Near Sarnano, Ciauscolo and More Marches Region Goodness

As we headed from Amandola to Sarnano in the Marches region, rolling wooded landscapes blanketed the surrounding hills: the foothills of the Sybilline mountains: Coming around a curve, the sign in front of a large stuccoed yellow building on the left, caught my eye:  “Salumi Monterotti” I knew the area was famous for salami, prosciutti,…

A Gubbio Highlight: Discovering a Talented Artisan

One of the “undiscovered” medieval hill town gems of Umbria is certainly Gubbio. Not on any railroad line, the winding medieval backstreets of Gubbio are thronged once a year: on May 15th, for the Festa dei Ceri. But all was quiet in Gubbio late May as my tour guests, Beth and Tim, and I headed…

Assisi Infiorate: Floral Splendor in the Medieval Backstreets

In the flowering backstreets of Assisi,…. ……friends and neighbors of all ages gathered on a mid-June afternoon to chat over boxes of flower petals as busy hands swiftly de-petaled flowers of myriads of colors. This was the afternoon of the Feast of Corpus Domini (60 days after Easter) and the locals were preparing Infiorate (literally, the…

Near Deruta, an Unforgettable Rural Feast with Giuseppa

I toured many Umbria hill town gems with Joanne and Stuart, each toured highlighted by a memorable experience. Certainly a rural lunch in the Deruta countyrside with Giuseppa was an unforgettable moment of our Perugia/Deruta tour. Here are Joanne and Stuart with Giuseppa and two of the family’s capocolli (which had been part of our antipasto) just…

Calendimaggio in Assisi: Medieval Passion Blessed

For four days in early May, the assisani welcome the month of floral abundance, fecundity, fertility and celebration of the rites of spring with passione. La Magnifica Parte de Sotto (Lower Assisi) will compete wtih La Nobilissima Parte de Sopra (Upper Assisi) in a magnificent, astounding array of events including medieval banner-waving,  medieval games, theater, processions, and musical…

Stay in Our Assisi Countryside Apartments: the Highlight of Your Italy Trip

Before leaving, Mimi wrote in our guest book, “ This was definitely the highlight of our trip…(and)…to be honest, I never want to leave this place.”   And while staying here in one of our Assisi countryside apartments in April, Mimi and her lovely family of five joined us for a rural banquet in our…

Fascinatingly Unique Medieval: San Piero a Grado Near Pisa

Just 7 kilometers west of Pisa, an 11th-century Romanesque basilica stands solitary and solemn in an open field: The medieval basilica San Piero a Grado (also known as the Basilica di San Pietro Apostolo) is fascinatingly unique for various aspects: the lack of a facade but with two apses in one apse, the first stone altar ever erected…