A highpoint of springtime in Umbria – indeed, of all of central Italy – is Assisi’s stunning early May medieval festival, Calendimaggio, welcoming the arrival of spring in four days of glorious…
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May is the month of festivals in Italy: euphoria reigns in Gubbio every May 15th for la Corsa dei Ceri. Narni brings alive Renaissance splendor in mid-May. Food festivals, le sagre, animate…
Only the facade of the Basilica dedicated to St. Benedict still stands in his Norcia following the earthquake of October 30, 2016: a sobering backdrop to the celebration of his feast day…
How do the Umbrians start Easter? Feasting, logicamente: before Mass, a breakfast of a glass of robust red wine, savory cheesebread topped with homemade (if possible) salami or prosciutto or capocollo and…
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…
An area newspaper summed it up recently, coining this winter in Italy of snowfalls, earthquakes and avalanches, “a never-ending nightmare.” As I write, 50,000 are without electricity and have been for days…
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…
For the twenty-fourth year, Orvieto – splendid medieval hilltown perched on a volcanic rock plateau – sweeps in the New Year with five days of jazz (mostly), blues, soul and swing. We’re…
As you head through the arched medieval entrance of hilltop castle-village, Collemancio, you’ll probably see an elderly lady in black, ubiquitous gold chains draped around her neck, sitting in her chair along…
I’ve been told by more than one that you can’t truly feel the passione for the Ceri unless you join in carrying one of the three mammoth pyramidical structures, called “candlesticks.” Said…