Italy – GoGrano

Deruta, Italy

The moment we learned we’d be staying near the little Italian town of Deruta, we knew we would want to shop for china (why is it called “china” and not “italy”?). In Deruta, there’s nearly 15 kilometers of ceramics factories and store fronts, one after the other.

My sister Lyn lives in pottery country in North Carolina and one of our favorite ways to spend a day is to mosey between pottery stores, picking up vases, dishes and cups while admiring the artistry of the potters. No matter how much pottery we bring home, we always find room for one more beautiful piece.

Things were a little different in Italy. Anything we bought would have to become part of the weight allowance in our luggage. We all wanted to shop in store after store but we were very limited by weight and shape. It was frustrating not being able to buy what we wanted, but it also meant we chose only our very favorite pieces to bring home.

Deruta

Deruta is located in central Italy in Umbria. The area is known for its refined maiolica manufacture which has been on-going since the early middle ages.

But Deruta is also a town where people live and work. While the top of the town is a small walled city (small because the population was ravaged by the Plague in the middle ages), the lower parts of the town are modern with compact apartment buildings, numerous shops, and well planned streets.

Maiolica

Pottery decorates the showrooms, front windows, and even the buildings of Deruta. At the Museum of Deruta Ceramics, some of the ceramics are used to tell stories. A signed work by Mancini hangs outside on a wall, telling the story of Ovidio’s 1541 Metamorfosi. The 15 books of Ovid’s Metamorphoses are a Latin narrative poem telling the history of the world, beginning with the creation. The ceramic piece hanging on the wall outside the museum is really this beautiful.

Ceramic wall art in Deruta, Italy 2016 — Wall art in ceramics in Deruta, Italy 2016

Our souvenirs

We met a delightful woman in one pottery store who painted a ceramic duck. My sisters knew I loved the duck and they bought it for me for my birthday. Here I am with my hand-wrapped duck and the lovely painter.

DSC01883 Deruta Duck Italy 2016 — This is the duck that was wrapped up in the large package in the photo, above. He now sits on my breakfront in my dining room as an ever-present memory of Deruta, Italy 2016.

DSC01881 Italy 2016 — These small pieces have a place of honor in my guest bath. From Italy 2016

DSC01882 Italy 2016 — This pretty planter sits on a window sill but try as I might, I can’t get anything to grow in the way of herb seeds. I’m going to try a small flower. Italy 2016

Dinner in Deruta

After a long day of sightseeing in the rain, we looked for a good local restaurant for dinner. This is what it looked like out our windshield:

Our dash through the rain was rewarded with an outstanding dinner when we found the Osteria il Borghetto as recommended by Trip Advisor. The tiny restaurant is easy to find, we parked right out front, and we were greeted by the owner as if we were his own family with hugs and kisses at the door.

We simply ordered the special of the day and were treated with a baked caserole as an appetizer – a delicious blend of vegetables and cheese. Our first plate was a combination pasta in a spicy sauce that was extraordinarily well flavored with perfectly cooked pasta. Pork loin made up our meat dish; it was accompanied with an zesty slaw and a flavorful polenta puff.

After dinner, the owner came to our table with 15-year-old balsamic vinegar. He poured out a small teaspoonful and offered it to each of his guests. POW! the flavor was rich, full and sweet. It was the perfect dessert after a heavy meal. He told us the vinegar is a gift from a friend and he shares it with his customers each night.

We left with more hugs all around. What an extraordinary dining pleasure in Deruta, Italy!

Civita – The town that is dying

The anciet town of Civita is dying smack in the middle of Italy. Civita is a 2,500-year-old Etruscan town built on stone that has slowly eroded or crumbled. An earthquake did in the only roadway leading into town. Once isolated by steep hills, Civita now has a long stone bridge that allows for foot traffic. With the bridge, tourism has picked up a bit.

That's Civita way in the distance surrounded by the Umbrian hills. Civita, Italy 2016. — That’s Civita way in the distance surrounded by the Umbrian hills. Civita, Italy 2016.

Civita is located next to the town of Bagnoregio, a nondescript town that offers parking near the foot bridge. We had a difficult time trying to figure out where to park. A few signs pointed towards Civita but the parking lots were just dirt lots with a machine for payment. My advice for parking is just drive as close as you can to Civita. When the roads stop but Civita is in sight, park there. I felt perfectly safe staying in the car alone and enjoyed the company of a wandering cat while my sisters hiked across the stoe bridge to Civita.

DSC00645 Civita, Italy 2016 — Catwalk – Civita, Italy 2016.

I was tired after a long day of exploring but my sisters chose to hike down the long stone staircase and across the bridge into town. It took them about 15 minutes of walking to reach Civita, take a quick glance into the city center, and then another 15 minutes to walk back.

This is the start of the long stairway that leads to the footbridge to Civita. Civita, Italy 2016.

