Volterra

January 14, 2019 by Joanne Bartram in Italy travel, Hill Towns Italy, Tuscany, Volterra, #italytravel, #volterra, Italy

The days between the hubbub of Christmas and the celebrations of the new year are perfect for a low-key day trip into the Tuscan countryside. I’m always a bit lazy during this time of year, so a drive, a walk around a pretty town, and a good lunch were all that was on the agenda, saving museums and other more in-depth explorations for a later visit.

One of the entrances into the city of Volterra

Volterra is a place I’ve always wanted to explore but until now had never visited. So, when a couple of friends suggested a day trip, I jumped at the chance. On a crisp and foggy morning a few days after Christmas, we set out from Lucca and headed for Volterra, about an hour and a half away by car. Because Volterra is a little out of the way, without a train station or easy bus connections, it has fewer tourists than some of the other Tuscan hill towns (such as Arezzo or Cortona) and doesn’t seem to get the large tour groups that visit San Gimignano. And on this winter day it was almost free of tourists.

Volterra is a very old city, dating to Etruscan times. It is particularly known for two things - Etruscan artifacts and the creation of objects made of alabaster. We skipped the museum but did manage to do a little shopping for alabaster. It was fascinating to watch an artisan at work in her small shop (Gloria Giannelli Alabastri). Her work was gorgeous - delicate small carvings, bowls, vases, light fixtures. She was happy to talk about her work and the process of making alabaster pieces. She demonstrated how she began with raw alabaster and worked it to create objects made either from a solid alabaster block or as a mosaic from slabs of different colors of alabaster. Of course, I bought a small piece!

All pieces are handmade by the artist

Raw Alabaster

I couldn’t resist this little bowl

The town of Volterra is beautiful, with it’s old castello (castle), town wall and arches, beautiful stone buildings, little alleys, carved doors, and ornate iron windows.

A small vicolo with steep stairs heading to the castello

The wide gently sloped streets are lined with homes, shops, and restaurants. And at this time of year it was made festive with Christmas lights and decorations all through town.

Our lunch stop, at Ristorante La Terra di Mezzo, was a treat. We chose several pasta dishes, all delicious. The chocolate soufflé dessert, recommended by our waiter, was fantastic.

Pappardelle with ham and truffles

A spicy Arrabbiata alla Calabrese

A warm chocolate soufflé

After lunch and a bit more wandering around town, we headed home to Lucca, knowing that we’d have to return soon for more exploration and to visit the Etruscan Museum. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect late December day in Tuscany! -post by JMB

Looking out over the valley from a viewpoint in Volterra

Chiasso Barletti is a small street in Lucca with big Christmas spirit.

An Italian Christmas

December 24, 2018 by Joanne Bartram in Lucca, Tuscany, Italy travel, Italy, Italian culture

Christmas in Italy is enchanting. Cold days and even colder nights bring out shoppers and strollers wrapped in colorful scarves, hats, and, in many cases, fur coats. Here in Lucca the streets and squares are strung with lights and filled with greens. Even the smallest alley glows with Christmas magic.

Shop windows are magical at this time of year, decorated with holiday goodies and winter scenes.

The window of this chocolate shop is one of my favorites.

Christmas trees fill shops and squares. Small trees, decorated with white bows, line the street on which I live. Between the trees and the overhead lights, walking along my Via Mordini is beautiful day or night.

This simple tree sits inside the old mercato alongside a small art show.

Greens are everywhere - wreaths and swags and clusters of mistletoe – they cheer up doorways, fill restaurants, and make a beautiful sight against the stone walls of the buildings in this Medieval city.

There are also Christmas concerts and carolers and, from the shops, mostly American music (an unexpected sound and a surprise to me). Piazza Napoleone is holiday central with its outdoor Christmas market, ice skating rink, and lighted sculptural tree. Even the carousel is decked out for Christmas.

Foods are another important part of the season.

Chocolates, biscotti, nuts, pandoro and panettone all make for interesting shop displays.

