|
Back to Ancona. We trained from Turin to Spoleto (as part of big circle we made after a good non-stop RT offer from DC to Milano). At our Ancona change, I made the following notes:
"We will take the Eurostar to Ancona then change to an intercity train for Spoleto.... We both dozed but when we were awake, we noticed Tuscany-type hills and agriculture. At Rimini, we are by the coast and the train is right by the Adriatic Sea. We pass almost hut-sized summer rooms (?) and a few folks jogging on the beach. Ancona very built up. We see our first escalator in a train station in Italy here!" I was already curious about the area so it was nice to read about it. |
TDudette annhig Thank you. When we owned our large inn, we had a welcoming Italian flag flying during August. We had many Italian guests at that time of year, and, one night alone, we turned away 17 couples from Italy because there was no room left at our inn. I have often asked Italians why they would bother coming to the US with a lifetime full of so many great places, rich in history and architecture, to visit in Italy. Often the response was a shrug: “You have probably been to more places in Italy than we have.” (That likely changed a lot this year with all the staycations arising from Covid).Our trip did slow down for a few days after Ancona. Still, there are13 more new places to report on, six outside Umbria.
|
You've finally arrived in my neck of the woods! I'm curious as to where you visited on your previous trip to Le Marche.
The paper museum in Fabriano has a very interesting tour, and they usually have an English-speaking guide available. I often take visiting friends and relatives there. Several years ago, we took my granddaughter there, and they gave her the tour of her life. At one point in the tour, they demonstrate the making of paper with the traditional machines, and they let my granddaughter make a sheet of paper herself. I don't know if they usually do this with children, but she was super thrilled. They also have a very nice gift store. Their modern factory is in the nearby charming town of Pioraco. There's a much smaller museum of papermaking there, but it's got very limited hours. Fabriano was one of the earliest centers of paper making in Europe. You'll just have to come back to Le Marche to see the museum! Jesi is sometimes spelled with a J and sometimes with an I (not an L). The letter J is not considered to be a letter in the Italian alphabet, although it's used in foreign words, like "jeans". Before the 20th century, the J was considered to be just a variant way of writing the letter I, often used when the first or last letter of a word was an I. (An example is the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj in Rome.) I suspect (with no evidence) that Mussolini tried to change the spelling of Jesi to Iesi; he tried very hard to eliminate all foreign influences from the language. He is the one who changed the name "football" to "calcio", and "croissant" to "cornetto". Along the road from our home to Jesi (where we catch the train to Rome when we go there), some of the road signs say "Jesi", while others say "Iesi". In Italian words where "j" is still used, the two letters have an identical sound. In foreign words, it's usually pronounced with the sound it has in English. The Pergolesi theatre in Jesi, unlike many historic theatres, has an active season of plays, dance, and concerts. Ancona suffered severe damage during WWII, but maybe just as much by a series of earthquakes, over the course of eleven months in 1972, that damaged virtually every building in the city. The cathedral of Ancona is the cathedral of San Ciriaco. I don't know where you got Donato & Pietro. There is a cathedral of San Pietro e Donato in Arezzo, maybe you meant that? You found the interior a bit bleak; I love Romanesque architecture, and this is one of the few medieval churches in Italy that hasn't been redone in Baroque style, which I find oppressively ornamental. Speaking of Arezzo, I didn't see any mention of the Basilica of San Francesco, which houses the spectacular fresco cycle, the Legend of the True Cross, by the 15th century artist Piero della Francesca. Did you see that? |
Originally Posted by bvlenci
(Post 17301385)
You've finally arrived in my neck of the woods! I'm curious as to where you visited on your previous trip to Le Marche.
The paper museum in Fabriano has a very interesting tour, and they usually have an English-speaking guide available. I often take visiting friends and relatives there. Several years ago, we took my granddaughter there, and they gave her the tour of her life. At one point in the tour, they demonstrate the making of paper with the traditional machines, and they let my granddaughter make a sheet of paper herself. I don't know if they usually do this with children, but she was super thrilled. They also have a very nice gift store. Their modern factory is in the nearby charming town of Pioraco. There's a much smaller museum of papermaking there, but it's got very limited hours. Fabriano was one of the earliest centers of paper making in Europe. You'll just have to come back to Le Marche to see the museum! Jesi is sometimes spelled with a J and sometimes with an I (not an L). The letter J is not considered to be a letter in the Italian alphabet, although it's used in foreign words, like "jeans". Before the 20th century, the J was considered to be just a variant way of writing the letter I, often used when the first or last letter of a word was an I. (An example is the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj in Rome.) I suspect (with no evidence) that Mussolini tried to change the spelling of Jesi to Iesi; he tried very hard to eliminate all foreign influences from the language. He is the one who changed the name "football" to "calcio", and "croissant" to "cornetto". Along the road from our home to Jesi (where we catch the train to Rome when we go there), some of the road signs say "Jesi", while others say "Iesi". In Italian words where "j" is still used, the two letters have an identical sound. In foreign words, it's usually pronounced with the sound it has in English. The Pergolesi theatre in Jesi, unlike many historic theatres, has an active season of plays, dance, and concerts. Ancona suffered severe damage during WWII, but maybe just as much by a series of earthquakes, over the course of eleven months in 1972, that damaged virtually every building in the city. The cathedral of Ancona is the cathedral of San Ciriaco. I don't know where you got Donato & Pietro. There is a cathedral of San Pietro e Donato in Arezzo, maybe you meant that? You found the interior a bit bleak; I love Romanesque architecture, and this is one of the few medieval churches in Italy that hasn't been redone in Baroque style, which I find oppressively ornamental. Speaking of Arezzo, I didn't see any mention of the Basilica of San Francesco, which houses the spectacular fresco cycle, the Legend of the True Cross, by the 15th century artist Piero della Francesca. Did you see that? Funny you should mention the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj in Rome.The first time I heard of it was when my wife told me that Jill Biden and others were having a luncheon there yesterday. We looked it up and noted they have Caravaggios among other paintings. We like his work and have seen some in Malta, and, on this trip, we accidentally found a few he did of St. Matthew in a Rome church. We also spent time, to be discussed near the end of this report, in Porta Ercole where Caravaggio died. With regard to our prior time in Le Marche, we stayed in Macerata, Urbino and Ascoli Piceno and also fondly recall the small towns of San Ippolito, Apero, Corinaldo and Mondavio. We love the sea and found Le Marche to be a hidden gem, not on the radar of American tourists. We like that. Two corrections thanks to you: (1) We did visit the Basilica of San Francesco and saw the remarkable frescoes. The photos we attributed to the Basilica of San Domenico, I believe, were in fact that Basilica. We also visited the Basilica of San Domenico to see the noted Cimabue crucifix. Five churches in a partial day was way too much to fully digest, and, trying to re-construct things from photos, memories and daily messages to family obviously has its flaws. (2) Yes, of course you are correct that the Ancona Cathedral that we visited, photographed and described is the Cathedral of San Ciriaco; and yes I was confusing the name with the Cathedral we visited in Arezzo. Here is a photo of the crypt and burial site for the martyr of that name in Ancona. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a02e719b4.jpeg |
I’ll never drive in Europe, Whitehall, but the flexibility certainly gave you options that public transport just can’t meet. Fabulous write up again, thanks.