Without taking the long hike, I still enjoyed the feeling of remote Italy. Civita is surrounded by hills that roll into a wilderness that is not expected in Italy. The serenity of the setting was peaceful and provided the perfect ending to a long and busy day.

That's me with my back to Civita. Civita, Italy 2016. — That’s me with my back to Civita. Civita, Italy 2016.

If you’re looking for an interesting hill town that is low on crowds, Civita may be the town for you. Rick Steves has also written a charming story with a lot more detail about Civita that you may enjoy.

Here’s a live webcam if you’d like to see the “action” in Civita for yourself.

The Papal Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi

The Papal Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi is so much more than the mother church of the Franciscan Order. It’s really a living memorial to the teachings of St. Francis plus an accessible gallery to the extraordinary paintings by Giotto and Cimabue.

Note: I’ve written a separate blog about the hill town of Assissi.

Basilica of St. Francis. Assissi, Italy 2016 — Basilica of St. Francis. circa 13th century. Assissi, Italy 2016

As we approached the Basilica after a rain-drenched walk through Assissi, we were surprised to see soldiers guarding the church. We had felt protected as we strolled through the town, never realizing that soldiers guaranteed our safety. The soldiers were carrying out Operazione “Strade Sicure” (Operation Safe Streets) as part of activities in place throughout Italy.

Operation Safe Streets. Assissi, Italy 2016

DSC00452 Assissi 2016 — Operation Safe Streets. Assissi, Italy 2016

The irony of soldiers guarding this area just steps fom a statue of St. Francis, spiritually exhausted, returning from war was not lost on us. We are grateful for these soldiers and all the men and women who protect us during our travels. Thank you!

Italian soldier in front of Francis, returning from war before he was a monk. Assissi, Italy 2016

We were advised to tour the Basilica late in the day in order to avoid crowds. But we arrived so late that guards were slowly closing down the church. We started in the top level — apparently, we should have started in the lower level — and had to make a mad dash to the lower level before it was closed. We had allowed for 30 minutes in each of the levels but that was just not enough time to take in everything. The exhausting run from the upper to the lower level in the pouring rain was absolutely, 100% worth the sprint: when we arrived in the lower Basilica, mass with a full choir was being sung in Latin! It was absolutely gorgeous.

But let me start with the Upper Basilica. As we entered the upper level, a monk in a small booth to the right sold us entrance tickets. A haphazard scatter of crowds walked up and down roped-off aisles, eyes aloft, admiring the frescoes that covered the walls of the church.

basilica_superiore_220 — Photo from assisionline.com

When we visited Giotto’s works in Padua, we entered a sealed chamber to normalize our breath, then we were admitted to the Scrovegni Chapel in small groups for just 15 minutes. This was done to protect the Giotto frescos. But large crowds wandered at will around the St. Francis Basilica frescos and no measures were taken to protect the art. The feeling seemed to continue the themes of St. Francis that people were more important than stuff. Nevertheless, there is a controversy about the protection, and even the restoration efforts, of the Basilica’s wall paintings.

Giotto, Renunciation of Wordly Goods Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Upper Church Photo via: Wikimedia Commons — Giotto, Renunciation of Wordly Goods
Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Upper Church
Photo via: Wikimedia Commons

There was also controversy for many years about whether or not the paintings in the Basilica were by Giotto or by a variety of other painters. During the restoration process in 2012, however, restorers discovered a signature of Giotto proving that at least some of the frescos were part of Giotto’s early body of work.

Despite the controversy, it was a thrill to see the cycle of 28 frescos up close. They depict the life of St. Francis – the cathedral was started the day after Francis was named a saint so the stories of Francis were vivid. I was not permitted to photograph the cycle; I think it was more because of crowd control than fear of damaging the paintings. So I refer you to wikimedia for a full telling with photos of the cycle.

When we arrived breathless to the Lower Basilica (guards closed the church for the day right after we raced through the doors), the guards put their fingers to their lips to indicate silence. We tiptoed into the Lower Basilica and we were greeted by a mass featuring a full choir with music. It was glorious!

Every surface of the Lower Basilica is painted with scenes from the Bible. The body of St. Francis is buried down a stairway discovered nearly 600 years after his death. We relaxed into the calm of mass, satisfied with a full day of peace and beauty thanks to St. Francis of Assissi.

“Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take nothing that you have received…but only what you have given; a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice, and courage.”
— St. Francis of Assissi

Assissi, Italy

Assissi tumbles down a hillside inviting visitors to climb their way to worship. In spite of all the stone, there is a feeling of softness to Assissi; it is an invitation to a simpler life. Even the soldiers cradle their arms, clearly embarrassed at the need to bring weapons onto this sacred ground.

In Assissi we found subdued tourists who spoke in whispers, shopkeepers who offered keepsakes to pilgrims but charged reasonable prices, churches that emphasized art as a path to understanding rather than a treasure to keep under lock and key. For 100 different reasons we felt welcomed as part of a gentle community in Assissi.

(Note: I write about the Basillica of St. Francis of Assissi in a companion blog.)

