Carefully wading through the sea of empty prosecco bottles covering the street, we made our way towards the stage. The music was pumping, and the crowd was dancing away and singing in unison. It was 2am, and the party was just starting to get good. I was standing with a few hundred Italians under the bright, almost full moon, and there was not another tourist in sight. On cue, the crowds' arms stretched up to the sky, forming a giant Y shape towards the heavens. Was this some sort of ancient Roman cult ritual? No, it was January 1st, and we were all dancing to The Village People who were having fun at the...YMCA!
Speeding through the Apennine mountains in the rental car from the Medieval hill town fortress of Gubbio in Northern Umbria to the Adriatic Coast along the Via Flaminia, time was of the essence. The Via Flaminia is the 2,200-year-old Roman road that leads from the centre of Rome through the mountainous regions of Umbria, The Marche and then to Rimini in Emilia-Romagna. I had spent several days in Umbria leisurely following the Via Flaminia, but on New Year's Eve, I was to arrive at my "Sista From Anotha Mista," Giulia. Giulia was waiting for me to arrive at her home in Riccione, so we could spend our New Year's Eve in true Italian style.
For information on the Via Flaminia, I found an excellent blog that will take you along the ancient road all the way from Rome to Rimini. Also, most of all, the tourist offices in the towns along the Via Flaminia have maps and information that you just can't find on the web.
Hitting the coast in Fano was quite a contrast from the snow-covered mountains of Umbria. Not only the geography, but the buildings all seemed so....new. I mean, for ancient Roman towns, I expected Fano and Pesaro to look less modern, but then again, these are swanky beach resorts for the Bolognese in the summer months.
My excitement was growing; not only did I get to see my best buddy, but we got to spend my first New Year's in Italy! I had no idea what to expect. I thought perhaps there were some weird Italian customs like my German family traditions, where we had to get up on a chair or coffee table during the countdown for the New Year and literally JUMP INTO the New Year! I grew up thinking everyone did that...Arriving in Riccione, Giulia was cooking up a customary huge Italian dinner of muscles in wine, pasta, and local fish that was just caught earlier that morning! It was all excellent, and I thought this sumptuous dinner was the main event of the evening, but approaching 11:00 Guilia announced that it was time to get changed and head to downtown Riccione for the big party! YAAAAAAAS!
I scrambled into my "fancy" clothes and piled into the rental car and headed into Riccione's downtown area. Riccione's superstar status is only about 80 years old. Yes, there are some Roman ruins and ancient churches. Still, Riccione is internationally known for its gorgeous seaside hotels, 5-star restaurants, expensive shops, famous nightclubs and some of the Adriatic's best beaches. This is the legendary Riviera Romagnola, and the party never stops in Riccione.
The parking Gods smiled down on us, and we arrived at the hotel that Giulia's family was staying at for the night. We were lucky enough to meet Guila's family that night, including her Papa (let me tell you, this man has more energy than Giulia and I put together!). Giulia's family is a part of Riccione's modern history, being owners of one of the first discotheques in the area called Savioli. Giulia's Mom was also a DJ in a disco back in the 1970s, one of the first trailblazing women DJs in Italy. These discotheques became famous and put Riccione on the map as the party capital of the Riviera Romagnola.
The prosecco was chilled and poised to pop, and desserts were arriving at our table. The next thing you know, it was 2018! There was no countdown to midnight, like in North America. The only way we knew it was New Year was the burst of dozens of prosecco corks popping throughout the hotel lobby and the shouts of "Auguri" which is a generic Italian saying meaning "well wishes" or "congratulations." The whole family exchanged kisses, and I was practicing speaking Italian, wishing everyone a "Buon Anno," which is "happy year" when I noticed many giggles of delight. I asked Giulia what is wrong with my "Buon Anno"? Apparently, anno is pronounced "ann-no" NOT "ano," and I had wished people a happy butthole all night. Ah great, well, I do hope people have happy buttholes in 2018, too!
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| Walking the White Carpet |
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| Snow TeePee! |
Riccione quickly became a winter wonderland, so to speak as we passed through a giant glowing snow teepee and followed the snow path (the white fabric-lined street) past the palm trees and the twinkling lights to the central Piazza where there was a big stage set up. Here is where it became "dangerous." We were literally wading through an ankle-deep sea of empty prosecco bottles in high heeled shoes towards the large crowd of folks gathered around the stage booming dance music. It was a fantastic sight to behold; people of all ages, kids, teens grandparents all having a great time. Then all of a sudden, a familiar song came on, and the whole crowd was rocking out to the Village People singing the YMCA! We slid right into the sea of revellers and blended in with all the happy Italian party-goers, and it was one of those surreal moments when time stands still because you just can't believe how lucky you are to be in Italy with your best friend on New Year's!
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| CANDY!!!! |
We decided to continue on our passeggiata to an area with all the designer stores...Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace. All the shops were dolled up for the holidays displaying mannequins in flashy club gear. We passed by little stalls selling mulled wine, snacks and LOTS of candy. To my utter amazement, there was a small covered arcade area with kids skating AT ....2 A.M! Back home on New Years', I'm usually in bed at the same hour as the pre-schoolers, but here in Italy the action just does not stop-mamma mia! |
| The Saviolina |
The river Melo flows through the middle of Riccione and runs into a beautiful harbour at the ocean. There are plenty of restaurants at the pier and along the 3 km-long promenade built along the beach for pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy. To learn more about the resort town of Riccione, visit their excellent website in English here. We saw Giulia's historic family boat The Saviolina parked near a bridge crossing the Rio Melo it was donated to the city of Riccione as a part of her family's historical legacy.
In the end, I let the Italian seniors and toddlers beat me at the New Year's game. At 3 am I had to call it quits, even though the streets were still full of people partying like it was 1999. We all went back to the hotel where our night had started for *one more drink*, and I practiced my "Buon Anno" on people, this time without the bemused looks! If this night was any indicator of the year ahead, then 2018 would prove to be a smashing year!
Best wishes to everyone for a prosperous and peaceful 2018, and may your travel dreams come true.🌠
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