Lazio Explorer

Green-fingered Aristocrats - the 4 best renaissance gardens near Rome

2015-09-06T22:40:00.000+02:00

There's so much more to Lazio than Rome. Rich in history and culture, there's always something more to see. In this guest post, Michiel, the founder and editor of Minor Sights (see below), takes us through four renaissance gardens nestled in the picturesque hills of Tuscia, northern Lazio.

Northern Lazio tends to be neglected by visitors rushing from the famous sights of Rome to the equally famous attractions of Tuscany. Which is a shame.

For centuries this area was part of the Papal States, back when the Popes wielded enormous temporal as well as spiritual power. Northern Lazio was at its core, providing cheap labour and cardinals in equal measure, ruled over by a small number of powerful families who took their turn wearing the Papal crown and cardinals’ red hats.

Of course, these aristocrats did what aristocrats around the world have always done: they taxed the poor, plundered the land, and used the spoils to compete amongst themselves in terms of who could build the most sumptuous palace (a tradition that sadly, seems to have been lost by contemporary looters).

The Renaissance was a particularly productive period for these families. With the Black Death behind them, and a new influx of ideas (sprouting from Florence), money, and the desire to approach things in a more inventive yet rational way. And that included gardening.

Gardening, I hear you think? Yes, gardening.

Much like Ancient Rome and Greece inspired Renaissance painting and architecture, classical ideals of order and beauty inspired horticulture. As a result, gardens became larger, grander, more symmetrical, with the intent to both delight owners and impress aristocratic neighbours.

The giardino all’italiano influenced gardens throughout Europe, including the French and English gardening styles.

The Villa d’Este at Tivoli near Rome is a famous example, attracting plenty of day-tripping hordes. But I want to draw your attention to four magnificent gardens that see far fewer visitors, and which I would classify as ‘Minor Sights’. Not because they are inferior, but because mass tourism’s ‘winner takes it all’ approach means that they are mostly overlooked. Which makes them even more attractive to me, as you can enjoy these places in peace and quiet (until the day this article goes viral of course.)

Villa Lante at Bagnaia: the wet one

While initial Renaissance gardens were very much about symmetry, form and harmony, things started getting a little out of hand during the period referred to as Mannerism. It was no longer enough to be harmonious. Mannerism was about surprise and caprice. The garden’s owner, a cardinal called Gianfranceso Gambara (whose symbol, an oversized shrimp (gambas- get it?) can be seen throughout the garden) decided to use water for playful, surprising effects.

The garden deployed the height of hydraulic technology, which was used to create multiple giochi d'acqua, water ‘games’, like fountains, jets, canals, etc.

Click here to read more about Villa Lante on the Minor Sights website.

Castello Ruspoli in Vignanello: the family one

The Ruspoli Castle and garden is the only one of these gardens that is still owned and managed by the same family. It’s one of the finest examples of Italian Renaissance gardening, with an extensive main garden that features the initials of its creators as well as other family members, and a secret garden just out of sight.

This is simply one of the most stunning gardens you will find in Italy- even more so because there are no coach loads of tourists. The family opens the castle and garden every Sunday, and you will need to contact them to make an appointment. You may even get a personal tour by the princess!

For more information about visiting Castello Ruspoli, click here.

Parco dei Mostri in Bomarzo: the crazy one

The Parco dei Mostri (Monster Park) also known as the Sacro Bosco, takes the cake when it comes to Mannerist absurdity.

Created by Vicino Orsini (father of Ottavia, who started the Ruspoli garden mentioned above) it was intended to astonish and impress. Orsini went a little loco after his wife died and dedicated this garden to her- a collection of monstrosities, absurdities and a haunted house. Some people have likened it to a Renaissance Disneyland, although every statue is rich in symbolism and mythology beyond what Walt could ever muster.

Kids will delight in the Monster Park. For more information, check out this post on Minor Sights, or this one on Lazioexplorer).

Palazzo Farnese in Caprarola: the neglected one

This garden is only neglected because it is outshone by the stupendous art inside the Palazzo, a palace so rich in decoration and art that it could give anything in Rome a run for its money. (LazioExplorer- it wasn’t neglected by us, we had our wedding photos there!)

But while most people come for the Palace, the garden is equally delightful, small and intimate with a refreshingly cool water grotto in the back. Most visitors only see the small public garden but there is actually a large secret garden whose visiting hours are restricted- but there are daily visits in summer.

For more on Palazzo Farnese and its gardens, go here.

Visiting the gardens

These four gardens are all close to each other. It would be possible to overdose on gardens by trying to string them altogether into one long day of hardcore greenery gazing as a day trip from Rome.

Alternatively, base yourself in one of the many wonderful small towns in the region, and string them out over two or three days. Public transport exists, but you’ll find a car immensely useful in visiting these out-of-the-way places.

The towns of Bomarzo, Vignanello, Bagnaia and Caprarola are each about 1 or 1 ½ hour by car from Rome’s ringroad, the GRA. Travel between each of the towns takes 20-30 minutes by car.

About the author

Michiel is the founder and editor of Minor Sights, a website dedicated to fascinating places that are barely mentioned in guidebooks. He divides his time between Paris and Northern Lazio.

Find Minor Sights here: http://www.minorsights.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MinorSights

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MinorSights

Getting under the skin of Rome with Context Travel

2014-08-08T23:39:00.001+02:00

What lies beneath these ancient streets but millennia of stories. Rome. The ultimate treasure trove of history. In this city more than any other, there's truly more than meets the eye. Layer upon layer of history, generations of cultures, over 2000 years of life, concentrated in one chaotic miasma of stone. It's overwhelming, but soon after arriving in Rome, you'll want to start piecing it all together, to understand at least a little of how this great city has grown and changed over the years, of how much remains in view, of how much we owe to ideas first conceived before Christ.

Thankfully, Context Travel, with an enviable 'who's who' of docents, can help. They contacted me earlier this year offering the opportunity to take one of their tours. I looked through the list, all the regular tours are there, the Vatican, a food tour, a tour of the Roman forum. All interesting. Great, if you want a flavour of Rome, but what if you've visited a few times, you've done the main sights, had your fill of carbonara and alla gricia? That's when you need a tour which is going to go further, deeper into Rome. That's where this tour, Rome Underground with Context Travel, comes in.

La Chiesa di San Lorenzo in Lucina. But what lies beneath?

Meeting outside la Chiesa di San Lorenzo in Lucina, our small group (numbering just 6) listened as our extremely well qualified docent Philip Ditchfield showed us paintings and pictures of the church and square, slowly taking us back in time, explaining how the local area had formed, which buildings date from which period, and indeed, how the whole area appeared at various stages of the Roman civilisation. I won't spoil it for you, but suffice to say, it was truly fascinating. What I will tell you is that it's the second church on that site, and dates from around the 1100s. The first church, dating from around 400AD, was demolished, possibly by the Normans (under instruction from the pope), but was still visible, if only we could get underneath the church...

Granted, my phone isn't the best camera, and I'm not the best photographer.... but here's a live shot of the tour

Through a nondescript wooden door, we descended a few steps underneath the altar. Here, the history of church was laid out before our very eyes. Approximately 1m below the current floor of the church, the arches from the earlier church are visible, along with two earlier structures, that of a Roman apartment block, and of an ancient Roman house. With each layer, we are told anecdotes of life at the time, from that of a slave revolt to why you really want to live on the 1st floor of a Roman apartment block, rather than the penthouse. Deep under the church, fragments of the original flooring of the Roman house are visible (that's flooring from the time of Christ), along with the plumbing and steps of the apartment block. Amazingly, most of central Rome is like this, layer upon layer of history, right under people's feet. Under every street is another street, a few feet down, and then another, further still. This of course explains why Rome isn't blessed with the most efficient nor comprehensive metro system, but also explains the ancient layout of the streets, and the prevalence of ancient stones and artefacts turning up in the middle of pizzerias and bars.

Guess how old that mosaic floor is?

After a thorough exploration of and underneath the church, we headed outside into the glaring Roman sun and through the throbbing Roman alleyways towards the next site. En route, our guide couldn't help but continue to explain everything around us, from the architecture of the most beautiful police station you're ever going to see, to the presence of a masterpiece by Andrea Pozzi in the second ever Jesuit church in the world, la Chiesa di S. Ignacio. Go there, even if you don't take the full tour, and look at the ceiling and tell me it's not at least as good as the sistine chapel (and without the crowd or cost).