When we first spotted Assissi from a distance, it looked like Rivendell, cloaked in mists and holding its head up against the rain. We were surrounded by hill towns but I wanted this particular hill town to be Assissi because it was breath-taking in its beauty. I let out a sigh of pleasure when we realized this special town was, indeed, our destination.

We followed the Rick Steves app for Assissi. Before we left home, we downloaded all of Rick Steves’ audios tours and maps of Italy onto our Smartphones. The tours are excellent and do not eat up your data plan if you download the tours ahead of time. The tours all use just a tiny bit of energy from your phone so you don’t have to worry about running down your battery. Just plug in any set of earphones and you are ready to go.

We used the Rick Steves tour book which was spot on in recommending parking. However, after parking the car below ground, we realized we were on the basillica side of town, about a mile away from the start of the audio tour at Piazza Matteotti. We used the immaculate bathrooms and then asked the parking attendant if there was a way to get to Piazza Matteotti. “Just take the bus,” he advised. We walked to the nearest souvenir shop to buy the $1 bus ticket. When we walked in, the shop attendant did not even look up from her phone conversation, she just pushed three tickets our way and accepted our euros.

We walked about 50 steps to the stop and a large, clean bus arrived almost immediately. We dropped our tickets into the slot near the driver and settled back for a fast ride that circled the town of Assissi, dropping passengers at about four stops before reaching Matteotti Piazza.

Now here’s the thing that makes me crazy about Rick Steves tours. I can never seem to find the spot to begin the tour. The directions are clear, “exit the square from its uphill or northeast corner.” Here’s the problem. We had no compass. (Note to self: pack a compass for my next trip.) And every corner of the square looked to be uphill. Rick advised the piazza is on the east end of town. So it would make sense that northeast would continue in the direction east of town. Nope. We tried every corner before asking a local resident where our first stop, a Roman ampitheater ruin could be found. The resident was friendly but took a moment to direct a truck hauling propane tanks to a pull off on the ancient medieval street. We watched, fascinated, as the driver backed his huge truck into a chariot-sized space. Then the resident smiled and pointed down a tiny alley so off we trotted.

When you visit Assissi, you’ll definitely want to visit the cathedral but the back streets of Assissi are beyond charming. We visited in March before the chaos of visitors and flowers, but already we could see spring in every street we walked along. I would love to return in June during the town’s wall garden competition. If this early preview of flowers was any sign, the June showcase must be unequaled.

Assissi, Italy 2016

We, however, visited on a cold, rainy day in March so most people were tucked inside their homes. The few residents we saw scurried quickly under umbrellas from small shops to small stone houses. As they shut their doors, a golden, glowing light would come on in their front window hinting at warmth and comfort. We were left in the rain and cold but were still delighted by the care residents took with their front stoops and extensive gardens. The 2,000-year-old town of Assissi has taken full advantage of location and climate to create a graceful city with winding streets that slowly reveals pink-tinted limestone pleasures around every corner. Every half hour or so, bells would ring out to celebrate the day and we would be reminded anew that we were just three women among millions who have made the pilgrimage to Assissi.

Assissi is filled with churches, each a treasure with a story to tell. The Cathedral of San Rufino is located just west of the Piazza Matteotti. Named after Assissi’s first bishop and patron saint, the cathedral was built in the 11th century with a Romanesque facade. Both St. Francis and St. Clare were baptized here.

Saint Francis was baptized at San Rufino. Assissi, Italy 2016 — Saint Francis and Saint Clare were both baptized at San Rufino in the mid-12th century. . Assissi, Italy 2016.

This is the old Roman cistern located within the San Rufino Cathedral. This was the town's main water source when under attack. Assissi 2016 — This is the old Roman cistern located within the San Rufino Cathedral. This was Assissi’s main water source when the town was under attack. Assissi 2016

12th century stone work outside San Runio.

In spite of the importance of Assissi as a rich hill town along the trade route between Rome and nothern Italy, we were drawn to Assissi because of our love for St Francis. He may have been the first saint we learned about after the Holy Family. St. Francis loved animals. St. Francis preached to the birds. St. Francis was humble. We should be like St. Francis. These were the teachings of our nuns, the Sisters of St. Joseph, when we attended St. Andrews School in Upper Arlington, Ohio. I loved the reality of the paragons of virtue that our nuns presented to us. “I should be more like St. Francis,” I would think and make a mental note to be nicer to our little dog, Tiki. The nuns’ stories, however, never quite squared with the reality of bringing home a lost animal and asking, “Can I keep him?” Mom always said no. Obviously she had not taken the St. Francis story to heart.

Statue of St. Francis of Assissi in front of an Assissi store.

I was particularly touched by the honest approach of shopkeepers in Assissi. They did not hawk their goods or gouge tourists. Prices were fair. For example, I purchased a pair of hand-made olive wood salad tossers for under $10; in Rome, similar wood implements cost more than double that. Shopkeepers took their time, looked you in the eye, and wished you a pleasant visit.