|
Adelaidean The fabulous European rail system and discount airlines provide great options to see much of the continent without cars. We have taken a number of trips to Europe, either in whole or part, without a car. We do enjoy trains, and a car accident in Le Marche nine years ago gave me some pause. We don’t like buses, and we also sometimes like the convenience of a car and the ability to go to out of the way places. For example, I don’t think we could have enjoyed Puglia as much without a car.
|
Day 24: Bevagna, Montefalco again
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3b6fe0bcfc.jpg
BevagnaWith a dozen days left on our five-week trip (four weeks based in Umbria), this was our first of three days, where we stayed close to home. We love pasta. In Umbria, of course they do as well. But the default here is pasta with grated truffles. The first thing I learned to cook was spaghetti sauce, RED sauce that is. Sauteeing garlic in good olive oil before adding fresh, canned or boxed tomatoes. Add some fresh basil, oregano, a little hot pepper. And, sometimes hot sausage or meatballs, fully cooked in the sauce (not fried). I also like pesto. Before our retirement, we owned a 45-room inn on the Maine coast and tried to deal with addiction and ego issues with the available chefs. At least, until our son, who is one of those people who can do anything, took charge of the kitchen. One season, he hired two young women apprentices from Thailand with one-year visas. We were seasonal, so we split them with a ski area in West Virginia. After being trained by our son, they regularly made us our favorite meal, fresh house-made pasta, with lots of pesto. And lots of red sauce with local Maine halibut. I think it’s the Piedmont region that is the only place in Italy that favors such a mixture of sauces. Everywhere else, it is one or the other or something else. That is one of the reasons we eat at home a lot. So, we went to our new favorite pasta shop and the butcher who makes the pesto in Bevagna. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...71dc8c4f6.jpeg And, we loaded up on both. Once home, we made a quick lunch with lemon ravioli and a healthy dose of pesto. No red sauce (although we bought some boxes of crushed tomatoes at Lidl in Foligno for only about $1 USD per large box). We had things to do this afternoon, so it was just a little easier to toss the pasta with someone else’s pesto. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...05f5586118.jpg We were headed back just past Bevagna for a late afternoon in the Montefalco hills. This was a special day for another reason. My wife did some horseback riding as a kid, thanks to a nearby cousin with horses. She has talked a lot about horses over the years, so I finally booked some private time with a horseman in Montefalco. The incredibly inexpensive few hours were marketed as,” there are people who simply want to ride and others who want to understand them to better love them, communicate with them and lead them.” My wife definitely fit into both categories. The narrow dirt lane, with olive groves and grapevines everywhere, brought us to Giovanni’s place. Our eyes quickly scanned the area. The expansive views. The picture perfect horse barn. We quickly met Giovanni and his affable college age daughter and high school son. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...29302f5cb.jpeg Before we met the horses, we were almost ready to sneak all three of these friendly little kittens into our carry-on bags. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...640645d4a3.jpg Then we were introduced to Giovanni’s three horses, and quickly went to equine school, understanding his approach to horsemanship. In short, it is the so-called Parelli approach showing love, communicating and basically, with kind and gentle firmness, showing the horse that you are the leader or boss. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...21494c328b.jpg Ahead of time, Giovanni found some boots that met each of our quirky shoe sizes. Soon, we were saddling the horses and heading into the corral, or the “arena” as he called it. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...061ae7b16d.jpg Don’t be fooled by the photo that suggested we both rode off into the sunset. It soon became evident that it might take more time than was available to get me over my inexperience with horses, so we agreed that Giovanni would take my wife for a ride through the hills. I would stay in the arena with his daughter and get a bit more training. As the sun was setting, all of us got together on the terrace of Giovanni’s home and got to know each other better with some Sardinian beers. A perfect end to a memorable day. |
Days 25 and 26: Spello
Deleted post
|
Days 25 and 26: Spello
After three weeks of near perfect weather, it looked like some cloudiness and rain were finally coming. And, Spello was getting ready for some type of festival. We wanted to be there for it, but still weren’t quite sure what the festivities were all about. It sounded like a big deal, to include three regions and towns, "trains, bikes, mountains and two seas". Italy loves festivals though, so we were all in.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...de814f258f.jpg In three weeks, we still had not been on every street in Spello and even discovered a little bakery out of the way that obviously is only there for locals. And, we got some cornetti for our walk. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cfa2c019b7.jpg In reviewing the many photos of the morning, we see one theme in Spello: arches. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ed43923a8.jpeg We also discovered a beautiful secluded square with the ruins of an old Roman forum. Later in the day, this square would be the center of the big festival. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5bc2ecb13f.jpg Except for the tragedy outside the school a couple days earlier, the only time we see police in Spello is at the beginning and end of each school day. Cars are cleared from the main square, in this case by three officers, and traffic is blocked in the town center. Plush looking buses come in to take kids to the larger community, and there are plenty of parents waiting outside the school as well. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2e89cc37f.jpeg The end of the school day was our signal that it was time for us to eat. More pasta. Strangozzi, a wheat pasta that is the standard in Umbria, is for those who want the closest thing to spaghetti. And, this time, I got my pesto AND red sauce. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5785338c2.jpeg Excitement was building for the “Stravagante”. It seems like a really big festival, since they say it will “overcome borders, explore landscapes, and unite what has been divided: peoples, ideas, affections, time, territories, communities”. Can you imagine a festival like that in the US? https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...03c86af2ae.jpg We got the wine from our two tastings ready for the late afternoon/evening festivities. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...815fbeeea.jpeg This would be the first time we would be required to show our vaccine certificates in Spello. This was new for the volunteers, so we had to explain the legal significance of our CDC cards and have a local person vouch for what we were saying. They were preparing for a crowd in the normally secluded square. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5f5f55d20.jpeg In the main tourist square in the center, two slapstick comedians were doing rope tricks to try to lead people to the 3-day event that started the day before in Rome and will end the next day in Arcevia in Le Marche. After all, from the press release this is a “festival for everyone, itinerant and obstinate, plastic-free, on two wheels, and with many events, from dawn to dusk, including theatrical performances, light and classical music concerts, exhibitions, installations, live painting, street art, workshops for children and more.” This festival travels by bicycle (three days isn’t enough to bring them across Italy, so part of the journey for the bikers is on trains). “Bicycles are an ancient and modern mans of transport like the theater.” I just got around to reading the whole press release for the festival, and now realize it was all about bringing people together after Covid lockdowns. “Stravagante focuses on art, culture, history and beauty. We decided that the best reaction to one of the most anomalous and crazy periods that has ever happened is to ‘do’ and ‘do together’”. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...839b0a24f1.jpg There were 70 artists, storytellers, musicians and illustrators involved in this event. There were two other warm up acts here, besides the guys with the rope act. One was an old-fashioned puppet show and the other more like Sesame Street on wheels. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6611c6a3b.jpeg And then the marching band came in. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fa027f665.jpeg Followed by the bicycles, maybe a dozen, including some bike clowns. One of the cyclists was the brother of Michele Scarponi, an Italian champion racer killed four years in a traffic accident while training. And, the guy on the left with the beige hat, is Dr. Andrea Satta, one of the organizers and a Rome pediatrician who serves hundreds of migrant children. He is best known as a frontman and songwriter for a popular Italian rock band. Sounds like an interesting guy. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c106ef9cf.jpeg There was a community chorus too. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...45989e7c88.jpg And, next, was an evening performance in the little community theatre I mentioned earlier. We wanted to see it, but had been led to believe the 3-day play had been sold out. We stopped by and found that the only seats taken this night were for those people connected to the event. We got a great box and got to see the compact but beautiful opera house. The seats on the floor were covered; we thought for Covid. But that was just part of the play. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8bc55f66e.jpeg On day 26, we finally got some rain in the morning. It did not deter, this accordion player early this morning below our apartment window. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...46a78ddd8f.jpg But as the day progressed, the school kids needed umbrellas to get to their buses. Even though the weather cleared off, we didn’t venture out. Just did some reading, cooked some veggies and potatoes, and, yes a little more pasta, and just relaxed. |
"After all, from the press release this is a “festival for everyone, itinerant and obstinate, plastic-free, on two wheels, and with many events, from dawn to dusk, including theatrical performances, light and classical music concerts, exhibitions, installations, live painting, street art, workshops for children and more.”"–Absolutely fabulous, whitehall...another reason to love Italy.
