Probably an hour after participating in the 4th-c martyrdom scene of Santa Cristina – patron saint of Bolsena and feted in late July in two days of medieval street theater – young…
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“Ospedaletto” literally means “a small place offering hospitality” – and in fact, the ospedale in the Middle Ages gave rest, respite, and nourishment to the pilgrims trekking through Europe. And not only: housing…
A coffee bar with a nondescript name (Bar Commercio), in a non-descript shopping center of a non-descript suburb of Perugia merits a Christmastime visit. A colorful panoply of Christmas crafts – the…
We’d first savored la roveja legume a few winters back in Cascia during the Umbrian mountain town’s winter festival starring this “lost bean.” Cascia in January Roveja…
In the Greco-Roman ancient world – and even in ancient Egypt – edicole flanked imposing city entrances or temples (or were located inside the temples), and held images of the divinita’ minori (“minor deities”); the…
Patron saint and early Christian martyr, Santa Cristina reigns in Bolsena – and in unexpected ways. You’ll want to wander through the Basilica di Santa Cristina, finding the early Christian catacombs, remains of…
Throughout Italy, the elegant majesty of rows of the pinus pinea – “umbrella pines” – hghlights lakeside paths, and many a country road: Here and there, loan pini seem like stalwart soldiers, often bent against the wind:…
As summer rolls around, we’ll spend many a week-end at Bolsena on Lake Bolsena. Bolsena’s medieval castle Lake Bolsena And no week-end is complete without a lakefish feast at Trattoria Da Picchietto…
Nowadays, only one farmwoman, Novella, sells her vegetables at Piazzetta dell’Erba (“the little piazza of the grass/grasses”, i.e. vegetables) Only Novella today at Assisi’s Piazzetta dell’Erba But years ago, the entire small…
Most visitors know that Deruta, just south of Perugia, has been famous for its maiolica production since the mid-14th century. But few visitors know that the maiolica wonders are not just in…