From the earliest human settlements to our days: an all-ladies story “made in Poggio”.
Apparently the origin of Portonovo is due to some women living in Poggio, a very small hamlet overlooking Portonovo bay. These women were the first ones to understand all the potential of this place.
At the beginning - in 1929 - it was Giulia Palmina Gasparoni also known as “Emilia” who had the smart idea to open a small eatery in Portonovo to meet the rising demand for drinks and food from people coming by boat during the weekends. The restaurant was very simple, serving home-made food and no seafood was served. Later on she was followed by Eugenia, Malvina, Nitria, Anna, Elsa and Ramona (the first “mussel-Lady”) - all women from Poggio who, through their hard work and passion, created Portonovo bay as we know it today.
Near the end of the 50s the fisherman Aroldo Giacchetti, another well-known name on the bay, was the first one to implement a set of beach huts which would start off the entrepreneurial era of Portonovo.
Shortly after him, another important figure, Giancarlo Fiorini, also coming from Poggio, began to build a few restaurants and hotels transforming the bay into a real touristic resort. Nevertheless the spirit and the wild nature of this place have been preserved untouched till our days.
Three books to find out the whole story of Portonovo.
You can ask to the operators of the Bay of Portonovo, buy them in the major bookstores of Ancona or you can also find them online.
La costruzione sociale del mosciolo.
L'invenzione di un'economia di mare a Portonovo.
(The social economy around the “ Mosciolo”)
By M. Giovagnoli
2009 - Ed. Cattedrale, Ancona
www.cattedralelibri.it
Buy it online
Pescatori, cuochi, contadini. Racconti e ricette della Baia di Portonovo
(Fishermen, cooks, farmers. Stories and recipes from Portonovo Bay)
By A. Attorre - F. Frezzotti - L. Lancianese
2011 - Ed. Affinità Elettive, Ancona
www.edizioniae.it
Buy it online