DSC00400 Assissi 2016 — Look around and you’ll see grandparents everywhere on tour. Shopkeepers know this and market beautifully-made children’s clothing for grandmas to take home to their little bambinos. Shop window in Assissi, Italy 2016.

DSC00431 Assissi 2016 — Shop in Assissi, Italy 2016.

Shop. Assissi, Italy, 2016. — Arced roof of the old Market painted in the 16th century. Assissi, Italy, 2016.

Assissi also features many monks walking the streets, often arm-in-arm with a visiting tourist. I was never sure if they were proselytizing monks or monks-tour-guides-for-hire, or what, but they were prodigious and friendly on the streets of Assissi. Rick Steves writes, “All over Europe I find monks hard to approach. But there’s something about “the jugglers of God,” as peasants have called the Franciscan friars for eight centuries, that this Lutheran finds wonderfully accessible. (Franciscans modeled themselves after French troubadours — or jongleurs — who roved the countryside singing and telling stories and jokes)” (Steves).

DSC00398 Assissi 2016 — Monk and visitor in Assissi, Italy 2016.

As we grew pscyho-glycemic, we began to search for a place to get out of the rain and enjoy a relaxing lunch. We spotted this little Trattoria Spadini in a side street near the Piazza Santa Chiara and dashed in from the rain. Many people laugh at the idea of a Tourist Menu, but we gamely ordered the tourist specials for 15 Euros and filled our tummies with superbly prepared food. We also enjoyed the delightful company of two flirty bus drivers who accompanied some of the hundreds of students on tour of Assissi but chose to dine at the table next to us. The old adage to eat where the bus drivers eat held true even in Assissi.

DSC00391 Assissi 2016 — Trattoria near Santa Chiera. Assissi, Italy 2016.

Vegetable bean soup. Assissi, Italy 2016.

After warming up over our delicious lunch, we strolled to the Piazza San Chiara to see the Church of St. Clare. We walked under lovely pink arches and came out on one of the large piazzas that Italians do so well. I love these meeting places where people can gather to enjoy the sunshine and the company of others. Empty in the rain, we treasured the quiet and enjoyed seeing the merry-go-round featuring a breast-feeding madonna.

Tourists in the rain. Assissi, Italy 2016

The Church of St. Clare is pretty and worth a quick breeze-through. But we were tired of the cold, driving rain and intent on reaching the Cathedral of St. Francis. So after a few minutes visit to St. Clare’s, we continued wandering through the streets of Assissi and found ourselves at the Church of St. Stefano.

The rural Church of St. Stefano was built by local builders without a plan. It’s a typical Italian hill-town church built outside the city walls.

Most of Assissi was built on the ruins of an ancient Roman city. The Temple to Minerva still stands. We found students sitting on the steps, smoking cigarettes and ducking out from their roving chaperones. Four boys, about 14 years old, laughed with us when we asked for a photo, and were friendly as they enjoyed their field trip away from school.

DSC00439 Assissi teens — Teens on a field trip hang out in a stairway. Assissi, Italy 2016

Located on the Piazza del Commune, the 1st century BC Temple of Minerva marks Assissi as always representing a sacred place. The Temple once towered over the street but as the street was paved and repaved, the street just kept getting closer to the Temple.

Temple of Minerva. Assissi, Italy, 2016.

The very first Nativity scene, or creche, was created by St. Francis. I love beautiful creches and enjoyed seeing the many creche displays located throughout Assissi.

DSC00459 Assissi 2016 — Creche. Assissi, Italy, 2016.

DSC00429 Assissi 2016 — Creche. Assissi, Italy, 2016.

Here’s my nativity scene that I put up every Christmas. My parents gave me nearly every Lenox piece and my father built the stable, one of my very favorite possessions.

My sister gave me the large elephant on the far left for my 50th birthday. Christmas creche, 2011

And now, on to the Basillica of St. Francis of Assissi!

Just one closing thought: Why is that every time I type out the word “Assissi” I keep wanting to spell “Mississippi?”

Sources

Steves, R. (n.d.). Franciscan Friars and Tourists Share Assisi. Retrieved from Rick Steves’ Europe: https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/articles/franciscan-friars-and-tourists-share-assisi

Cassino and the La Reggia Outlet Mall near Caserta

After leaving the rain and cobblestones behind in Pompeii, we decided to spend the night in Cassino — midway between Pompeii and Rome. This would give us an early start to drive into Rome in the morning while treating ourselves to a nice hotel and a great dinner.

We battled our Tom-Tom GPS system again (if it were not for exorbitant data charges on our smart phones, we would have thrown the Tom-Tom out the window in Naples and used our phones). We drove around and around and around in circles in the town center of Cassino looking for our hotel as the Tom-Tom taunted us with the “lost GPS” advisory, advised us to turn around on one-way streets, and took us up steep hills in search of a street that had nothing to do with our quest. When I finally got out of the car and looked up, there was a huge neon sign on the top of a nearby roof declaring Hotel Piazza Marconi.

