A Festival of Ephemeral Art

Teams of volunteers, often groups of young people, arrived early in the morning to work on creating the “carpet” along Lucca’s walls.

The word ephemeral comes from Greek and describes an object that isn’t meant to last, something that sticks around for just a day. Ephemeral art must be enjoyed as it is created because tomorrow it will be gone.  The largest display of ephemeral art is one I wrote about earlier this summer – the Infiorata in Spello. In that case the creations, made entirely of botanicals, were for the feast of Corpus Domini and included primarily religious themes. Lasting even less than a day, the work was trampled by a procession to the church after just a few hours.

Lucca hosted a festival of Ephemeral Art, The Festival of Arte Effimere Guinness Edition 2026, this past weekend.  Lasting for just one day, it was an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the longest “carpet” of flowers.  The previous record was held by the city of Huamantla in Mexico and stretched for 3,939.5 meters. Lucca had the perfect spot for this challenge, as the historic walls around the old city stretch for just over 4200 meters.  They also had the perfect organizer, The Association of Sawdust Carpets (Associazione Tappeti di Segatura) from Camaiore.  Game on!

Starting at 6 am on Saturday, teams spread out all along the wall with two main objects. The first was to create a series of works of art using flowers as the main material but also incorporating leaves, sand, sawdust, wood shavings, even fruit and vegetables. 

The second objective was to link all the works with a continuous ribbon of tinted sand, creating the required length needed to achieve the Guinness World Record.   

The art works were specific to the Province of Lucca, reflecting local traditions, history, and events.  The artists used templates on the ground and then slowly, bit by bit, filled them in to become some of the regions most famous things : The Devil’s Bridge, Lucca’s Summer Music Festival, the Roman ruins of Massaciuccoli, the Camelia Festival, the Enolia Wine event, Bike Races, Lucca Comics and Games, the composer Puccini.  In all, 15 separate works of ephemeral art were created.

Throughout the day people walked along the walls to see the works as they took shape.  They were all quite careful not to step on the art or the ribbons of sand that connected them.  And most importantly, it was a day of sunshine and no wind.

The efforts continued until about 6 pm and then began the wait for results.  At 7pm, an official measurement was performed by a local notary and – drum roll – it measured 4,233 meters. A Guinness Record.  As for how long the record will stand, that is anyone’s guess because other cities were competing too. 

In any case, the hard work was appreciated by all who marveled at the creations.  It was a different kind of art in a city well-known for hosting unique art events.  But by the next day it began to disappear.

Even little tomatoes had a role in creating the ephemeral art (photo from internet)

Traces of Ancient Rome

A little bit of Ancient Rome in Spello

Modern day Italy is built over and around the remains of ancient Rome. There are countless examples, many of which are buried well below ground. They become visible only when a construction project unearths them. Often digging, whether for a big construction project (like a new metro line in Roma) or a simple home renovation, exposes stunning mosaic floors, the outlines of ancient homes, or the base of a Roman column. Many a construction project has been delayed when ruins are discovered and the archeologists arrive.

Some of the buried traces of Roman life have been carefully excavated and are opened to visitors as museums. 

In a bit of urban drama, some Roman structures sit proudly right in the middle of a city, absorbed into every day Italian life.  Rome’s Forum and Colosseum are no doubt the most well-known examples, but there are many others.  And some remnants of the Roman era aren’t ruins at all, but intact buildings still in use today. 

This 1st century amphitheater sits right in the middle of Verona, just off Piazza Bra

In Lucca, the Roman bits are mostly hidden.  But look closely and they reveal themselves. Within the church of Santa Maria della Rosa is a segment of the Roman era city walls which form one wall of the church.  More Roman history lies under the Church of San Giovanni (including Roman baths) and under Via Cesare Battisti in the Domus Romana (Roman House).  Traces of Rome in Lucca persist in the shape of Piazza Anfiteatro and in Piazza Santa Maria Forisportam which marks the border of the old Roman city. Piazza San Michele, today the best people watching spot in town, was once the site of the ancient Roman Forum. 

The Church of Santa Maria della Rosa is the best place to see the remains of the Roman era wall that once enclosed the city

Not far from Lucca, the ruins of a Roman villa sits a short distance from the shores of Lake Massaciuccoli.  Amazingly, it is possible to wander through the completely open site!

