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Originally Posted by bvlenci
(Post 17299476)
I don't know about the elephants at the Baths of Caracalla. I've heard that when Aďda 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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bvlenci Good to hear that Mercato Centrale may have been in only a temporary closure. It was a fabulous place for us to rely on when coming and going through Termini. We have been to the small Eataly you mentioned, but we looked. and it was definitely gone. Your details on the Diocletian Baths were much appreciated, and you have given us even more to explore next spring when we return to Rome.
And geetika and annhig elephants! Maybe from the Rome zoo that we finally get to at the end of this report. |
Day 16: Back to Castiglione del Lago, Lake Trasimeno, Isola Maggiore
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...40176d407.jpegBack to Lake Trasimeno, this time with our daughter. And, for sure a stop at that great bakery that really loads up their donuts with the pastry cream. Maybe the best in Italy. Not disappointed.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...26b1a28f5.jpeg Another great day on and near this gorgeous lake with another last minute catch of the ferry. They seem to operate at different times and not on the schedules we find on the internet. This trip was followed by lots of seagulls. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...44628d4182.jpg As with our last visit, there is a bit of a lunch rush at Isola Maggiore and then the streets clear out. This is a small island, definitely worth one visit, especially with the boat trip on a summer-like day. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e72a98126a.jpgWe again took the walk around the lake, visited the old church And were able to get a peek inside while a small tour group was there. It had a wooden beam ceiling, was very dark and there were remnants of ancient frescoes. I also walked along the beach and got a photo, with scaffolding, of the castle that I have been fascinated with. The castle that one dominated the island was scheduled to be auctioned off yesterday, and I am anxious to find out its fate. We learned a little bit on this trip about Lake Trasimeno’s eco-system, since it is considered one of Europe’s cleanest lakes. Although there are several communities located on the lake, it is now a protected natural area. The low lake bed provides a lot of sunlight and that encourages vegetation for fish to feed on. So, this lake is full of fish. There are several kinds, including eel, carp and perch. There are no rivers to bring in contamination to the lake. No large cities to pollute it. And, the fishermen use sustainable practices, being careful, for example, to use different kinds of nets to protect the smaller fish. In ancient times, the fish from here were so prized, they were often shipped to the Pope in Rome.https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...50aedcd4ae.jpg With all that new knowledge, we tried three ways to eat perch: as a sauce on pasta, pan fried and baked. This was at the lakeside Ristorante L’Oso, where reservations meant you could be seated close to the water. All got a thumbs up. They even had a bleacher section for a large group of local construction workers, who looked like daily visitors. They came in, sat down and, without any ordering, each got served a big plate of pasta. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8fe323cf3.jpeg Back on the mainland, we walked around the waterfront that surrounded Castiglione, full of parks, even a beach. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...220d0d88c.jpeg Once home in Spello, we took our daughter to our new favorite pizza place in town. We ordered a Prosecco from Treviso to go with the food at a 10 euro price. That was for the whole bottle. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a3cf9a1b0.jpeg And then this gorgeous sunset. |
Day 17: Civita di Bagnoregio and Orvieto
It was down to our daughter’s last full day with us, and we wanted her to go to one of those must-see places in Italy. Although we love Umbria (as well as many other areas of Italy), we were trying to come up with one “wow” place for her. She has been to the Dolomites and Venice with us and Naples/Ischia/Amalfi and Capri, and even Umbria before, with us. We scoured the map. Matera, Lake Como, Cinque Terre were all too far away. We decided on Civita di Bagnoregio, just over the line into Tuscany.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...75483a0c9e.jpg Before going there, we had to tend to a new reality for all travelers planning to return to the US: get a negative Covid test within three days of travel. Tests are available at the FCO airport, but our daughter wisely didn’t want to rely on a last minute test. The Spello pharmacy said that Foligno would be the closest place, and we quickly found a drive-thru testing site at a local soccer stadium. It was set up like a military operation with multiple tents. The nurses did not speak English, and it was a bit comedic as they did not understand our purpose. They would ask for our name, go through a pile of papers with reservations and would act baffled not to find us.. After three tries, we realized these tests were scheduled by doctors, perhaps for people with symptoms, and they wrote down the name of a doctor we needed to contact. Instead, we drove to a 24 hour pharmacy we passed on the way in; our daughter was tested for 25 euros in minutes and waited 15 minutes to make sure she received the email with her temporary green pass and negative results. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...96ca364fa2.jpg On the way to Civita, we passed Lake Corbara a man-made lake near Orvieto created by damning the Tiber river. It I surrounded by mountains and hillsides full of grapes. This is a deep lake built about 50 years ago. Roads were windy and full of construction and sometimes slow moving vehicles. Civita was the first community in Italy that I know of to charge a fee to visit (Venice reportedly will begin doing the same next year). Six years ago, we toured Civita in October, and there were few cars in the extremely large parking lot. We arrived then in mid-afternoon, just as restaurants had just closed for siesta. The town was busy enough this time that we found ourselves a long walk down the highway in an overflow parking area full of cars, not only from Italy but from several other European countries. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...25c652068.jpeg There were buses from the main parking lot to Civita, but, as is normal with us, we chose to take the long walk through the inviting medieval Bagnoregio. Many of their shops and restaurants are geared to the tourists who come to Civita, but we spied an operating old hardware store that seemed from another time. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7a2e1c2c8.jpeg Other things from the past are just to attract tourists to places like this farm to table restaurant overlooking Civita https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6a00b43e6.jpeg Civita di Bagnoregio Civita was once a part of the larger Bagnoregio, where you leave your car. In the 18th century, an earthquake separated the two areas with a deep canyon. In fact, when you look around the village, the terrain of the Grand Canyon is the first thing that comes to mind. Since then, residents and squatters have used bridges for access, one partially destroyed by fleeing Nazis. The village was basically abandoned in the 1990’s, but 8 years ago the mayor of the larger town came up with a marketing ploy of charging that fee, not because there were crowds but because there were none. His theory was put a price tag on visits, and that will make it seem more precious. It has worked so well, that, at times, there are too many people coming to this tiny place. I suspect that this is one of the reasons the access fee has increased quite a bit since we were there last. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d44b564e81.jpg Civita is just what is left from the eroding hillside. Some of it has simply slid away into oblivion. That includes St. Bonaventure’s childhood home. Perhaps two-thirds of the original buildings have disappeared. But what is left provides a bridge that is one of the more popular instagram spots in Italy. The admission fees not only are bringing tourists. but they have been earmarked to develop ways to slow the continuing landslides in an effort to save what is left of this village. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fbe82a00eb.jpg Our timing was better this time, despite the bigger crowds. The last time, we took a photo of a man, still tending a fire inside his restaurant and wished we could have eaten there. This time, we grabbed the only available outside table at that same restaurant, La Cantina di Arianna. We also recognized the man in our 6 year-old photo as the one in the green shirt. Obviously the owner. The wood fire prompted what for us is a meat overload. A plate that had a large pork chop, a very thick but super tasty slab of bacon and a sausage patty; pasta with truffles (which is on nearly every menu in Umbria) and a crispy layer of veggies and chicken, as I recall. All excellent. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fa25eb673.jpeg We next returned to Umbria and one of its most famous and visited towns. Orvieto sits on a cliff above a valley where there is the newer town. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2e51c6e69.jpeg We first came here, and spent a couple of nights, on an easy rail trip from Rome. We saw most of the sights including a huge well drilled for a visiting Pope, underground cave dwellings and a remarkable duomo. At that time we came up by taxi, but returned via a funicular. Our GPS sent us in circles, and we were unable to locate the valley start for the funicular, so we simply drove up and found plenty of parking, right next to the top end funicular station. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e1ee7dce4.jpeg As with most of our second visits, we saw a few new things. One was a fortress just outside the old city walls, this one that at one time was a castle with a moat and drawbridge. In its day, it also had a large amphitheater. Today the arch is the opening to a public garden and park with panoramic views to the valley below. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...84c4467eaa.jpg Our daughter said she was happy to walk the charming streets, do a little shopping and sit back and enjoy the famous local wines. We explored quiet streets and shops. For those who haven’t been to Orvieto, it has many beautiful shops and well-preserved medieval buildings. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...eb3e11cffd.jpgThe duomo is magnificent. It is colorful and somewhat unusual with its black and white stripes. So magnificent that, while many locals hid out from German bombing missions in the caves below, a German commander was so in awe of this colorful cathedral that he agreed not to allow its destruction. We first visited the church after my Dad, a WWII vet, told me the above story. As the Allies moved from south to north, to crush the German occupiers, they destroyed many cities and their historic buildings. Even though Orvieto’s position might have made a great sport from which to try to stop the Allies, the young German commander proposed to the British that Orvieto not be part of any fighting. The local bishop had earlier begged the commander, whom he thought was a Catholic, to save the city. We enjoyed our Orvieto wine in the Duomo square, people watching, as the day ended |
Great trip report and very nice photos. I'm so jealous!