We parked in a spot right in front of the hotel outlined in yellow (parking for residents only) and defined with a huge X through the entire spot. The manager assured us that this was our parking spot for the night. Nirvana! We had won the parking lottery! (Never realizing until we turned our car in to the rental agency the next day that someone had probably backed into our car during the night. So it was really a $300 parking spot once damages were paid.)

Our hotel room for three was large and immaculate. It featured a room-sized, private patio/deck overlooking the square but we were tired and did not take advantage of this wonderful amenity that night (too cold) or the next morning (too early). The Hotel Piazza Marconi is located at:

Address: Via Guglielmo Marconi, 25, 03043 Cassino FR, Italy

Phone:+39 0776 26025

Breakfast was included the next morning and it was a true Italian delight.

Ristorante Cucina, Cassino, Italy — Hotel Piazza Marconi, Cassino, Italy – breakfast buffet

During our only night in Cassino, we went wandering the town square in search of a wonderful dinner. We found everything we wanted at Ristorante Cucina, right around the corner. We were really identifying with the upscale lifestyle of the citizens of Pompeii and we wanted to be pampered. We got comfort and then more comfort with the best meal of our entire vacation.

As we sat down in the intimate space, a wonderful server met us, apologized for her English, and then translated the entire Italian-only menu for us. Her English was wonderful! As we considered our order, she reappeared with a complimentary appetizer of a light, flavorful quiche.

We were prepared to splurge but prices were reasonable and selections were plentiful. First we focused on Primi (first plate) courses.

Ristorante Cucina, Cassino, Italy – Risotto carnaroli con porcini e zucca mantecato al cesanese for 10 euros.

We also ordered from the Le Carne menu. The pork loin was absolutely perfect.

A complimentary desert plate appeared after we had ordered desert but we ate the tasty treats with gusto.

Then we made room for the way-over-the-top I sapori d’italia. It was rich, sweet, delicious, and too much to eat it all.

Not only did we enjoy wonderful food, we also appreciated the hugs from our very special server. I wish we had asked her name. She was extraordinary.

Shopping is always required when traveling with the Kopriver sisters so before arriving in Cassino, we made a quick detour to the La Reggia Designer Outlet (because, of course, there would be no shopping in Rome). This upscale mall was crowded on a Saturday night and should have been very difficult to get to from the A-1 highway north of Naples. We threw down the Tom-Tom (I actually think I heard the b*&%$-in-the-box say, “maybe you should turn here or you could go a little farther and turn there oh, I don’t know, maybe you should have turned back there….lost GPS signal”) and we just followed the well-marked signs to the mall. The same accurate signage returned us to the highway after our shopping adventure while our Tom-Tom looked for a signal (but never found one).

The Designer Outlet mall featured high end designers in a lovely environment replete with flowers, signage that resembled that found in Rancho Sante Fe, California, and lots and lots of clothing. We were looking for luggage since Terry had over-shopped and we had our choice of four different luggage stores. Mission accomplished.

If you are traveling in southern Italy, consider a stop in Cassino. In 1944, more than 100,000 Allied troops lost their lives in four battles near Cassino as they fought for a clear route to Rome in WWII. Among the survivors was a huge Iranian bear named Wojtek. He carried artillery shells for the Polish army. The Allies dropped more than 1,400 tons of bombs on the Abby overlooking Cassino, thinking it was a German strong-hold. Today there is little sign of this terrible battle. Still, I would like to return and visit the Abby and explore the area a little more deeply. I’d especially like to see the Montecassino Peace Memorial. Europe has worked hard for peace and I respect the European Union so much for that.

McDonald’s and the Valdichiana Outlet Mall in Italy

My sisters and I LOVE Diet Coke. So when a cold and rainy day in Umbria turned into a bust with even the churches closed, we slogged our way to a brightly lit McDonald’s and reveled in ice-cold Diet Cokes. (Ask for lots of ghiaccio and enjoy the smirk the attendant behind the counter gives you. You can almost hear him thinking, “Crazy Americana wants ice in her drink.”)

In the hill towns of Umbria, it’s not OK to walk with your food. Take your time and sit with your Big Mac. If fast food ever catches on in Italy, they are going to need much bigger chairs and tables when people get fat on french fried and burgers. We perched on the tiny chairs and gulped down our Diet Cokes. We didn’t even have to translate the adorable bathroom doors that led to immaculate restrooms. You can tell McDonald’s has been designed to appeal to children but it felt like home to us on a rainy day.

Restroom door - Valdichiana Outlet Center 2016 — Restroom door – Valdichiana Outlet Center 2016

Refueled, we headed to Valdichiana Outlet stores. Outlets are huge in Italy with several malls located close to town centers throughout the country.

Valdichiana-Outlet-Center made me feel like I was home in Florida.

Valdichiana Outlet Center 2016 – Animals travel in and out of stores with owners so it was unusual to see a dog tied to a trash can. Even the dogs are well-behaved in Italy. This one sat patiently and waited.