We headed past the Trevi fountain (with another fascinating tidbit of history, this time about the ancient Egyptian columns now holding up the Benetton store), past all those tourist trinkets and luxury shops, towards the Crypto Balbi. Once there, we descended once again below the tourist-filled streets into the well-preserved depths to discover a medieval Rome, and beneath that, another real Roman floor. We must have been 25m below street level, but thanks to the complete excavation, museum-style lighting, and spacious feel, it wasn't claustrophobic or particularly adventurous.

Do you know what that slab of stone on the wall is for, or how old it is?

As you may be able to deduce, the tour was excellent. Our guide was a walking encyclopaedia, fascinating, without being too bookish (although I am a scientist so maybe I'm not the best judge), and really gave us an insight into ancient Rome. The tour also both satisfied and fed a thirst I have to understand more about Rome. By providing glimpses of the past, the tour allowed me to understand much better the tangled, inefficient streets of the centro storico. It's truly mind-blowing when you consider the amount of life that has passed through (and I guess now, below) those ancient streets.

I totally recommend this tour, especially if you're spending a few days in Rome, so you can do the main sights yourself, or if you've been to Rome before. This tour will take you further. Consider it the intermediate course, after your beginner of the colosseum and Roman forum. I, for one, can't wait to apply for the advanced course...

Details of the tour (as of July 2014):

Duration: 3.5 hours
Cost: €75

Incidental costs: up to €15 entrance costs, depending on where exactly is visited (dependent on season)
Venues: San Lorenzo in Lucina, Vicus Caprarius, Crypta Balbi

Disclaimer: While a guest of Context Tours, I can't be bought and opinions are my own and are honest. If I didn't like it, I'd tell you straight.

Photo credits:
Roman Forum
la Chiesa di San Lorenzo in Lucina
Underneath the church #2

The other photos are mine, taken on my less-than-stellar camera phone

Build an infiorata in Genazzano this weekend

2014-06-30T22:48:00.002+02:00

Ever wanted to take part in local life in Italy? You know, join in with the ancient traditions, give something back while enjoying something that you couldn't normally participate in? Something that has even entered the Guinness book of records?

Well now's your chance...

This coming Saturday night (the 5th July), the little town of Genazzano will be a hive of activity as young and old, locals and visitors, all work together to create masterpieces of art using the humble petal. This tapestry is made every year to celebrate the sacred heart, the week after corpus domini, and given the religious significance, the locals also don various biblical costumes for a solemn procession through the town. The infiorata, almost 2km in length, has even entered the Guinness Book of Records (in 2012) as the longest infiorata in the world.

Genazzano is a small town of around 6000 souls and is located on the top of a tuff spur 375m above sea level, about 45km south-east of Rome. This Saturday, around midnight, they plan to paint the town red, green, and indeed all the colours of the rainbow, using coloured flower petals, salt, and water. In collaboration with Rome-Countryside, tourists can now join in the fun.

The programme is as follows:

Saturday:

Check-in at accommodation.

Evening - each guest is assigned a neighbourhood group and begins their work preparing the infiorata

Guests can continue working until the tapestry is finished, or can go to sleep when they're tired

Sunday:

Lunch at a specially selected restaurant with traditional, local food

6:00pm - procession through Genazzano

Cost per person (2 nights accommodations, Sunday lunch): 80 euros

Cost per person (1 night accommodations, Sunday lunch): 59 euros

It's a great opportunity to join in with a local tradition, experience real Italian life, and get a glimpse of the countryside outside Rome. All-in-all, it sounds fantastic, and if I didn't already have a stag-do to go to on Saturday, I'd be there.

For more information, and to make a reservation, click through to the Rome-Countryside website.

Vino Intorno - wine tasting in the hills of Lazio

2014-06-14T15:11:00.000+02:00

June is a wonderful time of the year in Lazio. While many tourists throng around the many sights of Rome, the more adventurous have many great opportunities to get out and explore the stunning surrounding countryside. What better then, after doing the Forum, taking Selfies at the Colosseum, and queuing around the Vatican, than getting out to a wine-tasting 45km from Rome?

Vino Intorno, in collaboration with Slow Food Lazio, is over two days at the end of June (21st-22nd) and covers both history, culture, and of course, wine. For €79, which includes accommodation for the Saturday night, entrance fees, tour costs and some meals, you can experience a fully immersive weekend away.

Here's the full programme.

June 21, 2014

Arrival and check in

15.00 Meet in Olevano Romano (RM)

15.30 Tour of Villa Pisa

17:00 VINO INTORNO wine and food tasting evening

June 22, 2014

10:00 Meet in Bellegra (RM)

10.30 Visit to the Arch Cave karst system

13:00 Lunch at a restaurant based on local products.

Included in the €79:

Entrance and guided tour of Villa de Pisa

Coupon for a tasting of food and wine at VINO INTORNO

Overnight stay (breakfast included) at a local B&B

Entrance to the caves and caving Guide Arc Bellegra

Lunch on June 22

Socio-card Rome Countryside

The weekend starts in Olevano Romano, with a guided tour of Villa Pisa and the Museo Centro-Studi di Olevano where, thanks to the impressive work of the "Friends of the Museum of Olevano Romano"over 2000 works are collected and stored, including oil paintings, watercolors, drawings and sketches.

At 5pm, the tasting starts, with both locally sourced food and wine, including the locally-grown Cesanese grape. A coupon for tasting is included in the price. Continuing on the Sunday, we meet in Bellegra for a guided tour of the nearby karst system. First explored in 1925 by two cavers from the Speleogical Club of Rome, the caves can be visited more comfortably today via a catwalk. The caves have a constant temperature of around 7-8 degrees, so it's advisable to bring a jacket.

Frankly, it all sounds lovely! For more information (in Italian) and to book, click through to rome-countryside.it

This post has been supported by funds from the organisers of this event and is hereby marked as an advertisement. However, any opinions stated within the post are those of LazioExplorer alone and are independent of this funding. If you have a sagra or festa of your own that you would like to advertise on LazioExplorer, please complete this form.

World Nutella Day Recipe - Banana and Nutella Muffins

2014-02-05T23:07:00.001+01:00

It's Nutella Day! A day where you can (legitimately) stuff your face with Nutella and not feel guilty! To celebrate, along with our customary Nutella on toast breakfast, we've decided to honor the day with a sweet treat that can easily be paired with a coffee, used as a dessert, or simply for breakfast...

Banana and Nutella Muffins

This is based on a recipe we picked up from a supermarket some time ago. We end up collecting so many that we often forget about them and lose them down the back of the sofa, but this one stuck to the back of our 'baking' hive mind, probably because there's never shortage of Nutella and over-ripe bananas in our house. We've already tried it a couple of times, but this time we've tweaked the recipe based on what we had in the fridge, and surprisingly, substituting lighter ingredients with fatter ones has given much yummier results! (surprise!)

Ingredients:

300g self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
100g light brown soft sugar
50g porridge oats
2 ripe bananas
284ml buttermilk
75g olive spread, melted
2 medium eggs, beaten
100g Nutella

Three steps to heaven:

1- Preheat the oven to 356F/180C/gas mark 4 and mix together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, sugar and oats in a large bowl.

2- Mash the bananas until pureed (if they are ripe, a fork will work, if not, a whizz with a blender will do the job). Then mix in the buttermilk, olive spread and eggs. Add the banana mixture to the flour bowl and stir lightly to mix- it will look a bit lumpy, and that's good.

3-Put a spoonful of the mixture into 12 paper muffin cases, then spoon a dollop of Nutella into the middle of each one. We'll leave you to work out what a dollop is exactly. Top the muffin with the remaining mixture and pop them in the oven for around 20 minutes until they are golden.

In our version of the recipe, we have substituted the buttermilk with double cream and, to compensate for the lack of acidity of the double cream, we used baking powder instead of bicarbonate of soda (which needs an acid to activate). Finally, we have melted 75g of unsalted cooking butter instead of the olive spread.

Well, we're not experienced bakers, but these came out really nice and fluffy!

Happy Nutella day! What did you make?

The Best Hot Chocolate In Rome

2013-11-10T21:57:00.000+01:00

Looking for the best hot chocolate in Rome? Look no further! It's not on Piazza Navona. It's not opposite the Colosseum. It's actually hidden away in a student area to the east of Stazioni Termini. It's SAID.