While the traditional panettone is made with dried fruit, this pistacchio version sounds delicious!

Pretty decorations in the courtyard of a favorite restaurant, Osteria Via San Georgio

There is much to see, taste, smell, hear and experience, and all of it is new to me on this, my first Italian Christmas. As I walked through town the other evening, admiring all the lights and activity, all of my senses were tuned to Christmas. And I was joyful. -Post by JMB

From both of us at Two Parts Italy, we wish you joy wherever you may be this holiday season.

Buon Natale. Buone Feste.

Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays.

A pretty window in Piazza San Salvatore, Lucca

A Rainy Sunday Morning in Florence

November 26, 2018 by Joanne Bartram in Florence, Tuscany

I arrived in Florence for two full days, my last days in Italy before flying back to the United States. I was hoping for a low-key visit, which can be a challenge in crowded and hectic Florence. I planned to wander the streets, explore the markets, hang out in the Oltrarno side of town, sip cappuccino outdoors, and soak up the atmosphere of Florence. I didn’t plan to do any of the large museums but thought I might stop by the Bargello, my favorite of all the museums in Florence.

As it turned out, the Bargello was closed both days and the weather turned wet and windy (the beginning of the terrible storms that ravaged Italy in late October/early November). Flexibility is a must when traveling - no whining about rain or unexpected closings allowed! With a little adjustment in plans, my rainy visit in Florence turned out to be most enjoyable, beginning with a memorable Sunday morning.

After waking up to the sound of rain and church bells, I had a relaxed breakfast at my hotel (already a great day). Then, umbrella in hand, it was off to the Duomo (officially the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore). The most famous landmark in Florence, approaching it from any direction is unforgettable. How can such majesty sit just up a city street? It looms large over shops and cafes, daring anyone to forget, even for a moment, that they are in Florence.

Up close, the Duomo is even more impressive. The cathedral itself is huge - long and tall and capped with its famous dome. The elaborate facade is marble - in green, white, and soft pink - and full of carvings, statues, decoration, ornate windows and carved doors under elaborate arches.

The tall campanile (bell tower) and adjacent octagonal baptistery are also dressed in marble. What a feast for the eyes (though like all feasts, it can leave you reeling trying to digest it all).

The cathedral is a huge tourist draw and there are usually long lines to enter. But on Sunday mornings, it is open only to those attending Mass - an ideal way to experience this church.

Main altar, Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo), Florence

As I entered, a small service (the Lodo mattitini - morning lauds) was being chanted in a side chapel. Is anything more peaceful then the sound of Gregorian chant? As that service ended, the 10:30 a.m. Mass began. Rather than sitting out in the large church, attendees were invited to come up to the area surrounding the main altar, just beneath the dome.

The service began with organ music filling the cathedral, the sound and vibration making the music one with body and soul. The Mass itself (a cultural experience even for the non-religious, as well as a good way to practice Italian comprehension) was beautiful with prayer, incense, music and chorus. And all the while I sat under Brunelleschi’s dome - soaring high above the altar, with its majestic painted cupola.

It sure seemed like a glimpse of heaven to me. -post by JMB

A Taste of Chianti

October 22, 2018 by Joanne Bartram in Restaurants Italy, Italy, Tuscany, Chianti Region, Italian restaurants, Wine, Travel, Italy travel

Chianti. Ask someone to name an Italian wine and this is often the first wine they will think of. Chianti is a wonderful wine, a blend containing mostly Sangiovese grapes. Chianti is also the name of the region in southern Tuscany where the grapes are grown and the wine produced. The Chianti region stretches south from Firenze (Florence) toward Siena and includes some of the most beautiful landscapes in Italy. Exploring the Chianti region is best done by car, driving slowly along the narrow, winding roads and stopping whenever the road widens enough to pull over to enjoy the view and snap a few photos. I recently had the chance to do just that, spending a perfect autumn day driving the back roads of Chianti with a trio of friends. And since I wasn’t doing the driving (lucky for me!) I had plenty of opportunity to watch the passing scenery.

