Ultimate Umbria in 4 Weeks
Oct 26th, 2021, 03:04 AM
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Oct 26th, 2021, 04:25 AM
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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.
And geetika and annhig elephants! Maybe from the Rome zoo that we finally get to at the end of this report.
Oct 26th, 2021, 04:39 AM
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Day 16: Back to Castiglione del Lago, Lake Trasimeno, Isola Maggiore
Back 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.
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.
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.
We 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.
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.
Back on the mainland, we walked around the waterfront that surrounded Castiglione, full of parks, even a beach.
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.
And then this gorgeous sunset.
Oct 26th, 2021, 05:55 AM
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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.
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.
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.
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.
Other things from the past are just to attract tourists to places like this farm to table restaurant overlooking Civita
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The 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
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.
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.
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.
Other things from the past are just to attract tourists to places like this farm to table restaurant overlooking Civita
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The 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
Oct 26th, 2021, 09:29 AM
#85
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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 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?
Oct 26th, 2021, 10:24 AM
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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 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!
Oct 26th, 2021, 01:04 PM
#87
<< 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.
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.
Oct 27th, 2021, 03:35 AM
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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.
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.
Last edited by bvlenci; Oct 27th, 2021 at 03:38 AM.
Oct 27th, 2021, 06:55 AM
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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.
Oct 27th, 2021, 07:09 AM
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Oct 27th, 2021, 07:38 AM
#91
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.
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.
Oct 27th, 2021, 08:15 AM
#92
<<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!
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!
Oct 27th, 2021, 09:36 AM
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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.
Oct 27th, 2021, 09:39 AM
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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.
Oct 27th, 2021, 10:52 AM
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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.
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.
Oct 27th, 2021, 11:32 AM
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Day 19: Norcia, Castelluccio
As 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
It looks like some businesses just gave up.
Others appear to be untouched.
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.
For those who lost their businesses, a new merchant row was created just outside the town walls.
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.
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.
We left Norcia, seeing destruction along the way, and made the ascent above Norcia and the valley below.
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.
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.
The long stretch of openness is home to hundreds of sheep, a campground, hiking trails and horses to ride.
Castelluccio
Castelluccio was a small medieval village, constructed on the remains of a Roman town. Today, it is closed, and sadly mostly gone.
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.
We took a different direction home, not any less spectacular.
Also, not any less affected by the earthquakes.
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.
Oct 27th, 2021, 12:11 PM
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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 Corfù, 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.
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 Corfù, 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.
Oct 27th, 2021, 05:00 PM
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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.
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.
Oct 28th, 2021, 06:29 AM
#100
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.
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!
