A Stroll Through Montefalco

Umbria is known for producing olive oil, wine, and grains

Umbria is a part of Italy that is completely landlocked. What it lacks in coastline it makes up for in rolling hills, fields of grains, bright poppies in springtime, olive groves, vineyards, and its many hill towns. 

Some of the hill towns, such as Spello, Assisi, and Perugia, are well known and attract many visitors.  Others are smaller and quieter, with fewer tourists. Those small towns, Panicale, Rasiglia, and Bevagna for example, are especially delightful.  

On a recent trip to Umbria, after a morning of farmhouse cooking and a visit to a winery, we (a group from Let’s Cook in Umbria) made a quick detour to the village of Montefalco, not far from Bevagna. Montefalco is small (less than 6,000 residents), quiet, and uncrowded. It is a slice of everyday Italy.

Montefalco is on the list of the Borghi Più Belli d’Italia (Italy’s most beautiful villages).  A walled hill town, it still has its Medieval gates and streetscape. 

Old stone buildings, pretty windows, and flowers are part of Montefalco’s charm

It also has a most enviable location – perched high above the surrounding valley with panoramic views of the Umbrian countryside and, most importantly, of the Sagrantino vineyards.   Montefalco Sagrantino DOC, a bold, dry red wine, is the areas claim to fame and a must-try when in this area.

We began our walk through Montefalco at the Belvedere Viewpoint near Porta della Rocca, one of the Medieval gates into the town. It has spectacular views over the valley below, making it clear why Montefalco is known as the Balcony of Umbria.

The Piazza del Comune is the heart of the village and where the town hall is located.  It is also where many cafes can be found and where the market and various festivals take place. Just before the piazza is the Church & Museum of San Francesco. I’ll have to explore that on a future visit!

Heading downhill towards Porta di Sant’Agostino, one of Montefalco’s Medieval gates.

From the piazza, a wander down “main street” reveals a street lined with shops, galleries, a small hotel, and restaurants.  Lots of opportunities to buy a bottle of Sagrantino or other local products. Keep walking and find Porta di Sant’Agostino, another of the town’s Medieval gates.

Small lanes branch out from the central street, many of them filled with stone houses, flower filled windows, arched alleyways, and pretty doors. As a bonus, they often end with stunning views over the valleys below.

Our detour to Montefalco gave us only enough time for a brief introduction to the town.  I will need a return trip and more time to better explore all that the village has to offer. One thing is clear to me, the more time I spend in Umbria, the more I fall in love with this unique part of Italy.

Now that is my kind of Farmacia!

Walking Through Lucca’s History

In Italian, the verb rievocare means to recall, commemorate, or evoke.   Lucca is, for the most part, a Medieval city.  That history can be recalled easily in the current street plan, Medieval towers, and the many churches from that era that can be found throughout town.  To “rievocare” that Medieval history is easy. 

There are of course vestiges of earlier eras, the outline of a Roman amphitheater, remnants of the Roman wall, and some remarkable Roman ruins lying under churches and houses.  The later Renaissance history can also be spotted, most clearly in the walls that surround the historic city center.   But when it comes to celebrating historical events, it is usually the Medieval period that is recreated through costumes, processions, music, and competitions.

How would one even go about planning an event that would recall the broader scope of Lucca’s history?  From before the Roman era and through the period at the end of World War II?   Well, fortunately, someone decided to do just that, and in late May a festival took place – Rievocando Lucca, A Festival of History.

A call to arms for Roman soldiers

 The event took place on the city walls, a perfect way to present, in chronological order, a series of vignettes tracing Lucca’s history from pre-Roman/Etruscan times through the city’s liberation at the end of WWII.  Each stop along the walls featured costumed actors, period specific crafts and weapons, and representations of daily life during the time period.  The actors were a wealth of information, explaining the displays, answering questions, and demonstrating the use of tools and weapons.

 Some highlights:

The Roman Legionaires made camp along one section of the wall and they were fierce!  Dressed for battle, armed, and bearing shields, they made an impressive sight during the commander’s morning call to arms.  Marching through town one evening, they caused quite a stir with their chants and battle cries. 