In the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, in and around the city of Trieste, the ghosts of ancient Rome seem to be everywhere.  Most dramatic are the remnants of a Roman theater that sit right in the middle of Trieste.  A large section of the seating is intact making it easy to picture the events that took place there.

An ancient Roman theater in Trieste, right in the heart of the city

Not far from Trieste, the town of Aquileia is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Once a Roman military post, the town has a large archeological area and a host of historical finds.  The Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta was built over layers of much earlier structures.  Its Medieval floor was removed to reveal Roman era mosaics underneath.  These can be seen up close from a clear walkway that sits just above the mosaic floor.  The detailed mosaics, rich in color and imagery, make up the largest Roman mosaic floor in this region.   

Verona

In Verona, a Roman arena sits just off Piazza Bra.  Not just a historic relic, today the arena hosts opera performances and other special events.  Climb the stone steps to where Romans once sat and feel the shadows of the past.

In Spello a Roman Gate to the city still stands.  The Porta Consolare, with its three arches, was the main entrance to Roman Spello. 

The three arches allowed carts and people to pass through. The attached tower was a Medieval addition. Like so many Italian cities, Spello clearly shows its evolution over various eras.

Porta Consolare, Spello

Next stop, Torino (Turin) where another Roman gate awaits.  This one, the Porta Palatina, has a segment with 3 arches at ground level topped with a tall two row high series of “windows” and flanked by two towers.  Statues of Julius and Augustus Caesar, reproductions of the original bronzes, stand just inside the gates. Ruts left by carts can still be seen approaching the gates.

Porta Palatina, Torino

One of the most fascinating examples of the late Roman / early Christian period in northern Italy is in the city of Ravenna. The Mausoleum of Galla Palicidia (another UNESCO World Heritage site) is deceptively plain on the exterior but breathtakingly beautiful inside. The building never fulfilled its original purpose - as the final resting place of Galla Palicidia, the powerful last Empress of the Roman Empire - but instead most likely functioned as a chapel. Small in size, but huge in impact, it is filled with ornate mosaics from floor to ceiling, in alcoves, around arches, on lunettes, and up to a blue and star filled ceiling. The interior is hushed and softly lit by light filtered through small alabaster windows. The mosaics reflect Christian religious themes through detailed and colorful mosaic figures, which include humans, animals, and plants. It is one of those places that require reverence.

One of the best Roman era aqueducts is the Post du Gard in France

These are just a sampling of Roman historical sites in Northern Italy.  Of course Roman artifacts can be found in modern day Rome, throughout Italy, and in nearby countries. Some outstanding examples are in England and France - which means I need to plan more travel!

I’ve skipped the most well-known relics of the ancient Romans in favor of some of the perhaps less famous in northern Italy. A whole lifetime would be needed to explore them all!

Crossing Borders, Italy to Slovenia

An early spring visit to Lake Bled avoids the summer crowds

Trieste is just about as far northeast as you can go in Italy before crossing the border into Slovenia.  Until recently, I had never been to Slovenia. But during a stay in Trieste last spring, that border (just a few miles away) seemed to have an almost magnetic pull.  And while I didn’t have much extra time, I couldn’t resist the opportunity for a guided day trip which included Lake Bled and nearby Ljubljana.

I won’t lie - a one-day tour was not a perfect way to visit. In fact it was pretty frustrating because the area was fascinating and I really wanted to linger.  But at least it gave me an introduction to two spots that are now on the list of places I want to explore in more depth.

The first stop on the tour, about 2 hours by car from Trieste, was Lake Bled.  The lake lies in the foothills of the Julian Alps, a range that crosses between Italy and Slovenia. Bled is not a big lake at just under 1.5 miles long and less than 1 mile wide. Nor is it a deep one at just about 100 feet of depth, but it makes a very big impact.   Surrounded by forests, cliffs, and the peaks of the Julian Alps, the setting is stunning, with a fairytale quality that is almost too perfect to be real. 

A Medieval castle, once a Bishop’s residence, sits above the lake. It houses a small museum, a chapel, and a restaurant. Things to explore on a future visit!

Bled Castle, a Bishop’s residence in the 11th century, sits on a bluff high above the lake

A small island with a steepled church, accessible only by boat, sits within the lake.  Traditional flatbottom and covered boats, called Pletnas, ferry small groups of visitors out to the island. 

Like the gondoliers in Venice, the Pletna rowers come from families who have been doing this work for generations.  Don’t bother applying for a job – you need to be born into it.    

