Senigallia’s old town with its architectural treasures had plenty of surprises in store for the visitors who, on the mornings of Sunday and Monday December 14th and 15th set off to discover its charms, guided by students from the IPSSARCT A .Panzini who had been promoted to the posts of official tourist guides for the day, and who were thus also taking part in a real teaching and learning exercise!!
Piazza del Duca with the fortress in the background, the visit begins …
THE FRASASSI CAVES
In the enormous underground halls (Milan cathedral could easily fit into the largest!) visitors could admire the wonderfully slow and patient work of nature, which, through the combination of mineral salts and water, has formed superb stalactites and stalagmites as well as those diaphanous veils of limestone deposits draped over the rocks. The visit covers a distance of 800 metres with numerous stops while the guides give explanations – it lasted an hour and a half, and no-one noticed the time passing. As they left the caves, each visitor was given a little present with the compliments of the Frasassi Caves Company.
In the ‘Le Grotte’ restaurant, a new building close to the caves, lunch once again awaited the participants who were delighted with this exciting excursion. During lunch Dr Malvano Raffaele, director of the Frasassi Caves Company, accompanied by Christiane Keller, came to greet the group and met each delegation. What a wonderful country Italy is!
The entrance to the caves.
Map of the caves.
In the enormous underground halls (Milan cathedral could easily fit into the largest!) visitors could admire the wonderfully slow and patient work of nature, which, through the combination of mineral salts and water, has formed superb stalactites and stalagmites as well as those diaphanous veils of limestone deposits draped over the rocks. The visit covers a distance of 800 metres with numerous stops while the guides give explanations – it lasted an hour and a half, and no-one noticed the time passing. As they left the caves, each visitor was given a little present with the compliments of the Frasassi Caves Company.
In the ‘Le Grotte’ restaurant, a new building close to the caves, lunch once again awaited the participants who were delighted with this exciting excursion. During lunch Dr Malvano Raffaele, director of the Frasassi Caves Company, accompanied by Christiane Keller, came to greet the group and met each delegation. What a wonderful country Italy is!
The entrance to the caves.
Map of the caves.
N.B. : in accordance with the company’s regulations, no photographs for this report were taken inside the caves.
The ‘Dutch Gang’ decided to organise an impromptu napkin-folding competition. Alfonso Benvenuto was promoted to the post of judging panel, and given the task of deciding between the contestants: in the end he declared as joint winners Barbara Bortolotto (Belgium) and Kristin Ploug (Denmark) to loud applause from all present, with the winners receiving a bottle of wine given by the Dutch team.
A glimpse of the competitors’ napkin-folding skills.
The contest winners.
Dr Malvano Raffaele is introduced to each delegation by
Christiane Keller, ‘Madre Noël’.
The ‘Dutch Gang’ decided to organise an impromptu napkin-folding competition. Alfonso Benvenuto was promoted to the post of judging panel, and given the task of deciding between the contestants: in the end he declared as joint winners Barbara Bortolotto (Belgium) and Kristin Ploug (Denmark) to loud applause from all present, with the winners receiving a bottle of wine given by the Dutch team.
A glimpse of the competitors’ napkin-folding skills.
The contest winners.
Dr Malvano Raffaele is introduced to each delegation by
Christiane Keller, ‘Madre Noël’.