We are thinking of a month in Italy in March/April next year (2022). I take it from what you have written that you felt very safe (covid wise) everywhere you went. Was masking close to 100% inside shops, trains, etc.? I know that no one knows what the situation will be like in 4 or 5 months, but from what you heard/read while you were there do you get the sense that things will continue to be like this? I've been following the statistics and it looks like Italy's covid numbers are so much better than anywhere in the US, and have been except for those first few months. It looks like vaccination rates are high and mask mandates and compliance are as well. Is that your sense? |
Originally Posted by isabel
(Post 17299630)
Great trip report and very nice photos. I'm so jealous!
We are thinking of a month in Italy in March/April next year (2022). I take it from what you have written that you felt very safe (covid wise) everywhere you went. Was masking close to 100% inside shops, trains, etc.? I know that no one knows what the situation will be like in 4 or 5 months, but from what you heard/read while you were there do you get the sense that things will continue to be like this? I've been following the statistics and it looks like Italy's covid numbers are so much better than anywhere in the US, and have been except for those first few months. It looks like vaccination rates are high and mask mandates and compliance are as well. Is that your sense? We were very paranoid about Covid, even considered cancelling the trip multiple times right up until a couple weeks beforehand. As it turned out, it was absolutely no different being there and being home, except, unlike home, it was 100% masking indoors. The only stress was the plane going over, but we have read multiple reports that the air on a plane is about the best anywhere inside, and that zero Covid clusters have been attributed to flights. We were impressed, for example, with how the restaurant industry simply moved outside (and that may be a bit of a problem during the winter). We are so confident that things will be at least as good come next spring, we have already booked Italy (Calabria and Sicily) from late April to late May next year. Italy has an 80 % plus rate of vaccines (and now requires green pass for all work) so that continues to increase. They are doing much better than the US. I think all there is to worry about now is a variant that will require a whole new round of vaccinations (as opposed to boosters for known variants), but I think the vaccine companies and the world (and maybe especially Italy) will be ready for that. Best of luck, health and safety to you and your DH! |
<< DH and I attended a performance of Aida at the Caracalla Baths to celebrate my birthday in July 1981. Don’t remember very much about the singing/music, in any case I knew little or nothing about opera in those days. But the production was fabulous, with grand sets, and elephants too! >>
Geetika - Good to know that my friend wasn't making it up. That must have been quite a spectacle. And thank you again bvl for all the extra info you have posted about the Baths. I will definitely be making a bee line for them next time I go to Rome. Whitehall - so glad you took the plunge this time - I have so enjoyed travelling with you. |
Whitehall, this is a stellar trip report!
A few comments: the hardware store you saw in Bagnoregio is a very typical Italian "ferramenta", which could be translated literally as "ironmonger". Once there was one in any sizeable town, but now many have moved out of town and expanded, and no longer have the sidewalk display. As an aside, when I arrived in Italy, 23 years ago, there were regulations as to what each type of shop could sell: a hardware store couldn't sell shoes, and a shoe store couldn't sell stockings or handbags. (This last rule made it very difficult to buy matching shoes and handbags!) Now hardware stores sell kitchenware, work clothes, and small appliances, which probably precipitated the moves to larger quarters. Another former rule limited, based on population, the number of each type of store in a town. These regulations were purposely anti-competitive. There were also specified opening and closing times, and days on which shops were required to close. Groceries were required to close on Thursday afternoons, and dry goods shops were closed on Monday mornings. Most small shops still adhere to these schedules, maybe to preserve cordial relationships among merchants. There are also rules about when shops can have seasonal sales, but there are many loopholes to avoid these restrictions. The Well of St. Patrick in Orvieto was, as Whitehall mentioned, built at the request of a pope, in the 16th century, when the Pope fled to Orvieto after the Sack of Rome by the imperial forces. The Pope wanted to ensure a reliable supply of water in case the Emperor followed him and mounted a siege of Orvieto. The well was very deep and was designed so mules could descend and carry water to the surface. There is a double helix staircase, so that the descending mules would never encounter an ascending mule. It's a very attractively designed well, worth a visit. There is also now an "underground tour" of Orvieto, which visits the various grottos and galleries carved out of the soft tufo rock upon which Orvieto was built. This tour is more recent than my last visit to Orvieto, so I've never taken it. Perhaps it's been suspended because of the pandemic. |
bvlenci Wow. Great stuff. You are a wealth of information. We were pleased, yet surprised, when we heard that the usual allowable summer sales period had been expanded this year, due to Covid, to dates to include our first week there. But, you mention loopholes, which explains why we saw many sales weeks past those extended dates.
