Mid-August in Lucca

Last week, on the 15th, the Italian mid-August holiday of Ferragosto was celebrated. Just a few days before that, I arrived back in Lucca after a long visit to the USA. With all the angst that accompanies international travel these days, I must say I am feeling quite fortunate. Not only am I back in Italy, but all my flights were on time and problem free. My luggage even arrived in Florence at the same time as I did. These days that feels like a minor miracle.

The mid-week flower market in Piazza San Michele, Lucca

The all important receipt showing that my permesso renewal is in progress. I definitely don’t want to lose this !

In another stroke of luck, I was able to turn in my “permesso kit” - the big stack of documents required to renew my permit to stay legally in Italy - without any of the problems that many people have recently experienced. There has been a major backup in the Italian Immigration pipeline this summer. Some people applying for renewals were given appointments at the Questura (the next step in the permesso process) many months into the future, long after their current permesso expires. Worse, some were told no appointments were available at all and they would receive a text or a letter when one became available. Yikes - talk about stressful. While this delay doesn’t preclude staying in Italy during the waiting period, it does make it nearly impossible to travel to, or through, any other Schengen country while waiting for the new permesso di soggiorno card to arrive. Somehow, luck was on my side and I walked out of the post office last Monday with an appointment just 5 1/2 weeks later. I have to assume that my luck coincided with the fact that the immigration backlog is now beginning to clear.

I am happy to be back in Lucca. The heat is a bit overwhelming but I’ve been able to walk through town in the early mornings or early evenings, keeping to the shady side streets. And now that I’ve unpacked and turned in the all important permesso paperwork I am headed off for a real vacation at one of my favorite spots - Lago di Como (Lake Como). I’m leaving my computer at home, so there will be no blog post next Monday.

I’ll put some photos from Lake Como on the Two Parts Italy Facebook page over the next 10 days, otherwise look for me to be back on Monday September 4th with a new post and lots of photos from my time at the lake! In the meantime, enjoy these photos from my first days back in Lucca.

Fa Caldo !

Even the statues need shades with all this sunshine!

Whether you are in Europe or the United States, right now chances are you are feeling the heat.  In Italian we say fa caldo - it’s hot. 

Much of the world is experiencing a dramatic ondata di caldo (heat wave) which has many of us (me included) feeling more than a little bit grumpy. I am trying to run errands early in the day, the afternoon finds me staying indoors. I’m a bit envious of my Australian friends, for whom it is not summer but winter.  If only they could bottle that cool air and send it our way!

Italians have many expressions to describe the intense summer heat.  These range from the humorous, mi sudano le mutande (my undies are sweating) to the slightly profane (to be used only when it is really, really hot) un caldo della Madonna! Whenever the name of the Madonna (the religious figure, not the pop star) is used, well then, it’s a pretty serious complaint.  Perhaps it is more politically correct to say that there is un caldo bestiale, a brutal or beastly heat.

On a hot summer day in Lucca a Caffè Shakerato is essential. Either straight espresso or with a little milk, this iced coffee drink is just the thing on a hot afternoon.

This summer you could say si può friggere un uovo sulla marciapiede (you could fry an egg on the sidewalk) or sul cofano della macchina (on the hood of the car). In Texas last week, someone was baking bread in their mailbox.  That’s hot!

These very warm days have me thinking about all the ways to keep cool in the heat of summer, from cool summer drinks to no-cook meals to dips in the pool. 

It’s much too hot to cook during the day, so creative entertaining and dining are called for. Fancy entertaining is just not happening in this heat. An aperitivo happily replaces meal preparation. Better yet when accompanied by a crisp white wine or a tart summer cocktail! It’s hard to beat a spritz or a cosmopolitan sipped with a pretty Italian view.

A cold, creamy gelato is practically medicinal in the summer heat. And if a gelato is good, an affogato (ice cream “drowned” in espresso) might just be even better! It’s a real pick-me-up.

Sailing School, Rapallo

I’ve also been thinking of the different places I’ve gone over the years to escape the heat. 

The Ligurian coast, still hot but cooled just a bit by a sea breeze, is a wonderful summer escape.

With August just around the corner it’s a sure thing that the Italians will be headed for the coast.

In the US, coastal Oregon, with its rocky beaches and old lighthouses, provides a wonderful summer escape.  Even the fog was delightful.

The mountains of New Mexico and Colorado are a favorite summer vacation spot for my family. Cool mountain air, river paths to walk, lakes, and lots of fun activities keep my grandkids happy despite the heat. Truth be told, I am happy to be in the low humidity heat of the western US in the summertime and usually head to New Mexico to avoid the hot, humid Italian summers.

England and Scotland provide a nice break from the heat of summer. Even in August a light jacket or sweater might be needed. Better still if you can get to Edinburgh to celebrate the Fringe Festival in August. Fun performances and cool weather make Edinburgh a great summer choice. And the interior of those castles stay cool too.