 In the Medieval village, a candlemaker described the process and coloring agents used in making her candles. Nearby, a woodcarver demonstrated his skills.   The Medieval costumes were beautiful too.

Piazza Napoleone and the Ducal Palace, both created by Elisa Bonaparte.

 Napoleon also left a mark on Lucca’s history – gifting the city to his sister Elisa who ruled as the Princess of Lucca and Piombino in the early years of the 1800’s.  Her influence can still be seen in Lucca -  the largest piazza is the Piazza Napoleone and it sits in front of the Palazzo Ducale, the palace Elisa Bonaparte built.

 For the Rievocando festival, a Napoleonic camp was filled with French soldiers in their colorful uniforms.   Alongside were a group of French ladies taking tea, as they might have done once upon a time in the Palazzo Ducale.

 The final vignette was of WWII, during a time when American and Brazilian troops played an important role in and around Lucca.  It was American Buffalo soldiers who entered Lucca in September 1944, ending the occupation by Nazi forces.   

 Also fun was walking around town and seeing the many costumed participants having lunch or strolling the walls.  The weekend event provided little glimpses of Lucca as it once was. 

Wine Tasting in a Friulian Castle

Italy has 20 regions, 5 of which are semi-autonomous based on their history, unique culture, and diversity of language.  This designation provides them with a greater ability to manage their own governance, finances, and education.  One of these 5 regions is Venezia-Friuli Giulia, in the northeastern most part of Italy, bordering on Slovenia and Austria.  Local identity runs deep in this area (as in all of Italy), and the Friuli sub-region is no exception.  With a history that moves from the Romans to the Longobards to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and finally to its inclusion in the Italian Empire, and with its own Friulian language, Friuli is a unique medley of influences. 

The wine cellar still has traces of previous owners

Mostly an agricultural area, Friuli is best known for its white wines.  A variety of grapes are grown in the region, with several DOCG and DOC designations.  The whites include Fruilano, Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc.  Some reds also are produced, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Pignolo, and Ribolla Nera, though they make up a much smaller percentage of the local wines. 

I spend most of my time in Tuscany, and the Lucchese wine shops tend to stock mostly Tuscan wines, so the Friulian varieties are not very familiar to me.  At least they weren’t until a recent wine tasting at the Castello di Spessa in the village of Capriva del Friuli, 25 miles and a world away from busy Trieste. 

The Castello has a fascinating history beginning with its construction in the 13th century.  Passed down as part of a 15th century dowry, it remained in one family for the next 300 years.  During that time it played host to several famous visitors including Lorenzo da Ponte, who wrote the libretti for some of Mozart’s most famous operas (including my personal favorite, Cosi Fan Tutte).  The  scandalous Casanova came to visit too but was banished after a romantic liaison during his stay (with a maid or the owner’s daughter – we can’t be sure). 

Ownership changed several times in the late 1800’s and into the 1900’s. Wine production began sometime in the years between 1925 and 1940. During WWII an underground bunker was built on the property, used first by Germans and later by Americans.  Long forgotten, it was rediscovered by the current owners who found it to be the perfect temperature for storing grappa. 

Down, down, down to the once abandoned WWII bunker. Today it is where the grappa is stored.

In 1987 the Castello was purchased by the Pali family.  They renovated the property, expanded the vineyard, and developed the surrounding land into a spa and golf resort.  Today they host events, weddings, vacationers, and wine tastings at the Castelllo.  Several of their wines bear the names of those earlier owners and visitors to the castello - there is a Casanova Pinot Noir, a Rassaurer Fruliano, and even an Amadeus Brut.

Delicate and sparkling, this was my favorite of the wines we tasted

Our group (all students at the Piccola Università language school in Trieste) enjoyed a wine tasting in the Castello’s tasting room. We sampled primarily whites (still and sparkling) and one red (a Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot blend).  Along with each glass our hostess provided information about the vines, grapes, and production methods. 

All the wines we tasted were very good but I had a definite favorite – the Pertè Ribolla Gialla Spumante, a sparkling wine made by the classic method (unlike Prosecco which is made by the Charmat method) with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. It was dry with perfect soft bubbles.  A delightful wine which had me wondering how I could possibly get several bottles home to Lucca on the train.  Unfortunately, that was impossible. 

