The Last of Our Italian Hill Town Adventures

Our journey through the Lazio region was different from most of our trips, which tend to be city based and to places that are well known. Getting off the beaten path and visiting smaller locales was inspiring in many ways and will likely influence future trip planning. Of course, we still did many of our favorite activities, like wine tasting and a bike tour through a nature reserve.

Our tasting at Azienda Biologica Trebotti was our first visit to a fully organic and eco-sustainable winery. We learned so much about their zero waste and carbon neutrality practices, asking so many questions that I didn’t take many photos, except of the cute resident puppy and donkey (Jane, who is working part of the ecological plan).

The wines were very good, and we brought 2 bottles home. Even the labels are made using recycled paper and easily detach from the bottles for further recycling. Italy’s airports allow you to take wine as a carry-on – a welcome change to the rules!

A bike tour took us through parts of the Nazzano Tevere-Farfa Nature Reserve, which borders the Tiber River. We made stops to see the local birdlife and other natural features of the area. At one point we had to dismount from our bikes to go around a herd of sheep, including several adorable lambs, who were blocking the path. One of the herding dogs was very wary of our presence.

We had to see what is likely one of the most famous hill towns in all of Italy, Civita di Bagnoregio, which is a picture-perfect postcard sight.

Founded by the Etruscans more than 2500 years ago, in a strategic location between 2 valleys, the hill on which the city sits has been slowly eroding for years. It is known as the “dying town,” with more resident cats than people.

The town is now reached by a paved bridge. The smart idea to charge tourists to cross has turned the city into a well-marketed destination and permitted the town to eliminate city taxes. We enjoyed the views and people watching.

By contrast, a brief stop in charming Vitorchiano, with a population of about 3000 was a bit more authentic. Still, the number of “for sale” signs on buildings was high. We suspect that prices are low and one could get a good deal, but you would need a big budget for repairs and being handy at fixing things would be an essential skill.

On our last day we made it up to Orsini Castle in Soriano nel Cimino, where we stayed. The fortified structure dates to the arrival of the Orisini family in 1278. Pope Nicholas III (an Orsini) accused the city’s lords of heresy and took over their lands in Soriano to expand the family and papacy’s holdings. He died in one of the towers in 1280.

The castle expanded and changed hands multiple times through the years and was even used by the Italian state as a prison between 1871 and 1989. The views down to the valley surrounding Soriano were impressive. 

One thing we noted in each and every hill town was a Via Roma, often a main street, which was a very literal interpretation of “all roads lead to Rome.” And while Rome is one of Italy’s star attractions, skipping it entirely (except for the airport) worked out very well for a unique trip.

Ciao,

Shana & Jeff

Orvieto

Perhaps our favorite of the hill towns we visited was Orvieto, a place that has been populated sinced Etruscan times (starting about 500 B.C.E.). Orvieto's position on a steep bluff of volcanic rock made it virtually impregnable throughout its pre-20th century history. The only vulnerability the city had was a potential siege, which made creating wells and storing food important for its inhabitants. Much of what we saw related to these aspects of the city's history.

Our first stop, however, was Orvieto's famous Duomo (Cathedral). Begun in 1290, the Duomo is quite impressive both inside and out. Our research indicated it was worth paying to enter, so we made an exception to our general rule not to do so. The jury is still out on that call, but the photos show how beautiful it was regardless of the cost analysis.

After the Duomo we took a fascinating underground tour where we learned a lot about how the people from the Etruscan era to the middle ages used the area under the city to survive and even thrive. One of the most amazing things was an Etruscan well, which literally was dug from the city down hundreds of feet through rock until it reached water. The process of digging such a well sounds harrowing given its relatively small size and extreme depth.

The caves we saw were mostly private caves from the middle ages and included an olive oil mill, and  places where families kept pigeons.

Why pigeons? The pigeons were used to provide food, especially in the case of a siege. The caves had an opening to the outside, and pigeons flew in on their own and nested in the indentations in the walls as seen in the photo above. They could then be collected and eaten in a time of need.

After the underground tour, we had a fantastic lunch (of course) before setting out to see two of the major wells in the city from the middle ages. Fortunately, the technology had improved significantly since the Etruscan period. First, we visited the Pozzo della Cava, an archaeological complex that includes not just wells from the Etruscan and Papal period, but also Etruscan tombs, kilns used to make Renaissance lusterware, and a wine cellar. Quite a fascinating site.

Perhaps even more impressive was St. Patrick's Well, built between 1527 and 1537. With stairs designed in the form of a double helix, which allowed teams of donkey's to descend by one set of stairs and return by the other creating a continuous flow, the well is huge: 174 feet deep and 43 feet across at its base. An amazing feat for almost 500 years ago!

