Saturday 16th April

Moving day today, across the regional border from Umbria to Le Marche to Cagli, only about 75 kms but we diverted a bit through some small towns like Branca, Gubbio and Scheggia and added 20 or 30 kms but worth every bit.
We  are staying now in "La Pieve", a converted  chapel at San Christoforo, the former heart of a 13th century rural parish, about 5 kms out of Cagli.
Cagli is one of Italy's best kept secrets and we do not expect to run into many foreign tourists when we get out and about. However, this part of Italy is steeped in history and although the following may be a bit dry, but you can't come to a place like this in the world without knowing something of what went on in the past.
So here is a little something I lifted from "Commune di Cagli - Visitors Guide".

"Cagli's venerable history goes back to pre-Roman times when it was known as Cale. Notable archeological finds have shown that the Umbri, Etruscans and Celtic Galli Senoni all passed through before ancient Rome conquered the area in 295 BC at the battle of Sentino.
References to Cale Vicus and Mutatio ad Cale from ancient Roman sources bear witness to Cagli's establishment as a growing centre in the wake of the construction of the Via Flaminia, one of Rome's earliest and most important roads.
Already by the 4thC Cagli was a bishopric under Greciano who took part in the Council of Rimini in 359. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the town fell first to the Goths then to the Lombards. As a strategic point in the corridor still under Byzantine influence, it was fought over for years by Byzantium and Lombards. The local population menwhile took refuge in the hill above the Via Flaminia known as the Bandirola; here they founded the Medieval city and enclosed it with sturdy walls.
At the close of the 12thC the town gained its status as a comune thanks to a pact between the Church and local nobility. The warring between Guelfs and Ghibellines that swept central Italy in Medieval times did not spare Cagli and in 1287, during a heated confrontation between the two factions, it was destroyed by fire.
Two years later in 1289, under orders of Pope Nicholas IV, it was re-sited and rebuilt on classical lines on the plain below where it stands today.
After a chequered history, the town came into the hands of the Dukes of Montefeltro in Urbino around 1376. In the course of the 16thC it then passed to the Della Rovere family. It remained with them until 1631 when it became part of the Papal States where it stayed until the Unification of Italy in 1860."

That should have got you in the mood for more exploration of  Le Marche in the next two weeks.

A view looking down on the Commune of Cagli

Exterior La Pieve

View from La Pieve Porch over Vineyard and to the hills

Inside La Pieve



Friday April 15th

Today is our last day in Umbria, the "Heart of Italy" and we have explored the countryside and smaller villages. We didn't go to Perugia, Orvieto, Spoleto, Todi or other multitudes of wonderful places we have read about.
BUT, we did see some of the most spectacular, pretty, breathtaking, ancient, historic, religious, friendly, etc, etc places in the world. We probably went to places that aren't in the tourist guides and books like Chiusi , Viole and Norcera Umbra which we visited today.
Norcera Umbra is East of Assisi and suffered badly in the earthquake of 1997. The ancient town is still being restored and as we drove through it we could not understand what the level of renovation and rebuilding was all about. Had the Packers bought it and were turning the whole town into another Casino? No, Rebecca put us on the right track.
Despite the work going on the beauty of the place shone through and we enjoyed a lunch of pizza in a small local restaurant with construction workers from the restoration and rebuilding.
We drove back to Brigolante through little towns, some with unpronouncable names ( despite our immediate grasp of Italian ) like Gaifana, Molina, Valtopina, Capodacqua and Pontecentesimo.
We drove  through our Assisi exit arch for the last time back to Brigolante.

Tomorow it is onto Cagli in Le Marche for more adventure, new sites, people and food

Scene of Norcera Umbra
The cranes and scaffolding can be seen if you look hard.