SAID, or SAID - Antica Fabbrica del Cioccolato, to give its full name, has been turning out stunning chocolates since 1923. There's a reason they have survived so long. As I entered, I knew instantly I was going to like it. Chocolate. In every form. Available to take-away or eat/drink in. We opted to ignore the many chocolate pieces on display and walked past the myriad antique chocolate-making tools that litter SAID straight to their seating area. Replete with a fully stocked bar and indeed, operating as a fully fledged restaurant, SAID can cater for all tastes.

As we were there to meet friends, rather than have a full meal, we opted for hot chocolate. Coming in at €6, it wasn't cheap, but I have to say, it was worth it. Out of a choice of milk, dark (70%) extra dark (90%), cinnamon or peperoncino, I opted for the spiciness of the fondente with peperocino. With extra cream of course. It was like a meal. Thick, perfectly heated, and absolutely delicious.

As I say, they don't just do hot chocolate and food. They're also the perfect place to pick up a gift or a treat for later. Or for a friend. Or a blogger-friend. Or me, for example.

For the best chocolate in Rome:
SAID - Antica Fabbrica del Cioccolato
Via Tiburtina, 135 (Via dei Dalmati), Roma, RM 00185
+39 06 446 9204
www.said.it
Foursquare
Google Plus

(Some photos were borrowed from the SAID Facebook page).

Italian Ways - Tim Parks - Book Review

2013-11-08T00:52:00.000+01:00

Italian Ways - On And Off The Rails From Milan To Palermo, is Tim Parks latest entertaining travel journal take on Italy. Following on the heels of Italian Neighbours, An Italian Education, and A Season With Verona, this is Parks taking on the great Italian railway system.

Railways have played an important part in Italian history. As Italy is a relatively young country, and many Italians still indulge in Campanilismo, that is, they feel closer to their home town or region than to the country as a whole, the development of the Ferrovie dello Stato (literally 'state ironways') has been important for unification. Not just geographically of course, but mentally. Sadly, over the years, both the stations and the trains themselves have fallen a little into disrepair. A little like Italy as a whole. However, with fast new trains that can connect Rome to Milan in just over 3 hours, and fancy new station renovations such as Roma Tiburtina (which I hate, incidentally), are Italian railways experiencing a revival, or is this just smoke in the eyes and papering over the cracks. After you've read Italian Ways, you'll know the answer.

In the first part of Italian Ways, Tim Parks recounts his commute from Verona to Milan. Unfortunately, this is as exciting as it sounds. It's not that the day-to-day stresses and frustrations of the commute aren't well written, it's just that they are well... like listening to a friend moaning. Thankfully, as that friend is Mr Parks, he still manages to eke out an interesting factoid or intriguing story to keep you turning the pages. After the weak introduction, we go on to discover more about the politics behind the railway, both historically and present day. Bear with me. It's actually fascinating. Thanks to his position as a long-term Italian resident, and a combination of his compassion and eye for detail, Tim Parks manages to extract real cultural understanding and meaning even from the positioning of ticket booths and walkways. Honestly, you'll never look at a train station (and Milano Centrale in particular) in quite the same way again.

Italian Ways isn't all about trains and train stations though. It's the people that make a country, and this is never more so the case than in Italy. Drawing on his 30 years of experience, Tim Parks litters Italian Ways with witty anecdotes and discussions with fellow passengers on topics such as why they don't buy a ticket, or why they are so against the trains, yet love to take them every day.

In the second part of Italian Ways, Tim takes to the rails. It's this part of the book that really takes off. Travelling down through Rome to Sicily, and then across to Otranto, the book turns into a travelogue with more twists and turns than Murder on the Orient Express. I couldn't stop turning the pages, I wanted to be there with him. He even takes a train that's off the map, on the little known, and even less used Ferrovie del sud est. Visiting deserted stations and exploring parts of Italy well off the tourist trail, this is where Tim Parks is most captivating.

Granted, a book about travelling by train isn't going to be to everybody's taste, but Tim Parks is a good observational writer. Part time chronicler, part time anthropologist, Tim Parks provides a glimpse into Italy and Italians, through travelling through it and with them, on the train. Despite my comments above, I want to make it clear that I really enjoyed this book. Admittedly, I like Italy and I like trains, so I may be a little biased, but I think there's enough there for everyone.

Predictably then, I can recommend Italian Ways. While it starts slowly, and can drag initially, it picks up speed like a Frecciarossa and you'll have arrived at the end it before you know it. My version of the book was printed in 2013 by Harvill Secker (UK). A copy can be picked up from the LazioExplorer Amazon store here.

Chestnut sagre in Lazio

2013-09-30T22:22:00.002+02:00

October is a wonderful time of the year. The summer heat has well and truly dissipated, but there are still nice days to be had and any quarrel with the weather is perfectly offset by nature's bounty. Lazio, and northern Lazio in particular, is a hive of activity at this time of year. People are busy. Tending olive groves, heading to sagre, and, when they get the chance, collecting hazelnuts and chestnuts. Indeed, northern lazio is famous for its nuts...

Castagne, or chestnuts, and Nocciole, or hazelnuts, are plentiful among the rolling hills of tuscia, that romantically wild heartland of Etruscan culture covering northern Lazio and the Maremma in southern Tuscany.

Le Giornate della Castagna, Canepina, Prov. di Viterbo

12-27th October

In its 32nd year, this festival, which runs on the last three weekends in October, acts as the cultural hub of the area, with a series of artistic, music, and cultural events spread around the town, all accompanied by free handouts of roasted chestnuts.

46th Sagra delle castagne, Soriano nel Cimino, Prov. di Viterbo

3rd-13th October

This is the big one. Over the first three weeks of October, Soriano nel Cimino really becomes theChestnut capital of the world. Along with the inevitable roasted chestnuts, there's jam, sweets, sauces, AND historical reenactments. That's right, Soriano gets medieval about chestnuts! Don't just take my word for it, check out the video from last year...

The streets and squares of the town are arranged according to ancient traditions, with processions of local people over 500 strong marching through the town in medieval and renaissance costumes (I'm not vouching for their historical accuracy here - they look authentic to my untrained eye). There's also a parade of horsemen and swordmen and flag-bearers and... well, you get the picture. It's a big thing. So big, in fact, that we've even given it its own blog post.

October is a great time of the year to get out of Rome and see the surrounding countryside. At this time of year northern Lazio teems with farmers big and small harvesting their chestnuts, hazelnuts and olives. While it's may be a long way to go for chestnuts, a trip into northern Lazio could be combined with a tour of Palazzo Farnese in Caprarola, a trip to the monster park in Bomarzo, or the picturesque town of Civita di Bagnoregio, or simply included on a drive up to Tuscany. Can there be a better excuse to get out of Rome?

Book review: The Prince of Clouds by Gianni Riotta

2013-09-15T22:20:00.004+02:00

I know. I've been a bit shoddy with my book reviews. My last one was the excellent Vino Italiano, all the way back in January. Anyway, despite the lack of reviews, I didn't stop reading, and here, finally, is my second review this year. Coming in at 287 pages, here's my review of this poetry and war-packed epic, The Prince of Clouds, by Gianni Riotta.

Click here to be taken to the UK Amazon store

Set just after the second world war, The Prince of Clouds follows the fortunes of one Colonel Carlo Terzo, a reluctant soldier, but a brilliant military strategist. Having never fired a shot in anger, the colonel has spent the war documenting the Italian campaign, detailing the troop movements, describing the battles, and explaining both the reasons for victory and the despairing ineptitude of certain Italian generals. He's a thinker, an academic, and is the same in life as in war. He's quiet, slightly awkward, always needing a plan, a system with which to keep the outside world at bay. That's not to say he's a loner though. In the chaos after the war, he finds himself retired in Palermo, with a beautiful, intelligent Russian aristocratic wife, and teaching a young poet some of the strategy of war in the hope of instilling some military discipline. This is just the beginning though, with Terzo slowly being pulled into a local clandestine love affair and even having to finally put his military theory to the test.