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Day 18: Back to Rome and Spoleto, and Cesi
We decided to use more of our unlimited mileage and drove our daughter to the Rome airport, about five hours roundtrip. We experienced relatively little traffic and, despite multiple, but quick, checks at the airport, our daughter was at her gate with more than two hours to spare.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...12fe6d7191.jpg Cesi On our way back, near Terni, we spotted an interesting hill town, snuggled up against the steep side of Mt. Torre Maggiore, called Cesi and decided to check it out. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a6874857df.jpg A narrow gravel road through thick woods brought us up to the village, which was surprisingly well-kept and restored, even though there was little activity. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...73b22a02d7.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cc2a241767.jpg We walked all the streets, savored some wonderful smells of lunch, maybe soup, coming from the medieval buildings. We were hungry, but there were no restaurants or shops. Our daughter had observed that the one different thing she had noticed on this visit (and we concurred) was the visible lack of the older Italians that used to be so prevalent in the Italian towns she has visited in the past. Our theory is that these older residents were hiding out at home due to Covid. But tis was the first place where all the people we saw, some on balconies, were those elderly people we hadn’t been seeing elsewhere. For us, this was a day shortened by our long ride to Rome, so we decided to head over to Spoleto for the second time and get lunch before siesta kicked in. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ae4e912323.jpg Spello After parking in Spoleto, we walked into the biggest market we have ever experienced in Italy. Blocks and blocks, in several directions, of all types of vendors. Not the fruits and vegetables you see at the regular weekly markets. But sellers of pots and pans, vacuum cleaners (two vendors), all types of apparel, even kevlar clothing. There were so many pork sellers that one merchant was sitting in a chair outside her booth. When I approached to take a photo of her whole pig, she got up thinking I was a customer. As I departed after taking the picture, she was throwing up her arms and yelling at me, obviously annoyed she got up for nothing. I ignored her as she told someone that I was English. Phew. This market was so big, they called it an event, and that triggered Covid rules that required attendees to have green passes. There were signs all over indicating that it was on the honor system, subject to random checks and possible sanctions. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c4837e48b9.jpg As we headed to one of the busier squares to find lunch, we noticed another Covid work-around. A local gallery set up an art in the park exhibit behind his shop. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...63647ef6fc.jpg Although we were a bit late for lunch, the wait staff huddled with the chef and they agreed to feed us. Another $10 bottle ofMontefalco white wine, a perfect al dente pasta (as was always the case on this trip) and a “pane pomodoro”, a tasty gift from the chef, bread, tomato, parsley, olive oil and cucumber, all blended. Very good. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3c3cb1d4b3.jpg In reviewing our photos of the day, we found two that had one unexpected thing in common. A jeep and a refrigerator? Both were Fiats. |
whitehall,
Fantastic trip report and photos! An awesome report with wonderful information! I enjoy your writing and had an opportunity to be be inspired by an earlier report of yours, as my husband and I just returned from a trip which included time in Puglia, and your trip report here was one I studied! And I smiled at your description of the tiny hamlet, Collepino. We had stayed in Spello 2 years ago and loved it. On one of the days, we took a lovely walk between Spello and Collepino along the old Roman aqueduct. It was terrific but the only mistake we made was walking from Spello toward Collepino, which meant we had a looooong walk uphill since the Aqueduct walk comes to a stop at a crossroads and no town in sight! Arriving at Collepino was such a relief, and the meal at the local restaurant was like manna from heaven. Needless to say, we arranged for a taxi back to Spello after that. |
<<There is also now an "underground tour" of Orvieto, which visits the various grottos and galleries carved out of the soft tufo rock upon which Orvieto was built. This tour is more recent than my last visit to Orvieto, so I've never taken it. Perhaps it's been suspended because of the pandemic.>>
Bvl - I believe that we did that tour when we visited Orvieto, approx 15 years ago; it was interesting but no more than that. I don't know if it's still running. The well and climbing the bell tower, as well as the Cathedral were more interesting, or perhaps it lost something in translation. Whitehall, that is a huge market. Last time I went to Italy there was one in the town in which we were staying [which is twinned with a nearby town in Cornwall] but that was because of its annual truffle festival. It was cancelled last year but is on again this year at this very moment. Not a space in the town is without a stall selling something, the vast majority local foodstuffs. And more lovely photos! |
Wonderful, wonderful! It was great to see photos of Civita, whitehall. We meant to go there from Orvieto but ran out of time. Congrats driving your DD to the airport successfully. That big Spoleto market was a surprise.
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Re Orvieto's underground tour - we did that the first time we visited Orvieto about 20 years ago. I agree with annhig that it was interesting but not terribly exciting. I was in Orvieto about 6 years ago and as I wasn't interested in taking that tour again I didn't pay close attention but I think I did see it advertised somewhere so I think it was still running then.
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progol Thank you; hope you enjoyed Puglia, a very special place. Loved your story of the walk from Spello to Collepino. We walk a lot and glad to see others doing it as well. I doubt you would have been so lucky to find that restaurant open today.
annhig We did go to perhaps an even bigger market two days later in Perugia, but they do it out of town next to a soccer stadium, and that didn’t have that same feel when they close down city streets TDudette Next time, you should try to get to Civita. Like Matera, it is a one-of-a-kind, and it may not be there forever. isabel In our prior visit, we did the underground, and, in fact, timed our arrival for the last tour of the day (they only do a few each day). We saw maybe 7 or 8 people go on that tour, but our daughter preferred the sunshine on a gorgeous day in the Duomo square to a dark, dank cave. And, there was a couple doing what looked like an engagement photo shoot on the steps of the Duomo, and that interested our daughter who will be married in a month. |
Day 19: Norcia, Castelluccio
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...35d1aed818.jpgAs you cross the long Apennine mountain range to the east of Spello, you leave behind most of the olive trees and grapevines. The beauty and tranquility and light traffic gave us a false sense of some of what we were about to see.https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...df3265e244.jpg
We "crossed" these numerous mountains via tunnels. Lots of them. Hard to believe, but I think we counted 60 tunnels in our round trip to Norcia and Castelluccio. Many longer than a mile and some of them were more than two miles long. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7f724f85f6.jpg Our first glimpse into the earthquakes of 2016 were the many temporary and permanent shelters that did not look like any of the construction we are used to in Italy. In many little towns, whose names we didn’t notice, we saw varying types of new housing, some two story, some tract-style single story attached buildings, some container style. We also drove into what was simply a parking lot with modern hook-ups for campers. We saw an old man sitting by himself behind his camper in a cheap lawn chair scrolling through a cell phone. We wondered if he had been at this spot for much of the last five years, and, if so, what his life was like before the earthquakes. Although some buildings looked temporary, we saw an older woman coming out of a neatly landscaped modern attached home with a nice porch, part of a large community of such attached homes. It resembled a senior housing project, but there were kids living there as well. Again, we thought about what life might have been like before. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...22b3e5e42.jpeg Norcia Norcia’s history dates back to the 5th century BC, but it is not a hill town but rather sits in the unspoiled Valneria valley. We knew that this area was not the epicenter of the 2016 tragedies that struck and killed 300 people, most notably in Amatrice, about 30 miles to the south. So, we were not expecting to see much lasting damage. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...450a59b8fd.jpg As we approached Norcia we could see sections of the town walls missing, but, we thought at first, perhaps this was just from slow disintegration that creates ruins throughout Italy. Closer inspection revealed extensive damage everywhere, bracing, supports, scaffolding, a lot of it. To see this much wreckage so many years after the earthquake, it is hard to believe no l9ves were lost here or in the immediate area. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...62810f5d66.jpg For some reason, perhaps due to their age and the way they were constructed, churches seem to have been hardest hit here, and we were told there were half a dozen that were heavily damaged, even flattened. Behind construction coverings, you could see altars with lots of sky above. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...54cc85b6f2.jpg It is impossible to miss the devastation to the main Basilica in Norcia. St. Benedict was born in Norcia. The Basilica built in his honor was simply destroyed. All that remains, even now, is the front and rear facade, although there is a plan to somehow restore this once magnificent building. There is hope. The adjacent civic tower, with its bell and clock tower, was heavily damaged, but it has been fully restored. There was an absolute eerie silence with the visitors who stopped to look at the Basilica. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8b1ab085f1.jpg It looks like some businesses just gave up. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f5ad9b7da2.jpg Others appear to be untouched. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cff9e58bfb.jpg This town is known all over Italy for its pork products and pork processing. In the heart of the town, many of the signature meat shops continue to operate, seemingly unscathed, right next to the rubble. Even one was growing a perfect vine of green grapes. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...29d6a4e605.jpg For those who lost their businesses, a new merchant row was created just outside the town walls. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a9a0680631.jpg There is an unmistakable "can do" attitude here, despite the huge challenges, as one of the towns portals is being rebuilt, and the theater is expected somehow to look like its stunning old self again. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8c6138e204.jpg We lent our token support to the community by staying for lunch in a square that felt untouched, unless you looked behind the cloth facade that has been placed over the theatre. We ordered pasta and local sausage, and for a few moments felt like we were in anyplace Italy. As with meatballs, when you can find them, they don’t come together with the pasta, so our spaghetti was finished when the sausage arrived. And, it was worth the wait and as good as it gets. As we ordered lunch, we thought it funny that a couple who sat next to us for lunch in Spoleto, 27 miles away, the day before, were now again being seated close to us. But then we looked in the other direction and spotted a little boy with curly hair whom we had also seen before. The week before, we, along with our daughter, watched this very cute, but mischievous, little boy eat lunch next to us in Bevagna 41 miles away. Small country. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4bd49f12b9.jpg We left Norcia, seeing destruction along the way, and made the ascent above Norcia and the valley below. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b4a132dd30.jpg Although much of this road has been re-constructed to once again allow access to Castelluccio, it comes with many unrelated warnings, deer, cows, rock slides, fallen rock slides, uneven surfaces. Once over the mountain, even more devastation. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...28cec79b3.jpeg If you ever go to Castelluccio, you might want to consider July when the massive plain in front of this speck of a hill town is covered in a carpet of red, blue, yellow and purple lentil and poppy flowers. We had to settle for seeing online photos of this spectacular show, but, even now, the Piano Grande plain is hardly plain. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e554fdf7b7.jpg The long stretch of openness is home to hundreds of sheep, a campground, hiking trails and horses to ride. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...686896097.jpeg Castelluccio Castelluccio was a small medieval village, constructed on the remains of a Roman town. Today, it is closed, and sadly mostly gone. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a2d3f075cd.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...413678289.jpeg Those who stayed have fixed up a few buildings next to the town or are selling their wares out of temporary structures, even one pulled by a tractor. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...33b0dbe42.jpeg We took a different direction home, not any less spectacular. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b804927f61.jpg Also, not any less affected by the earthquakes. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ce9582436.jpeg Since we couldn’t get a good look at Castelluccio itself, when we got home, we pulled up google earth for a recent look from above, and this tells it all. |
Whitehall, that huge market in Spoleto sounds more like an annual fair, which many towns in Italy have. However, I can't find any reference to an annual fair there at this time of year. It must just be a very large weekly market, which every town in Italy has.
I live near Senigallia, which has had an annual fair since medieval times. It's now celebrated for three days around the Feast of Saint Augustine, in late August, but until sometime in the 19th century, it was in July, around the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene. At its height it lasted for weeks, and was one of the most important fairs in Europe. Many European countries opened "pop-up" embassies for the event, and various countries, especially Middle Eastern countries, took over entire streets. There are streets in Senigallia named after the countries that were represented there, such as Via Siria, Via Corfů, and so on. The fair was exempt from customs tariffs. Until recent times, a special privilege of having an annual fair was granted by the king, or other ruler. |
That Civita is still there may be a miracle. Horrible to see that destruction. That it's taking so long for repairs made me think of Haiti also.
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Great trip report and wonderful photos - thank you!
Progol: we too did the walk from Spello to Collepino. The route through the olive trees was spectacular. We met a couple from the US and walked most of the way with them. When we got to that hill, omg it was so steep. We were all tired and not sure how we were going to make it up to the village. A car pulled up with a lovely local man and his nonna. He offered us a ride to the top. Our companions insisted that they were fine to walk it, but we accepted. It took us a few minutes to adjust the back seat so the other couple had walked about 100 meters upwards. Our driver again stopped and offered them a ride. This time they took it; a good thing or they wouldn't have reached that restaurant in time for lunch. Lunch was wonderful (although I did get locked in the washroom for a while), and the walk back was much easier. It was one of our most memorable days in Italy. |
Originally Posted by Jackie44
(Post 17300252)
Great trip report and wonderful photos - thank you!
Progol: we too did the walk from Spello to Collepino. The route through the olive trees was spectacular. We met a couple from the US and walked most of the way with them. When we got to that hill, omg it was so steep. We were all tired and not sure how we were going to make it up to the village. A car pulled up with a lovely local man and his nonna. He offered us a ride to the top. Our companions insisted that they were fine to walk it, but we accepted. It took us a few minutes to adjust the back seat so the other couple had walked about 100 meters upwards. Our driver again stopped and offered them a ride. This time they took it; a good thing or they wouldn't have reached that restaurant in time for lunch. Lunch was wonderful (although I did get locked in the washroom for a while), and the walk back was much easier. It was one of our most memorable days in Italy. Jackie44 - I’m so jealous someone stopped for you! Believe me, there were few enough cars driving up that hill and we tried desperately to flag someone down, but they passed us by (mercilessly, I’m sure!). I really was struggling and that long uphill nearly ‘done me in’, as they say. Anyway, back to the regular programming! |
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Day 20: Perugia