Archway entrance to Nocera Umbra



View from San Vitale Church over Viole

"Our" Archway Entrance into Assisi - Porta Perlica

"Our" Archway Exit from Assisi - Porta Perlica

Thursday 14th April

In the most northern part of Umbria is the Upper Tiber Valley and it is to here we ventured today. We drove through the beautiful countryside towards Citta di Castello and were not disappointed, not only by the countryside but also by the town.
Citta di Castello is a rare Umbrian example of  Renaissance art and culture, which harmonises perfectly with the many events of national importance that are organised here throughout the year. They include music, craftwork,agriculture, gastronomy and sports. (yes, I copied this from a travel brochure).
It would take more than the three hours we had to really explore this town, but we managed to run across several markets in the many piazzas which exist in this town, and visit what we thought was the "Umbrian Collection of Woven Fabrics", but was actually a shop next door which sold their Umbrian linen products. We saw though a  woven table mat about 600x400mm that takes 8 hours to weave a 20mm length for sale for 1300 Euros. We didn't buy it but did buy something less expensive.
From Citta di Castello, we moved over into Toscana to Cortona ( the town of  "Under the Tuscan Sun" fame) and the Val di Chiana. The Etruscans were here for centuries, then the Romans who turned Cortona into a trading centre until the Goths came and destroyed the lot, and then came Ann and Bob.
It regrew in the 11th century and remains truly medieval at heart.
The views over the Val di Chiana from Cortona are breathtaking and I've included one to give you and idea.

Foyer of Palazzo del Comune
Foyer of Town Hall built between 1322 and 1338





Val di Chiana from Cortona

with Lago Trasimeno in background top



Maket Stall in C. di Castello







Cathedral in C. di Castello

Wednesday 13th #2

Tonight was "Cena Famiglia" and like last week it was fabulous to be invited to dine with the entire family and enjoy their own produce and cooking. This week, along with the Antipasto misto, we enjoyed Pasta al Forno ( lasagne made by Emma ) and grilled pork, grown on the farm.
Rebecca's Tiramisu was again a delight and we put that down to the fresh mascapone that it's made from. We were lucky enough to score that which we couldn't consume at the table.

The Famiglia
Stephano, Leonardo, Eugo, Emma, Nicholo and Rebecca

Wednesday 13th

A slower sort of day today after waking up to a smattering of snow on Mt Subiaso above Assisi and a bit of a nip in the air.
We headed back to Spello and purchased the linen ware for the dining table and visited the Spello mercato (market) and bought some more porchetto, lunch (porchetto on a bun) for later and some other little things.
Then on to the Villa Fidelia di Spello - which we believe is an 18th century lauded gentry villa surrounded by magnificent gardens. We were fortunate enough to be able to go inside the villa itself and see some of the works of art which have been on display since December and which finished at the weekend gratuito as some people were there photographing the exhibits. Another on the spot at the right time experience.
We managed to find the grande shopping center Collestrada that has eluded us for some time and Ann was able to satisfy her instincts for shopping for food - and Bob got a hair cut.
Tonight we are again fortunate to be invited to our second "Cena Famiglia" here at Brigolante - we are looking forward to it after enjoying it so much last week.

Artwork on Display

The Gardens

Villa Fidelia di Spello

Tuesday 12th

Today was Spello, About 15kms south from Brigolante.
When we thought the towns of Umbria could not possibly get any prettier, we entered Spello. Spello is up there with pretty as it gets, as steep as it gets and as friendly and helpful as it gets.
We wandered litlle streets with the flower baskets hanging from windows and balconies, we sat in piazzas and drank lemonade, visited a candle maker, we spoke to friendly LOL's and heard how they all had friends, relatives or whatever in Australia and lunched up at the top most part of the village over looking the fields and olive groves of Spello.
We visited an Umbrian linen shop where Ann went beresk at the wares but had forgotten to bring the dining table measurements after Bob had negotiated a discount. We promised to come back tomorrow with the measurements to ensure we had selected the right size before purchase.
Put Spello your list of must visits when you come to Umbria and enter through the Roman Porta Consolare.