"I know the manoeuvre for every war, but not know how to live"

I won't go on and spoil the plot, but hopefully my brief synopsis gives you an idea that this is a wide-ranging, intellectual-yet-romantic book. At first the book seemed a little too heavy on military strategy, with maps and explanations of ancient battles. Despite having limited interest in intricacies of war, I still found the descriptions of these various old battles, from Napoleon to Hannibal fascinating. The book is really well written, and it's obvious that the author, Gianni Riotta, really knows and enjoys military strategy. That passion is contagious. There's a lot more to the book than just war though. In between a few love stories, local and ancient history and the background of a post-war Sicily, the Prince of Clouds manages to be a page-turner that leaves an indelible mark on the reader. I feel educated and moved, and, to be honest, I didn't want it to stop.

Scratching my head to think of negatives, my only criticism would be that it starts quite slowly and some of the early strategy pieces seem overwrought and laborious. However, the climatic end of the book more than makes up for the slow beginning.

It's easy then for me to recommend The Prince of Clouds. It's a beautifully written, thoughtful book, packed with detailed knowledge of both war and history, while written with the light touch of a true romantic. It's destined to become a modern classic.

My version of the book was printed in 2001 by Flamingo Press (in the UK). If you'd like a copy, it can be found on Amazon, in the LazioExplorer Store.

It's Sagra time! Sagre and Feste in Lazio in September

2013-09-11T00:33:00.002+02:00

Sagra!! Sagra fresca! The nights are drawing in, there's the smell of an open fire in the air... summer is closing with beautiful sunsets all over Lazio. It's harvest time. There's never been a better time to head out of Rome and check out a sagra.

For the uninitiated, according to wikipedia, a sagra (plural: sagre) is a local food festival, that often ties in with a historical pageant or sporting event, such as a joust or a horse race (where it is called a palio). Essentially, it's a chance to get out and see somewhere you've never been before, while eating something local, with the locals. I love sagre and feste. I think they are one of the best things about Italy. They combine local food, history and culture, and moreover, they are a great day out.

Here's my selection of the sagre and feste happening in Lazio over the month of September. There are many more happening throughout Rome and Lazio. Check out the LazioExplorer twitter feed and facebook page for updates on other sagre and feste this month.

5th Sagra degli Gnocchi
14th-15th September - Castelnuovo di Porto, Prov. di Roma

Castelnuovo di Porto, a short distance up via Flaminia (SS3) from Rome (and on the Roma-Viterbo train line as well) plays host to 5th Sagra degli Gnocchi this coming weekend. Starting on Saturday at 2pm and with food starting at 8pm with music and dancing at 9pm, this promises to be a carbohydrate fuelled party late into the night. Be careful not to burn those gnocchi off too quickly though, as it all begins again at 10am on the Sunday with the market and then salsa dancing (and more gnocchi) in the evening.

Festa della Birra - Oktoberfest

19th-28th September - Rieti, Prov. di Rieti

A festival of beer? No, not in Munich, but in Rieti, from the 19th to the 28th September. In its 9th year, this festival, which is one of the largest beer festivals in central Italy, will play host to over 15,000 people, with music, DJ sets, authentic Bavarian dishes (roasted piglets and pretzels), and, most importantly, certified 'augustiner munchen' beer. What's more to like? All this takes place in the Edelbier pub, which is actually housed in a palace that was built in the 1700s.

10th Sagra del fungo porcino
14th-16th and 21-23rd September - Oriolo Romano, Prov. di Viterbo

Oriolo Romano, about 40km northwest of Rome, 30km south of Viterbo, is the place to be for mushrooms. Head to the splendid setting of Piazza Umberto I° for olive oil, wine, meats, cheeses, and homemade pasta, all accompanied by locally-foraged mushrooms. There will be live music and street performances every evening, so get there early to get a good seat. More information (in Italian) can be found here, with the menu here.

Sapori di Mare
20th-22nd September - Sperlonga, Prov. di Latina

Three days of fish. I love that. OK, OK, you may not like fish like I like fish, but, if you're in the area and you fancy a cheap, locally-sourced meal, you could do worse than heading down to Piazza Fontane for a taste of the sea. As usual with sagre, it's not just about the food. There's also stalls with local food and wine, plus, a little randomly, a salsa band playing Cuban and Latin beats, a blues night, and events to keep the kids entertained. What's not to like, unless you don't like seafood that is. More information, and the full programme (in Italian), can be found here.

OK, so there you have my hand-curated picks of the best sagre and feste coming up in September. There are many, many more. Please leave a comment below if I've missed your personal favorite or if you know of any other sagre or feste that are worth mentioning.

Buone sagre a tutti!

Buona vacanza! Blogging break

2013-08-16T14:34:00.002+02:00

Suuuummmmmertime, and the living is easy.... well, not for me actually. As avid readers will know (hello Mrs LazioExplorer's family!), I haven't posted too many articles here lately. Indeed, it's already been a month. Why? Too much fun frolicking on the beaches of Italy? Am I absorbed in writing that novel? No, sadly, I'm simply too busy with the day job.

This chap in Bomarzo is shocked I'm not going to be around for the next few weeks.

Hence... this post. No, no, this isn't goodbye. I'm just taking a break. It's not you, it's me, you see? I need a little time. A little space. To think it over. Not to find myself, simply to tick a few things of my ever-expanding non-blog to-do list. The day job is getting more demanding, plus I can't keep putting off all those odd jobs around the house... I know, it's a boring excuse, especially since I'm not even going on holiday. Still, needs to be done, and it will only be for a short time. I also plan to take some time off twitter, although this may be a little harder...

I want the bird suit.

Rest assured though, normal service (or something approaching it) will be restored pretty soon. I've got plenty of posts planned, some even half-written, and I know I won't be able to stay silent on twitter for too long ;-)

Until then, buone vacanze, and don't enjoy yourselves too much without me!

Image credits:

Bomarzo - models own.

Twitter cartoon

Tarquinia and the Etruscan Necropolis

2013-07-17T23:15:00.001+02:00

Tarquinia is a charming city of about 16,000 souls, about 54miles (86km) north east of Rome. One of the original 12 cities of the Etruscans, Tarquinia is a disarming place filled with churches, a market, and, despite being a touristy town, the feel of a real working town that's just getting on with life. A lovely city that's worth a visit in its own right, but we were there for another reason, the 6000 Etruscan tombs....

Long-time readers will know of my fascination with the Etruscans. Sometimes though, life gets in the way and I don't get to see as much of them as I would like. This time though, I managed to squeeze in a trip to Tarquinia. So, like a modern day D.H.Lawrence (he of Etruscan Places), here's my account of the trip. Etruscans, un caffé, and a spot of getting lost on the way.

We set off quite early. Well, early for us, at 8:30am, with my in-laws setting a quick pace across the country from Sant'Oreste. Taking the road through castagne and nocciole filled Capranica, west across Tuscia to Tarquinia, we chased the few patches of blue beyond the billowing black clouds. If you're coming from Rome, you could drive the 86 km to Tarquinia on the A12 Roma-Civitavecchia road. As with most posts I write about traveling in Lazio, I'm going to recommend you bring a SatNav/GPS/Navigatore, as the roads are winding and the signs are confusing, absent, or sometimes simply wrong (it does happen). If the train is more your thing, Tarquinia can be reached on the Roma-Ventimiglia line departing from Roma Ostiense station. The tombs are on a hill a little walk outside of town.

The Tombs of Tarquinia

The Necropolis of Tarquinia is in an area known as Monterozzi (meaning 'humpy' or undulating). Over 6000 tombs have been found, peppering the hill and surrounding farmland with strange 'tumuli' or mounds (with picturesque little chimneys that were added later). Entrance is a very reasonable 6€ and the area covered in the UNESCO World Heritage site is relatively small and eminently walkable. The steps down to some of the tombs are quite steep, however (and can be wet and mouldy) so this trip may not be for everyone.

The tombs are all cut directly into the rock and most of them were made for a single couple and constitute one burial chamber. Approximately 3% of the 6000 tombs at Monterozzi are painted, and these are thought to have belonged to aristocratic Etruscan families. The tombs were dug and decorated between the 7th and 3rd century B.C. All of the tombs open for viewing had paintings of some kind. To preserve the paintings, the tombs are sealed off with perspex. However, even with this obstacle, they are still quite awe-inspiring and fascinating. Each tomb has an information board outside, in both English and Italian, which explains the construction of the tomb and the symbolism of the paintings therein. Overall, we spent about 3 hours exploring, and even though all we did was go from tomb to tomb, the time passed quickly and we didn't get bored.