It was strange to shop the Gap and Polo in Italy with a rush of Italian shoppers. From merchandise to lay-out, the experience was the same as in Florida. Where were the Fende, Prada, Versace, Missoni stores? Not here, but there are true factory stores for many of the brand names. Just Google Prada, for example, and you will discover a store called SPACE in Montevarchi. The website advised to arrive early, get a number, and wait for admission to the factory store.

We just weren’t that serious about shopping and headed home well before the stores closed. Luggage allowances sure cramp our style!

Arezzo – Closed for Rain

We learned an important lesson in Arezzo – one of the most beautiful hill towns in all of Italy. Don’t plan your visit to the largest antique market in all of Italy if it’s off-season, in the rain, after noon. This is the sign we saw after traveling for two hours, finding a parking lot (follow the signs that say “Petri” car park), and taking a series of escalators to the top of the hill and the center of town:

Antique Market CLOSED — Antique Market sign

Because we saw all the vendors packing up (the market was supposed to be 8-8 and it was only noon), we assumed the sign said “closed due to rain.” Nope, the sign says “total market sell-off; proceeds for the children of Africa. THANK YOU.” Huh?

A few hardy vendors continued to offer wares and we discovered inexpensive Murano glass figurines (about 80% off the prices in Venice) and alabaster lighters (a bargain at 5 euros and much cheaper than in Volterra, a hill town that specializes in alabaster). Extraordinary dining tables and wardrobes were offered for pennies on the dollar. With a little sunshine and the expected 500 antique vendors, this visit would have been one of the highlights of our tour of Umbria. Instead, we shopped in a chilling, drenching rain as we visited about a dozen vendors.

The hill town once known as Poppi is one of the easiest hilltops to access thanks to large, clearly marked parking lots and clean, modern escalators.

Escalators to the hilltop town of Arezzo

You can also park and walk if you are into climbing but we were thankful for the escalators.

Since the antiques market was a bust, we decided to tour the lovely frescoes by Piero della Francesco in the Basillica San Francisco. Do churches really close on Sunday? Apparently they do in Arezzo on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

We wrote Arezzo up as a major disappointment. It’s hard to get excited about a town that’s closed.

Terry had noticed a large outlet mall about 30 minutes south of Arezzo complete with a McDonald’s! Sometimes you have to leave the old world behind and head for the mall. You can read about our McDonald’s/Outlet Mall adventure at https://gograno.com/2016/03/mcdonalds-and-th…et-mall-in-italy

Todi – a tiny hilltown in Umbria

Small towns top the hills of Umbria like crowns set upon a rocky brow. Travel authors recommend one little hill town after another but we chose to visit Todi first because it was just 12 kilometers from where we were staying in San Gimignano. Perfect choice! Winding streets, an unusual duomo, rocky walls and a steep climb defined our first hill city. We were smitten.

This is our drive uphill to the hill town of Todi, Italy 2016. — This is our drive to the hill town of Todi, Italy 2016.

Todi was founded well before the birth of Christ at the confluence of the Naia and Tiber rivers; it’s about 90 minutes northeast of Rome and 45 minutes south of Perugia.

We actually drove into the city, climbing the hand-laid stone roads and tucking our side mirrors in as the buildings on each side of the street closed in on us.

Traffic continues on the narrow streets of Todi even as goods are unloaded for local shops. Todi, Italy 2016

We should have parked at the top of the steep hill, but we snagged the first parking spot we found in a yellow zone. (Blue-lined parking spots are for residents; yellow-lined parking spots are for visitors but you pay; white-lined parking spots are free.) We took out the little cardboard clock from it’s pocket on the windshield, set the clock to 1:00 to indicate the time of our arrival, purchased a parking ticket from an automated pay booth, stuck that ticket on our dashboard and set off to see the city. The little clock indicated to authorities what time we arrived; if we overstayed our allotted 2 hours, we would have been ticketed even though we paid for several hours. So we knew we had to climb to the top of the hill and return in just under 2 hours.

It was a cool but sunny day in March, so we walked briskly up the steep hill. Whenever we were lost, we just headed uphill. The highest point of each hill town seemed to be the central plaza with a cathedral which was usually where we were headed. To return to our car? We just headed downhill.

The beauty of this small town unfolded as we rounded each corner and continued to climb upwards. I could see why Architecture Professor Richard S. Levine of the University of Kentucky proclaimed Todi to be the model sustainable city. Todi had reinvented itself constantly from its birth as an Umbrian/Etruscan city through its years under seige by Goths and Byzantines to rule under the Popes to a leader in the Risorgimento movement to unify Italy. In the 90’s, the Italian press proclaimed Todi as the most livable city in the world…and it’s nearly 3,000 years old (Todi, 1992)!

DSC01390 Todi Italy 2016 — Todi, Italy 2016.

A resident brings in firewood from an alley in Todi, Italy 2016.

