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Fabulous -- your drive to Assisi is just the kind I love. ENjoying your report.
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yestravel It is amazing how many lightly traveled, yet spectacular, drives like this are in Italy. We will have a couple more before this report ends, one even more challenging.
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Please keep them coming!
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Really enjoying this report, thanks!
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Whitehall, thanks for this excellent trip report and photos. I’m very much enjoying revisiting Umbria with you! In 2004 our family together with two college friends stayed in a house near Todi, daytripped to Perugia, Assisi/Spello/Montefalco, and Orvieto, and visited nearby Montecastello di Vibio. We usually set out on the not overly busy highways and returned on the meandering more scenic smaller roads. In Spello, lovely memories of the rose stonework, the profusion of flower baskets, and the jewel tones of the Pinturicchio frescoes in the Baglioni Chapel. And then the ceramic basket with the twisted handle that I decided would be too difficult to transport (my husband always said you only regret the things you don’t buy).
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Originally Posted by bon_voyage
(Post 17297387)
Whitehall, thanks for this excellent trip report and photos. I’m very much enjoying revisiting Umbria with you! In 2004 our family together with two college friends stayed in a house near Todi, daytripped to Perugia, Assisi/Spello/Montefalco, and Orvieto, and visited nearby Montecastello di Vibio. We usually set out on the not overly busy highways and returned on the meandering more scenic smaller roads. In Spello, lovely memories of the rose stonework, the profusion of flower baskets, and the jewel tones of the Pinturicchio frescoes in the Baglioni Chapel. And then the ceramic basket with the twisted handle that I decided would be too difficult to transport (my husband always said you only regret the things you don’t buy).
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Ah, the vagaries of online booking and all things in the years of the plague. We did tour Montecastello di V’s jewel box of a theater. I have memories, too, of meticulous stonework and imposing family crypts. An Italian colleague of my husband’s had recommended that we stay in Umbria and had singled out Spello for special mention as I recall. I was drawn to Pinturicchio at an exhibit that we had seen earlier in the week in Perugia.
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Day 9: Castiglione del Lago, Isola Maggiore, Passignano sul Trasimeno
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Spello We were up early enough to watch the street cleaner help make Spello spic and span for the next onslaught of day trippers. We also needed to get ready for our first longer drive (still under one hour), this one to the edge of Tuscany; actually we drove through a small sliver of Tuscany to get to Lake Trasimeno. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a3f461ba94.jpg We started healthy, with fruit from our recent market visit, and then added fresh squeezed orange juice at a bar in Castiglione del Lago. All leading up to an excuse to go to Il Forno Pasticceria, perhaps the worst presentation of any bakery we have visited in Italy, where displays seem to be everything. But, the sweets looked fresh. The two donuts we selected were so heavy, we laughed when the nice lady handed us our bag. They were so full of pastry cream that they felt like each one weighed three pounds. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...dcb28c9f9e.jpg Castiglione del Lago Lake Trasimeno looks small on first glance, but it is Italy’s fourth largest lake and almost the size of Lake Como. Castiglione del Lago is the most beautiful of various communities on the lake, sitting on a promontory above it. The area is rich in history, but now largely protected as a natural park, despite the several towns bordering it. Castiglione at one time was a significant medieval fortress protecting the main road from Florence to Rome. Even earlier, Hannibal destroyed a Roman army at the lake 200 years before Christ. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...66c7a6beef.jpg Castiglione is said to be busy in summer, but on this last day of August, the community was very quiet despite the presence of its many stores and restaurants. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2bd17dc3cd.jpg Castiglione has a wide range of parkland along the lake, including a beach. Much of the land leading to the lake is covered with olive trees. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f4ee972ffb.jpg Landmarks in Castiglione include a fortress and a palace, which we skipped so that we could grab a ferry to an island in the lake. Castiglione in ancient times was considered a fourth island in the lake, when water levels were higher than today, but today it is on a peninsula. Two of the three islands in the lake are uninhabited and are nature preserves, although one of those does have a fortress and ruins of two churches and an abbey. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...39807c57c.jpeg Busitalia, a company owned by the same group that owns the Italian rail companies Ferrovie and Trenitalia, operates a ferry from Castiglione to Isola Maggiore (Maggiore Island). We had not checked ferry schedules but lucked out as we were the last to board the small passenger boat and even landed a couple of outside seats in the front of the boat. Surprisingly not very busy, all Italians and a gorgeous summer day. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ba03216e4.jpeg Isola Maggiore The smooth ride to the island was quite pleasant, perhaps 15 or 20 minutes. As we approached the island, we saw a small village at water’s edge, a lone old church at the highest point on the island, and an obstructed view of what appeared to be a castle at one end of the island. There was a little crush of people trying to leave the island on one of the two ferries leaving at the same time, one for Castiglione and the larger one to a closer town of Passignano sul Trasimeno. But this was the early lunch crowd, leaving the island almost deserted. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...785acc344a.jpg Isola Maggiore Village Again a St. Francis of Assisi connection. Hard to believe he traveled so much, but in 1211, he became a hermit on the then empty island for 40 days during Lent. His Franciscan followers, maybe less than 100 years later, honored him by building the small church that stands tall today over the island. Shortly after, they built a nearby monastery. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...83c2268e7.jpeg We heard the welcoming sounds of a violin when we entered the small main street. A masterclass of a dozen rising musicians (cello, viola and violin) from throughout the world were given guidance for several days by leading European musical professors, followed by chamber concerts the next two days. We came across two lessons, one in each of two small churches in this village of about three dozen residents. One of the teachers has been Grammy nominated; the teacher in this photo is a accomplished violinist Mi-Kyung Lee from Munich. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...392e4a2e67.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...140152c89d.jpg There is a nice, but relatively short path alongside the lake, maybe a 15 minute hike. Colorful pheasants and golden pheasants are plentiful and friendly, which suggests tourists feed them. Several of them followed us along the wide path. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7b0a4fe34.jpeg Eventually, the path ends at a large locked iron gate. To continue, a hiker must walk up to the ancient church at the top of the island which has an attached active cemetery. The simple church does open for limited tours during the peak of the day. And, then, a hiker can pick up another section of the path that leads back to the village. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...98b08bc1a.jpeg The walk back to town was easy and quick. We inquired with a local merchant about the castle and how someone might see it. The lady made it clear that it had been closed to the public for years and could not be viewed. That was disappointing. So, we decided to get lunch, since the dwindling number of tourists suggested that restaurants would soon close. That heavy donut and a small gelato, when we arrived on the island, made us feel like having a light lunch. There was one lakeside place, where all the diners had emptied out and a friendly waiter beckoned us inside. We followed him to an empty outside terrace, with views of the lake through some trees. We told him we just wanted something light, maybe just an appetizer. Perhaps I have a tomato fetish, but the bruschetta and their version of a caprese salad and a bowl of fried potatoes looked nice and were more than we could handle, but we did our best. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...feda3dd535.jpg To walk it off, we headed back to the church and then found a second iron gate, with a nearby display showing a plan and photographs of the castle/summer mansion. For centuries, this was the home to the Franciscan monastery, until the property was purchased by a wealthy Italian politician named Guglielmi in the late 1800’s. He turned the monastery into a summer castle, with its own beautiful church and lots of other amenities, and gifted it to his wife. The drawings and photos suggest a one-of-a-kind lake side estate for the ultra-rich. The Guglielmi family in 1944 also used the castle to shelter some Italian Jews fleeing the Nazis. The family used the property until the 1970’s when it fell into disrepair, eventually picked up as a site for a future luxury hotel. By 2010, the latest dreamers left behind the scaffolding used in their exterior efforts and went bankrupt. And, the castle deteriorated even more. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2a42296404.jpg Besides the two iron gates on either side of the property, much of the rest of the property has a huge stone wall. We won’t say how we did it, but we eventually found our way onto the 10-acre castle property. We walked through some dense woods and first came across lots of stone and tile, perhaps set aside as part of the restoration plan and an old foundation. And, then, there it was, the elusive castle, its exterior full of large spider webs and trees and vines growing out of the place. We were a little on edge and really jumped when a large flock of pigeons exited the structure. And when we sent a photo album of our day to family members, our grandson quickly googled the castle, gave us some of the above details and advised that it was going up for auction. The castle has been on the market for nearly 10 years for as much as $14.5M USD in its current state or $30.5M USD fully renovated into a 5-star resort. As someone who renovated a much smaller hotel before, I believe the latter amount would have been a bargain. Today, you can have it “as is” for $1.5M USD with a minimum bid at next week’s auction of one million euros. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e2b9b287af.jpg Christie's Real Estate Brochure Based on the real estate brochure with older photos: The approved project is for up to 150 beds, high level luxury property with beauty farm, sauna, massage rooms, hydrotherapy, gym and laboratories, yacht club, restaurant and docks for ships. It has: crenellated towers, stone walls, frescoes, chapel, theater, Italian garden, parks, wall decorations, wrought iron railings, cloister, Franciscan convent, bell tower, grass tennis court, docking bay and 76 Bedrooms and 76 Baths. Sounds like a steal. That is, until you read words you often don’t see in a real estate brochure for a luxury property: Mold, cracks, filth, ruin, water damage, ceiling collapses, outbuildings without roofs, woodworm damage, destroyed private docks, etc. I am thinking $200M-300M renovation, and I am always low. Good luck, bidders. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...76ebc3117b.jpg Castiglione Back to Castiglione for a final look. The purchase of the morning donut was so memorable, we headed back to the bakery, only to find it closed for siesta. So, we settled for a bakery a couple doors down. This one had a little better presentation, a lot more items, and donuts that looked the same. We figured they purchased them from the same supplier. As soon as we lifted their very light bag, we knew these donuts were not from the same place. Not by a long shot. Oh well, next time. And, fortunately, there will be one. We did get some last minute wisdom, first from what looked like an unusual war memorial (translated: “Survive death and live”) and a restaurant in English “One cannot think well, live well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” With the recent rise in fuel prices, we have been trying to adjust to some recent gasoline fill-ups in the US in the $35 range for our small car. After a quick stop at a Lidl store, several hundred yards from the old town, we filled up our gas tank for the first time in Umbria. We went for full service, simply to avoid complications with unfamiliar credit card machines. Our fill-up, with a fair amount of gas still showing on the gauge, was more than $89 USD, based on a full service price of nearly $9/gallon. Regular service was about $8/gallon. This is based on 3.785 liters per gallon, a common price of $1.70E per liter in Umbria (20 euro cent surcharge for full service) and a credit card exchange rate of almost 1.25. Ouch. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...15c131fbcd.jpg Passignano sul Trasimeno On the way home, we decided to stop at Passignano sul Trasimeno. It had a lively waterfront, with a ferry terminal, parks, amusements for children, snack foods, and, of course, the requisite statue of St. Francis. A nice place to watch the sunset, but, in this case, to watch some waves building from a quick storm that passed through. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...82b09fa561.jpg With winds picking up, we hustled up to a fortress at the top of the town, just as they were locking its fence for the day. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...541fe7e7f.jpeg We spotted a fresh pasta shop, and, for a moment, thought of the “no soup for you” Seinfeld routine. We pointed to some ravioli and were told “no”. Well, then how about this one? “No.” Soon, it was “no” to everything in the case. The lady seemed warm, and we didn’t understand why she wouldn’t sell to us. And, after a lot of pointing, and her finally saying “old”, we realized that the case was full of pastas, just for display purposes, not plastic but perhaps days old. She had a couple varieties of fresh pastas available in the back room, and we and she finally laughed as we made our purchase. |
Day 10: Bettona, Torgiano, Marsciano & Deruta
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Spello Market https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d1828c4666.jpgThis first day of September was a Wednesday, our first chance to see the Spello weekly market. Larger than the one in Trevi. Lots of colorful fresh flowers. Another vendor had oodles of herbs, and we saw one elderly woman walk off with a flat of lettuce plants in one hand and a flat of fennel plants in the other. You usually see at least one deli truck at weekly markets (sometimes as many as a dozen at the larger ones) with the butcher slicing pork from a whole pig. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...96dd2b7a4.jpeg In the lower square of Spello, a bus trip of German tourists was preparing to crowd the streets, and we were heading to quieter towns. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5419d906e.jpeg Bettona First up was tiny Bettona, sitting high up on its hill, and we knew when we saw no other cars on the drive up, this would be a very quiet place. And peaceful. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d35e6e70d4.jpg It is difficult to take for granted the sweeping views from these hill towns. Lots of large old trees provided shade in most of the parking areas and view spots and gave the town an estate-like quality. The iron fencing around the road was covered with crocheted flowers, and many homes in town had similar crocheted flowers and baskets on their doors. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...abf0437e8b.jpgWe saw only a handful of people, a couple of them at what appeared to be the town’s signature restaurant, Ristorante da Damiano, with its large outdoor area in the main square; but we also could see a beautiful larger indoor area. Although they seemed to specialize in meat and fish, what’s not to like about a brick oven baked Margherita pizza, at a high end place, for $4.50 E. We also saw a couple other restaurants and a small hotel. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4d1b32d47e.jpg As the only tourists there today, we took the time to visit the St. Andrea Oratory. The description of that tiny space is typical of the thousands of little churches around Italy, but perfectly describes the photo: “First built in the 12th century, the present Baroque style is a result of several successive restorations. The beautifully coffered ceiling decorated with finely carved roses is a work by Benedetto from Montepulciano (16th century); the high altar dating back to 1700 has a refined stucco decoration shaped like a fine drapery, which surrounds a painting illustrating the martyrdom of St. Andrew, which belongs to the school of Cortona (18th.century). The late Giottesque frescoes date back to 1394 and represent Christ’s passion.” We read that an Etruscan town was here before the Romans came, but there are little remains of anything before 1352 when a Perugian army destroyed the place. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...43d470ee0.jpeg A random question. We see copper pipes and gutters all over Italy. We cannot fathom the cost when we see refurbishing and new projects. Is there something we are missing? Is there something that looks like copper but costs less? https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1f274ed03.jpeg And, of course, there are some things you just cannot replace, like this religious scene fashioned over someone’s doorway. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...eaeb4bb3a.jpeg As we headed out, we saw these furniture movers and had it hit us what a job it must be to move in or out of a small hill town. And, in typical Italian fashion, even this apparently small move caused several people to get into a long animated discussion about the best way to get these items up some narrow passage ways. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...591b9eb74.jpeg Torgiano We just noticed that our, in our first post on this thread, the initial list of Umbrian towns to be covered in this report failed to include Torgiano and Marsciano, two places we quickly visited today, both frankly forgettable. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...20907306d4.jpgIt was a warm sunny day, and the several clean and neat squares, providing little shade, were empty. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3d2c9eabf9.jpg We had hoped to visit a highly regarded wine museum in a perfect looking large three-story stone building. We walked in, handed the only person in the place our credit card. He looked at his watch and said he was closing. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0251d11b4d.jpg Just like Bettona had a crochet flower theme, Torgiano had painted tin cans, with fresh flowers, all over. Siesta was not a good time to be in a town that obviously attracts few tourists, as everything was closing. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...de4f2ee8c.jpeg We were surprised to see a large 5-star hotel. And, we checked, most of their rooms are $500/night. As former hoteliers, we aren’t sure how they are doing it. We will stick with our gorgeous $85/night two-story apartment in Spello. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d70eab790.jpeg Marsciano https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...03d63f89f0.jpg Marsciano didn’t offer much for us. An interesting church with a wood tabernacle from 1700. There is reportedly a major brick manufacturing facility that includes a museum. Most of the older buildings in town are stone, but the striking old theatre does have a brick facade. Behind that facade, we have read that it now houses a modern cinema. That speaks a lot about this town that seems to be largely a mixture of old and new. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0d49384b8.jpeg Deruta There are other ceramics centers in Italy, but this industry is the center piece of the small town of Deruta. The welcome rotary to the town is a giant ceramic urn. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...479a631618.jpg There are many large factories creating ceramics in Deruta. I don’t know, but I have to believe some of them might be producing machine made ceramics. However, there are reportedly many, if not all of them, that produce high quality ceramics that one site says: “it was turned on a potter’s wheel by hand, trimmed by hand, high-fired, dipped in white glaze, hand-painted with various pigments, coated with clear glaze to protect the designs, and then high-fired a second, sometimes even a third time for extra durability.” https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3918a3cae.jpeg This ceramic in a Deruta church shows how important the industry was here in 1919. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cc0db6f59a.jpg There are numerous large retail outlets for ceramics outside of the old town. Parking lots were empty. Some stores were closed. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...52b5f69a9a.jpg In the old town, many retail ceramics stores were open. The products are beautiful, but again the town was very quiet; the stores were empty. The most unusual retailer was showing off these magnificent guitars that apparently made Carlos Santana a customer. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9fa5382c79.jpg In Deruta, it is everything ceramic.Tomorrow, we go to one of my new favorite towns in Umbria. |
Still following along, whitehall. We hit Deruta at lunch time and little was open. In the few studios we saw, it looked like designs were printed in gray on the ceramics and being colored in. So who did the gray designs?
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These designs are beautifull. The ceramics are colored and the design is so clean.
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Originally Posted by TDudette
(Post 17298052)
Still following along, whitehall. We hit Deruta at lunch time and little was open. In the few studios we saw, it looked like designs were printed in gray on the ceramics and being colored in. So who did the gray designs?
Originally Posted by wanderinglia10
(Post 17298066)
These designs are beautifull. The ceramics are colored and the design is so clean.
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Day 11: Gubbio
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Gubbio This is our second trip in three days to the far northern corner of Umbria. We considered taking a train, but it doesn’t go to Gubbio. This may make Gubbio a less attracrtive destination for many (if you don’t have a car, you can get within 12 miles or so on rail and then you need a bus), but the result is a magnificent city with no crowds. We parked in a lot adjacent to Piazza dei Quaranta Martiri, named in honor of 40 citizens of Gubbio, who were murdered by Nazis in retaliation for a nearby partisan attack that killed one German officer in 1944. Gubbio is full of well-preserved Medieval architecture, but its history goes back to Roman times, making it one of the oldest cities in Umbria. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9bbca4211.jpeg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e7bfdba50f.jpg A short uphill hike puts you in Piazza della Signoria, a square that some consider a major engineering feat in its day. It is a perfectly large and flat area built on a steep mountainside. The Civic Museum in the Palazzo dei Consoli is a stately public building from the 1300’s. We showed our green passes, and, although an exhibit had just ended in the large main room, there were plenty of art, historical artifacts and views to make the visit worthwhile. One of the most popular exhibits are the Iguvine Tablets, which were seven bronze tablets discovered in Gubbio in 1444. The earliest ones were from 300BC and are written in an Umbrian language that no longer exists. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3089b0edd7.jpg Gubbio is known for several things but its well-preserved medieval architecture is front and center for what is one of the oldest cities in the region. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bd0f67a3a5.jpg We saw a lot of ceramics, at first believing them to be from Deruta, but Gubbio has a well established quality ceramics industry itself. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...92971262c.jpeg A lot of Italians are familiar with Gubbio only through Don Mateo, a popular Italian TV series about a fictional priest from Gubbio who teams up with a police detective to solve crimes. For many years, it was filmed in Gubbio (and some of the episodes are available on Amazon), and even today a hotel there proudly displays a simple set from a 2012 episode. Later on our trip, we happened onto the set of the latest iteration of this long running show, and we will include an update at that time. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...aa696fd79c.jpg On our must do list was finding the Colle Eletto “bird cage” cable “cars” that go up Mont Ingino that provide the backdrop for this remarkable city. We had to walk to one end of the town to find them and were surprised that there were few riders on this beautiful day. My wife is a bit skittish about cable cars, especially after the recent accident on Lake Maggiore (which we passed on a couple years ago when the attendant there told us he could send us down but couldn’t promise to get us back later because winds were picking up). You have a choice of riding as a couple (it is very tight) or individually, and it was decided we were going together. There is some choreography, since the cable and cages are always moving. We had to stand about 15 feet apart on the platform, since there is only time for one to mount the cage before it moves on for the second person to jump on. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f9985ab7d5.jpg As we dismounted, we saw what we thought was the usual snack bar at the top of this type of amusement, except there was a man in a chef coat and a grill, and it smelled really good. We soon were seated by the elder owner, who spoke no English. Soon, he sent his son Giuseppe, who speaks English, to wait on us. We had what turned out to be a very delicious grilled sausage sandwich, which he recommended we eat without sauce, mustard or anything else except bread. The sausage was so good, it didn't need anything else, except for some nice wines. Little did we know this was the place for wine. Giuseppe, as it turns out, pre-Covid, helped his father out during the warm season and then lived in New York City the rest of the year, as an Umbrian wine ambassador, covering the east coast of the US. Fascinating and friendly guy. And this “snack bar”, far from it. Besides the large terrace where we had lunch, there was a beautiful restaurant and bar, and underneath an event space, with mountaintop views, for groups up to 300. We kept in touch with Giuseppe and in the next week, he would give us recommendations for wine tastings. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cbe790b017.jpg After lunch, we took the short hike up a little higher to a the Basilica that sits well above Gubbio. The body of St. Ubaldo, the patron saint, of the town sits atop the altar at the Basilica named for him. His body miraculously has not decomposed, similar to the Spanish wayfarer’s body we saw on Day 4 in Montefalco. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1410ef6c79.jpg Ceri are hollow, but heavy, wooden supports for statues of three saints, that have been carried through the streets of Gubbio and then up Mont Ingino to the Basilica each May for nearly 1,000 years. They keep them in the Basilica, except for the day of the procession from town. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d2c5e60041.jpg It is on the side of Mont Ingino where the claim has been made that they have the world’s largest Christmas tree. From the postcard photo above, you can see that they string lights from near the top of the mountain down to the town. They say 450 lights, so they must be really big ones. We took an unmarked path up from the Basilica and found ourselves under a massive scaffolding-like structure that must be related to that famous tree. Maybe it holds the star; maybe the whole thing is connected to it. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...592844e68c.jpg Again, without markings, we found a rough path to get to the top of the mountain and there we found an old fortress and some ruins. Most of the small number of people on the main path were missing this, and we pointed to it to a few of them. From here, the views of the Apenines and the city of Gibbio were exceptional. Although we had a round trip ticket on the bird cages, we walked about halfway down the mountain when we had second thoughts and went back for the cable descent. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4cbd95f842.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1f1cae759f.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bf29040434.jpg Back on level land, we came across a great firefighter bicycle outside a museum in a great old building. We often skip private museums, but they had us hooked. They have something like 150 bicycles that were essentially early versions of mobile offices or food trucks. Since we have seen few of these anywhere else and there are so many for different professions, we were a bit skeptical of their authenticity. But someone would have to work hard to re-create the variations on the bikes themselves, the aged look and all the tools and accessories. Gelato seller, photographer, glazier, plumber, teacher, doctor, writer, ice shaver distiller, storyteller, and spice seller are among them. Quite memorable experience, such that I am providing the extra photos above. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6999c5dad.jpeg One small square had a fountain and what was the Medieval police station (now housing an unrelated small museum). The fountain, Fontana del Bargello (name of square and palace where police magistrate lived hundreds of years ago) has some popularity in Italy as an oddity. Legend has it that a local must “baptize" you in the waters of the fountain, and the baptized person must run three times around the fountain. Once completed, you are certified as a “madman of Gubbio”. You can also purchase a certificate of your lunacy at a nearby store. (Studies suggest that some water in the area has a lot of iridium, a toxic chemical that might explain where some of this stuff comes from). We decided to keep our sanity. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d4ac04307.jpeg A short distance from the fountain, we heard what sounded like a classical music concert. We followed the sounds to the Church of San Domenico where a very large orchestra filled the altar area. A woman, with a beautiful voice, was rehearsing solo with the many dozen musicians behind her. There was a short break in this rehearsal when a man, treated like a celebrity, showed up to applause. He soon joined the woman in a beautiful duet that gave us chills. Think almost Andrea Bocelli quality. Later in the week, we saw an Italian TV station interview the man about his performance in Gubbio, but we could never figure out anything about the show or who these people were. Really good. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5fe5d012f.jpeg We had read that Gubbio had a small version of the Roman Coliseum, built shortly after Christ. We had no idea where it was until we spotted it from atop Mont Ingino. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cbf0cbad44.jpg The remains of the Coliseum today are an integral part of the local social scene with all types of musical performances. In fact, when we walked around the place, they were setting up for a concert. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...58a9d5267.jpeg As we drove out of town, we had to stop and take a photo of the tiniest automated carwash we have ever seen. And dinner back at home in Spello was all local Umbrian stuff from the salad, to the fetteccuni with pesto to the zucchini with fresh mozzarella. And, we kicked back and watched one of our two new favorite prime-time Italian TV shows: "Guess My Age" or one (can’t recall the name) that requires you to fill in the blanks to answer a question with only a few letters showing. Even this brilliant guy, who won almost every day while we were there, didn't answer all the tough bonus questions at the end of each show. His thanks for beating so many people, but not doing 100%, at the end of each show, the floor opens up under him and he really drops, just like they do to each of the day’s eight losers. |
We took a bus from Perugia to Gubbio and loved it, whitehall. The bus drop off led us to an elevator to the civic museum square. It was getting close to lunch time closing so we missed it. It was great to see your photos of the inside. I also bought a postcard with the lit tree. It took about an hour to get there.
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Just found this and jumping on for the ride - to remind myself I'm up to post #23!
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Originally Posted by annhig
(Post 17298402)
Just found this and jumping on for the ride - to remind myself I'm up to post #23!
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Gubbio- What a beautiful and interesting town. That museum, what a find!
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Glad to see the "Bucket of Bolts" is still running. Following along.
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maitaitom Your reference to "bucket of bolts" (for the bird cage cable car) caught my attention, so I looked up your great blog on your trip to Gubbio. I hope you don't mind my quoting your observation so that others will get the reference. "We had dubbed it the "Bucket of Bolts" from the report that said: 'It holds two people, and gives one ample time to admire the view and to study your cage's welding and bolts, which are all that lie between you and oblivion." Nice observation.
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Next trip to Umbria we will make sure we visit Gubbio.