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Perugia 2015We weren’t sure we would go to Perugia on this trip, even though it is less than half an hour away. It is the largest city in Umbria, the capital, and it is a big university town, drawing students from all over the world. And, therefore one place in Umbria where you hear lots of English, because that is often a default lan gauge when lots of foreigners gather in Italy. Six years ago, we were here in the fall to go to its annual chocolate festival. As lovers of chocolate, we were disappointed that the event seemed to be small, repetitive and frankly boring. It is also the city that demonized Amanda Knox in a case that, in our opinion, gave the Italian judicial system a big black eye. It is a Saturday, and Perugia has a gigantic weekly market in what looked like a big parking lot across from the stadium for the local professional soccer team A.C. Perugia. Hustlers were helping people find free parking spaces and were pushy to get tips. I took a photo of one of these guys, and they pressed me to pay them for taking their picture. We parked across the street, closer to the stadium. This market felt more like a flea market than the typical village markets, probably because it wasn’t located in the midst of medieval buildings. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3a8b95a536.jpg The produce looked great, and we purchased some. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9316a4d0b0.jpg One place had crates of eggs, crates full of chickens and birds, and boxes full of little chicks. If you bought some, your live purchase was packed in a box. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4ed78ec39a.jpg Lots of apparel, and I did buy a pair of lightweight shorts for 10 euros. Wish I had bought a second pair. One guy had a sign for inexpensive "Made in Italy" shirts, but they were packing the stuff up in boxes that said "Made in Bangladesh". Several booths had tons of wrinkled clothes piled up for one or two euros, kind of like a Salvation Army outlet. There were lots of pork vendors and all had lines, mostly people looking for a sandwich for lunch. That made us hungry, so we decided to take a second look at the rambling old city. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0b9d956771.jpg Perugia has many squares and magnificent buildings, but it is not a major tourist destination as such. But, on this week-end day, it feels very much alive, with lots of young students, packed restaurants filling most of the main thoroughfares. In that way, it is a more authentic Italian city with what looks like so much to see, you probably would need to spend several days here. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b243f63001.jpg Perugia has about 170,000 residents and looks out onto rural Umbria. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bdf6f1494.jpeg Perugia is known for chocolate thanks to its name sake Perugina, manufactured in this city for 115 years. And, since this is a city that values education, Perugina started a popular chocolate making school in 2007. Nestles has owned the brand for 33 years. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a0886aae0.jpeg We needed to replenish our cash and noticed an ATM partner to our bank. We were able to use the ATM machine, although the bank was closed for the week-end. When the bank is open, it appeared a customer has to enter via a glass tube that resembled an airport security screening device. Seemed odd to us. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...831dcc35c1.jpg With cash in hand to leave our American tip, we found an outside seat on a busy street, ordered pizza, salad, roasted potatoes, wine and mineral water. Within minutes, the well organized staff delivered our food. It didn’t taste like fast food, but boy was it fast. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...db1a9d7bd2.jpg We walked off lunch, criss-crossing a big section of the well preserved old town. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6e074ce9b7.jpg It is not unusual to see wells in medieval villages, but this one, in front of Palazzo Sorbello is considered a marvel of Etruscan engineering. From the highest point in Perugia, there is a tour that takes visitors down close to the water that once served this community as early as 300 BC. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0b9612d2d.jpeg After we headed south to Spello, we briefly thought we were back in New England when we came upon this covered wood bridge. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...be34fe198a.jpg We went to the grocery store in Spello and found this No Name Prosecco from south of Lake Como. We liked it. Even better, we liked the $3.99 price tag. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a9e3994fe.jpeg And we put away our produce haul from the Perugia market. Juicy peaches, our favorite vegetable (Romanesco), really sweet and large prune plums, and more. |
More great shots of Perugia. It is a shame she became more known because of the horrid crime. We based there and our hotel was on the main square:
https://www.italyscapes.com/places/u...a-iv-novembre/ It was semi-pedestrianized and all the students gave it a great vibe. One of our bar pals said there were 6 universities. And as many institutes and research facilities. Were there a lot of students at the clothes markets, whitehall? |
Originally Posted by TDudette
(Post 17300450)
More great shots of Perugia. It is a shame she became more known because of the horrid crime. We based there and our hotel was on the main square:
https://www.italyscapes.com/places/u...a-iv-novembre/ It was semi-pedestrianized and all the students gave it a great vibe. One of our bar pals said there were 6 universities. And as many institutes and research facilities. Were there a lot of students at the clothes markets, whitehall? |
"But today, they do curbside pickup and deliveries."-------It's a different world for sure. 🙃
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Love those photos of Perugia, Whitehall. Definitely on my list, but now I've seen it, perhaps not on Market day!
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Originally Posted by whitehall
(Post 17300412)
progol No monopoly. I am enjoying these exchanges. We also saw no other traffic.
Jackie44 Although we had some walking 10-mile days in Rome, that’s 7.5 miles round trip to Collepino. And, we thought we were among the first people to find this tiny place. Who knew? |
Day 21: Cerreto Borgo, Cerreto di Spoleto, Triponzo, Sellano, Rasiglia, Pale Foligno
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It was a beautiful Sunday, and we decided to take a hike. We found a suggested one online that would complete a circle, take us through a couple of villages and supposedly be about 5 miles. It would take us to the fringes of those mountains we had to crossed to get to Norcia a couple days earlier. The thing we quickly noticed, motorcycles really love these roads, and they love to weave in and out of traffic, leaning in ways that help them squeeze, in death-defying fashion, between two passing vehicles, sometimes even on hairpin turns. We were glad to get off the road and park in Cerreto Borgo, a little place that had several restaurants catering to these bikers. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...df14e32ab.jpeg Cerreto Borgo The old hill town of Cerreto di Spoleto was above us. Hard to believe, but the “Cerretans” from that small, quiet community in ancient times included so many quacks, hucksters and swindlers that the term “charlatans” supposedly came from here. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b6f35ca082.jpg Our hike was through the Borgo, uphill with some stone steps but mostly a dirt path, which a kind lady directed us to. Not that she had much directing to do. For the remainder of our walk/hike, we would be the only ones covering this loop today. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...feabaf004.jpeg For perspective, we noted the highway bridge in the distance below. Our hike would take us across a mountain and well beyond that bridge, before bringing us back to our car. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...06d19c4f39.jpg Cerreto di SpoletoIt was a quiet Sunday morning in a tiny village, but my wife and I still managed to become separated when I got ahead and took a turn into a gate to take a photo. I even ran back down part of the trail to make sure she didn’t run into a charlatan, but she was already at the top of the town. The only people out and about were coming out of a church. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...669b5046d3.jpg A bit of whimsy and a bunch of grapes. Since the grapes were sticking out into “our” right-of-way, we tried a few, and they were ready to eat. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c0aa40bd32.jpg Part of our path was a community fitness trail that included several fairly new outdoor gyms. And, we did see one family from the village out for a walk on this section. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fc70da9688.jpg Then we got to the interesting part. The descent. And, we learned a new Italian word. “Pericoloso”. It was on big letters at the start of the skinny trail. We checked our phone translator. “Dangerous”. The sign didn’t seem to detail what the hazards were. Wild animals, snakes? I don’t like going back. The path was over-grown, and the loose dirt and stones made it slippery and tough going, but we continued. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d254320acb.jpg Triponzo At the bottom of the hill, we walked around a highway tunnel. Although we thought all of this was new territory for us, when we reviewed photos yesterday, we discovered a photo, taken a couple days earlier, from our car of both this tunnel and the town of Triponzo that was our next stop. Our only regret is that we missed an ancient Roman inscription that a nearby sign indicated was carved in the rock we passed that now encloses the tunnel. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7ed883171d.jpg Triponzo also suffered some earthquake damage in 1997, and we saw some bracing still on a church. More significantly, it has one of the few surviving Umbrian watch towers. Most have been ruined by war or earthquakes. The tower at the top of the town was so badly impacted, they thought it would have to be demolished, but they came up with a new, and then unique, way to support it using a steel spine so that it still stands. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b167240095.jpg The next part of our hike had a mixed bag of wide and narrow trails, including part of it along a small river. The bridge over it was in bad shape, but it got us where we were going. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...399b49b17c.jpg Eventually, we came upon that impressive highway bridge and could see Cerreto and the mountains we had crossed in the distance. This sure looked like more than five miles. As we crossed under the bridge, we noticed that it leads into a mountain tunnel, one that we also just figured out that we drove through two days earlier. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3cedb97c7c.jpg The trail soon turned into what we believe is a section of the old Spoleto to Norcia rail bed, parts of which are popular with bicyclists and hikers, We didn’t see anyone else, but we did get to walk through an old railroad tunnel. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0944cb2c3.jpeg As we came out of the tunnel, we got our clearest view yet of the entirety of Cerreto di Spoleto. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...809e0d8972.jpg And it was way past time for us to have a fresh panini. Salami and a thick chunk of pecorino on fresh bread, it was made by a woman, still pleasant after a steady stream of customers. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5237144f6f.jpg We made a quick stop in the nice looking town of Sellano. We earlier had considered taking a hike from this area to nearby waterfalls and caves, one of which had been inhabited by the town’s patron saint. The town originally was a walled castle, but invasions and earthquakes wiped out any trace of that. And, although the community did a makeover after the devastating 1997 quake, there are still some exterior supports on a church in town. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...254ca6a457.jpg We saw more quake damage along the way, perhaps from 1997, mostly with cracks in buildings, some abandoned. We also saw clusters of what probably is permanent replacement housing, some of them nice one-story wooden buildings. Along the way, we also saw more Italian whimsy. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...af600f47c5.jpg This part of Umbria is fairly remote, and all of a sudden we saw traffic slowing down, parking every which way, even some buses. We had no idea why so many people were stopping along this remote road, but we joined the party, finding a space about half a mile away from a little town. Perhaps it was a fall festival, since there was a food truck and someone selling new potatoes, onions and garlic at one end of town. There was also a long line for a Covid friendly gelato place near the center of town. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...05e46dcd0.jpeg Rasiglia What we discovered was one of the true secrets of Umbria, not on any lists we made before coming. The town of Rasiglia. There was no event. Some of those who stopped were there to see this wondrous little town. Others, like us, were just sheep following the herd. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6519cdbff4.jpg Rasiglia is also known as the “village of streams” or “village of brooks”. It is small, but a river feeds the constant movement of small streams and waterfalls that surround the stone houses. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e4c356aa55.jpgThey have preserved the weaving and textile equipment from the past. We were fascinated with the impeccable condition of the paper “punch card” rolls that hang from the ceiling, a very early nod to computer programming. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bc83d0be0c.jpg A truly beautiful place, although less than 50 people reportedly live here now. You only need an hour or so here. If we go back, we would like to see the castle ruins above, but they seemed to be off limits. And, we have read there is a chapel that has claimed some miraculous results related to the healing waters in the area. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b6bc21cbec.jpg There is a strong sense of appreciation for the history of the town, exemplified in the many large photos of people in earlier days working and playing. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4b6f23d58e.jpg It also was a great place for a water fill-up. The water was so clean, that, all you have to do is look at the top photo. That is a plant growing; and the water is so clear, it’s hard to tell that it is fully submerged a couple of inches below the waterline. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...61df9c1a9.jpeg One more unexpected stop on this Sunday afternoon was Pale di Foligno, high up against Mt. Pale. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b78836dbc.jpeg There is a building as you turn into the town that houses hydroelectric facilities to capture some of that river water that flowed through Rasiglia. The river helped created textile, grain and, later, paper mills. There is a small creek (inhabited by a few rats) that we followed into the village. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c5dbc756aa.jpg Pale di Foligno We didn’t see any obvious damage here, but the 1997 quakes caused such damage that everyone had to move out at the time. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...973568fc40.jpg The waters of the Menotre River have created caves underneath Pale, and we paid the fee, showed our CDC cards, put on lighted miner’s helmets and went down, despite the tour being in Italian. Lots of stalactites and stalagmites and a location for an old underground pond that we understood to be, in essence, for a cistern that, at one time, was the town’s water supply. |
Such a fantastic ongoing read. Thank you for the interesting narrative and wonderful photos.
There is a town (not much there) called New Norcia, north of Perth (Western Australia) named after Norcia in Italy. A tiny Benedictine monastery, DH has a cousin who is a monk there. hope the link works, an old article https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/new...08-gdkr1w.html |
Jackie44 If your legs work, it is very easy to do 10 miles in Rome if you are in awe of everything as we are every time we are there. Our average of maybe 6 miles of walking a day on this trip is lower than our 10 miles a day we walked during our "16 countries in 30 days" trip when we showed a relative Europe in 2015. It makes me cringe every time someone says a travel day is a lost day. It doesn’t have to be.
Adelaidean Thank you for sharing the article on New Norcia, which was from 2004. We looked at their current website, and they are still going strong. As a product of a Benedictine education, I am especially happy for them. |
All of these towns were new names and very enjoyable. Have you been to Lyon, France? The textile museum there popped into my head as I read about the punch cards in Rasiglia.
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Originally Posted by TDudette
(Post 17300731)
All of these towns were new names and very enjoyable. Have you been to Lyon, France? The textile museum there popped into my head as I read about the punch cards in Rasiglia.
(And we are still surprised at how little Rasiglia is publicized; maybe they don't want any more people there.) |
whitehall: I completely agree with you about the "lost" travel day. Or that if you have 4 nights (for example) in a place, that it is actually only 3 days. Like you, we do a lot on the arrival day and on our way to other places. Really enjoying your report and the abundance of photos!
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Originally Posted by Jackie44
(Post 17300802)
whitehall: I completely agree with you about the "lost" travel day. Or that if you have 4 nights (for example) in a place, that it is actually only 3 days. Like you, we do a lot on the arrival day and on our way to other places. Really enjoying your report and the abundance of photos!
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Day 22: Arezzo
We planned to sleep in this day, even though we had plans to go to a Tuscan town we have never been to. For a change of pace, we decided to travel by rail, with tickets booked for late morning.