A side street with tiny steps to climb and long, smooth tracks for water to flow downhill. Todi, Italy 2016.

Lunch!

We arrived in Todi in time for lunch – and we worked up quite an appetite hiking uphill – but every recommended restaurant was closed in March. In fact, this was our experience in town after town. Restaurants and tourist sites simply were not open during the first two weeks of March.

We were happy to stumble upon a little local shop called Le Roi de la Crepe. Prices were very reasonable, ranging from 5-9 Euros, and the food was fresh and delicious. We were told it’s not acceptable to walk and eat in Italy but with no place to sit, we took our sandwiches and munched as we continued our stroll through Todi.

DSC01396 Todi Italy 2016 — Le Roi de la Crepe in Todi, Italy, 2016.

DSC01394 Todi Italy 2016 — Le Roi de la Crepe in Todi, Italy, 2016.

Town Square – The Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II

“Called Piazza Grande in ancient times, it was probably located on the site of the Roman Forum and was much larger than the square which can be seen today. Counted as one of the most beautiful medieval squares in Italy, it is surrounded by numerous palaces and is dominated by the Cathedral” (Bonechi).

DSC01346 Todi, Italy 2016. — The Prior’s Palace – across the square – was created by bringing several smaller buildings together under one roof in the 14th century. The tower used to be much higher. Todi, Italy 2016.

The Captains Palace on the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, houses a museum which was closed the day we visited. Todi, Italy 2016.

This is detail on a graceful bell that stood on the ground floor of the museum which was closed the day we visited. Todi, Italy 2016.

We tried to visit the museum operated by the Diocesi di Orvieto-Todi, but it was closed. The folks were pretty surprised when we took an elevator to the top floor and discovered a cluster of employees chatting away. They tried to figure out how we got into the building as they shooed us back into the elevator and out of the building.

The best part of the Grand Plaza had to be the ice cream! See the little white truck to the right in the square (photo above)? Just beyond that truck was the lovely Bacio di Latte (Milk Kiss) gelateria. Delicious!

We huddled under blankets as we sat in the sidewalk cafe enjoying Gelato. Todi, Italy 2016.

DSC01377 Todi Italy 2016 — One of the gelateria customers enjoying ice cream while walking her pet rabbit. Todi, Italy 2016.

Around the corner we discovered a beautiful, towering something. It looked like a false front from a film set. But it was the local branch of the oldest surviving bank in the world, founded in 1472 in Siena, Italy, about 150 km away.

The Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena S.p.A. Todi, Italy 2016.

Views from Todi

We could not point our cameras from the hilltop without capturing a beautiful view from Todi. The trees and flowers were just starting to bloom. I imagine the sites are breathtaking later in spring.

Belltower seen from the hilltop of Todi, Italy 2016.

The S. Maria dell’Annunziata Cathedral

We huffed and puffed our way to the top of a flight of travertine stairs extending from the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele to reach one of the strangest-looking cathedrals I’ve ever seen. There’s no dome. No arches. No flying buttresses. Just a flat top like the architect said, “OK, I’m done.” More likely donations dried up because of an economic downturn or a war and the parishioners said, “Basta!”

S. Maria dell'Annunziata Duomo. Todi, Italy 2016. — S. Maria dell’Annunziata Duomo started in the 8th century and rebuilt in the 12th century and completed in the 16th century. The bell tower is from the 13th century. Todi, Italy 2016.

The 13th century bell tower was used for defense but now features bells that call to worship. The beauty spot of the cathedral has to be the double rose window in the center of the church, over the door.

The inside of the duomo is simple with a few artifacts of interest. Faenzone created the Last Judgement fresco under the double rose stained glass window.

DSC01355 Todi Italy 2016 — Cathedral S. Maria dell’Annunziata. Todi, Italy 2016.

Can you see the little putti in each leaf of the rose stained glass window? The Holy Spirit is symbolized by a dove in the center of the window.

There’s a bronze hanging of St. Martin I hanging in the cathedral but I don’t know why. St. Martin was a pope and martyr who died defending the Catholic Church’s right to “establish doctrine in the face of imperial power” (Pope St. Martin I). He died in 656 after a miserable trip by sea from Rome to Constantinople and after being imprisoned, tried and denounced. St. Martin I was the last pope to die for his faith.

St. Martin 1, Pope and martyr, in the Cathedral S. Maria dell'Annunziata. Todi, Italy 2016. — St. Martin 1, Pope and martyr, in the Cathedral S. Maria dell’Annunziata. Todi, Italy 2016.

Also of interest is a 13th century cross painted in the style of Giunta Pisano (Bonechi, 2011).

13th Century crucifix in the Cathedral S. Maria dell'Annunziata. Todi, Italy 2016. — 13th Century crucifix in the Cathedral S. Maria dell’Annunziata. Todi, Italy 2016.

There’s a pretty fresco at the front of the duomo but I could not tell who painted it. The painting is sweet with rich reds and oranges that are fading into pastels.