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Day 12: Collepino and Nocera
Our daughter surprised us with a last minute decision to fly to Italy from Florida and spend a few days with us. We have been European travel buddies numerous times, and this may be the last chance before her upcoming wedding. So, in preparation for going to Rome to meet her, we have scaled back our plans for this day.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4cefa16b7.jpeg Rural road outside Spello We passed through the olive trees on the side of Mt. Subasio for a short drive in the Umbrian countryside. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...080b69a7f.jpeg Collepino Collepino was created in the Middle Ages largely for employees of and protection for a nearby Abby, founded by St. Benedict 1500 years ago. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8e68469b87.jpg One of the closest little villages to Spello is tiny Collepino (or Castle of Wolves). It is a fortified Medieval village entirely constructed of white and pink rock. It still has four of its original seven towers and has been fully restored by its residents. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...dcf6c0e138.jpg We were not surprised to be the only visitors to this Borgo of maybe 30 residents. But the residents spare no effort to decorate and beautify their little town as if they are expecting someone. They do have a spacious parking lot with a giant welcome sign, aimed at hikers to Mt. Subasio. We did notice a little restaurant that may or may not still be operating. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...16638121e3.jpg We wondered why anyone would want to live in such an isolated location, but the views speak for themselves. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8b7213f9e.jpeg Our main destination for this short day was Nocera. But to get there, we had to navigate rural gravel roads that became increasing narrower. But, as is often the case in Umbria, at least on our trip, we saw no other cars. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a0a1f6077c.jpg We stopped in Valtopina, even got out and walked a bit until we saw the closed railroad station and a train quickly passing by. The message to us, there was nothing here to see. We passed by some other hamlets and rural properties, but saw little activity. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d7446e4a4.jpeg Nocera And, then we came upon Nocera, an attractive looking medieval village “hill town.”. The original Nocera, 700 year BC, was in the valley and lasted through Roman prosperity until its destruction 1600 years ago. At that time, survivors began to develop the town on the hill. The town has the usual history of destruction and wars, but here there is even a story about suspected adultery that resulted in killings and revenge. Although Nocera had seen recent earthquake destruction (1997), today it is a beautiful town. In fact, it made us wonder what, for example, makes a Spello such a busy tourist destination and what keeps tourists away from a Nocera. Both beautiful towns. We decided it is all about location. Spello is close to a significant Umbrian motorway and is minutes from large Foligno and the popular Assisi. Of course, the domino effect is that more tourists means more shops and restaurants, and that brings in even more tourists. Seems like Nocera has the space if is ever discovered. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...17dd73d846.jpg Just outside the walls of Nocera were a number of attractive restaurants and businesses in a parklike setting. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...339ce4e30.jpeg Although the town sits on a relatively small hilltop, it has nice views of the Apennine Mountains. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e2670d35f6.jpg We likely were the only tourists on this day. But when we reached the main square at the top of the town, a nearby restaurant had a loud speaker blaring “American Woman” by Guess Who, perhaps as a welcome message to my wife. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...52a8182805.jpg The duomo is just off this upper square, and, although there are plenty of frescoes and other ancient art, the interior looks fresh and newer. This is probably due to many updates and modifications over the last 500 plus years. In 1487, St. Raynald, a former Bishop from here and friend of St. Francis, was buried here. And today, the town's patron saint is honored in the main altar where he still rests. The photo of his body was taken from the web; when we were there it was covered with this beautiful rendering of the saint with a view of Nocera. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...816dcbe04d.jpg The Church of St. Francis in Nocera is now the municipal art gallery, open for a small fee. The significant works are by Matteo da Gualdo and an altar piece from the main altar of the cathedral (1483). https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7ed1895b3d.jpg Mineral waters were a significant commodity for Nocera and the surrounding area, even making its way to North America in the late 1800’s. Thermal spas here were also popular well before then. We made an effort to find the springs (which are reportedly undergoing renovations and may be on private property) without any luck ending at a hotel in the nearby Town of Bagni. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a0ba249061.jpg Along the way, we enjoyed the quiet scenery of little hamlets like Stravignano and even came across what looked like a medieval style condominium, unusual in Italy and certainly not in keeping with this rural area. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1b544df87c.jpg Spello Back home, we finally tried L’Orlando Furioso, our son’s pick for best pizza in Spello. Our son, who regularly shares his own brick oven pizzas with his upstate New York neighbors, is usually spot on. And, again he was. The restaurant is located outside the city walls and has a bit more upscale feeling than some pizzerias. Our sausage pizza was as good as it gets. We also enjoyed a bottle of local Greccheto white wine. We sometimes order French fries in Italy, because they seem to taste better. Yes, pizza and potatoes seem like an odd combo, but we have been to pizzerias in Italy, where they have French fries as a topping. Anyway, tonight we ordered a roasted potato, and it simply was the best potato we ever had. Fresh, perfectly cooked, olive oil, rosemary. From that day on, we began to notice on most menus, at least in Umbria, roasted potatoes as a side option, and we ordered many. All were different; all were great. So, okay, a beautiful pizza to feed two, a beautiful bottle of wine, roasted potatoes and a liter of still mineral water, including the $1.50 per person cover charge, and great service: $25.50 euro. Wow. |
Nocera look and sounds like a real gem.
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We enjoyed a day trip to Nocera from Spello and enjoyed seeing all the pork and sausage shops with their fun displays. Are those shops still there post-earthquake?
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Originally Posted by HappyTrvlr
(Post 17298636)
We enjoyed a day trip to Nocera from Spello and enjoyed seeing all the pork and sausage shops with their fun displays. Are those shops still there post-earthquake?
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Originally Posted by TDudette
(Post 17298621)
Nocera look and sounds like a real gem.
We spend part of every summer in a little family summer house in Le Marche, in the Upper Potenza river valley, about 20 km from Nocera. (I'm eagerly waiting for the Marche portion of your trip.) We visited Assisi from our summer house one day in August. We must have been there around the same time as you. We found long lines not only at the Basilica of Santa Chiara, but also at the Basilicas of San Francesco. I had never been inside the Basilica of Santa Chiara, so we waited to get in. Then, although we had both visited the Basilicas of San Francesco multiple times, we also waited for that visit. It was a very hot day, and those two visits about did us in. Like you, we saw no Americans, but also very few other Europeans. I was delighted to see your photos of Nocera Umbra. It was a jewel of a town, and almost completely destroyed by the earthquakes of 1997-1998. We visited about five years later, and saw no evidence of reconstruction. It was heartbreaking, and I'm glad it's been rebuilt, although it's probably not like it was before. The earthquakes of 2016-2017 nearly destroyed the medieval city of Camerino, near our summer home. As a matter of fact, we were there when the first earthquake struck in August 2016. Five years later, the medieval walled center of Camerino is still off limits, and many inhabitants of the nearby towns are still living in provisional housing. Many of the younger people and families have relocated to areas nearer the coast, and many of the older residents will probably end their days in the barrack-like temporary housing. Our summer house was badly damaged by the 1997-1998 earthquakes. It took years to get permission for the needed repairs, and by then a lot of the furniture inside was irretrievably damaged by leaks in the roof. It withstood the more recent earthquakes with very little damage, because it had been repaired to modern anti-earthquake standards. We were in Spello once for the Infiorata, which is held on the Feast of Corpus Christi. We went the day before, and watched the work of creating the artistic designs. It's certainly well worth seeing. The work can't begin before a certain hour the night before, and has to end at a certain hour the next morning. After the morning mass, a procession through the town basically destroys the floral mosaics. Most of the mosaics are made by experts who come from all over Italy to compete, but there were also local teams, much less ambitious, and one mosaic was made by a group of local children. Lots of Italian towns have infiorate on this day. Even our town has a little one. One little quibble: Collepino means "Pine Hill", not "Castle of Wolves". |
bvlenci Thank you for a great post and your kind words. Very envious of your summer home despite your scares and misfortunes. I have enjoyed many of your informative posts over the years.