|
Originally Posted by TDudette
(Post 17301643)
"After all, from the press release this is a “festival for everyone, itinerant and obstinate, plastic-free, on two wheels, and with many events, from dawn to dusk, including theatrical performances, light and classical music concerts, exhibitions, installations, live painting, street art, workshops for children and more.”"–Absolutely fabulous, whitehall...another reason to love Italy.
|
What do you suppose Dr. Satta is like with children?! 😁
|
Really enjoying your descriptions and photos of where you've been and what you've seen. Thanks for sharing!
|
Whitehall, I’m admittedly late to the party that is your wonderful trip report. I had been avoiding travel forums for awhile, with no immediate plan to travel outside the States. I’m glad I finally logged on to read your report.
My husband and I have thrice travelled to Umbria, each time staying a week or so in Spello. Your report is bringing back the best memories. Each time we go to Italy, I try to talk myself out of Umbria, but it’s hard to resist the urge to return. There’s so much there to love. Thanks for sharing your trip with us. |
Whitehall, am so enjoying your detailed descriptions and fabulous pictures, thanks for sharing your journey with us. One of these coming years we hope to spend a month each in France and Italy, your TR only whets the appetite…😊
 |
Thank you dreamon and geetika .
indyhiker Wow. Three separate weeks in Spello! It does feel like home. But we aren't sure we will make it back there. We have been to so many other beautiful places as well and still have so many more to go. And, yes then there is France. At some point we will have to do our Covid-cancelled trip to Corsica. |
Day 27: Perugia & Corciano
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...af34ed089a.jpg
Saturday in Spello brought at least four tour buses. It seemed like it was time to get away, but not where you might expect. We agreed to set aside one day to do some clothes shopping for our daughter’s November wedding. Perugia has an outlet mall, and we decided to start there. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2fbbe1473.jpeg Outside the modern Quasar Village in Perugia, they already have booths set up for what seems like a Christmas market. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...73a36bdcf.jpeg We also saw two Padel courts outside the mall. That’s the sport we previously mentioned that we first learned about watching pros play on TV. A little like pickle ball but they use the glass on the sides and behind the players to bank shots. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f67388319e.jpg Inside, it is spacious, clean and has food courts full of food you might actually want to eat. Even a large grocery store. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...315a684a1a.jpgWhen we didn’t find what we thought we were looking for, we stopped at two other malls, the first one, perhaps a Covid casualty or maybe just part of the demise of retail everywhere. It was close to empty on this Saturday and had a lot of vacancies and a closed multi-plex movie house. They had a lot of food places, one with some great looking bread and two of them American style, a 50’s style dinner and huge wild west place. But make no mistake, the caprese piadina is still the most popular thing at Piadi Burger. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8300a97d91.jpg Our third unsuccessful shopping try was at the upscale mall in the area. It was packed with people, had one of the largest grocers we have ever seen in Italy, and long lines at McDonalds (largely due to green pass requirements). There were other much better food court options with smaller lines, and my wife walked close to one of them to get a peek at the food. Two security guards in suits pounced. You cannot even look at the food there, without showing someone your green card first. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5c8c33a810.jpg Corciano A short ride from the malls is the tiny medieval hill town of Corciano. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b61fc5d05.jpeg It looked like another lucky day for us. We saw a poster promoting a 2-day event “dedicated to kissing and lovers” that included this day. The night before they had book signings by romantic authors, a concert and readings of love poems. And they finished with a walk, along with minstrels, on the wide grand opening of the newly restored Lover’s Lane (the focus, we believe, of this event). The evening’s finale was the projection of photos in a contest and live voting for the “most emotional photo”, followed by an awards ceremony. We never could find the schedule of events for Saturday, so we just showed up. There were QR codes posted in town to get your “Kiss Pass.” https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...30a321c85f.jpg Maybe everyone was exhausted from all the love-making the night before, but what we found was a completely empty town. As perfect and beautiful as any medieval village we have been in. Could be a movie set. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...dcef8fb70a.jpg Stunning. But nobody home. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...29bdf20409.jpg We wanted lunch and did see some signs for an open restaurant and followed them to an area just outside the heart of the village, near a church, and there was lover’s lane. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b4af1e5ff3.jpg Sandwiched between the church and the lane was a massive 4-story well-kept old convent. Inside was a beautiful restaurant with an outside garden full of diners, in large part due to a wedding. We ordered sausage skewers, roasted potatoes and salad. They apologized, in advance, for any food delays since the sausage was grilled to order. No worries and thank you. Another wonderful lunch. |
Day 28: Montone, Citta di Castello, Citerna, and Umbertide
It was an overcast day today, but we decided on a Sunday drive into an area of Umbria new to us, about an hour northwest of Spello and not far from Arezzo. We had four villages on our list, but figure we wouldn’t see them all.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...61b2193873.jpg We are in denial about most of the negatives of Italy, but every time we return, we remark that we forgot about all the cigarette smoke in the air. We have always wondered if the tobacco here is coming from places like Virginia or North Carolina. We got our answer. This area of Umbria has few olives and grapes and lots of tobacco. We checked, Italy actually produces more than one-third of all the tobacco grown in Europe. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4fcddac92.jpeg Citerna Above the tobacco fields, high up on a hill, is the village of Citerna. It is named after the many large cisterns, the remnants of which are still there, that were filled below the village to make sure they always had plenty of water, even when they encountered invaders. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...58140db02c.jpg It is a walled village that has held on despite a long history of earthquakes and invaders, including destruction delivered by the Germans in WWII. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...757719aaa1.jpg It is also another of those “most beautiful villages in Italy.” That is a long list, but how do you choose? https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2f7555b49.jpeg Although the church was closed, a sculpture there recently was attributed to Donatello, and we noticed a Donatello exhibition; but it was also not open. Rather, the town was preparing lunch for people who were beginning to arrive by cars in their Sunday best. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...91c0cc4ba6.jpg We thought of eating in the best looking place that had seats set up. Another concession to Covid, all those tables were in part of a unique covered medieval walkway or passageway that runs along the village wall. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f11eeddb80.jpgWe also saw that the 16th century clock here that reportedly has all wooden mechanical parts. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f6b0d3611.jpeg Although the stone buildings make for a picturesque village, the views outward are what the locals presumably appreciate the most. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...87734e54ac.jpg Città di Castello Next up was the larger Citta di Castello, a walled town only slightly elevated and surrounded by farm fields. Our arrival via a little escalator brought us to a little park near the duomo. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f51a100cbd.jpg Although the cathedral has some restoration work going on, the dome, which collapsed in a 1789 earthquake and was re-done shortly after, was particularly striking. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0509c600bf.jpg The problem in Italy with trying to see several places in one day is some of our potential visits necessarily run up against siesta time. For us, that meant missing two places of interest: a municipal art gallery in an old palazzo, said to have some of the best works to be seen in Umbria, and a 1799 print shop. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2597e2fbc5.jpg Although it was Sunday, we could see that this was normally a busy town, with lots of shops and restaurants on many streets. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...511828e688.jpg We also saw many impressive buildings, the result of a town with a history of many great artists and architects during the Middle Ages. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2ccef8351.jpeg Umbria is the single biggest producer of truffles in Italy, and this area celebrates it with large photos in this empty centrally located building. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0ccb04aea3.jpg We tried at the few sit down restaurants to get lunch, but, although this is a town of few tourists, on Sundays no reservation means no seats. So, we had to settle for fast food, a piadini and some gelato. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f0d0213aff.jpg We don’t know if it is Covid related, but we were surprised at the payment system in this cute little gelato shop. All payments, change and receipts were do it yourself and automated. All by itself in this big square, the gelato seating was at such a distance that it clearly was a nod to Covid. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6cbaf6fd21.jpg Umbertide As we headed back south toward Spello, we stopped at another non-hill town, Umbertide. It is located where the Reggie River, and the better known Tiber, come together. And, frankly, it was the least impressive village of the day. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ca7a8b5e44.jpg Umbertide has a little castle, a nice square and a few medieval streets. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...836f20d61b.jpg They were getting ready for some type of community show later in the day. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...83c8f95f6d.jpg The octagonal church of Santa Maria della Reggia Collegiata was built by the town to house a miraculous icon of the Virgin frescoed inside a nearby small chapel. In 1556, a seven year old girl, with a severely deformed leg and unable to walk on her own, prayed before this icon of the Virgin Mary and reportedly was miraculously healed. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...adcbe2d231.jpg Montone We felt guilty about feeling a bit negative about Umbertide and initially blamed it on it being a gray day. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b5c14602a0.jpg That theory went out the window, as we arrived at Montone, amidst some sprinkles and soon our first Umbrian drenching. We loved Montone, another manicured hill town with great views of the valley below that included a large equestrian center. The perfectly restored historic town is connected more by steps than streets. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a7a2069a0.jpeg No wonder this is the site of the annual Umbria Film Festival. We saw a set of bleachers set up in one little square, perhaps a leftover from the July event. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...636333a3e3.jpg Even the tiny 14th century prison is in a nice square that provided a little light to the cell. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...30a0ccc66.jpeg An old weather station still seemed to be working. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6865df2002.jpg The church of St. Gregory the Great is magnificent in its art and marble of many varying colors. But it is not the only church. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b51fb73cde.jpg We had considered bringing our son’s drone on this trip to best photograph the hill towns we would visit, but we feared we would be arrested for invasion of privacy. When we sought shelter from a sudden downpour, we discovered a convent/monastery connected to the Gothic Church of San Francesco. We paid an admission fee, and entered the somber church as a video was being shown on a large blank wall. The video included a nice aerial shot of this prominent property. The arched cut-out in the screen is the inside of the front door to the church. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d269d257f9.jpg The simple church, with trussed roof ceiling itself has beautiful frescoes, many of them in ruins, and some ancient woodwork. Since the main doors were locked, we entered through a monastic courtyard. There also is a significant museum of local religious artifacts in the lower level. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c70655cab.jpeg A few steps from the church is Rocca di Bracio, castle ruins that appear to be used as a small local gathering place. It is where a famous local renegade tried to create an independent state at one time. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bf8558c73.jpeg After all the day’s driving, it was nice to find a small, easy to use, self-service gas station right at the entrance to Montone. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...558adeb05.jpeg As we left, rays of sun from on high brightened up the Umbrian landscape. |
More Bella Italia and thanks, whitehall. BTW, did you need an app to find petrol stations?
|
Originally Posted by TDudette
(Post 17302057)
More Bella Italia and thanks, whitehall. BTW, did you need an app to find petrol stations?
|
Thanks, we never drove but got the impression that petrol stations (and some parking lots) were cunningly tucked away. 😁
|
Originally Posted by TDudette
(Post 17302182)
Thanks, we never drove but got the impression that petrol stations (and some parking lots) were cunningly tucked away. 😁
|
Day 29: Marmore Falls and Spoleto
We had been putting off going to Marmore Falls, after reading many terrible online reviews: Too crowded. Disappointing. Highly overrated. Expensive. Cheesy. Too many trinket shops. But there were many good reviews as well: Astonishing. Spectacular. A must see. A true engineering marvel.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d49919123d.jpg Torn between the extremes, we decided to get our own opinion, first coming upon extensive power lines leading to various hydroelectric facilities. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a40c3e007b.jpg Marmore Falls A little fog bank in initially clouded the top of Marmore Falls as we entered the lower parking lot. Some people do come from lots at the top of the falls as well. In fact, the ticket office at the lower, busier area was very slow moving with only one ticket seller; we saw few people at the top. There also was no English language literature or maps available. But there it was, the tallest man-made waterfall in the world. 541 feet that comes in three sections. First, the statistics to put it in perspective. Other than an under ocean waterfall, Angel Falls in Venezuela is natural, and it falls 3,212 feet, with most of that in a single drop. So, not such a big deal, except that God didn’t build this one; the Romans did in 271 BC. The history, in short: In the upper area, there was a stagnant wetland, and there were fears it was causing malaria, so the Romans built a canal so that the water could be pushed over the cliff at Marmore. It wasn’t a perfect solution, since it also created floods in the valleys below for many centuries afterward. And, of course, as with some government projects, maintenance wasn’t kept up on the canal. The wetlands returned, and various Popes interceded. It wasn’t until 1787 that the falls were altered into the current drop sections that helped minimize flooding issues, and a hundred years later the water was harnessed to initially power steel mills. After reading multiple reviews, our take is do NOT go on week-ends. That is when most of the negative reactions take place. We went on a Monday. Crowds were at a minimum. Also, make sure you go when the water is turned on. The falls literally are turned off, except for five hours a day: 11-1; 3-5; and 9-10 at night. And, that can be subject too change. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...99de35ac01.jpg There are multiple trails in the park that surround the falls. One of them actually takes you underneath a section of the lower falls, and you will get wet. We stayed away from that one. We did take the zillion steps to the top of the falls. There were caves, and some extra cost tour options in those. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...782e4e9c9.jpeg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fbe015423.jpeg Most of the way up the trail, there is an observation deck that provides and expansive view of the valley as well as an instagram shot of the falls. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7829ab45f.jpeg At the top, there is a bridge that crosses the canal that rushes water to the falls. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5585e2c93e.jpg There are souvenir shops, snack bars and restaurants at both the top and bottom (more at the bottom). https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9bf59e929.jpeg For the daring, there are rafting opportunities. Hard to believe since these waters were really roaring. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9525b9e33.jpeg To get the best vantage point for photos of all three sections of the falls, there is a hiking trail across the street. It is steep, and that deterred some people and slowed others down such that they were unable to get to the best spot before the water turned to a trickle after 1 pm. Since we had to pass Spoleto, we decided to have lunch there for the third time in a month. After all, our introduction to Umbria began there 21 years ago. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c17753997.jpeg Spoleto lunch In all our trips to Spoleto, we had never seen a small Roman theatre that is sometimes used for performances. In fact, we had no idea where it was. Since this would be our last time in Spoleto this trip, over lunch, we promised to find it. For whatever reason, we had simply not googled its location. We tried grilled lamb at Canasta, and it did not disappoint. And then, my wife spotted a historic sign that showed the Roman theatre. The sign was in the outdoor terrace of the restaurant, literally over my shoulder. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...040f0360fd.jpg I got up and peered through an archway with iron rails right behind me, and, we began to laugh, as there was the elusive Roman theatre. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...66981fa8b.jpeg After lunch, it was time to go to our favorite Spoleto gelato place in the town's best square. As we approached, we encountered some activity. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a3957270c0.jpg I previously mentioned “Don Matteo”, a long running Italian TV show that, in its earlier seasons, was filmed regularly in Gubbio. Father Matteo, a Catholic priest helps a local policeman solve crimes. Amazon shows the first seven seasons, with English sub-titles, all filmed in Gubbio. Eventually, the series moved to Spoleto. And, now some characters, including Don Matteo himself have aged, and he just retired. The series continues this upcoming season without him. When we walked onto a live set in Spoleto, all we saw were young hip actors, and it looked more like a Hallmark movie. We were shushed the second we walked into the square. Some locals were shooting videos on their cell phones, and there were security people yelling at them and the locals were yelling back. Unlike film sets, where numerous takes can take hours for one scene, they jumped around the square shooting various scenes one after the other. Several restaurants and bars were turned into gathering places, and we saw lots of cocktails being made and then tossed out. Always something. |
271 BC??! Incredible. Thanks for another glimpse of Spoleto.
|
Beautiful falls, food, Roman theatre, and gelato. What a wonderful way to spend your day. I really have been enjoying your trip.
|
I have the cutest picture of my little niece absolutely soaked when we went to Cascata delle Marmore several years ago. Such a fun excursion. Glad you enjoyed it.
We stayed in Spello that trip. Super cute little town, but too small for me (not for my niece, who loved it). I think if I go again I'd choose Spoleto. Umbria has it all! |
TDudette Those Romans were smart cookies. After all, don’t all roads lead there?
Paqngo Great way to spend five weeks and not much more expensive than just being home. Leely2 Perhaps our going to Spello three times on this trip is a hint that this would be our next pick for Umbria. We also prefer bigger. Staying 4 weeks in one place also isn’t our usual style, but definitely our over-reaction to Covid |
Day 30: Citta della Pieve, Sorano, Pitigliano, Porto San Stefano
Over the week-end, we looked at long range weather forecasts for our last week in Italy, and it looked like our nearly four weeks of great weather might be coming to an end. We weighed being in Umbria for the supposed several days of bad weather or going somewhere else, perhaps closer to the sea. (Spoiler alert: The great weather did NOT come to an end).
Although we had our Spello rental booked through most of the week, we decided to cut it short. We had been on Fodor’s, commenting on other threads about Covid travel in Italy. And, we noticed someone was looking for suggestions on where to stay between Rome and Tuscany. I seconded a recommendation on Orvieto, and recall not being fond of another suggestion, Viterbo (although it was raining when we visited there years earlier). But a couple of posters recommended Orbetello, a place we had never heard of. We soon discovered that is one of three towns on a peninsula known as Monte Argentario. We quickly booked three nights there in an airbnb apartment in Porto San Stefano. One of our few splurges on this trip. As we hit four weeks based in Umbria, on the last day, we will visit several places, including one Umbrian village before making our way into Tuscany. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3c2a8548c.jpeg Our first stop, and the last one in Umbria, is a sophisticated feeling little village Citta della Pieve. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ceeb28c044.jpg Outside the walls of this fortified hill town, things were vibrant and looked very inviting. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0806d87d55.jpg A modern looking coffee shop and lunch place in an old place at the village gate was doing a brisk business, with a professional looking and friendly staff. They seemed to know a lot of their clientele. A young woman flashed a welcoming peace sign our way. And, they were obliging. We asked if a croissant was chocolate, and they said no problem. They had a machine that injected various fillings. We hadn’t seen one of those before. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...864033a151.jpg Clay soil in this part of Umbria, in earlier times, was great for brick making, which explains why nearly everything here is made of brick. This is somewhat unusual, since stone was always preferred by nobles. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d92eba87af.jpg This town gets fewer tourists than other places in Umbria and nearby Tuscany, but those who come are often interested in some noted frescoes. We peeked in a couple of churches, and found others closed. We didn’t want to severely delay our journey to the Mediterranean, so we mostly decided to walk the streets. And, we liked what we saw. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d98a174359.jpg There were numerous little touches that showed local pride. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1b21fd4501.jpg And, speaking of pride. The village has one little hard to find place that they are proud of. At the end of this quiet street, there was an older man walking with the aid of two metal canes. He waved one in our direction. Once he had our attention, he then pointed one of the canes perpendicular to the buildings in front of him. We walked down and realized he was gesturing to us to squeeze down a tiny alleyway. Turns out this was the famous Via Della Baciadonna, which many claim to be the narrowest street in Italy. They say you can kiss someone in the opposite window by just leaning out of yours. We would have never found it if it weren’t for this kind man. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7799ec7d38.jpg As we drove into Tuscany, the landscape was gorgeous. Hill towns that we wished we had time to explore. A roadside “picnic” area that seemingly was built out of ruins. Fields and a distant lake. And, virtually zero traffic. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...202a75478.jpeg The main road rolls right by spectacular Sorano. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2858f5e83.jpeg Yes, Sorano was as photogenic as any town we have visited in the last month. Postcard perfect. Some people liken this village to Matera (one of our favorites in all of Italy). And, although we loved Sorano, “You’re not Matera” (to borrow a similar phrase from our old Texan friend Lloyd Bentsen). It is built on what is called tuff rock, which is not “tough” at all. Rather, that is soft porous volcanic rock. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d3b6aaa0e.jpeg Here is another angle of the town. Note the clock tower. To its right is what looks like a long walkway at the top of a fortress. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...abe4783af7.jpg This spacious terrace, Masso Leopoldino, was literally carved out of the tuff rock below and then flattened. It provides the best views in town. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f615fcbc7.jpeg The view from the terrace shows some of the similarity to Matera, with the many caves cut into the rocks. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8913ac8acc.jpg Even though we were anxious to get to the sea, it was difficult not to explore this pretty town. We even thought about lunch, but options were surprisingly minimal. And, it was no wonder, since there were very few other visitors. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...48912af1fc.jpg We did make our way to the castle, the Orsini fortess. It is very dramatic, and, again, we were the only ones there. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9216299d7.jpeg Pitigliano Just when we thought we had seen perhaps the best looking medieval village of our trip, we reached the dramatic Pitigliano. Wow. Another village sitting on a ridge of tuff rock. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f2c12e0230.jpg There was much to see, and we hardly scratched the surface. Our biggest miss was not seeing the old Jewish synagogue, since this town at one time was known as Little Jerusalem, a haven for Jews fleeing Rome. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2a9ca6b38f.jpg Except for a couple of lunch places, it was fairly quiet here as well. We did see a few Americans, so apparently they were still traveling to Tuscany. A sleepy dog blocked the entrance to the Palazzo Orsini, one of the more popular places to visit. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ce90584fb2.jpg We did see Chiesa di Santa Maria e San Rocco, the oldest church in town. Maybe from the 12th century, its altar proudly bears the coats of arms of the town’s rulers and includes a Medici. Also, it had a timely modern concession with holy sanitizer. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5b0409bd1b.jpg The main square was busy for lunch, so we chose an out of the way place with Covid seating on a little lane. We usually share our food, and one of our dishes was a lamb stew. A plate full of meat wasn’t what we expected, but boy was it tender and tasty. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e1a19c18e.jpeg I previously noted the Italian fascination with Betty Boop, so I guess it’s not just my imagination. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...07d6b18a0.jpeg The city has an underground city of sorts, dating back to Etruscan times. Lots of caves in different places. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...70b55e9e6.jpeg As we departed, we vowed to come back. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1c4bf3aef6.jpg As we entered the Maremma area of southern Tuscany, we had to stop and take photos of these signature cypress tree against a backdrop of recently cut hay. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...aa805f0f2.jpeg Finally, we reached the Mediterranean. OK, technically they call this area the Tyrrhenian Sea. But it was another gorgeous day (the weather guys don’t get it right here either). https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fc6d8ecca1.jpg To best understand the geography of Monte Argentario, we found something in our old photos that was better than a drone shot. In 2012, we were leaving Rome for home and happened to take this photo from our airplane window, not knowing where it was. It is the Monte Argentario peninsula, showing the three causeways that connect it to the mainland. The arrows show the three towns on the peninsula. We entered on the left causeway between the red and black arrows. The black arrow shows Orbetello, which is wholly located on one of the causeways. The yellow arrow is the quiet Porto Ercole. And, the red arrow marks our destination, Porto San Stefano. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ddd886dcc6.jpg Porto San Stefano As we soon discovered, the three villages of this peninsula are all very different. Our airbnb was up a very narrow (seemingly built more for mopeds) road on the side of a hill overlooking the busy port town. The ferries, car and passenger, make regular trips to Giglio Island, made famous nine years earlier in that Costa cruise ship disaster. Great views from our apartment, and dinner downtown was even closer to the boats. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f58ec8dba.jpeg Beautiful night. All the windows open. Nice to be on the water. |
Day 31: Porto San Stefano, Porto Ercole, and Orbetello
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...67df84b52.jpeg
What a beautiful porch to wake up to this morning. What did the weatherman say again? And Umbria weather looks just as nice. Today, we wanted to look at the differences in the three towns of Monte Argentario. Perhaps to see if we made the right pick on where to stay. It was only about a 15-minute drive between the two most distant villages, Porto San Stefano, where our apartment is, and Porto Ercole. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...51aac8ef0.jpeg Since we parked uphill from the seafront Porto Ercole, we decided to first walk up to the castle that is situated above the town. After we paid for parking, we discovered we could have driven up to the castle, where there are a few spaces, and we passed a few people on bicycles. It wasn’t a long hike, but we took extra time to view the stunning coastline. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f0b6457068.jpg This stretch holds the best of the area’s beaches, some of which are operated as businesses with restaurants and private beach accesses. Just beyond is a hotel that has hosted many celebrities. This area is popular, not only for its beauty and privacy, but because of its close proximity to Rome. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bea3d54e55.jpg The Spanish Rocca or fortress is large, but, to our dismay, is closed and, although we couldn’t see inside, there were signs suggesting that the property is now a low rise condo community. Online, it looks like a beautiful project. Perhaps an airbnb there the next time so we can see it? https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a87f679799.jpg Porto Ercole The old town of Port Ercole is compact and somewhat newer looking, probably due to rebuilding after being damaged in WWII bombing. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...abe7a14aa.jpeg To see the village, it’s all up and down, mostly steep stairs, leading to a garden area and the ramparts of the old fortress above. I mentioned the Italian artist Caravaggio previously. He got into a fight in Rome in the early 1600's, and someone was killed. He fled possible murder charges and went to Malta, where we have seen his paintings in the past. Later, he would return to Italy via this area; and he died here, maybe of lead poisoning or even malaria, and maybe on a beach below the town.There are a lot of maybes, but the town has adopted Caravaggio as a sort of favorite son. Despite this murky connection, his name and photo appear on signage and on paths through the old town. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3c15bf61d.jpeg Porto Ercole for many years was largely a fishing village, and, still has some fishermen. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9f026df6c7.jpg The fishing boats are well outnumbered by pleasure craft in the current more resort-like atmosphere. Scuba diving and boat rentals also are quite popular here. There are several restaurants along what we found to be a very quiet waterfront on a gorgeous late summer day. Of the three towns, this one is definitely the chic and most peaceful one. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e095853b8c.jpg Orbetello Halfway between here and Porto San Stefano, where we are staying, is what I call a wide causeway that, as I posted before, links this former island to the mainland. This “causeway” is often referred to as a “lagoon”. This man-made barrier was built, at least in part by the Etruscans in the 5th century B.C. The stone work, or stone walls, that protect the lagoon is an obvious remnant of the Etruscan activity. The symbol of Orbetello is the Spanish Mill windmill that sits in the water. This is the last surviving one built in the 14-1500’s when Spain controlled the area. There were 9 of these mills used to grind wheat for food. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...df7e7fe092.jpg For those arriving from the mainland, there is a city gate that includes two narrow car tunnels. This bus made it, but I doubt buses were part of the planning mix when this Etruscan “Medina Gate” was first built over 2500 years ago. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c155fac226.jpg Attached to the main gate are walls that announce the entrance to an old airport. Seemed like an odd spot, so we looked this up. This was a noted Italian seaplane base in the 1920’s, and later was the launch site of several famed transatlantic flights, including Italy’s first ever. It also gained fame for a flight from Orbetello to the Century of Progress in Chicago in 1933. Later, it was a Luftwaffe base for Nazis, until the US Air Force seized it and used it as one of its D-Day bases. After the war, it became farmland. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...55d084b4c1.jpg We had lunch in a terrace at Per Piacere, against a side wall to the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. We thought this would be an ideal town to try some fish and got the table-side de-boning service. It was very fresh and delicious. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...666c254891.jpg The cathedral itself seemed very simple to us, and most of the photos we took were of a bright, full of sea blue, side altar. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e79b349b82.jpg The small main altar didn’t impress us. Of course, we have been in many gorgeous churches the last several weeks, so our expectations are fairly high. It was built over an Etruscan temple and goes back to 1375. The front steps of the Cathedral lead to a Mexican restaurant, a rather large one in a boxy looking building. And, this is one of those restaurants with color photos of the menu items. Maybe they need that, since Mexican restaurants seem to be a rare breed in Italy. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8f604cd39f.jpg These photos were pulled down from the internet So, okay. Orbetello Cathedral. Ho hum. Or so we thought. Only a few days later, while in Rome, we were looking at Daily Mail online. There was the Cathedral we had just visited three days earlier. Someone apparently was impressed. A royal wedding. Princess Maria Anunciata of Liechtenstein wed an American there, with lots of royalty from Liechtenstein and Luxembourg. And the official photos even showed a part of that boxy Mexican restaurant. We couldn't find anything on the connection between these royals and this lesser known area of Italy. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...96a0d1d80d.jpg After lunch, things were quiet in this village of vibrant colored buildings. We were able to get gelato, but the many shops were closed for siesta. Our overall reaction is that this was the best medieval town here, but it does not take advantage of its seafront location at all.The waterfront is largely reserved for cars, with one way roads on each side of the lagoon. For that reason, it was our least favorite. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8b0094acc.jpeg We returned to Porto San Stefano, just as the car ferry from Giglio Island was returning. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1a3a72d8e.jpeg We left our car at our apartment and decided on a walking tour of the town. The arrow shows the location of our apartment. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b359aa62fe.jpg Our apartment overlooks the first of two harbors in this town. The first one has more commercial boats and the ferries, although there also are some high end yachts in both harbors. Around the corner, the second harbor is all pleasure craft. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e20c1935ed.jpg This second harbor has many restaurants along the waterfront. There is a mixture of newer and old here. The bottom photo on the left shows an old fort that stands in the middle of the oldest section of the village. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a0dbab212d.jpg This second harbor also leads to the extremely minuscule beach areas available on this side of the peninsula. The opposite area of the island has the dramatic and larger, and often difficult to access, beach areas. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e43e199ee.jpeg We headed toward the fort to see it before it closed for the day. On the way up, behind us, a small van was literally hopping its way up the old stone stairs before stopping when a moped was in its way. They got out and looked like they were just going home. We know that parking is in limited supply here, but we wondered about the van’s suspension system. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6a5af2e058.jpg Foretzza Spagnola Porto Santo Stefano, built by Spanish from late 1500’s into the early 1600’s, served in military conflicts up to and including WWII. It is now a museum with a very friendly staff. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...25ffe5dfa0.jpg There are two large retail fish stores on the waterfront with lots of seafood variety. Four guys cutting fish right out front. And, they are open into the evening. |
More new and interesting places, whitehall. Thank you.
|
Thank you so much for taking me back to Orbetello, whitehall. i suspect that I was one of those who mentioned it favourably and I'm so glad that you enjoyed the area, if not so much Orbetello itself. For me it was an ideal place for a week, and not only because I was attending a language school there, though that was a lot of it. I loved the ancient feel of the town, the fact that it didn't make that much of the waterfront, the lack [then] of rampant tourism. It was also an ideal base for touring which was organised through the school, and took us to Porto Ercole, Pitigliano, Massa Maritima, the hot springs at Saturnia, and lots of other places the names of which are lost in the midsts of time.
<< had lunch in a terrace at Per Piacere, against a side wall to the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. We thought this would be an ideal town to try some fish and got the table-side de-boning service. It was very fresh and delicious.>> I can imagine. We didn't eat there but for future reference just outside the walls there is a restaurant run as a cooperative by the local fisherman which was terrific. |
TDudette Italy literally has hundreds of such places, so the material is endless.
annhig Yes, it was YOUR recommendation to go to Orbetello. So, thank you very much for that. Your words are obviously powerful. Orbetello is a nice place. I merely was comparing it to two other places and what we were looking for in a place to stay. We wanted to look at the sea.You also suggested Porto Ercole as an alternative, and we might have personally preferred that if we could have found a good last minute rental there. |
Loving the report; thanks; enjoying the photos too. So enjoy Umbria, especially Assisi, Spello, and Perugia.
|
Originally Posted by whitehall
(Post 17303005)
TDudette Italy literally has hundreds of such places, so the material is endless.
annhig Yes, it was YOUR recommendation to go to Orbetello. So, thank you very much for that. Your words are obviously powerful. Orbetello is a nice place. I merely was comparing it to two other places and what we were looking for in a place to stay. We wanted to look at the sea.You also suggested Porto Ercole as an alternative, and we might have personally preferred that if we could have found a good last minute rental there. Looking forward to seeing where you go next! |
Day 32: Monte Argentario (Porto San Stefano to Porto Ercole)
The entire peninsula, where we are staying, is known as Monte Argentario. The day before, we drove on the well-travelled roads between the three villages. Today's journey will be a little different.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...97a11c84e1.jpg Monte Argentario from our airplane window 2012 For our last full day here, we decided to drive between Porto San Stefano and Porto Ercole, this time via the more remote parts of the peninsula, traveling along the west side down to the south side. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7087008e65.jpg Once we left our busy port town, traffic thinned to a trickle. We started to see some great views of neighboring islands, and there were some scenic pullovers. We could see to the bottom of the clear azure blue waters We stopped at scenic overlooks two or three times before noticing two other European tourists doing the same thing. Those were the only other cars on this road, which started out paved. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2936390f94.jpg We had read that this peninsula was a quiet refuge for the rich and famous. Queen Juliana of the Netherlands at one time had a large villa here, as well as many well-known Italian celebrities and successful business people. So, we weren’t surprised to begin seeing sumptuous villas here with a wide open view of Giglio Island. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...471ee9018b.jpg Costa Concordia from our airport window 2012 On the right side of Giglio island, which faces Monte Argentario, in January 2012, the Costa Concordia cruise ship went aground, due to a Captain’s recklessness, and 32 passengers perished as the ship capsized and sank. Four months later, from an airplane window, we captured this photo of Giglio Island with the Costa ship (arrow) still on its side. It was 16 more months before it was brought upright and another 7 months before it was re-floated and moved. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fb2a5365bd.jpg We passed the driveways for many beautiful estates, with stone walls, wrought iron gates, swimming pools built into the rocks and even an address plate that included a painting of its villa. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d87a5dc4b9.jpg We saw signs for a vineyard and olive oil outlet and followed the signs down a dark and winding and very narrow road that seemed endless. There were turns so sharp that they required a mirror. This one was so tight, and with such a limited sight line, we honked our horn coming and going before noticing the sign with the cross over the horn. Ooops. They must get that a lot. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...50fa1c6d2.jpeg There are ruins of several old forts and castles of Spanish rulers from the Middle Ages. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2761e87c1.jpeg The vistas began to be more reminiscent of the Amalfi coast, a wilder version, definitely without the tourists. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...da5975221.jpeg The views are distracting for the driver. Roads are narrowing with lots of hairpin turns. Not enough room for two vehicles, especially larger ones. We completed a long descent and are surprised to pass one of the tourists we saw with Netherlands plates. Looks like they turned back. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7100760363.jpg Actual sign and as seen using Google Translate We came upon a large sign and stopped, along with one car driven by an Italian man. His wife spoke a little English, and they stood with us contemplating our options Neither one of us wanted to go back up that awful hill we had just come down. Buy we translated the sign on our phone. Going any further meant we were trespassing. The translated words were clear: Private Property. No access allowed. “Dossi” which we later determined means “bumps” on the whole route. Narrow street. Dangerous curves. The Italian driver finally turned to his wife and said in Italian what sounded like “F……it….Andiamo” And we followed them. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c07fb00fa.jpeg In a short distance, we came upon a large parking lot, and saw beach goers headed to the water. At this point, we realized we had the chance to head back, on a different road, away from the water, to Porto San Stefano. This is how all these beach goers must have reached here. The Italian motorist turned at that point. We were now alone. We pulled over to soak in the scenery. To this day, we are surprised how one of the most beautiful tracts of coastline in Italy, two hours to Rome, is virtually inaccessible. People drive almost double that time from Rome to sit in bumper to bumper traffic for similar sights on the Amalfi coast. What a tourist goldmine this could be. But then the environmentalist in me says we are certainly glad they have largely left it alone. It was such a beautiful day, and the views were so magnificent, we decided to keep on. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2a4f14bf9.jpeg More anxiety and pause with additional warning signs. Landslide danger. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...34856c479.jpeg Dead Sea: A beach for those coming on that other road And then we see the word “morto,” another bad sign. However, in this case, we learned later, this Dead Sea got its name because it is a protected rocky beach with calm waters. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...220ec22e9.jpeg We came across a group of mountain bikers from Germany at an unusually wide spot in the gravel road. They designated one of them to be their spokesman since he was the only one who spoke English. They told us that the road was ok for bikes but was very rough for the next seven kilometers, and we “might” make it if we drive at extreme slow speeds. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...58724a723.jpeg At this point, we saw two other vehicles ahead of us. They both stopped ahead, and the car turned back. We conferred with the couple with a small motorhome van. They were from Germany, and we advised what the bikers told us. They allowed us to go first, followed for a little bit, and then we never saw them again. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bf9b8ed800.jpg Three more warning signs. Bumpy road. Landslides. And one with just an exclamation point. You don’t want to move over to get too close to that sign. It’s straight down. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fdf6e88558.jpg It was slow going, and, of course, no other vehicles (thankfully). The views almost made it all worth it. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8117f8e345.jpg Signs of rock slides and washouts truly made the ride, mostly at 10-15 mph, very bumpy. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5dcc675f1.jpeg As we ready for the last 4 km, one more sign. This one came already translated. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cc7f781b0.jpeg One last photo of the great views. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f95c582c6.jpeg We finally reached Porto Ercole. Another quiet day there. We were thinking the guys who rented boats had a really good life under their tent all day. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b9bc7f4fd.jpeg We also saw this “Born Again” Chris Craft in a boat shed. We see a lot of these in the Finger lakes region when we visit our son there. What we could not figure out is how they got it there, on the trailer with New York plates. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...eac140bb7.jpeg Porto Ercole And finally, a Prosecco toast to our car for making the road we probably should not have taken. |
Amazing photos! You are much braver than us - we would have turned back at the German cyclists.
|
Wow, that was quite a trip. Reminded me of some of the roads we found in Sicily a few years ago, not to mention the drive along the south of Crete on a road that the map indicated existed but in reality was several steps short of completion. Still it makes quite a story!
<<We pulled over to soak in the scenery. To this day, we are surprised how one of the most beautiful tracts of coastline in Italy, two hours to Rome, is virtually inaccessible. People drive almost double that time from Rome to sit in bumper to bumper traffic for similar sights on the Amalfi coast. What a tourist goldmine this could be. But then the environmentalist in me says we are certainly glad they have largely left it alone. It was such a beautiful day, and the views were so magnificent, we decided to keep on.>> When I was there [which from the date you give for the Costa Concordia accident must have been exactly 10 years ago, but in May] I was told that the area was very popular with weekending Romans as it's only 150 kms away or so, though I didn't see any of them. Whether they get anywhere near to the area you so bravely explored I don't know. |
Jackie44 We wished we had turned back multiple times during those 45 minutes it took us to go those 7 km ( a little over 4 miles).
annhig We have driven in Sicily, but I don't recall roads like this one. We plan to go back to Sicily in May, so you never know. The only danger we experienced driving in Sicily was the sketchy gas station guy in Trapani, who, after we filled the tank, wouldn't take a credit card and insisted my last 50 was counterfeit. Fortunately, we were able to go through the car and scrape up just enough to pay the fuel bill. We aren't sure if he switched 50's (there was a lot of activity between him and a guy in a car after I gave him the bill) and gave me a fake bill; or if he had something else in mind, like trying to seize our car, or some other belongings, for the otherwise unpaid bill. It was a little unsettling. |
Originally Posted by whitehall
(Post 17303191)
Jackie44 We wished we had turned back multiple times during those 45 minutes it took us to go those 7 km ( a little over 4 miles).
annhig We have driven in Sicily, but I don't recall roads like this one. We plan to go back to Sicily in May, so you never know. The only danger we experienced driving in Sicily was the sketchy gas station guy in Trapani, who, after we filled the tank, wouldn't take a credit card and insisted my last 50 was counterfeit. Fortunately, we were able to go through the car and scrape up just enough to pay the fuel bill. We aren't sure if he switched 50's (there was a lot of activity between him and a guy in a car after I gave him the bill) and gave me a fake bill; or if he had something else in mind, like trying to seize our car, or some other belongings, for the otherwise unpaid bill. It was a little unsettling. |
Originally Posted by annhig
(Post 17303201)
Sorry to hear about your unsettling experience; luckily we missed anything like that, our problems were with the state of some of the roads not the nefarious intentions of the locals. I wonder what his reaction would have been if you'd said you were calling the police - though I always think of doing those sorts of things far to late. Anyway I look forward to finding out where you plan to go, and will be very happy to share our experiences with you if you think that might be useful .
Thank you on Sicily. We plan to spend a few days in a little hill town, where my grandfather came from (we were there only once for an hour). We have based in Taormina, Ortiga, Trapani and Palermo in the past. However, as we discovered in Umbria, you can go there many times, and there always is something new. Due to Covid, we canceled a trip last year that included southern Calabria (we've been in the north) and Sicily (to include Modica and Ragusa and Caltagirone among others). |
| All times are GMT -8. The time now is 04:19 AM. |