The Town of Tarquinia

Tarquinia itself is a charming mix of ancient town and modern convenience. We drove down the hill and managed to find a reasonably-priced car park just inside the city walls. We wandered down the hill towards the bustling market and took the pulse of the town in the local bar. I was a bit worried for the price in the bar, given it was right on the main square but, with that wonderful Italian charm of not knowing how good you have it, the coffee was both cheap and tasty. Passing through the market, past a big fountain, the town hall and plenty of shops, I was surprised to see signs for tourist attractions, not only with the directions to places of interest, but also with QR codes that linked to information about each place. How cool is that?

The town seemed pretty clean and well prepared for tourists, with plenty to see and do (see their tourist information site). I guess one way to ascertain feelings towards a place is to think back as to what you were thinking as you were walking around. Me? I was thinking about how nice it would be to get fresh bread from the bakers, to sit outside the cafe on the main square, to look out across the landscape below the town, to the coast, to see what's around the next corner. Oh, and whether we could afford to buy there. Yes, dear reader, I liked Tarquinia. Sadly though, time was running away from us and we didn't get chance to check out the Tarquinia National Museum, the free navette bus that toured around the town, and the numerous churches and palaces that dotted around the town. We spent a full day there, and there's still more to do.

Overall then, can I recommend a trip out to Tarquinia? Absolutely. Both the tombs and the town were good value and seemed perfectly set up for tourism without losing any of their innate charm. It's only a short train ride or drive from the hustle and bustle of Rome, yet seems another world entirely. Tarquinia and the Etruscan Necropolis at Monterozzi are a great day trip from Rome. Put them on your list when visiting Rome and Lazio.

A real Palio, Il Palio del Velluto, this weekend in Leonessa

2013-06-26T23:43:00.001+02:00

Il Palio del Velluto is on this weekend in Leonessa, in the province of Rieti, near the borders with Umbria and Abruzzo. This annual "Velvet Contest" is an historical eight day commemoration of Saint Peter (the Fiera di San Pietro). The Palio del Velluto takes its name from the local weaving style and was held from at least 1464 until 1557, when the event was abolished by the local Governor after a dispute that resulted in four deaths. Mercifully though, things are a little more civilized nowadays, and the games are back on.

The games are fought between the six quarters of the city - corno (horn), croce (cross), forcamelone, poggio, terzone, and torre (Tower). In addition, there are various music and dance performances, concerts, taverns with dishes of the day, jugglers and other street performers throughout the city to evoke the atmosphere of 16th century.

All in all, a great day out! For more information, click through to their website, or download this PDF of the schedule.

A guided tour of the Vatican and the Vatican Museums

2013-06-05T01:14:00.000+02:00

I know. I'm a heathen. I've only been to the Vatican once before. It was early. It was the last Sunday of the month (so it was free!), and I was hungover. Heathen. I rushed through the museums to the Sistine Chapel, loved the Last Judgement, and then wandered through the Basilica feeling smug that I'd beaten the crowds, and indeed, missed everything on the way. So when Through Eternity tours offered us a guided tour of the Vatican and the Vatican museums, I figured I should atone for the error of my ways. Add into this mix of contrition and youthful ignorance the fact that Mrs LazioExplorer, despite being a local, has never seen the Sistine Chapel and you can see it was time to do things properly. Time to put things right. How about a 5 hour guided tour of the museums and Basilica?

Thanks to Through Eternity Tours, and their 5 hour tour option costing 67 euros, we found ourselves skipping past the queue trailing around the walls of the Vatican (and out of sight) to pick up our audio packs. With earphone in ear we ghosted past further queues and on to the gardens behind the basilica. Our guide, the ever knowledgeable Cinzia, introduced herself and explained the schedule of the tour. Going back in time from 1931 to antiquity, we were to be guided through the museum, taking in a Giotto, numerous Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo pieces, all with Cinzia explaining the symbolism and impact of each piece through our earphones. St. Peter is always with a golden key, Doubting Thomas is with a belt (from Mary), Hercules with a club and loin cloth, and so on. She opened our (in my case admittedly naive) eyes and enabled our group to enjoy the museum, rather than be overwhelmed by it. Thanks to the earphones, we could listen to the stories while wandering away from Cinzia to take photos or simply to have a sit down.

Caravaggio, the lovable rogue, apparently used 'lady of the night' friends as models for Mary.

In addition to taking us through the paintings and sculptures, Cinzia used the tour to tell us about the Sistine Chapel and the journey Michelangelo made through the pieces in the museum, and how they informed his own work. Interlaced with the art history were stories of popes, subterfuge and scandal. As you can tell, we were enjoying it. After a brief pausa for lunch (either bring your own or buy a reasonably-priced but not too tasty panino/pizza/pasta meal from the cafeteria), we took on the oldest sculptures in the collection, including a wonderful Greek Apollo, the basis for the face (and hair!) of Jesus in Michelangelo's The Last Judgement.

Apollo, oblivious to the crowds and his nakedness. We've all been there.

After about 3.5hrs, we reached the Sistine Chapel. With no tour guides allowed to 'guide' in the chapel, and the officious guards shushing everyone VERY LOUDLY (oh the irony), we were squeezed into the chapel for 20 minutes. Taking in the ceiling, and remembering everything Cinzia told us of the design issues and quarrels surrounding both the ceiling and The Last Judgement, we felt like we'd come full circle. Learned a lot, seen a lot, and indeed, understood a great deal.

Don't forget to look up! This was in the 'map room', where I could have spent hours.

There was more. After the epiphany of the Sistine Chapel, we moved onto the Basilica itself. Once again, we skipped the line and walked straight in. Cinzia continued where she'd left off. Every question answered, every item explained with patience and to the right level. The tour finished after just over 5 hours. 5 hours! We felt like we could have gone on. If you had told me I would want to know more after a 5 hour tour, I would have said you were crazy. The thing is, and it's a very obvious thing, the Vatican and the Vatican museum are massive. Far too much to do in a day, let alone 5 hours. That's where the tour gives value for money. Cinzia picked out the must-sees, explained them and linked them together, giving the tour a narrative. In addition, as our group was limited to 12 people, Cinzia was always available, the group was small enough for everyone to get to know each other a little, and it was easy to keep up.

The School of Athens from Raphael. Being an attention seeker, he painted himself into the picture. Can you spot him?

Overall then, we can wholeheartedly recommend taking this tour of the Vatican. I know 5 hours sounds a lot, and I know it's not cheap, but we really think it's worth it.

Having taken the tour, do I feel I've now done the Vatican properly? Yes. Well, kind of. Like the best things in life, the more I've learned about it, the more I realize there is more to learn. I certainly feel like I've learned far more by taking the tour than by simply walking around myself, even if I took an automated audioguide. Having a real person there explaining everything to you does make a difference, if only because they can tell when you're switching off! Having taken the tour, I feel enlightened, knowledgeable, almost cultured, even if I still get hangovers...

I couldn't leave you without showing you this.

* While we were guests of Through Eternity Tours, our opinions are our own. If we don't like something, we'll tell you. If you'd like to go on the tour we did, here's the link.

All text and photos copyright www.lazioexplorer.com 2013.

Bomarzo - Il Parco dei Mostri

2013-05-27T18:58:00.000+02:00

Bomarzo, a sleepy little Laziale town just a few kilometers from the Tuscan and Umbrian borders, has a lovely little secret. The most un-renaissance-like of the renaissance gardens, the Monster Park (il Parco dei Mostri, also known as the Sacred Wood/il Sacro Bosco). It's hidden away, as the name suggests, in a wooded area in the valley around the town. Hidden yes, but not hiding, as it still attracts visitors from far and wide.

You can see why. Perfect for kids, with plenty of allegorical and historical layers for the most cultured of adults, the park is a pleasure on a sunny day. Built in the 16th century by the Duke of Bomarzo, Pier Francesco Orsini, the park is like no other Italian garden. Perhaps designed by Pirro Longorio and Simone Moschino to astonish and shock, the entrance gives way to a fantasy world, with surreal interpretations of ancient texts and sometimes, frankly weird sculptures. It is a good way to spend a few hours.

