Standing proudly like a stately sentinel, a medieval tower welcomes you to Spello, ancient olive trees sprouting out of the top of the tower. What better welcome to la Citta’ dell’Olio?
Even the roundabout you’ll pass before entering Spello encircles and ancient olive tree.
And as you stroll Spello, you’ll see shops selling that “Umbria gold,”….
…..and one shop offers that l’olio nuovo (“the new oil”), i.e., the olive oil just pressed this late fall:
You’ll also pass a shop selling the famous loom-woven Pardi textiles of Montefalco……
….and one of the motifs is olives, which Antonella is delighted to show you:
And just a few doors down, drop in at a little shop selling olive oil soaps and creams:
And after you’ve seen the Roman mosaics of Spello and the glorious Pinturicchio frescoes, you might wish to wander the layrinthine medieval alleyways up to the top of Spello to see the medieval tower, Pino restored.
Time for lunch? Drop in at the medieval wine cellar – very close to the Santa Maria Maggiore church where you’ve seen the Pinturicchio splendor.
And now, more splendor to come: culinary splendor. The olive oil of the Spello-to-Spoleto area is considered the tops in Italy. Not sure? Try the “green gold” from two olive producers on the bruschetta at the wine cellar:
..and the Umbrian olive oil enhances another Umbrian culinary highlight, shaved black truffle:
And what memories of so many lunches here with tour guests over the years…..but the empty Enoteca Properzio was mostly just for us three.
Nicole (originally from Chicago) and Alejandro (from Seville, Spain – where they now live) shared the goodness with me:
Luca made sure they tasted top wines – as well as prized olive oils:
And that olive oil was not just drizzled onto the homemade tagliatelle after Luca shaved on black truffle…
…..but also onto a tasty legume soup with farro:
Such a pleasure to eat here once again (it had been months since I was last in Spello.):
Mille grazie, Roberto and Luca: buonissimo, as always.
But may those tables be full the next time I return:
…and may I have a few tour guests with me.
