Pinocchio that is and that is where we found ourselves bizarrely for our Friday night stay before heading for the delights of Lucca at Pinocchio Park.
We were to stay at a thermal resort town and we both were hoping for a spa treat, but upon arrival at the town aire we both decided we didn’t like the parking spot. It was a very tight turn to the entrance in a suburban street with places for about 4 or 5 vans depending on the size of your vehicle in a very long, straight alleyway basically. Once you were in you weren’t getting out unless everyone manoeuvred or so it seemed. So given it was mid afternoon we choose to move on and so Big Nose Pinocchio called us. It could have the call of free parking and just 20 minutes drive from Lucca as well that did it to be fair, as Pinocchio the story didn’t really feature too much in our childhood memories.
The free parking bit was very interesting as when we pulled into the village of Collodi. As you might imagine on a Good Friday the place was very busy. Lots of very excited looking children and rather stunned parents, but there was plenty of parking in a large car park, behind the official Sosta (motorhome parking). We parked up in the car park, with the intention of our overnight stay and headed off to see the delights of the town and Pinocchio park. As good, law abiding citizens we read the official parking notice and it turned out parking was free along with your entrance to the park- fair enough we thought. Legoland it was not, so how much could it be. I snorted when David guessed at €25 each. Ridiculous I said €15 would be pushing it too. We walked away from the entrance a few minutes later completely stunned at the entrance fee price of €26 per adult and €21 per child. Certainly, no such thing as a free lunch for sure, and according to the notice you might need to produce your tickets if asked when parked. Time was getting on by then and the clouds building up yet again, so we did what any crafty people would do and rummaged through the waste bins looking for discarded tickets before eventually accosting two parents leaving for their now redundant tickets-job done and at nil cost to us. Being those honest people we were, we choose not to use the tickets for re-entry!
In terms of costs Italy has been we think not overpriced, certainly not for food or drink and in comparison to London living, but we have found that entry prices have been fairly hefty, maybe catching up for Covid times still.
Our entry to the parmesan cheese producer (4 Madonne Caseifcio) in Modena was €20 each including a tasting at the end and again I thought it a bit steep until we actually did the tour and we both found it very interesting, insightful with a tasting of 4 different parmesans at the end, along with several bottles of local Lambrusco.
Now there was a revelation -Lambrusco. First thoughts of it at home, cheap and nasty, but the area of Modena is where the grapes come from (along with Balsamic vinegar) and of course here the choice is much wider than the rubbish we get at home, so a few glasses were sampled and bottles brought for future van consumption.
Modena was also delightful, smaller and more compact than Turin, but it held our attention and in fact we stayed on the aire there for 4 nights. We have been to this area before and are trying not to do repeats but of course Lucca is a big repeat, but with our departure out of Italy next Thursday from Genoa it didn’t seem to make sense to drive over and re-visit places like Cuneo and Barola where we had been before. The Moderna aire was next to the towns rugby club and it was here we found ourselves early evening after our visits to the historic town centre. It was also at the rugby club that David lost his bet as to who would make the first non-essential purchase of the trip. David now sports a Modena rugby t-shirt and tracksuit top! In fact with these purchases and our night spend there we decided that the Greygappers where the most recent sponsors of Modena rugby club.
As we close on the Easter weekend here in Lucca, the walled city has also continued to delight us as has our host Mark. Paths and bars familiar have been trod and drunk in, but we need to get out of here asap as I continue my munch on Marks abundance supply of sweets and chocolate.
Foot note to Pinocchio parking- the actual sosta in Collodi does not require entry to the park, the cheeky park people had in fact just put up one of their signs next to the local council one, where parking for 6 vans is given free along with electricity. So if you do visit make sure you manage to squeeze into that parking or otherwise keep your eyes peeled for discarded park tickets or of course a Pinocchio and tell a porky!
Spend week Sun 1/4 to Sat 8/4/23: Sustenance £417. Entertainment £88. Accom £83. Diesel £103
Becky says
Italian Lambrusco is lush isn’t it? I discovered it the first time we were Italy and I always stock up with a few bottles when I visit.
Stef says
Excellent to read :-), what has happened to “Pino” the beautiful cat that you adopted ?
David says
Stef,
Pino is now living in Sussex chasing mice!
Loving the UK
David
Stef says
That’s wondeful David, thanks for the update :-).
Nikan (Niki) Jo says
It was a delight meeting you and I hope to see you again very soon.