Perugia: Celebrating San Costanzo with Il Torcolo
On January 29th – the Feast of San Costanzo (Perugia’s first bishop and one of the town’s three patron saints)... View article
Anne's Blog / Curiosities
With a Bonfire and Chestnuts, Assisi Awaits La Madonna
That huge crackling and spitting focaraccio (literally, “big ugly fire” i.e., “bonfire”) near Assisi’s massive medieval fortress, La Rocca Maggiore,... View article
Gnocchi with Peppa…..Without the Malocchio
How to refuse when Peppa calls us to ask, “Ho fatto gnocchi oggi. Venite a cena? (“I made gnocchi today... View article
Bolsena: Treasured Wash-day Memories
On an August Saturday night, groups of musicians and singers filled the Bolsena piazzas and wandered down the town’s winding... View article
Bolsena’s Infiorate: Floral Wonders for Santa Cristina Misteri
In early August in Bolsena, Pino and I (fortunately) ran into Stefano and Fabio, two protagonists of the Misteri di Santa... View article
Bolsena: Martyr Saints and Good Eating
Probably an hour after participating in the 4th-c martyrdom scene of Santa Cristina – patron saint of Bolsena and feted... View article
Ospedaletto: Welcoming Farm Hospitality Near Bolsena
“Ospedaletto” literally means “a small place offering hospitality” – and in fact, the ospedale in the Middle Ages gave rest, respite,... View article
Near Assisi, an “Ohhh, Susanna!” Christmas
A coffee bar with a nondescript name (Bar Commercio), in a non-descript shopping center of a non-descript suburb of Perugia... View article
Roveja, the Mythical “Lost” Beans of Umbria
We’d first savored la roveja legume a few winters back in Cascia during the Umbrian mountain town’s winter festival starring... View article
The Edicola: From Deities to Newspapers
In the Greco-Roman ancient world – and even in ancient Egypt – edicole flanked imposing city entrances or temples (or were... View article
Agenzia Viaggi Stoppini in Assisi handles all technical support for my guided visits (bus transportation, organization of meals, etc)