandywine Valley Craft Breweries have gained significant popularity in recent years, due to a receptive craft-brewing culture. Also, water from the Brandywine Valley is chlorine and fluoride free, and abundant with minerals that leave the beer with a refreshing taste. Following the Colonial tradition, the beer is un-pasteurized and unfiltered with four ingredients: water, whole flour hops, grains, and cultured brewer yeast. It is also canned sustainably with recyclable aluminum.

The Brandywine Valley is Home to Several Craft Breweries

The Wines of Delaware the local climate benefits from the moderating effects of Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Inland, the state becomes quite rural and agricultural, particularly in the south. Grape-growing and wine production consists of three wineries, with adjacent vineyards growing Merlot, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Walking Running and Bike Trails

Greater Philadelphia’s Circuit Trails are a vast regional network of hundreds of miles of multi-use trails. The Circuit connects local communities and provides recreational and commuting opportunities.