On the Via Molino Nuovo, between Castellina in Chianti and Greve

And there was so much to see - vineyards, olive groves, stone villages, farmhouses. The hill crests provided spectacular wide views over the valleys, and the valleys provided views along creeks and wooded areas, of vines just beginning to wear their early fall color, and of entrances to gravel roads leading uphill to stone farmhouses. With our time limited to a day, we focused on visiting two of the many villages and towns in the region. Our first stop was Castellina in Chianti, one of the three original Chianti villages (along with the villages of Gaiole and Radda, the only ones allowed to use the “Chianti Classico” appellation and the famous Gallo Nero or black rooster on the seal).

The word charming isn’t sufficient, so I will just say that this village is truly incantevole (enchanting) with its cobbled streets, central piazza strung with overhead lights, beautiful small church and bell tower, remains of a fortress, and many shops, cafes, and restaurants. Add to that the views of the surrounding valley that peek out from alleyways and streets and the opportunities to sample good wine produced in these old vineyards and you will see why I found this town so appealing

After spending most of the morning in Castellina, we were off toward Greve. The road between these two towns offers more stunning landscapes and some good scenic view points with space to pull over, explore, and take photos.

A most appealing spot was just around a bend in the road. It looked at first glance to be a stone farmhouse across from a smaller stone building with a sign saying molino nuovo (new mill), situated next to a small creek. A closer look revealed the “farmhouse” to be a beautiful B&B with a large terrace, pots of flowers, and a very peaceful vibe. I would love to book a future stay here at the B&B La Fiaba - it looks like the perfect place to spend a few days exploring this area.

Crisp flat bread piled high in La Cantina, Greve

We arrived in Greve ready for lunch. We had done little advance planning for this day, preferring just to choose a restaurant by look (crowded with locals) and aroma. The restaurant La Cantina hit both of these and we happily waited for a table. It’s hard to mind a long wait when you are greeted warmly and with a complimentary glass of prosecco! The staff was great - friendly, fun, quick to laugh and the outdoor setting was pleasant and the food delicious. Placed on the table was a basket of a unique crisp flatbread (a change from the more commonly served basket of bread). It was baked in-house and there were stacks of this simple yet delicious bread piled on the counter inside the restaurant.

Our shared appetizer was a mixed plate of crostini - slices of toasted bread, with pate, mushroom, melted gorgonzola, and tomato. Delicious! Between the four of us, we tried two pasta dishes - a pici with tomato, onion, and cinghiale along with a pacchetti (wide tubular pasta) with ricotta and pancetta. Very different flavors, but both were delicious. Also delicious was the wine, a Chianti Riserva (aged longer than other Chiantis, at least two years). Lunch finished with an apple cake topped with gelato and caffè macchiato. This was one of those classic two-hour Italian lunches full of good company, good conversation, and plans for future days exploring this region.

Heading home we drove through another lovely village, San Casciano in Val di Pesa, but we left exploration here for another day. This day of exploring the Chianti region was perfect - but provided just a taste of what the area has to offer, both scenically and gastronomically. I am already looking forward to a return visit. -post by JMB

The Fortezza di Montecarlo (also known as the Rocca del Cerruglio) in Tuscany.

La Fortezza (The Fortress)

June 25, 2018 by Joanne Bartram in Tuscany, History, Italy travel, Montecarlo, Italy, Italian culture, Lucca

In Medieval times, long before it became a nation, Italy was made up of independent city-states and kingdoms that were often at war with each other. In Tuscany, the cities of Florence, Pisa, and Lucca engaged in ongoing battles for control of the region. Traces of this historic rivalry still exist - for example, in Lucca's annual celebration of its liberation from Pisa (shown in photos below), an event that occurred in the mid-1300s. And don't even mention the intercity soccer rivalries!