Spello Street Scene



Spello Candle Maker at Work

View from lunch restaurant

Spello Street Scene

  Roman Porta Consolare

Monday 11th

It was up early and out on the road to Assisi.
Admittedly Assisi is only a couple of good 5  iron ( perhaps 1 wood ) shots from Brigolante, but important to get there before the crowds and get around before the "pausa pranzo" (refer earlier post).
Assisi is another beautiful place and most of all it is St Francis of Assisi.
I'm not going to go into the history of St Francis, but enough to say he is most revered not only here but in the rest of the world and the Franciscan monks have spread throughout the world.
The Basilica of St Francis dominates the skyline and we have already posted some distant photos of it, but here are some close ups.
 So Assisi was breakfast, walking up hills, surprises around each corner, St Francis, the Basilica, non stop photo oppurtunities, walking up more hills, more churches than the population could fill, beautiful artwork, St Francis, history, the museum, meeting people and talking Italian in a fashion to get us by, lunch  and St Francis, and a taxi back to the car.

In the afternoon we visited the Basilica of Santa Maria Degli Angeli in the neighbouring village of the same name. St Francis actually spent most of his life here and died here in the site the Basilica is now on, on October 3rd 1226.
Mi dispiace, but no photographs allowed in either Basilica so you will have to wait to see the books we collected.

The Basilica Cloisters



Ann in Piazza Inferiore di San Francesco in front of  the Basilica




The steep streets of Assisi

Basilica of Santa Maria Degli Angeli

Basilica of St Francis

Sunday 10th

Sunday, and its not the day to visit Assisi and other large tourist towns with all of their crowds and buses.
So for us it was off to Scheggino about 70 kms south of us and which doesn't get a mention in the tourist books but which we had been told about as a place which is quiet, slow and beautiful and with some of the best restaurants cooking Umbrian Tipica food.
It has a river splitting the old and the new town and another channel running through the middle of the old town with trout swimming in it. No fishing allowed but kids were having a ball feeding them bread.
We virtually had the town to ourselves and the locals and an English church choir from Essex who, after mass in the little church came down and sang in the small piazza. We stumbled across this small church while walking the streets and steps and Ann went in while mass was being said and Bob continued to explore.
We had lunch in this small restaurant which serves Umbrian Tipica food and were not disappointed, but the star of the meal was " zuppe di farro" which is a soup made from ancient wheat called farro and has a rich nutty flavour and is rated amongst the 5 top must have Umbrian dishes.
There are so many photos to choose from that were taken in this fabulous little town and we hope these selections give you some idea of what we are raving about.

Street view

Street view



Street view



Church

Choir in Piazza



Channel through old town



Saturday 9th

Today was "moving day". Not to a new location but literally next door to a larger unit Il Focalare from the tiny La Stalletta. Il Focalare had been booked for last week before we could do it. But not to worry. It is just like a new holiday.
While the unit was being prepared for us we went for a drive locally in the hills. Again wonderfull scenery everywhere. We got lost again on the way home on the outskirts of Assisi and the GPS took us  through a field but right at the bottom of Assisi which gave us possibly the best view of Assisi and the Basilica of Saint Francis you could get - just us and the paddocks.

Friday 8th

Today is culture day and where better than Deruta, the world capital of majolica pottery. Deruta is only about 20 kms from where we are staying so we were there fairly early and no crowds. We virtually had this, again, medieval hill town with all its ceramic shops and artisans to our selves. And what wares they had. Beautifully crafted and painted ceramics of all descriptions. The artisans were more than happy to show us their skills and talk their products with us whether they spoke English or not. We learnt a lot and bought some beautiful pieces some of which we have shipped home.
We had lunch in a little Ristorante which specialised in local food. Great!!!
The drive in the home direction was via Montefalco and Bevagna. Montefalco is a noted wine producing area and specialise in vino rosso. We didn't stop here but continued on to Bevagna where we walked another walled town. Again beautiful and although these towns all tend to look the same they are all different with different offerings. Bevagna boasts a range of medieval workshops ranging from musical instrument makers (lutes), paper, silk and linen. BUT, they were all shut for lunch whicn varies between 1 and 2 pm, 1 and 3 pm  or whenever. The "pausa pranzo".
We did though find a wine shop open where we bought some local Montefalco vino rosso.
Friday evening, back at Brigolante was "Cena in Famiglia" or family dinner night and we were invited for dinner -Emma, Eugo, Rebecca, Stephano and sons Nichola and Leonardo, John and Maureen (Canadian guests) and us. All of the food was produced on the farm we are on - Antipasto misto(bruschetta with oil, torta al testo with prosciutto, local cheese, legumes, cured olives, marinated wild mushrooms), homemade tagliatelle with wild aspragus, roast guinea fowl with potatoes and sauteed wild mushrooms, AND tiramusu and jam tart, washed down with Brigolante vino rosso and bianco and Spumante.
Cannot get away from the food.