Wherever you are this summer, I hope your strategies for staying cool are working!   As for me, I will return to hot and humid Italy in mid-August. You will find me cooling off on the shores of an Italian lake.

An August escape to the Italian lakes holds at least a promise of cooler temperatures.

Do you have a favorite place to cool off, or a favorite summer time food / drink? If so, post some photos on the Two Parts Italy Facebook page.  We could all use the inspiration!

An Italian June in Photos

Finally, the first week of summer has arrived.

In Italy that means the start of warm humid weather, blue skies, sunshine, picnics, and beach days. And lots of tourists.

(photos above taken along the Ligurian coast, near Levanto, Camoglie, and Rapallo, June 2019 & 2022)

Early summer mornings and evenings are perfect for leisurely stops in umbrella filled piazzas for morning coffee or an evening cocktail. A caffé shakerato, cold and foamy espresso, is the perfect mid-day jolt of caffeine. In the late afternoon and evening, the tables in the piazzas are sure to glow with glasses of the bright orange summer drink that seems to be everywhere - the Aperol Spritz. Slightly bitter and sparkling with Prosecco, the spritz is quintessential summer in Italy.

June also means wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables displayed like art in the markets.

Summer also means flowers on doorsteps and balconies and on the terraced hillsides. In June there is color everywhere you look.

And let us not forget gelato! Whether in the city or in a little beach town, it isn’t summer without gelato. Equally refreshing is a granita made with fresh fruit. The best granita I’ve ever eaten was made with ripe mango and was enjoyed along the harbor in Camoglie last summer. I can almost taste it still.

Do you have some June in Italy photos? If so, please share them on the Two Parts Italy Facebook page. Give us all more inspiration to plan a June vacation in Italy!

Levanto: The Perfect Base for Exploring the Cinque Terre

I am still enjoying my August break, so I’m posting mostly photos again this week, all from the town of Levanto, my favorite base for exploring the Cinque Terre.

The harbor at Levanto. Ferries to the Cinque Terre and Portovenere call here.

Levanto is the first town just to the north of the Cinque Terre. It has many things in common with the 5 villages: beautiful views, a charming pedestrian center, good restaurants, a ferry dock with connections to the Cinque Terre villages.

Levanto (the locals pronounce it with the accent on the first syllable Lay-vanto) also has fewer crowds, lower prices, and a great stretch of sandy beach. There are gorgeous villas and gardens, an historic old town with winding lanes, a medieval loggia, ancient churches, and an easy hike to an old castle.

Although it is a definitely a beach town, somehow it feels more like a community, a place to settle in and relax. For me, this is in part because of the friendly welcome I always find at the charming B&B A Durmì where sisters Chiara and Elisa make you feel like part of their family. They have great rooms, the prettiest courtyard, and delicious breakfasts. All that and beach towels, umbrellas, and great recommendations for dining and local activities.

Or maybe it’s the small town activities, like the Infiorata Festival that took place during my June visit. A team of local women and children arranged a path of flower displays leading through town to the church in celebration of a religious holiday.

Of course there is also great food to be found in Levanto - seafood, pesto, and a local specialty of giant fried ravioli stuffed with herbs. It’s worth the effort to find wine bar La Compera. This is a small place tucked away in a hidden piazza, away from the tourist center. They serve amazing bruschetta and local delicacies along with a nice wine list and great cocktails. They even made “mocktails” for the kids!

Summer holidays + Levanto + the amazing coastline of Liguria = summer perfection!
Contacts: A Durmì Via Viviani 12 19015 Levanto SP email: info@adurmi.it

La Compera. Piazza della Compera 3. 19015 Levanto SP. email: lacompera@gmail.com

August Holidays in Italy

Italians head to the beach in August. This is a typical beach club in Bonassola.

It’s August, the Italian holiday month. Tradition says to close down the shops, take time off work, and head out of town.

Don’t be surprised to see the “chiuso per ferie” (closed for holiday) sign on a favorite restaurant or shop, especially mid-month for the Ferragosto public holiday.

The beach is a favorite destination, providing time to swim, relax, read, do crossword puzzles by the sea, or just refresh and cool off.

Think colorful beach umbrellas, boats on the horizon, and lots of bronzed bodies off all ages, sizes, and shapes - that is the unabashed Italian way. Isn’t it wonderful?

In that spirit, I am taking an August writing break. The next few posts will be mostly photos, many taken along Italy’s dramatic coastline. I hope they keep you cool and daydreaming of summer in Italy.

Today - Portofino, enclave of the rich and famous. The water is blue, the harbor charming, the surrounding cliffs dramatic, and the yachts the stuff of fantasy. It’s a picture postcard of a town.

Yachts from all over the world anchor in Portofino’s harbor. Here, if you have to ask what it costs, you definitely can’t afford it ! And that includes the gelato.

A walk through town weaves past colorful houses, pretty gardens, high-end shops, small churches, and even a view of the castle up on the cliff. Stop for a harbor side gelato before boarding the ferry back to Rapallo or Santa Margarita. It’s hard to beat summer along the Ligurian coast !