Travelling to Picinisco from U.K

[lucente]

as my husbands step g,grandfather Stephano Valvona was born in Picinisco
we would realy like to visit there.
can anyone help with the following info
is it better to fly to Rome or Naples, then
is there a train or a coach as we do not want to drive from Rome or Naples.
Is there a hotel in Picinisco? if not does anyone know the nearest place that has a hotel or B/B or apartments .

regards
Lucente.

looking for Lucente/Frangione/Francioni.

[EdBrooke]

I prefer flying to Rome (Ryanair have 5 flights a day from Stansted and Easyjet 2 per day from Gatwick).
You can catch a fast train to Cassino and then take the "blue" CONTRAL bus to Atina. I assume there is a local bus to Picinisco.

The drive from Rome Ciampino is not difficult and certainly not as intimidating as some people report.

There is a B&B in Picinisco, the hotel is now closed. There are hotels in the area. Visit www.valcominio.org as a starting point for accommodation.

Ed

[lucente]

Hi Ed,
thank you very much for that info,
we are very grateful.

Regards
Ann.

[Michel VACCA]

Hello Lucente,

I could not more early answer your message because I was in Picinisco and that in Picinisco I do not have Internet.

Information which ED gave you. are exact but the buses are not numerous:

Monday at Friday:

Cassino to Atina
Departure Arrival
07:35 08:15
08:45 09:25
10:30 11:10
14:15 14:55
17:05 18:05
18:00 18:40

Atina to Picinisco
Departure Arrival
13: 40 14:05

Of Atina to Picinisco, there is only one bus per day of Atina to Picinisco and Picinisco to Atina.
You see it does not have much bus there.

For my part I would be again in Picinisco second about fifteen April. If you come during this period I will be able to help you for transport. I will be able to guide you in Picinisco on the traces of your ancestors.

For housing, there are in Picinisco 2 B&B but there is no restaurant apart from the period of summer. I then propose a small hotel with Atina to you. “La Pineta”

LA PINETA *
tel. : (39) 0776.609120 Fax : (39) 0776.609120
Via S. Nicola, 10
IT 3042 ATINA (FR)

They are not very luxurious but one eats there well and it is not very expensive. The owner is called Massimo DE LUCA and his wife Caryl LAWSON, it is Scottish. If you go in Picinisco apart from the period when I will be there, announce to Massimo that it is me which sends to you, and require of him then if it will be able to lead you to Picinisco. I will then contact a person with Picinisco which speaks very quite English and which will be able to guide you in Picinisco.

Do not hesitate to contact me for other information. Email: michel@vacca.be

I still have other good news for you:

If your great great father born in Picinisco is Stefano VALVONA born 23 12/1860, married the 30/12/1886 with Maria Assunta MARCANTONIO born the 24/07/1860. I then have the complete genealogy of your family as from 1575.

You still have remote family currently with Picinisco. Downward of a brother of the father of Stefano.

I hope that we will still have much contact,
I await your news.

Michel VACCA
www.picinisco.net

[Tony Kehoe]

With regards to driving from Rome I can recommend it, driving from Rome Ciampino is surprisingly easier than driving on English motorways such as the M6 or M1. The drive out of the airport is well signposted and you reach the motorway very soon. It is a very easy drive South to Cassino where you come off the motorway and take normal roads for a while before taking a bypass which takes you around the back of the town and up towards Atina and Picinsico, keep on this road until near Atina and then take the road leading to Picinisco. The roads in the valley are good and although the one up to Picinisco is steep it is not busy. My only hold up there one year was the flock of sheep and goats being taken up into the mountains.

It is worth having a car in the valley simply because there are so many great places to go and see, but beware of Atina and Sora on market days as parking is limited unless you are early! Roads in the valley are good and are not busy. But then I have never been in August when I understand it is different.

If you cannot get in to the hotel Michel recommends (and he is definitely the Picinsico expert) I can suggest another called La Grotto in nearby San Donato, the food is superb and the low price unbeleivable.

If you have access to Google earth on computer have a look at Picinisco, the satellite photos are very good. I can see my ancestors ruined house very clearly!

I hope you enjoy your visit as much as we have enjoyed ours, the area is absolutely beautiful. It must have broke our ancestors hearts to leave it.

Tony Kehoe

[lucente]

Hi Tony
thanks so much for the info, I will be visiting Liverpool next week from 1st March, will be going to the Library in the city centre to look at the records once more, to see if I can find any more info on the Lucente/Frangioni Family.
There is currently an exhibition on in the Manchester science museum
it is about Manchester's Little Italy, Ancoates etc, read about it on Tony Rea's website, will try and get there, its on until august.
best regards
Ann Lucente

[Tony Kehoe]

Hi Ann

If your ancesters had a Liverpool connection have you tried the following website

http://www.scottiepress.org.uk/main.htm

on the home page click on projects on the left hand side then click Little Italy. There is some info on the Italians of Liverpool ( including my Riozzi).

Tony

[lucente]

Hi Tony,
thank you for your reply, yes I look at Scottie Press, my husbands family lived in Lionell st, Whale St, Clare st, and then St Andrews Gardens.
I have e-mailed you before through the AIFHS, you were kind enough to give me Michels address. He found our Valvona's in Picinisco but not the Lucente's or Frangioni's so we are still looking.
thank you for your interest.
best regards
Ann.

[sdfdsfgds]

I could not more early answer your message because I was in Picinisco and that in Picinisco I do not have Internet.


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Longchamp Sac

[Gavin]

really good information, it helped me a lot.