A tour of the wine cellar followed our tasting. The cellars have a variety of rooms which contain not only wine but bits of the history of the Castello and some old winemaking equipment. What is it that makes dusty old wine bottles so fascinating?

As we left the Castello, our parting gift was a gorgeous tramonto (sunset). A perfect ending to a wonderful afternoon of wine tasting.

contact info: Castello di Spessa Golf Wine Resort and Spa. Via Spessa 1. Capriva del Friuli GO 34070 email: info@castellodispessa.it

Cividale del Friuli

To enter the hamlet of Cividale del Friuli is to walk into a long ago era. Even more so when the day is misty, overcast, and feels a bit eerie. About an hour by car from busy Trieste, it feels a world (and centuries) away.

I went to Cividale, along with a small group of students from The Piccola Università Italiana in Trieste, on an afternoon excursion arranged by the school. We arrived to a spot overlooking the Natisone river which seemed to glow with an unusual iridescent green color. Not to worry though - the color is not due to pollution but is naturally occurring because of the minerals deposited by the water flowing down from the nearby mountains.

Il Ponte del Diavolo (Devil’s Bridge)

The bridge across the river is known locally as the Il Ponte del Diavolo (the Devil’s Bridge) and of course there is a legend that goes with the name. Does any village in Italy not have its own legends and myths? Oddly, the story in Cividale is identical to the one told at the bridge built by the same devil just outside of Lucca. Must have been one busy devil!

Most of Italy was once inhabited by the Longobards

Much of the Cividale feels medieval but there are traces of earlier civilations too. The most intriguing part of Cividale’s history involves the Longobards. A bit of a history lesson is required here. After the Roman empire fell in the 5th Century AD, this part of Italy was ruled by the Byzantines until it was conquered by the Longobards. The Longobards had slowly moved from the north into Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Slovenia. In the last half of the 6th century they arrived in what is now northern Italy. Cividale del Friuli was the first Longobard Duchy. Eventually most of Italy, 35 Duchys in all, were part of Longobardo Italy.

Their empire fell with the arrival of Charlemagne, but traces remain in both the landscape and the language of Italy. Today, the group of Longobard sites scattered across Italy are a UNESCO site, with Cividale being the perfect place to begin exploring this lesser known chapter in Italy’s history.

My visit to Cividale was just one afternoon in a light rain that quickly became a torrential downpour, so I was only able to get a taste of all that the village had to offer. The rain drove us mostly indoors to two museum complexes. The first was the Oratorio di Santa Maria in Valle. Once an 8th century convent, where the daughters of noble Longobards might have lived, it remained a place for nuns through the 1800’s and continued as a convent and girl’s boarding school right up to the year 1999. Today it is a museum with a small chapel and beautifully displayed frescos remnants.

It also has something unique inside - the Tempietto Longobardo (Lombard Temple) . This very small temple, which dates to the 8th century, is a wonder. Small but soaring, the space seems perfectly designed for quiet contemplation and divine inspiration.

Tempietto Longobardo

Lined with carved wooden benches on both sides, it rises quite high with intricately carved lunettes, frescoes, and relief sculptures of saints. Large columns support 3 barrel vaulted arches with only fragments of the original frescoes remaining. But look up - the ceiling still has some beautiful intact artwork.

The Tempietto is unlike any other temple or chapel I’ve seen. The interior can be viewed through small windows from above on the upper floor of the museum. Small groups are admitted into the Tempietto itself, via a small and easy to miss door near the complexes exit / viewpoint over the river. If you can only do one thing on a rainy day in Cividale - make it this.

Our group also made a stop at the Archeological Museum. This is the place to get a sense of Cividale’s Roman history along with information about the various archeological digs in and around Cividale.

Roman era mosaics are always fascinating and the artifacts found in the various digs and gravesites were interesting too.

Cividale provides a great introduction to Longobard history and provides gorgeous views along the river. It’s a must-see place when visiting the Friuli area. Next time I will order a day without rain to be better able to explore the city center.

This path leads from the Oratorio di Santa Maria in Valle to a viewpoint above the river. How many young nuns may have walked this path?