But not before one of the happiest days of the year for the Spello community turned into tragedy. We woke up this Monday to the happy sounds of children, maybe more than a hundred of them, on this first day of school, walking below our apartment window. Our apartment was literally a stone’s throw from two of the town’s squares. Below us, the square is where the high school is located. Above us is the square for younger kids. Due to Covid, and the closure of many schools in the past year or more, this was a big day, a family day. We saw Dad and Moms with their kids, some stopping at the bar across the street to share a pastry before school. And then an ambulance. with a blaring siren, sped by our window and stopped a couple hundred feet from us. We never see police in this town, but now they were all over the place. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b8f5544eb.jpeg On one side of the small square above us is the school, with all its windows open as a Covid precaution. Just across from there is the Church of St. Lawrence. And, right in front of the church, only steps from the school, a young father of one of the children had a fatal heart attack. To make matters worse, they couldn’t remove him until a coroner could come from another town. Very sad start to the day for this tight community. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3721b7afdd.jpg It was obviously a quiet and somber morning in Spello. We had some extra time and walked a couple of streets new to us. We found a nondescript building that had a plaque indicating it was a community theatre, and there were signs of an upcoming 3-day “stravagante” (Extravaganza?) coming to Spello. We would have to look into that and will share more on that in a few days. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...db0ccd3288.jpg Spello I have mentioned the over-tourism element of Spello a few times. And, I usually refer to the main road in Spello that runs from bottom to top. I don’t usually refer to its name because it is a mouthful: via Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour ( a lessor known politician in Italy than say Garibaldi, but nonetheless another key figure in the 19th century unification of Italy). But for those who get off that main artery, the community is simply perfect in its appearance. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...41f9d7c6fb.jpg Our train was delayed. While on the platform, we heard the first American voices here in nearly three weeks. A lady from Jacksonville, Florida, was going to Assisi. A taxi driver she had used the day before, to her astonishment, arrived and presented her with a pair of eyeglasses that she had left in his cab. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...df267fa88.jpeg Montecchio Vesponi For the third time in a couple of weeks, we passed by Isola Maggiore and Lake Trasimeno, on another sunny and beautiful day. Near Cortona, we passed a well preserved castle and fortress (Montecchio Vesponi). The 90-minute trip brought us to the Arezzo station, large and busy. It fronts the newer section of the city, but only a sort walk to the historic center. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ebc40594de.jpg Arezzo Piazza Grande is the centerpiece of Arezzo, where they do jousting matches twice a year. You may also have seen this large square in the film “Life is Beautiful”. The buildings are elegant, and it’s no wonder, since the columned loggia in the square was designed by the same guy who planned the Uffizi in Florence. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c4de5308c.jpeg The city is full of other beautiful buildings. The library, a onetime Palazzo, is full of coats of arms from the city rulers from the 14h and 15th centuries. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7f474ae6e2.jpg We can quickly get “churched out” on our longer trips to Europe and especially Italy. But, of course, there is so much history, and some of the greatest artworks of every kind in churches of every size, and in nearly every community. I have kept our coverage of churches in this report to a minimum, but Arezzo has many churches of note. The duomo/cathedral, located at the highest point of the city. It is the Cathedral of Saint Donato & Pietro. Although the exterior has an early 20th century finish, the stained glass windows are considered masterpieces from the 1500’s. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8532a6333.jpeg In the duomo, we noticed the only temperature measuring device we saw in a church that registered when you walked by. That’s 97.3 and appears to be close to normal for both of us on this trip. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d5c2455fdd.jpg And the duomo is surrounded by a large shaded park, big enough for joggers and even has a snack bar. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e21946da04.jpg Santa Maria della Pieve church doesn’t look like a church from the outside, but it is impressive nonetheless. It is known as the “tower of a hundred holes”. A close inspection shows that all the columns are different, one is even a statue. Inside, there is a noted altarpiece in an unusual elevated area. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...aefad65fa7.jpg Although our interior photo is terrible, due to the lighting (although apparently there were switches where we could have turned on lights), we were able to see the highly regarded fresco fragments of the Basilica of San Domenico. Over the high altar is a crucifix by Cimabue in the 1260's that has been restored. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5c5ded2e0b.jpg The Badia or Abbey of Santa Flora & Lucille had some of the most beautiful artwork of the various churches we visited thanks to Giorgio Vasari, painter, architect, engineer, who was responsible for the church’s design, artwork and altar. He is the same guy mentioned above who designed the Uffizi in Florence and the loggia in the main square here in Arezzo. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...dfd27c325f.jpg Arezzo is a nice place for lunch, lots of places, but many are simple panini and charcuterie places. That was okay for us. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...68579bd6b1.jpg The newer shopping area, closer to the rail station, blends nicely with the medieval parts of the city and its typical streets and many grand buildings. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e8c6fc0925.jpg We saw lots of antique signage on businesses, some looking for new occupants.. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e3fc6f284d.jpg Our overall take was Arezzo has great access, due to having rail service close to the center. It seemed relatively tourist free and has a good feel. If we were to return, it might be largely for lunch and shopping. Back home in Spello, after all the pizza, pasta, and cold cuts lately (and the gelato, the photos of which we haven't shared recently), we chose two different bean soups, one with farro. They hit the spot, although not as spicy as I prefer. This was at Enoteca Properizio (that’s where the owner provides a personal presentation with each glass of wine). We wanted to avoid that this time, especially since we were repeating our wine selections, and were pleased that the owner instead was wining and dining a film crew focused on Spello. |
How awful that what should have been a joyous day was so marred, Whitehall. Doubtess a day they will remember but for the wrong reason. But I am loving your photos of Arrezzo which looks like a terrific place to visit. The centre reminds me somewhat of Siena with that sloping pavement and I should imagine that the jousting draws quite a crowd. Definitely one to add to my every growing list.
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Originally Posted by annhig
(Post 17301051)
How awful that what should have been a joyous day was so marred, Whitehall. Doubtess a day they will remember but for the wrong reason. But I am loving your photos of Arrezzo which looks like a terrific place to visit. The centre reminds me somewhat of Siena with that sloping pavement and I should imagine that the jousting draws quite a crowd. Definitely one to add to my every growing list.
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Day 23: Fabriano, Jesi a/k/a Lesi, and Acona
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Back in the car. And, there are many tunnels to get through the mountains between Umbria and the Adriatic Sea. All three towns today are part of the beautiful Le Marche region. We last stayed in this province nine years ago and loved it. We avoided Ancona then, because we had been led to believe it had been flattened during WWII, leaving little behind but a modern beach community. This is far from accurate as we discovered. To hedge our bets, we decided to make two other stops along the way. Anyone who has ever rented an apartment or home in Italy has probably seen some Indesit appliances (partner with Whirlpool); they come from Fabriano. However for almost 1,000 years, Fabriano has been better known for its paper making, mostly high quality papers, often with watermarks. The paper they made contributed to the economy in Foligno, community that eventually did a lot of printing. They still make some of these fine papers in Fabriano. We saw the paper museum; it was open. It also looked like no one else was there, the admission seemed expensive, and we were in a hurry. My biggest regret of the day was not taking the time to go in. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...33b7cc170e.jpg Fabriano After parking our car, we walked through a large park, which runs alongside the old town. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b2c66b3349.jpg The old town had few people milling about, but streets, homes and businesses were neat and clean. It was said to have been heavily damaged in WWII. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3128d13d55.jpg We saw a sign for an in town “gymnasium” and fitness center. We took a peek inside, and what we saw resembled a social club. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5afac5e670.jpg There are many impressive buildings and churches, but, for us, this was a quick visit with little extra time to explore. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a9a9735afd.jpg Most of the few people we saw were having coffee in the striking main square of the city, which holds most of the significant buildings from its rich local history. It also has a fountain similar to a noted one in Perugia. The loggia of St. Francis runs alongside the town’s library. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f8f10ee06.jpeg These planters caught our eye. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...12a3df7d3.jpeg We haven’t seen many pre-WWII vehicles since we have been in Italy, so this one was a surprise as we entered Jesi, which is sometimes spelled “Lesi.” https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bf2a95f8b.jpeg Jesi In 1194, by happenstance, an Emperor was born here while his mother was traveling through. This allowed it to be named a Royal City, from which it got many elegant and impressive buildings. The emperor, Federico, was born in a royal tent in a Roman forum, now the middle of this grand Federico square. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...539ba8fd0.jpeg The thing that caught our attention most was the beautiful old theatre building. We saw many theatres on this trip, but all of them have been closed. Once in Milan, we bought inexpensive tickets to an off season performance and landed a box right over the stage at La Scala. But that was the only time we have been in one of these sumptuous Italian theatres. We inquired at the ticket office about the possibility of seeing the place but were told maybe later in the week. They suggested we double-check with the tourism office. Soon, the person from the ticket office conferred with the tourist office, and bingo, a tour was now scheduled in 15 minutes, but it would be in Italian only. A couple from Belgium earlier had asked us for help figuring out how to pay in a nearby parking garage, and we became fast friends after we told them it was a free lot. We saw them grabbing a coffee in the square and ran over to advise them about the chance to see the theatre. They returned the favor by being our interpreter for the small group tour. This opera house was a private enterprise from the late 1700’s until the family could no longer maintain it in 1925. That is when the city took it over. Although it was refreshed in the 1990’s, it is one of the few Italian theatres that survived fires, earthquakes and old age in such nice original condition, and today is the most prominent building in the historic square. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e0ca81dda3.jpg The lobby and gathering areas have a museum quality, including a portrait of its namesake composer Giovanni Pergolesi. Born in Jesi, Pergolesi is considered a significant contributor to “comic opera” despite dying at age 26. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...eac53240b.jpeg The seats are the only things that are not original in this beautiful theatre, since, as we understood it, in the early days, patrons simply stood. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...15e56c1029.jpg The details inside the opera house are magnificent with everything original including the painted curtain. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b00e2e9f62.jpg In the 1700’s the townspeople erected the Clementine arch to honor Pope Clement for abolishing a tax on wheat grown there and for completing a highway to the sea. Today that arch is the beginning of a main thoroughfare, popular evening walks, restaurants and bars for what is said to be a very vibrant night life here.This seemed like a great place to return to. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...120c7bce5e.jpg This lovely city has many blocks of beautiful buildings and squares. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7fbdd90e26.jpg The Cathedral of San Settimio includes the burial place of its namesake former Bishop. Just another grand church. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...336383006f.jpg Jesi has a weekly market in what we started referring to as the opera house square. But we were excited to discover a large block-long indoor market building. Once inside, our delight melted when we found only a couple of vendors. The fruit seller was nice and enthusiastic about his products and we did leave with some more fruit. (Off topic: have you ever noticed in Italian markets that oranges have fresh looking stems/leaves, even when they come from such far-away places like Argentina?) https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...eb2d89c14.jpeg Ancona Time to move on to the Adriatic Sea and Ancona. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3368c69bd.jpeg This is a busy city, but driving wasn’t too big a challenge. We found a parking garage and found ourselves walking on a long tree-lined pedestrian boulevard, with helpful people pointing us to the city center. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1e8e485f19.jpg As I noted earlier, we expected modern, post-war buildings that would have replaced the annihilation from hundreds of US Air Force bombing raids in 1943-44. The target was port and rail facilities, but collateral damage destroyed the historic center and took 1,000 orm ore civilian lives. To our pleasant surprise, they rebuilt, over 15 years, much of the 70% that was in ruins. Stately tall buildings, with lots of windows, shutters and balconies line the streets into the old city. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4b1067fc08.jpg Signs of earlier days are all around. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...27ed5c7f16.jpg And even ancient times as well. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...810eb2bd7.jpeg We made a bee-line for the busy working waterfront. Surprisingly, the city does not provide an easy or clear path in that area, but, despite some industry, we found it awesome. At times, as we passed various military-style booths, we were uncertain if access was allowed. But as we went under an ancient arch toward a long stone walkway into the sea, we knew this was meant to be enjoyed, even if few others were around. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ecce9caa0.jpeg Ancient marble arch of Trajan from 115 A.D. in honor of the emperor who built the por, leading to the stone walkway with great views of the harbor. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a8bf8e486.jpeg Numerous port ferries were coming and going while we were there. Destinations include Croatia, Greece, Albania and Turkey. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...510dd872dc.jpg Having taken many cruises over the years, we have always been fascinated by the ships. Despite some concerns about their environmental records, and other things, among other trips, we have taken a few two-week long transatlantic cruises, often for little more than the airfare. However, we caught a bug on our last one (not the dreaded stomach one) and self-confined, eating only chicken soup, for the week-long ocean voyage. That may have been our last one. However, we were excited to see the Fincantieri shipyard, where they were building three new cruise ships, mid-size by today's standards. They still are large, upscale ships for Silverseas and Viking. Everything, including piles of modular sections, were laid out in front of us. This is only one of eight Fincantieri worldwide shipyards producing a large percentage of the world's cruise ships. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...afd09463bd.jpg The marble Cathedral of Saints Donato & Pietro, built over the remains of an ancient Greek temple, sits on the top of Guasco Hill and overlooks the harbor. The 11th century cathedral, with two marble lions on either side of its entrance, was surprisingly bland and a little bleak. In the basement crypt, where the namesake martyr St. Donato is buried, there is more color and decoration. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0a44af77eb.jpg As we headed back to our parking garage, we walked a variety of beautiful streets. As we got closer to some of the newer areas, we saw lots of young people, perhaps looking for a night out after a day at work. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f5ae00400.jpeg Loreto It was a long return ride home, this time on the road we call 'the two dozen tunnel highway", but we saw many medieval villages. One place in particular piqued our interest, and we feel foolish for not knowing anything about it. From the car, it looked like a large fortress, but it is the town of Loreto, built around a significant religious pilgrimage site. Santa Casa was the Virgin Mary’s house in Nazareth, basically three walls around a rock cavern. The cavern is still in Nazareth, but the three walls were brought to Loreto by invaders in the 1290’s. These stone walls are housed in a sculptural masterpiece enclosure in Loreto. We have looked at photos and wow! How could we have missed that?! https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8d5b3ed830.jpg Back home in Spello, we decided to eat out, but we were tired. Literally a foot from our apartment back wall is Extra Vergene Oleoteca, friendly people, and a limited menu. Our stairway window looks down on all the diners, and their often loud music fortunately doesn’t go into late hours and is familiar English language oldies, stuff we like. So, one wall of the outside terrace is our apartment; and, on the next side a lit up, and much photographed, antique wooden loggia provides the evening ambiance. The loggia is connected to some municipal offices. We just needed to offset our daily gelato, so all we wanted was soup and bread.We weren't in a hurry and know that soups sometimes take the longest to come out, becaus,e in many Italian restaurants, they make them to order. Bruschetta in Umbria takes various forms, but the basic one is bread (and often without salt like Tuscany), served with only a high quality EVOO. We had that with lenticche or just simple lentils with pesto. Yes, simple, tasty and, surprisingly, one of our more memorable meals on this trip. |
Wonderful, whitehall! All new places. More great shots. Continued thanks.
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Looks like an excellent way to end a long and exciting day, Whitehall. You certainly packed a lot into it! Loving your photos - Ancona looks like a fascinating mix of old and new. i think that a friend of mine got a ferry from there to Greece once.
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