As for Assisi, we are surprised that you had lines in August at St. Francis's church. It was simply empty when we were there at the end of the month. We have been in LeMarche once before, staying in Macerata, Urbino and Ascoli Piceno and having memories of little places like Mondavio. It is an area we would love to base ourselves in for a month or so to better do it justice. We loved the area except for the one auto accident in my life near Ascoli. On this trip, we spent one day driving to Ancona with a quick stop in Fabriano and a little longer visit to Lesi/Jesi. We were shocked at even our one September day in earthquake territory, not only to see the unexpected devastation still there after five years but to see how this has permanently changed the lives of people and their community fabric. In my younger days, I did some reporting in newspapers and TV and always worked hard for accuracy. So, I apologize for any mis-interpretation (my Dad didn’t pass on his Italian fluency) of the name Collepino. I actually saw that reference in a couple of places, but we all know we should be cautious with the reliability of the web. From what I have now read elsewhere, the sources may have something to do with the village having previously been known as Colle-Lupino, or, which this other source translates as “Hill of wolves”. If true, the shortened version of that hyphenated name might suggest they didn’t mean to switch their allegiances from the wolves in the area to the pine trees. |
I’m really enjoying how you’re posting this, with snippets of history, lunch pictures, photos of less known places, ordinary street scenes. A great read.
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Originally Posted by Adelaidean
(Post 17298761)
I’m really enjoying how you’re posting this, with snippets of history, lunch pictures, photos of less known places, ordinary street scenes. A great read.
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Days 13 and 14: Rome and More Spello
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...21aef57b5.jpegOff to Rome today to meet our daughter. She had to fly via Amsterdam to get an affordable rate, so she won’t arrive until late afternoon. We opted (something like $5 extra) to get first class rail (which, of course, isn’t much different than second) to have more Covid distance. We got so much distance, we had the coach to ourselves. No need for a green pass, since regional trains are exempt from the new rules, but exit and entrances on all trains now are at opposite ends of each coach. Follow the shoe prints.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f238f0ecb5.jpg Termini/Rome Termini, like a lot of places, was quieter than when we were last there. We had always felt claustrophobic in the basement area, and, although we usually like to get in and out, we recollect that they are opening up some of the lower ceilings to brighten things up. Felt better. Sad though to see that the wonderful Mercato Centrale was closed. Hope that isn’t permanent. If you haven’t been there, it is an upscale food court area, accessed from the outside, that is like an Eataly. Unusual in a train station but it was always busy before Covid. We have had some great food there in the past. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...39742b9641.jpg We usually take a couple photos every day of fun cars (with a preferences for old Fiats). Italians love their cars perhaps more. In our first two hours back to Rome, we saw this possible electric conversion at an upscale hotel, a creative use of this VW bus in a gelato shop and the reception desk at our b and b. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ee03f3902.jpeg We were thinking about Covid tests. Never had one, but we know we need one to get admitted back to the US in a few weeks. Noticed more tents near pharmacies popping up; they are mostly used by locals, who are unvaccinated, but need a negative test every two or three days to attend almost anything indoors (and since then, even to go to work). https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4d034b5771.jpg We quickly found our b and b (a last minute inexpensive small apartment for three people). It was on a beautiful street, about halfway between Termini and major tourist sites. Even though it was a b and b, it was all self check-in, and the building was a bit confusing since we had to get entry to the building, then to an office/dining area, and get a key and find our apartment, all in a building full of others hotels and residences. On the outside, our apartment window was framed with a beautiful fountain, looked like it could be part of an elegant villa. The two-story apartment itself had a strange layout and fussy hot water, but the low price included a decent breakfast, served happily by three young Filipino women, in the morning. All for under $100. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c529c571a.jpeg In front of Spanish Steps We took a quick walk to the tourist areas, like Spanish steps, that were busier than when we were here less than two weeks ago. Most of the people here seemed to be young people hanging out, rather than tourists from far away places. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...701ea382b.jpeg On the way, we came across a building we had never seen. With some well appointed guards. After a dozen or so times in Rome over the years, we had never seen the Quirinal Palace, the presidential palace, maybe 20 times bigger than the White House. Always something new for us in Rome. Next time. Or perhaps the time after that. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...18b933133.jpeg On the subject of security, Rome has so many police escorts for important people than we have ever seen anywhere. In the less the few waking hours we were in Rome this time, I think we saw about six such escorts, some with unmarked cars and some with lines of motorcycles. These two buses were each full of policemen with big guns behind curtains, and we guessed this was the escort waiting for the Prime Minister. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f603d74550.jpg As we returned to Termini, we took a second look at what looks like an old brick factory building. We have walked by it probably dozens of times over the years; it doesn’t look like much. Perhaps ruins. Perhaps partially being used for something. Actually, these are the ruins of the Roman baths that were closed over 1500 years ago. Although we have been regularly going to Rome for more than 20 years, often using trains at Termini, no idea that these baths housed the magnificent and large Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and of the Martyrs, which has been there since the 1500’s. The interior work, which even included some work from Michelangelo in the beginning, has involved various alterations over the years. For many years, it was the state church of the Kingdom of Italy, but since WWII, it has often been used for funerals of soldiers killed in action. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...20c88dc2f.jpeg We met at our daughter at Termini, let her shower and change and then off to let her get a couple of photos at the Forum and Coliseum. We also passed three wedding groups on the way to dinner at Trastevere. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...12e08240f.jpeg Trastevere Trastevere was packed, perhaps double or triple the number of people when we were here less than two weeks earlier. We had no choice of restaurants; the waiting lines were long. We settled for some simple pasta and spinach at one of the few places with an empty seat. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...59b7e7bd6.jpeg On the long walk back, we noticed the river restaurants also were hopping. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...134b4c782.jpeg And, we were happy to see there is a plan in the dark of night for collecting all those scooters scattered about the city. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...241931214.jpeg After breakfast, back to Termini, and our first visit to the fairly recent third floor food court there. Packed a lunch for the train trip from a nice little cafe in the train station.. We had to change trains in Foligno on the return and didn’t want to wait an hour, so we hired a taxi for the 10-minute drive. After introducing our daughter to our apartment and to Spello, she selected the nearby Enoteca Properzio for dinner. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c8d6d2eca.jpeg Our dinner was simple, as is our custom, and we shared salad, lasagna, pasta and some great meatballs (always a side if you can find them, since there is no such thing as spaghetti and meatballs in Italy). The food was great, but the thing that is really special here was the delivery of our two glasses of Prosecco and one glass of white wine. The owner, Roberto Angelini, as is his nightly habit, is to bring unopened bottles to your table, explain the type of grapes and other characteristics about the wine, perhaps some history. He doesn’t speak English, so we had a wonderful waitress (who you can see also talks with her hands even in English) translate everything he said. And, did I say that these glasses of vino were something like 3 or 4 euros each? https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e547bbfb59.jpg Seating outside is extensive at Enoteca Properzio, on the main road through town, with maybe 15 or 20 umbrella covered tables. Even more remarkable is his outside garden tables in back, the tables scattered around crates of wine in various stone clad rooms inside or the cooking kitchen with dining. All of these seats, due to Covid, are currently empty. But if you go to the bathroom, you can see them all, including what looks like a wine warehouse. I briefly thought that some of these cases must be empty, because how do you sell this much stuff, until we realized that they operate a significant online wine shop at cellar pricing from here. With 2200 labels! https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d2c81165f.jpeg And to finish on perhaps a less interesting note, we play a lot of tennis, and, in our area, it is now easier to get access to regular tennis courts, since the adjacent pickle ball courts are all the rage. We were watching what looked like professional pickle ball at home before going to bed but noticed a distinctive difference. There are side and back glass walls that allow players to use them for a bounce before returning a shot. This photo, from TV, makes it look like a video-game. The following week, we watched players in Perugia playing this game we never heard of. They call it "padel" in case you want to start something new in your area. Our daughter will be with us in Spello only three full days. Day one will be about Umbrian wines. |
So glad that my words bore fruit, whitehall as I've been loving your TR and your excellent photos. What a wonderful experience to have bee able [or planned] to spend so long in one place. I've really explored very little of Umbria so far and you have inspired me to think of it as a long term destination rather then somewhere to pick at so thanks.
BTW that game of Padel is intriguing as the glass court in your photo looks very like the glass courts now often used in top flight squash. Anyway, interest piqued, this is what I found: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padel_(sport) |
The restos along the Tiber looked like great fun. The bathhouse is new to me. Sighing for Italy!
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Day 15: Bevagna, Montefalco, and Assisi Again
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...258e7256d1.jpgFor the next several days we are starting with three of everything, three fruit bowls and three pastries. As noted earlier, our daughter has traveled extensively with us in Europe, but her November wedding will change those dynamics, So, this week, we will slow down and spend more leisure time with each other during this brief, but previously unplanned time together. Slower food and wine. And, of course, it is risky to go to places we haven’t been when our daughter has so few days. So we discussed going to places we have been and enjoyed. And we dismissed new places like Marmore Falls that gets mixed reviews online and Norcia because of lingering earthquake damage. (We will save both of those places for later and will provide our take on them).Our daughter was anxious to do some bike riding. We initially were focused on the highly touted Spoleto to Norcia rail bed. She found a fun couple, who did guided bicycle/wine tours not far from us. And there was a leading electric bike rental place in Spello very close to our apartment.
Even on rural roads, there are trucks, and these roads are narrow by US standards and without shoulders. One day we slowed down our car near Bevagna, not noticing behind us a large MAN truck (picture a Mack truck times two) slamming on its brakes, and sounding a loud horn, inches from our back bumper. So, it was essential for me, at least, that we not share a road with vehicles. That eliminated some possibilities. The Spello shop was never open, so we emailed them and a couple shops in Spoleto without any response. We had also asked at a bike shop at Lake Trasimeno, since we read about what we thought was a dedicated bike trail around the lake. The proprietor said we had to share the road with vehicles. So, we gave up. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d8821b8b7.jpeg Bevagna Our initial focus turned to wine tastings and stay closer to home, at least for the first day. We made a quick stopover in Bevagna and took our daughter on a walking tour of this beautiful village. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...06308aa5a.jpeg She picked Ottavius Hosteria d’Autore for lunch. We watched plate after plate of large piles of colorless gnocchi go to other tables. Obviously, this is the specialty of the house. We opted for color. The menu suggested they also like to roast some of their food. We opted for roasted red and yellow peppers, roasted potato and their version of bruschetta that was with roasted tomatoes. Loads of flavor with each. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f5d71f1f34.jpg Ottavius is another one of those places with a beautiful inside restaurant, but, due to Covid, everyone was eating outside. We had emailed our new friend Giuseppe from Gubbio, the Umbrian brand wine ambassador for wine tasting suggestions. He recommended four places, with his highest rating for presentation and professionalism Cantina Caprai (Arnaldo Caprai). And it is located between Montefalco and Bevagna, very close to Spello. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8c8482357e.jpg Caprai was successful in the textile and fashion business. One of his neighbors told us that the winery, as with many others, experienced tough times during Covid and sold out to an American firm. Online we see that a NYC based company, with a large International portfolio of wines, talks about now being a “partner” with Caprai. Anyway, it may or may not be solely a family business any longer, but it’s always been a big business with 220 acres of local grapes. Everything looked manicured, even mulching their plantings around their buildings with zillions of corks. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...aac81aa136.jpg They have an impressive tasting room, which was not terribly busy. We simply walked in and were greeted and served immediately. We guessed that perhaps they produce 700,000 bottles a year (based on an average yield of 3,000 bottles per acres). https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...abe9d90b2.jpeg They have some glass on the floor of their tasting area so that you can get a glimpse of their cellar. So, it seemed funny for us to watch someone putting labels on bottles by hand. Despite the beauty of the area, the great weather and Covid, the tasting was done inside. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...adb3acecb0.jpg After we sobered up (just kidding), we headed to Assisi where we had reservations to taste olive oil and wine at a smaller family owned vineyard. Our daughter found this one online, and, when we travel with her, she is great in finding such things as the best little local restaurants. This “tasting room” was far from polished looking, so our initial reaction was this was a rare miss for her. The tasting prep area looked like an area converted in the family home; outside, where we were seated, felt like we were in someone’s backyard. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e47d746d4.jpeg And then we were greeted by Maria and her two beautiful and friendly brown and black German shepherds. Full of personality Maria, who, along with her husband, own Tili Vini Societa Agricola (Tili for short), has been operating this vineyard since 1978. There is some family connection to the 37 acres growing the grapes for 1,000 years. Maria is lively, funny and friendly. She showed us a photo of a purple grape, and we asked her to do a side by side with her similarly colored hair. We all had a big laugh. That is the kind of person Maria is. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0fb13edf75.jpg This family operation is far from tiny, producing up to 100,000 bottles a year of all organic wines. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bffe3d811.jpeg We consume a lot of olive oil, perhaps too much, each year. We are very fussy that we have the freshest oils (since there are many fake oils and many old oils in the supermarket, and oil needs to be relatively fresh to get the health benefits). I am nerdy enough that I even read Olive Oil News online. While we are partial to Italian EVOO, last year we read about a guy in Corfu, Greece, who created an award winning oil and revived the local olive oil industry. We contacted him, bought his oil (it was expensive due to shipping), and gave some to family members. It was fabulous. This tasting compared grocery store oil (Coop store brand) vs. hers. We knew where that would go, so we quickly shifted our attention to her wines. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...23c7bd5222.jpg As we tasted each wine, Maria brought us a beautiful plate of food. Not just beautiful, but as tasty as it gets. Perfect Bruschetta. A farro salad that was lick your plate scrumptious. So good, that our daughter found a store with local farro and took some home. And a nutty chocolate biscotti that was an equally delicious ending to the tasting. Maybe Maria should consider opening a restaurant. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...41bf03194.jpeg Let’s talk grapes. I saved mention of the charcuterie plate we were served with some grapes that I thought might be for decoration. They were so perfect looking, they could have been plastic ones. Usually, they say that the best grapes for wine have seeds and thicker skin, so you often hear that they aren’t edible. I always assumed, incorrectly as it turns out, that wine grapes are bitter but actually they are bred to have the higher sugars needed in wine-making. First, in Italy most of the table grapes sold, unlike in the US, do have seeds. Most notably are the late varieties that come from Sicily. And, we believe they are tastier. Maria served us “Merlot” grapes. She indicated that those being served were too early for wine, and they had no seeds. We ate every one. They were exceptional. |
Loving your TR and pictures!
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Termini, like a lot of places, was quieter than when we were last there. We had always felt claustrophobic in the basement area, and, although we usually like to get in and out, we recollect that they are opening up some of the lower ceilings to brighten things up. Felt better. Sad though to see that the wonderful Mercato Centrale was closed. Hope that isn’t permanent. If you haven’t been there, it is an upscale food court area, accessed from the outside, that is like an Eataly. Unusual in a train station but it was always busy before Covid. We have had some great food there in the past. Across the street, in or above, or adjacent to, the Exedra Hotel (now renamed, I think) there was an actual Eataly. I think it's closed. I managed to drag my husband to Eataly once, but that will never happen again, I'm sure. You also mentioned the ruins of the huge Diocletian Baths. The Exedra Hotel faces on Piazza della Repubblica, which is the footprint of the exedra of the ancient baths. There are other remnants of the bath structure in the Termini neighborhood, including a circular hall which now houses a restaurant and a garage. Another circular hall houses the Church of San Bernardo. The most intact piece of the baths is inside the National Roman Museum, where there are several of the monumental halls of the baths.There is also an octagonal hall, which I've always wanted to see, but which for years was totally closed to the public. It seems that now it can be visited by appointment. The museum is also worth a visit for the exhibition about the development of writing. I found it very interesting; it showed the history of the materials used to write, and the supports on which things were written, as well as what early scribes wrote about. Termini station takes its name from the Baths of Diocletian, in Italian Le Terme di Diocleziano. Some people suppose that "Termini" is the Italian word for "terminal". I also saw your post about Colle di [Lu]pino. Since "lupino" is the Italian word for "lupin", a flowering plant whose seeds are sometimes boiled and eaten, I am a bit sceptical that it ever meant "wolf", even though in form it seems to be "little wolf". |
Continued gorgeous shots and visits with your DD. Thanks to bvlenci as DH and I tried unsuccessfully to find those baths.
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Loving your adventures and the pictures of the wine tastings. Shame that the cycling didn't come off - i think that Covid has had a bad effect on lots of those sorts of businesses.
BVL - thanks for the description of the Baths of Diocletian. I've not been yet but have always meant to go one day. I had a friend, sadly no longer with us, who used to talk about going to a performance of Tosca there, complete with elephants! Could that possibly be true, or has one of us misremembered? PS - I did a quick google and found this - no mention of elephants though! https://romeoperatickets.com/opera-r...32&l=2&id=1735 |
Loving your adventures and the pictures of the wine tastings. Shame that the cycling didn't come off - i think that Covid has had a bad effect on lots of those sorts of businesses.
BVL - thanks for the description of the Baths of Diocletian. I've not been yet but have always meant to go one day. I had a friend, sadly no longer with us, who used to talk about going to a performance of Tosca there, complete with elephants! Could that possibly be true, or has one of us misremembered? PS - I did a quick google and found this - no mention of elephants though! https://romeoperatickets.com/opera-r...32&l=2&id=1735 |
Might be Aida, annhig.
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<<Might be Aida, annhig.>>
Lol Good point TD. But you knew what i meant! Hunting this time for references to Aida, the Baths of Caracalla and elephants I found this in the NYT, which seems to confirm that they were once a feature of productions there. https://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/07/a...ng-ground.html And here: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-...104-story.html So perhaps my friend [who was an inveterate name dropper and tall tale teller] was not that far off the mark after all. |
Originally Posted by annhig
(Post 17299273)
BVL - thanks for the description of the Baths of Diocletian. I've not been yet but have always meant to go one day. I had a friend, sadly no longer with us, who used to talk about going to a performance of Tosca there, complete with elephants! Could that possibly be true, or has one of us misremembered?
PS - I did a quick google and found this - no mention of elephants though! https://romeoperatickets.com/opera-r...32&l=2&id=1735 The Baths of Diocletian were much larger, the largest bath complex of ancient times. However only pieces of them remain, here and there between modern buildings. The most visible parts surround the Basilica degli Angeli e dei Martiri, which Whitehall described above. Inside the basilica are some of the original columns, and an oculus, similar to the one at the Pantheon, but covered by a modern glass lantern so the rain doesn't enter. There's also a meridian line in the basilica, which was used for centuries to mark the time of noon. At noon, the bells of the basilica were rung so Romans could set their timepieces. Nowadays, a cannon is fired at noon from the Janiculum Hill. In the right weather conditions, you can hear it in central Rome. I don't know about the elephants at the Baths of Caracalla. I've heard that when Aïda is performed at the Arena in Verona, elephants are part of the cast, but I don't know if they still do that. |
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