Rowboats however are also available for rent; paddleboards too. You could even swim to the island.

A Pletna boat is the ideal way to reach the island. Thought you could rent a rowboat or swim!

Around the lake is a 6 km walking path with cafes, benches, boat launches, small swimming spots, and lots of places to stop and admire the views. 

A 6 km (3.7 miles) walking path surrounds Lake Bled

Our guide insisted that we stop to try Bled Cream Cake, the local delicacy.  Two different layers of cream filling between layers of thin, crispy pastry, it is officially called Kremšnita.  Delicious, it is served in huge squares – best to split it with a friend! 

The lake is a popular tourist destination and gets quite busy in the summer. In March, when I visited, it was peaceful and uncrowded.

My time at Lake Bled was much too short, because we were soon leaving for the next stop on the tour, the city of Ljubljana. I would love to return and spend a couple of nights in the town of Bled, ferry out to the island, and walk the path around the lake. Anyone want to come and share a cream cake with me?

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!

Monks and Apricots

The Ortofrutta (green grocery) in Lucca is full of apricots right now.  Colorful and sweet, they’ve been perfect in my morning yoghurt or eaten out of hand. Not only are they delicious, but seeing them has reminded me of an experience I had last fall when visiting Göttweig Abbey near the town of Krems in Austria - monks and apricots!

Göttweig Abbey

The Abbey, built in the 11th century and rebuilt in 1580 and again in 1718, each time following a fire, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.  Still a working monastery, the grounds and public areas are well worth a visit. 

The large monastery complex includes several areas open to the public, including the park like grounds and a museum with a stunning Baroque staircase and beautiful interiors. 

The church, parts of which date back the earliest construction of the abbey, has a dusty pink exterior, twin bell towers, and an ornate interior filled with beautiful frescoes. 

Below the church is a crypt which contains one of the abbey’s most important artifacts - a shrine containing the relics of the abbey’s founder, Bishop Altmann.

The abbey is surrounded by forest, vines, and orchards. It is especially gorgeous in fall.

 Göttweig Abbey sits on a hill above vineyards, orchards, and forest.  Run by a small group of Benedictine monks, today it is known for its vines, which provide the grapes used to produce the abbey’s wines, and for its apricots which are used to make apricot liqueurs, jams, and nectars – all available for purchase in the gift shop. 

I visited Göttweig Abbey on an excursion offered as part of a Viking Danube River cruise which included the opportunity to learn to make (and of course, to taste) the famous Marillenknödel or Apricot Dumpling that is one of the abbey’s specialties. 

After a tour of the grounds, museum, and church we were offered a taste of apricot nectar and apricot wine – and then if was off to the restaurant for a dumpling lesson from the pastry chef.

 The apricots used in the dumplings are grown in the abbey’s orchard. Harvested when ripe, the pit is removed and replaced with a sugar cube. Next, they are frozen to be used for future dumpling making year round.  In season they can also be used fresh.

The pastry chef had all of the ingredients ready and demonstrated the process of making the dough, wrapping the apricots, boiling them, and preparing the sweetened bread crumb topping. After the demo we each had a cup of coffee and a dumpling. Delicious, and not too sweet, they were wonderful.

A copy of the recipe was given to each of us and I think the monks won’t mind me sharing!

To make the dumplings, a dough is made from 1 cup farmer’s cheese (a substitute would be ½ ricotta and ½ Greek yoghurt – both full fat),  1 cup flour, 2 Tablespoons semolina flour, 1 egg, 3 ½ tablespoons butter, and a pinch of salt.  Mixed and chilled in the fridge for at least 12 hours.

The dumplings were served in a puddle of apricot jam - delicious !

Pieces of the dough are used to wrap around each apricot, forming a round dumpling.  The dumplings are then dropped gently in boiling lightly salted water.  When they float, they are ready (15-20 minutes).  

While the dumplings cook, a topping is made from 1 cup bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar, and 3 tablespoons butter.  Mix and toast in a pan until golden and then add 1 teaspoon cinnamon.   Roll the boiled dumplings in the crumbs and serve while warm.  Toppings can vary – ours were served in pool of thin apricot jam and sprinkled with powdered sugar.  They can also be drizzled with honey, topped with vanilla sauce, whipped cream, or even ice cream. 

Learning to make them was fun – tasting them was even better.   I’ve yet to try making them at home, but will all the ripe apricots in the Italian markets right now I just might give it a try!