Coming in at 10 euros per person, with a 2 euro discount for kids (and no senior citizen discount), the park isn't particularly cheap. The entrance fee includes an A4 map of the park, which is useful as there is little signage in the park (which is a nice change, making it feel more like an exploration). With 37 sculptures in Italian, and 35 in badly-translated English (hey, I'm a master at bad translations so I understand, but I am paying 10euros for the pleasure, and why miss out two sculptures?), it took us about 2 hours to go round the whole park. The 'monsters' are sculptured out of the local peperino, a gray/brown stone composed of volcanic ash, dust and cinder. Unfortunately it is hard to work this stone as well as other stones such as marble or granite, so the sculptures are rather more crude and less defined than in other gardens. For me, this adds to their charm, as they really are very different to sculptures seen elsewhere.

My favorite was the dragon sculpture (number 20 on the English version). According to the guide, the dragon was not a symbol of destruction but rather of time and wisdom. In the statue, the dragon is in the midst of a fight with a dog, lion, and wolf - symbols of spring, summer and winter, or, apparently, the present, future and past. I'm not too bothered with the symbolism, I just like it as the dragon looks like he's smiling.

Another favorite is perhaps the most normal. A lovely temple, built 20 years after the rest of the garden by the Duke for his late wife Giulia Farnese. The ceiling of the portico is decorated with Orsinian roses and Farnese fleur-de-lys, making the portico seem a little like King's College chapel in Cambridge, even if the roses and fleur-de-lys were from very different families! It's perfectly formed and quite charming.

After the death of Giulia Farnese, the Duke fell on harder times. With his link to the rich Farnese family lost, and his relatives having richer Orsini fiefdoms, he receded from history. Il parco dei mostri fell into disrepair until 1954 when the current restoration began.

The casa pendente act as a passage to the upper garden.

The adjacent town of Bomarzo itself is worth a visit. The Palazzo Orsini, built between 1519 and 1583, is a wonderful example of an Italian palazzo. Yes, there are plenty around (the one in Castelnuovo di Porto is the closest good example to Rome as far as we know, while Palazzo Farnese in Caprarola is the best preserved), but the views, combined with the fact that the Palazzo is open to the public and used for art installations and conferences make it worthwhile. Palazzo Orsini is made up of two main buildings which occupy nearly half of the centro storico. Incredibly, people live in the outer walls of the Palazzo, with external staircases (profferli) typical of the Province of Viterbo, extending up into the walls. Bomarzo itself was a bit of a disappointment. Beautifully preserved, with lovely views on the surrounding countryside, but far too quiet. We tried to find somewhere for coffee, but most of the shops were closed (many permanently) and the only place that was trading was the realtor, with plenty of second homes for sale. Perhaps simply a consequence of the hard times we're living in, but it did seem a shame that the town appeared to be dying, without even that very staple of every Italian town, the bar.

Bomarzo from the Palazzo. Note the distinct lack of life.

A trip to il Parco dei Mostri and Bomarzo by public transport from Rome isn't easy. A train from Rome would get you to Orte, but buses in this part of the world operate on the level of local folklore, so sadly I wouldn't recommend trying to get to the park by public transport. However, Bomarzo is an acceptable drive from Rome, thanks to the A1 autostrada del Sole (head towards Firenze and take exit 11 for Attigliano). While the roads in this part of Lazio are very picturesque, road signage is a little lacking so I would recommend bringing a GPS/SatNav (search for il Sacro Bosco di Bomarzo).

The Orsini obviously thought a lot of themselves. That's one of their castles on top of the world, which is also draped in their insignia.

Overall then, I can recommend a trip to the monster park and Bomarzo. I'm not sure it would be worth it as a day trip from Rome, but if you stay overnight and combine it with Viterbo, Orvieto or Civita di Bagnoregio, it would be well worth a visit.

For more information of the art historian type, click through to this excellent post on the Rome Art Lover site.

All text and photos copyright www.lazioexplorer.com 2013.

Giro d'Italia 2013

2013-05-06T21:27:00.002+02:00

Aah, it's that special time again. When hundreds of lycra-clad men hurtle through beautiful countryside in the chase for pink. What am I talking about? The Giro d'Italia of course!!

Twenty-one stages, starting in Napoli, tracing the sole of Italy, migrating up the Adriatic coast, before traversing the cooler climes of the northern regions. Finishing in Brescia three weeks later, the Giro d'Italia is a grueling cycle race that pushes the very best. Unlike the last two years, there won't be a stage in Lazio or Umbria (see my previous posts for the routes and cultural highlights on the way). However, there's still plenty to look forward to!

Click to download a PDF of this map (from La Gazzetta dello Sport)

From a cycling perspective, the Giro is a great tour. With plenty of mountain stages, unpredictable weather, and less-than officious stewarding, the Giro is an exciting riot through Italy. The lead constantly changes and indeed, more often than in the Tour de France, the Giro is usually decided on the final stage.

From a non-cycling perspective, the Giro d'Italia is a feast for the eyes. Granted, watching the cyclists whiz round Naples a few times was a little repetitive (I'm writing this after the third stage), but today it got going, with lovely views of Sorrento and the Amalfi coast. If the cycling gets boring, just use the stage to plan your next holiday...

The first Giro d'Italia was held in 1909 and was invented by La Gazzetta dello Sport to compete with the Tour de France (and increase sales of La Gazzetta). While the route changes each year, the format of the race stays the same, with the appearance of at least two time trials, a passage through the Alps and usually, a lovely scenic climb up a volcano. All of the stages are timed and the riders' times from each stage (or tappa) are combined. The rider with the lowest aggregate time is the leader of the race and gets to wear the Maglia rosa (the pink jersey they are all racing for). The one in pink at the end is the overall winner (predicted winners this year include Sir Bradley Wiggins, winner of last year's Tour de France, and the homegrown Vincenzo Nibali). While the general classification gathers the most attention, there are other contests held within the Giro: the points classification for the sprinters (look out for Mark Cavendish) the mountains classification for the climbers, young rider classification for the riders under the age of 25, and the team classification for the competing teams.

If you want to know anything about the stages, the routes, the riders, La Gazzetta dello Sport has it covered (in both Italian and English). Seriously. They even have tourist information about what to see and where to eat when you're in the area.

They even have an iPhone and Android app, which is great for keeping up with the race when you're out and about. But hold up. Before you think I'm writing an advert for La Gazzetta dello Sport (well, they did invent it to increase sales), I should point out that The Guardian has an excellent Giro section, replete with minute-by-minute commentaries of every stage and interviews with the main players.

So sit back, relax, grab a glass of wine (ideally from the region they're riding through) and enjoy the fight for pink!

La festa della Montagna - Sant'Oreste

2013-04-25T00:58:00.000+02:00

Sometimes you just 'drop on', and everything falls into place. This was one of those times. My parents-in-law invited us to a festival. They said it wasn't a big deal. They said no one usually goes. They were wrong.

The Festa della Montagna, celebrating Monte Soratte, the serrated mountain about 35km north of Rome, was a dying festival. There are lots of festivals in Lazio. Lots of sagre. People get a bit saturated. Nonchalant, even. This year however, the local priest, a new guy full of new ideas and vigor, decided to take the festival under his wing. So, invited by my adopted family, we trekked the short 2km walk up the mountain, blessed by gorgeous spring sunshine, last Sunday. We didn't quite know what to expect. OK, feste usually have a bit of food, usually some music of some kind, but this festival was dying on its feet, indeed, it had been for about ten years. Our hopes were not high.

We were wrong. The Festa della Montagna was wonderful. From start to finish. The walk up Monte Soratte on a paved road through the forested hillside, bursting with flowers wherever the sun broke through the cooling shade, was wonderful. We gasped for air as we caught glimpses of the stunning surrounding countryside. On one side, lago di Bracciano could be seen through the already thick summer-like haze, on the other, the hills of Sabina, before the Gran Sasso, towering above all before it, still cloaked in snow.

The view to lago di Bracciano

Once at the top, driven on by the siren call of the band, we were greeted by about 100 people, of all ages, all enjoying the spring sunshine, the band, and of course the views. After the band finished playing, everyone, as if commanded by a silent conductor, all passed through an archway to a courtyard where, to our surprise, they were giving out free food! This being Italy, the food was a lovely amatriciana pasta, sausages, a plethora of home-cooked desserts (I failed to try them all, as I had already gorged myself on the pasta) and a coffee. All for free (well, if you don't count a donation), all cooked and served by local townsfolk. All very lovely.