Museo Nazionale del Bargello

One of many statues in the courtyard of the Bargello, this one, from 1579 by Domenico Poggini, is particularly lovely

I could spend the next 20 years in Florence and still not have studied all the art that can be found there.  There is so much to experience - in public buildings, palaces, churches, and museums - that it can be overwhelming, especially if trying to see as much as possible on a short visit. How fortunate it is to spend most of the year just an hour or so away in Lucca, making it easy to return over time, taking in a new museum, seeing just a few artistic highlights, or returning to a favorite place.

One place that I have returned to over the years is the Museo Nazionale del Bargello.  There are many things to love about the Bargello; it is one of my favorite museums anywhere in the world.

First, the history.  Constructed in the 13th century as Florence’s first public building, it began its existence as a place to protect the rights of the people.  Over its long history it has served many purposes and experienced many periods of destruction and rebuilding. After its noble beginning, the palazzo was later used as a justice hall and later a prison.  Political prisoners were tried, jailed, and executed here up until the late 1700’s when the death penalty was banned. Perhaps the most famous political convict was Dante. He received a death sentence here in the year 1302; luckily he had fled Florence and the sentence was never carried out. Instead, he was exiled from Florence.   

The courtyard, looking up to the loggia

Since 1865 the palazzo has served as a museum, housing treasures created by some of Italy’s most famous artists.  Even before viewing the art, the palazzo is magnificent for its architecture.  Standing in the courtyard, with it’s central well, coats of arms, and grand staircase, and looking up toward the first-floor loggia, is a wonder.  Many of the pieces here are recreations of works that had been destroyed during the years when the Bargello served as a prison. 

Ammannati’s Juno Fountain, 1555. (Juno and the peacocks are copies)

Detail, courtyard ceiling

Other pieces were relocated here from various buildings in Florence, including the Juno fountain which was originally meant for the Palazzo Vecchio. Over time it was deconstructed and the 8 statues scattered to different locations. Now, with all the figures reunited, it is a perfect fit in the Bargello’s grand courtyard. 

The courtyard is a peaceful spot to sit and enjoy the start of a visit to this wonderful and generally uncrowded museum. Informational signs, in English, provide an overview of the buildings history, a good beginning to any visit.

The floors above the courtyard hold an abundance of treasures.  I think of the Bargello as primarily a sculpture museum, for it is the sculpture that pulls me back time and again.  The sculptures include a who’s who list of Italy’s most famous artists – Bernini, Donatello, Cellini, Michaelangelo, Verrocchio, Giambologna. 

Bronze Birds by Giambologna, c. 1570

Many of the most famous works can be found in the Donatello Room, originally the palazzo’s grand hall, including both a bronze and a marble David by Donatello. While this room showcases several works by Donatello, others are also represented including the competition pieces by Brunelleschi and Ghiberti for the Baptistery doors. The Donatello room is newly refurnished, with this David right in the center.

A bronze David by Donatello, c.1440 (the marble St. George in the background is also by Donatello)

There is much more to see at the Bargello in addition to sculpture.  There are Della Robbia glazed ceramics, paintings, decorative arts, ivories and paintings. 

A small chapel, with frescoes by Giotto, was where prisoners would be given last rites prior to their execution. Today, it houses religious artifacts including an intricate carved choir lectern.

Il Pescatore (The Fisher Boy), Vincenzo Gemito 1877

The photos here are just a hint of what can be found in the Bargello.  So many visitors to Florence head to the Accademia to see the David and the Uffizi for the famous paintings, and both are wonderful.  But to miss the Bargello is a shame. 

The art there can be viewed close up – but don’t be like the tourists I saw reach beyond the rope to touch a marble statue!  The guard was right on that and after she scolded them she looked at me, shook her head, and said “every day there is at least one like that”.  I would hate to see all these wonderful works of art get hidden behind glass enclosures because of visitors who don’t keep their hands to themselves. 

As they are displayed today, it is a joy to be able to walk around each piece, admiring the different angles and perspectives. I am headed back to Florence for a week’s stay at the end of October with a friend who is a first time visitor.  You can bet the Bargello is one of the places we will go.

The Dancing Cherub, a more playful Donatello