Thursday 7th

Norcia is the capital of all things pork in Umbria if not Italy. In fact it produces the country's best salami - the word "norcineria" is synonymous with "butcher" throughout all of Italy - and the surronding area is one of the largest producers of the elusive black truffle. As you can imagine Ann was in heaven. It was all a dream come true for her.
We tasted, tested, compared salami, truffles, freschi sausage throughout this walled city all day and made friends with lots and lots of norcineria.
This town combined the sights, history, people and food. We loved it.
We drove back home through the Monti Sibilini National Park and at 1500 metres above sea level with snow on the side of the road and the mountains above us, we came across the village of Castelluccio. The town is famous for its lenticchie (lentils), pecorino and ricotta cheeses. But it's biggest call to fame is the "Piano Grande", a wide expanse that blooms with gazillions of wildflowers every spring and fills with snow in winter. We missed both but we could go back in a couple of weeks from the Marche side.
Further along the way home we travelled alongside the Nera River underneath steep mountainsides. It is along this river that trout and salmon farms abound. It was a food day so we stopped and bought some trote and salmon.

Wednesday 6th

Lago Trasimeno and Chiusi are about 60 kms to the west of Assisi and the road travels through relatively flat rolling hill type country side but again spotted with many small beautiful medieval towns. The lake (lago) is freshwater and as blue as the sky and we understand it's a popular swimming, sailing and fishing area.
But Chiusi was the highlight of today's excursion. We hadn't planned to go there but sort of decided after the town we had planned to explore, Castiglione del Lago was a bit of a disappointment. Chiusi is one of those old Etruscan towns (yes it's in Tuscany) which can be traced back to the 6th and 7th Centuries BC via the objects found in the town and surrounds. We visited the National Archaeological Museum of Chiusi which houses Etruscan relics going back to the bronze age and through to the Roman Empire. It sounds a bit dry but we could have spent more time there. It makes your heart flutter.
The cathedral in the town has frescos inside dating back to the 11th century. This again was breathtaking.
We were now getting to realise how old this civilisation in Toscana and Umbria is and we are now putting places to some of the things we have read and heard about.
BTW the food is pretty special too. "Mi piache la cucina Italiana"

Tuesday 5th

Rather than try our hand on the Autostrada again, we took country roads (2 lanes and paved) through the hilltop towns and Appennine foothills to Gubbio, via Gualdo Tandino and other hilltop towns too numerous to mention. The country side here in Umbria has to be seen to be believed. Rolling hills and medieval hill top towns of small populations, Mommas with black stockings, aprons and blue head scarfs.
Gubbio is a must do in Umbria. A wall surrounds this archetypical medieval town with its roots steeped in the ancient Umbrii people, on through Roman civilisation and it remains largely frozen in the middle ages.
We rode the "Funivia Colle Eletto"", the caged "wall of death" type ski lift to the top of Mount Ingino for lunch and back down again. The ride up is as frightening as it is spectacular and beautiful.

A gubbio Street

View from Cage of Death

Monday 4th

Collected the leased car at the airport in Rome and took off in what was Bob's first ever left hand driving experience. The tendency is to get into the left lane which can be pretty scary on 2 lane roads but on the autostrada (130 km/hr limit) if you stick in the left lane they come up behind you at 200 km/hr and blast hell out of you.

After missing the turn off the autostrada to Assisi and getting lost 3 or 4 times we eventually made our way to Assisi after asking for assistance and making a few friends on the way. We could not get the GPS to work for us. What should have taken about 2.5 hours took us 6 hours before we walked into our 1st week's apartment, La Stalletta.