As I said before, the local priest, a young guy replacing the old Don Guido (an absolutely wonderful man who indeed ordained our wedding), has decided to liven things up a little. He's all about facebook, twitter and connecting with the young people. Does that mean he leaves the (rather sizeable number of) old folk behind? Not a chance. He's a charming young man who seems to really care about the local community. In between rushing around taking photos on his iPad (no doubt to post on his Facebook page), he was talking with everyone, organising the many helpers, and generally making sure everyone was having a good time.

The priest, doing his best Montalbano impression

Would I recommend the Festa della Montagna? Well, with the caveat that this was the only time I've gone, I would. If you're in the area. While it was lovely, and a real community moment, I did feel a little bit of an outsider. I guess I wasn't the intended audience. No one said anything, everyone was lovely, but when the locals start singing in the local Sant'Orestese language, you just know you don't quite fit in. Having said all that, yes, I would recommend it. I had a wonderful time. It was great to see everyone out enjoying themselves. Monte Soratte is always good value. We even managed to squeeze in a visit to one of the many medieval structures on the mountain, the hermitage of saint sylvester. This charming little church has recently re-opened after some restoration work and is worth the trip alone. Filled with stunning paintings, a crypt and bags of history, this stunning little hermitage, perched right at the top of Monte Soratte, is one of those lovely when-in-Italy moments, where you know you're stood in an incredibly historical place, yet the locals seem to take it for granted and even overlook it.

All in all then, a great day out, and a great start to the sagre/feste season. The next festival up on Monte Soratte and in Sant'Oreste is the festa della Madonna, at the end of May. See you there!

Apartment for sale in Sant'Oreste

2013-03-15T00:04:00.001+01:00

Ever dreamed of owning your own piece of Italy? A bijou apartment in a historic hilltop town? How about a view of Rome? The cupola of St Peter's on a clear day? All this can be yours...

My parents-in-law are selling their apartment. Downsizing. Helped by the property tax and the passage of time. It's time to let the family home go. As a favor to them, we're advertising the apartment here.

Coming in at

Living area

Bedroom, from the balcony

The bedroom of the 2nd apartment

Kitchen in the 2nd apartment

Monte Soratte from Sant'Oreste

View Sant'Oreste - Apartment for Sale in a larger map

My wife grew up in this flat. It's the perfect home for a young family and it's right in the heart of town. The beautiful town of Sant'Oreste, about 40km north of Rome. I've written about Sant'Oreste and Monte Soratte, the hill it tops (or rather sits on the shoulder of), quite a few times on LazioExplorer. You can find out more about Sant'Oreste here, and Monte Soratte here. There are shops, a number of churches, restaurants, bars, a post office and a bank all within walking distance, and Soratte Outlet, with factory outlet shops to suit all pockets, is a short drive away (as is Stimigliano, on the Orte-Fiumicino train line, and convenient access to the A1 motorway).

The view over to Stimigliano and Sabina

View Sant'Oreste - Apartment for Sale in a larger map

More information can be found on the casa.it website and on the real estate agent's website (fourth one down). Alternatively, you can contact the real estate agent directly:

Diamanti Servizi Immobiliari
SANT’ORESTE (RM) - CENTRO STORICO
VIA JACOPO BAROZZI DA VIGNOLA, 1/A
Tel: 0761 579666
Fax: 0761 579661
Email:info@immobiliarediamanti.com

Website:http://www.immobiliarediamanti.com/index.htm

Civita di Bagnoregio

2013-02-10T16:57:00.003+01:00

The most photographed town in Lazio (outside of Rome, of course). The dying town. The fairytale Italian hilltop town. Civita di Bagnoregio. Fantasy land Lazio. It had been on our 'hit-list' for a while and as soon as friends suggested a trip out, we jumped at the chance to exploring this fascinating town.

Civita di Bagnoregio is in the province of Viterbo, about 145km north of Rome, near the border with Umbria and Tuscany. It is the classic Italian hilltop town. 'Civita' was founded by the Etruscans over 2,500 years ago. Over the years, thanks to the erosion of the saddle connecting the volcanic tuff of Civita to the surrounding land, its population has dwindled down to only 15 or so full-time residents, as the younger locals make the move to nearby Bagnoregio or to Rome. This has given Civita di Bagnoregio the moniker of 'il paese che muore', the dying town.

However, while Civita di Bagnoregio may be dying, it isn't dead. Thanks to its fairytale good looks and its position between Rome and Tuscany, it's experiencing something of a tourist revival. Indeed, despite the distance from Rome, Civita di Bagnoregio is a tourist Mecca. Even on St. Stefano (Boxing day), when we visited, there were busloads of tourists. Thankfully however, the long walk up the wheelchair friendly bridge tends to separate people out, so it didn't feel overcrowded.

Once you've made it up the vertiginous ramp to the town itself, you're met by a 12th Century Romanesque arch. Walking through the arch is like stepping back in time. After a short street, the cobbled road opens out to the main piazza. Like any Italian town, this is the hub of community life. When we were there they were preparing for the presepe vivente, the live nativity, complete with real farm animals. Amusingly, they were bringing these across to Civita on the back of an ape up the 'pedestrian' bridge. We didn't stick around for the presepe, as it was an evening affair. It looked a pretty big event though, and complete with a little homemade food and wine, cost 5euro per person. The piazza is also the site of Donkey races on the first Sunday in June (Corpus Domini) and the second Sunday of September.

One side of the piazza is dominated by the Chiesa di San Donato. The church, built in the 13th Century on the site of an Etruscan temple is well-kept and worth a visit. From here, it's worth exploring every little street. Many appear deserted, but there are still a few shops here and there, selling local pottery, olive oil, salumi and pasta, as well as a few museums. Thanks to it's isolation, Civita di Bagnoregio has avoided the Renaissance, giving it a truly medieval feel. Plus of course, many of the streets will suddenly stop with a low wall, a 200ft drop, and a stunning view.

At the far end of the town, the main street begins to wind downhill. A little down the street, there are some small Etruscan caves on the right hand side. One houses a chapel, the Cappella del Carcere (chapel of the incarcerated), complete with a small altar. This side of town also has amazing views of the surrounding countryside (despite the poor weather on the day).

After all this walking around, you may well be hungry! Well, thankfully, Civita di Bagnoregio has a few places to eat. We looked around a few, but they seemed a little touristy. We ended up in a lovely spot called Osteria al forno di Agnese, on via S. Maria del Cassero. All four of us had antipasti platters, which were filled with various meats and cheeses. The perfect way to end the day.

How to get there:

The most convenient way to reach Civita di Bagnoregio is by car. Even then, the road signs aren't great and often we were driving seemingly in the middle of nowhere, with no road signs whatsoever, until we were right upon Civita itself. Tip: take a GPS/SatNav. We definitely needed ours, even though the friends we were with had been there before! (See our post about using a SatNav in Italy for more information). I believe there is also a bus to Civita from Orvieto, although I don't know, other than with an organised tour, if there is any public transport from Rome to Civita di Bagnoregio.

Nearby Civita di Bagnoregio: Orvieto

Similar to Civita di Bagnoregio: Calcata

The Italian Beach Experience - Rimini and Riccione

2013-01-20T20:40:00.001+01:00

The beach in Rimini? In winter?

Well no. I want to tell you about our summer vacation to our holiday home in Emilia-Romagna, in between San Marino and Rimini. In August. It was my first Italian beach holiday experience. Ever since we met, my wife has pestered me to go away with her on the classic Italian family vacation. The Italian beach holiday. Indeed, she hadn't gone herself since we met, so last year, I caved in.

Initially, I wasn't keen. The thing is, I'm simply not built for this kind of holiday. I'm a trekking up mountains, tea and cake, maybe a museum-kinda guy, not a laying by the beach then more laying by the beach one. I'll be honest, I was dreading it.

I shouldn't have bothered. It was lovely. We're very lucky, in that we have access to an old house, nestled on a small hilltop, with views to the sea in one direction, and the republic of San Marino in the other (which I blogged about here). We arrived after a long drive from Lazio, with two short stops - the obligatory caffeine stop at a mountaintop cafe bar, and the charming Umbrian town of Gubbio, which I will blog about one day. Arriving at the house was like arriving in paradise. The rolling fields, the swallows swooping overhead (hopefully hoovering up all the many, many zanzare that were waiting in ambush), and of course, that lovely breeze coming all the way from the sea.