During the 14th century the armies of Lucca, needing a strategic vantage point on higher ground, constructed a fortezza (fortress) on the Cerruglio hill in the countryside between Lucca and Valdinievole. This fortress, with its strategic position and high tower, allowed the Lucchese to have advance warning of an enemy approaching from the direction of Florence and also to send signals back to Lucca. In the 15th century, the Florentines (then in control of the region) expanded the fortress to its current size and configuration.

The fortezza with original construction on the left and more recent addition to the right of the two central towers (note the change in materials from stone to brick).

Original 14th century "door within a door"

Today, the fortezza remains an imposing structure, sitting above the small town of Montecarlo, about a 30-minute drive from Lucca. The original portion of the fortress, built in the 14th century, includes a rounded tower (the mastio, far left in the aerial photo above), two square towers, and a central courtyard all connected by exterior walls in a roughly triangular shape.

The entrance, in one of the square towers, is through an ancient wooden door with a "door within a door" design that prevented armed intruders from entering (the smaller door could be opened but was too small to permit the weapons carried by a soldier to pass through). Amazingly, this massive door is original to the fortress.

The current family home, once the quarters of the military person in charge of the fortress, also lies in this section, as does a large outdoor kitchen and an old cistern. In the central courtyard wall another door leads out of the fortress and onto beautiful views of the valley below.

The more recent construction (15th century) is in brick rather than stone and includes a long room with beamed ceilings and a fireplace at what is now the front of the property, and two smaller towers. Its walls enclose a formal Italian garden, which lies between the newer and older portions of the fortezza.

The Italian garden lies between the oldest and newer portions of the fortezza .

Eventually, the wars between the city-states ended and the fortezza was sold to a private owner. Today it remains a private property, in the family of the current owner since 1905. Imagine having a Medieval fortress as your family home! What must it be like to live day-to-day amid such history? Luckily it is possible to experience the fortezza as the current owners, who are dedicated to restoration and upkeep of this unique piece of history, occasionally open it to the public for tours and private events. Even better, I recently had the chance to tour the property with a small group of students and teachers from Lucca Italian School. One of the current owners, Signor Valter Menchini, was a delightful tour guide and shared his vast knowledge of the fortezza’s construction and history. He so clearly loves his home, and this region’s history, that he made it all come alive with his descriptions of events in the fortress and his interesting anecdotes, such as the story of the two elderly sisters who once lived here and for whom the Torre delle Gobbine (Tower of the Hunchbacks) is named.

Looking out from the entry to the Torre delle Gobbine toward one of the towers in the oldest part of the fortezza.

Hearing that story, as we stood at the top of the tower, overlooking the valley below, was awe inspiring. We also climbed up into the mastio and the second tower at the front of the fortezza, which was accessed by a narrow, winding stone staircase and opened onto views of the town, the valley beyond, and several distant towns. Signor Menchini suggested that this might be the perfect spot for an aperitivo. What a good idea - if I lived here I would spend every summer evening doing just that.

The village of Montecarlo viewed from a window in the fortezza.

The town of Montecarlo, which sits just below the fortezza, is small and very charming. Sections of the old city walls remain and there are shops, restaurants, and wine bars to enjoy in addition to wonderful views. Montecarlo is a stop on the Strada del Vino delle Colline Lucchesi e di Montecarlo (the Wine Road of the Lucchese Hills and Montecarlo). Surrounded by vineyards, Montecarlo is known for its very nice white and red wines, which are often served in the restaurants of the surrounding towns, including Lucca. When in doubt as to what wine to order, I always ask for "un bicchiere di vino bianco di Montecarlo" (a glass of Montecarlo white) and I'm never disappointed.

When I'm in Italy, I often declare "what a perfect day". My visit to the fortezza certainly qualified for that description. Grazie to Lucca Italian School for arranging this visit and to the Pardocchi - Menchini family for opening their family property to us ! - post by JMB

Our host and tour guide, Signor Menchini (front left) and my group from Lucca Italian School.