Maybe Orvieto was our favorite place in Lazio because there was a chocolate festival on the side of the Duomo when we visited. Seems about right.

Ciao for now.

Jeff and Shana

Surprising Sights in Small Places

We were impressed with the unique sightseeing opportunities we encountered in the various hill towns of Lazio. While we love to visit a well-designed museum, this was not a museum trip, which was a nice change. This trip gave us the chance to see art and history in a different light, and we really enjoyed these quirky places that were off the beaten path.

At the Sacro Bosco, aka the Park of Monsters, located on the outskirts of Bomarzo, we stepped into a 16th century forest hideaway for those looking to escape the mundane and retreat into a world of fantasy strolling through 40 stone creations.

The park was commissioned by Vicino Orsini after his wife died to cope with his grief. Based on the fantastical creatures included, his anguish was deep.

Not every statue was a monstrosity. Some were abstract, including this leaning house:

Others seemed to borrow from myths and foreign cultures:

Even today, Orsini’s goal was achieved: it was easy to imagine you were in another world as you ambled through the park.

Just as fascinating were the murals in Sant’Angelo di Roccalvecce, a hamlet of 100 residents who live in a fairy tale world – literally. In an effort to save their dying town, a group commissioned female street artists to paint murals based on fairy tales and stories.

The project, conceived in 2016 and started in 2017 with Alice in Wonderland themed works, now includes 36 murals strewn throughout the little village’s alleys and lanes. The endeavor was entirely self-funded and put the village back on the map.

It was highly entertaining to wander through the empty streets, looking around corners for the next mural. But we’re not sure if the project really “saved” the town from the fate many of these lowly populated hill towns face.

Finally, we stopped at one of Italy’s Big Benches – a community project designed to evoke a childlike feeling of wonder in public places.

Placed in spaces with panoramic views, the benches are simple and fun. When we pulled up, a local family was having lunch on the bench, but they kindly let us snap our photos. There are over 450 benches, mostly in Italy.

More hill town adventures to come soon,

Shana & Jeff

Bracciano: Loads of Airplanes & a Castle with a View

One of the towns we visited was Bracciano, which is on the shores of beautiful Lake Bracciano. However, before heading to the city to tour its famous castle, we stopped at the Italian Air Force Museum, which is located nearby at the birthplace of Italian aviation. 

The museum was very interesting and we learned a lot about the history of Italian aviation, which started shortly after aviation in the US when one of the Wright brothers, on a tour of Europe, taught the first Italians to fly. There were several WWI (and earlier) era planes on display.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the museum was the period between the "great" wars when Italy was a world leader in long-range and high-speed aviation. These planes were predominantly sea planes, as there was not a lot of infrastructure for landing planes on land. As a result, some of the earliest trans-atlantic flights were done in planes than could land on water. The planes in the photo below were specifically built to enter in annual speed trials that took place for years, and which Italy won many times.

At the beginning of WWII, Italy was still a leader in aviation, and there were a number of WWII-era prop planes in the museum. However, Italy did not effectively make the transition to jet engines, and its dominance faded before the war ended.

Note the smaller plane under the wing of the larger plane in the photo on the left, above. Clearly, aircraft were fulfilling many roles for Italy (and other countries) in WWII.

The plane below was highly innovative. Notice the large windows, which made it useful as a spy plane. In addition, the plane was capable of landing and taking off in very short distances, making it useful for rescue attempts (including a successful one of Mussolini during the war), while its foldable wings meant it could be transported by train.

Overall, we very much enjoyed the  museum, which reminded us of our visits to the Omaka Aviation Heritage Museum in the Marlbourough region of New Zealand in 2022 and 2023. But, because every plane Italy has ever used was present, this museum was in many ways superior, while the Omaka museum's presentation and docents were more entertaining.

We had lunch at a Apulian restaurant in Bracciano, before heading up to the Castle of Bracciano. The castle was built around 1475 by the Orsini family, one of the more powerful families in this area of Italy starting in the middle ages. The castle is large and well-preserved.

Walking on the ramparts provided great views of Lake Bracciano, the city, and the surrounding area.

The interior of the Castle is well maintained, and we were able to visit many rooms that had been set up as they appeared during the Rennaisance period, when the Orsini family was at the height of its power.

One of the most interesting stories we learned is that the Orsinis were the basis for much of the fiction written about the Italian Rennaisance. This includes the character of Orsino, the protagonist of Shakespeare's The Twelfth Night, who was inspired by the Second Duke of Bracciano, Virsinio Orsini, after he visited the court of Elizabeth I.

Later, we went to a small, local gelato shop and had some of the best gelato we have ever tasted.

Ah, Italy.

More soon.

Jeff and Shana