DSC01376 Cathedral S.M — Fresco at S. Maria dell’Annunziata Duomo. Todi, Italy 2016.

DSC01373 Cathedral S.M — Stained glass window almost hidden behind a baptismal font near the front of the church. Todi, Italy 2016.

DSC01374 Todi Italy 2016 — A pretty madonna in the front of the cathedral. Todi, Italy 2016.

We loved Todi. So much to see and do! This would be a wonderful, romantic get-away-town for anyone to enjoy.

DSC01409 Todi Italy 2016 — Todi, Italy 2016.

Sources

Bonechi. (2011). Umbria: Complete guide to the monuments, art and traditions of the region. Florence, Italy: Casa Editrice Bonechi.

Pope Saint Martin I. (n.d.). Retrieved from Catholic Online: http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=80

“Todi Come una Citta` Sostenibile,” keynote, Inauguration Convocation Academic Year Università della Terza Età, October 1992, Todi, Italy; “Todi Citta del Futuro,” and “Come Todi Puo Divenire Citta Ideale e Modello per il Futuro”, in Il Sole 24 Ore, Milan, Italy, November 28, 1991

An Etruscan Tomb – Sarteano, Italy 2016

Imagine you are a shepherd at the time of Christ’s birth. You graze your sheep on a tall hillside overlooking a steep valley, lushly green and deeply forested. A violent storm comes up with heavy winds and pounding rains that nearly knock you over. You gather your flock and ride the storm out in the nearest cave. In the morning when you wake and a little light filters into the cave, the first thing you see is Charon, the demon from hell staring at you from the other side of the tiny cave!

Shepherds made their home in the tomb of the quadriga infernale for centuries. They dug a little more deeply into the side of the cave but never disturbed the art created by the Etruscans centuries before. It was the the 19th and 20th century tomb raiders who chiseled into the ancient art to make a wider opening to the cave, destroying part of the paintings in their haste to find treasure.

An archaeologist led five visitors, including me, through a deep field to the Tomb of the Quadriga Infernale. He spoke no English but we were fortunate that an Australian woman was on the tour who was fluent in both English and Italian. As the archaeologist explained the tomb, she quickly translated for us. She was a goddess, quickly translating while nursing her baby as her toddler son ran circles around our legs.

We walked past several small Etruscan tomb openings that were long ago raided and are no longer studied. The openings were so tiny, I knew I never would have made it down the stairs let alone into the small passages.

One of several entrances to Etruscan tombs on a gentle hillside outside Sarteano. The tombs were robbed long ago by tomb raiders. Museo Civico Archeologico di Sarteano

When we entered the travertine tomb of the Quadriga Infernale (the chariot from hell), we were careful of the rugged dirt floor and I told myself to fall to the right AWAY from the cave paintings if I were to trip. My plan was to fall right onto the muddy floor that was once the home of a shepherd.

The cave was only 15 feet below the ground but we had entered a world of demons and myth. This tomb is exceptional because nothing exists in discovered Etruscan history with this version of the underworld. The demon Charon drives a chariot powered by two griffins and two lions. According to the museum, the demon has a “fearful, surly, possessed look.” This demon has never been seen driving a chariot except in this tomb.

The demon Charon drives the chariot from hell shadowed by a second black demon known in Etruscan stories. This is the only known depiction of Charon as a chariot driver. Museo Civico Archeologico di Sarteano

The wheels of the chariot from hell driven by Charon. Museo Civico Archeologico di Sarteano

Badly deteriorated, you can see the quadriga (chariot) driven by two lions and two griffons. Museo Civico Archeologico di Sarteano

The diving dolphins represent the human dive into the afterlife. The Etruscans were extraordinary merchants and many took to the sea so they would know dolphins. Museo Civico Archeologico di Sarteano

Two reclining male figures on a kline (a banquet reclincer). Perhaps a father and son reuniting in the afterlife? Museo Civico Archeologico di Sarteano

3-headed monster -- one of many monsters -- of the Etruscan underworld. Note the rooster comb and billy goat beards. Museo Civico Archeologico di Sarteano — 3-headed monster — one of many monsters — of the Etruscan underworld. Note the rooster combs and billy goat beards. Museo Civico Archeologico di Sarteano

Before visiting the tomb, we toured the Museo Civico Archeologico di Sarteano in Sarteano, Italy. The beautiful little gem of a museum is perfectly curated with clean glass cases of Etruscan artifacts. It also includes a replica of the tomb of the Quadriga Infernale that is a fine depiction of the cave we visited.

This collar of gold was owned by an Etruscan in 200 BC and found in another tomb.

The Australian who translated for us noted, “Only in Italy could we walk into an ancient treasure.”

The “quadriga infernale” cave was rediscovered in October 2003 and is now open upon reservation only on Saturdays at 11:30 am in winter and at 9:30 am and 6:30 pm in summer. You can make reservations by calling 0578.269.261 or email [email protected].