You can just make out the Adriatic in the distance

We didn't have much time to take all this in though, as I'd forgotten one thing. Italy isn't the charming, relaxed place one reads about in those books where people move to Italy and find themselves. Laissez-faire is a phrase borrowed from the French, not the Italians. We had a schedule, and it must be respected. Even if you're English, have no idea of the schedule, and fancy yourself as a bit of a Montalbano, enjoying a moka cafe on the balcony overlooking the (albeit distant) sea. We had a schedule. We were off to the beach at Riccione. We were off to the sea.

The Italian Seaside is fascinating. Honestly. It's like a David Attenborough special about human behavior. We arrive at the beach. Bagno 130/131, the usual spot. The one my in-laws go to every year. Of course, they know the lifeguards, who, it turns out, also run the place. They rent parasols and sun loungers, and know everything about everyone. Pleasantries exchanged, we set off with our chaperone lifeguard to pick our spot. Would we go for a space right next to the sea? No. We went for one that was near the cafe, almost as far from the sea and its cooling breeze as you could get. Nevermind. The reasons for this choice would soon become clear. From then, no time to hang around as it was time to head to the supermarket and then home for a simple yet delicious pasta.

The next few days blurred into one. One regimented day, that is. Why? Because Italian beach holidays have a routine. We get up early, showered, ate, and then head down to Riccione and our Bagno. We arrive, hours after everyone else (it seems), and take our positions at our parasol. After dumping our bags and arranging sun protection (only for the youngsters, the old generation didn't believe it was necessary on a 39 degree cloudless day), I was initiated in the first (and frankly most important) ritual of the day. It was time for a coffee with papa`. We tiptoed over the scorching sand to the bar (every bagno has a bar, serving coffee and cornetti by day, and more salubrious treats by night), and ordered our coffees. While waiting, we check the sport newspapers, catch up on the olympics, the soccer, and generally lower the tone of the place....

After coffee, we lay in the sun for a few hours, before, come 11:20, we head for a walk down the beach. One day we walk up to Rimini, the next day, we walk down towards Cattolica. Then, 12:30, we heed the call over the loudspeaker, that the sun is dangerously hot, and head for lunch. We pack up, get back in the car, and head back home. Once home, we shower, change clothes, eat a delicious pasta, and then have a snooze. Then, come 3pm, it's time to head back to the beach. We go to our parasol, deposit our things. Then it's time for a drink. The same bar. This time a Becks. Come 6pm, it's time to go home. The next day? Well, maybe we can vary it a little, do you want to walk the same way up the beach as yesterday, or the other way?

Rimini is this way. Obviously.

Once you get the routine though, you're golden. I relaxed into the schedule, let it wash over me. I now know that you shouldn't go for a swim until it's at least three hours after you've eaten, and that Italian kids really can do whatever they want at the beach. The beach is great fun, and there's always something going on. So, my advice? Don't just bring a book* and lie on the beach. Wander around, people watch, and simply go with the routine. I mean flow. I mean flow.

Rimini, Riccione, Cattolica - I will be back. To the same Bagno, at exactly the same time....

So what else is there to do besides the beach?

Well, in Riccione, not so much. There's a lovely promenade along the beach, and two pedestrianised wide boulevard nearby, Viale Dante and Viale Ceccarini. This is where all the teenagers come for their summer romance. What's nice though is that, whatever age or nationality you are, you don't feel out of place. Plus of course, there's that wonderful Italian habit of it never being too late for Ice Cream. There's plenty of shops for late night shopping, events and shows on the streets, plus a water park for the kids. Outside of the strip, there's Rimini old town, the many lovely towns and villages of Emilia-Romagna, and of course, 30 miles from the coast, the Republic of San Marino.

There are plenty of places to eat on the coast, many of which specialise in (excellent) seafood, but here are our two favorites:

Pesce Azzuro - a small cooperative, set-up by the fishermen themselves, serves basic yet excellent seafood in Rimini, Riccione and Cattolica (the one we went to). It's self-service, and set-up essentially like a canteen, but for 12euros you get a tray filled with about 6 different seafood dishes, and unlimited wine. More information (in Italian) can be found on their website: pesceazzuro

La Greppia - about 5km from the Adriatic just outside the town of Coriano, my better half's family have eaten at this restaurant for over 40 years and after one mouthful you'll know why. Tasty Emilia-Romagna specialities (and not just seafood) combined with great service. Book ahead if possible. More information (in Italian) can be found on their website: La Greppia

*If you did want to take a book, I can recommend An Italian Education by Tim Parks (see my review). I was reading while on the beach and it really captures the Italian beach experience, as well as providing a great intro into Italian family culture. Perfect for reading on the sun lounger...

Vino Italiano - The regional wines of Italy - book review

2013-01-13T17:18:00.005+01:00

Want to learn about Italian wine? I do. One of the wonderful things about Italy is that every region, every town, in fact, practically every bend in the road, seems to have its own local specialty, its own take on an Italian classic. Wine is no exception. This can make understanding Italian wine, other than in 'Chianti is good, Lambrusco less so'-style terms, pretty difficult. The fact that many regions borrow grapes from other regions and other countries makes the whole thing pretty impenetrable. Thankfully, that's where Vino Italiano comes in.

This hefty tome, coming in at just over 530 pages in my edition, goes through every region of Italy, detailing the grape varieties, the geographical conditions and the type of soil. It's pretty comprehensive. More than that, it also provides that all-important context for the wine, with each chapter opening with a vignette taken from the author's experiences and capturing their sense of the region (for example, the Lazio chapter starts with a story about the derby della capitale between AS Roma and SS Lazio). At the end of each chapter there is a small section about the food of the region, about which food goes best with the wines from that region, along with a few recipes to try at home. I feel this works well as these two sections, along with a handy 'key facts' section, sandwich the 'meat' of the chapter, about the wines themselves.

It's a big book, not one to read cover to cover, but more as a reference book, picking a region every night and then reading about the wines from that region. It works well like that. I don't think I'd be able to read it straight through, but I have enjoyed reading about those regions of interest (and other regions I've never thought of in wine-terms - a glass of Chambave muscat from Valle d'Aosta anyone?) and learning more about why each wine has the characteristics it does. Obviously, the wine buff may know many of these details, but I still feel the book is comprehensive enough so that even the most learned sommelier will pick something up.

Initially, the US-centric nature of the book grated on me. Obviously the authors, Joseph Bastianich and David Lynch (with recipes by Lidia Bastianich and Mario Batali) are American, and the target audience for the book is American, but it would have been good to have more information on where to get the wines in Italy rather than simply relating everything back to the states. However, this is a minor complaint as overall the book is well-researched and it's obvious that the authors have a great passion for both Italy and Italian wine.

It's easy therefore for me to recommend this book. Comprehensive enough for the wino, yet accessible enough for the casual quaffer. I've learned a lot from Vino Italiano. Every time I think I should put it down and move on to another book, I hesitate, not wanting it to end, and I decide, maybe just for tonight, just one more chapter, just one more re-read...

Vino Italiano - The regional wines of Italy, by Joseph Bastianich and David Lynch, is published by Random House and my version was from 2005. I'm not sure how widely available it is outside of the US, although I managed to get my copy from Amazon UK pretty easily. Of course, there is a copy in the Lazio Explorer Amazon Store.

Rome food tour - Trionfale with Tavole Romane

2013-01-06T01:22:00.000+01:00

What better way to explore Rome than to be taken round by a local...

Just before Christmas, we had the pleasure of being invited on a Tavole Romane food tour around the Prati district of Rome (just next to the Vatican). Guided by the irrepressible Giovanna (also known as @burroealici), we were taken to the very best off-the-beaten track places Rome has to offer. We ate a lot (and I mean A LOT) and had a great time as Giovanna led us around like an old friend taking us to her favorite spots.

Giovanna, tour-guide extraordinaire

The tour is titled 'Trionfale', as it centers around the Trionfale food market. It lasted just over 4 hours and took in a number of eateries. Thankfully, given the amount of food we had, there wasn't too much walking involved, although the pace was a little brisk. Prati itself is unspectacular, in a Rome-when-no-one-is-watching kinda way. While elegant, with lovely little shops, it's not particularly touristy, and doesn't feature any must-sees. However, it does have good foodie hangouts.

The group were composed of well-traveled Italophiles and was a good size, not too big so we never got a chance to ask a question, and not too small that we had to do all the talking. The make-up of the group was informative, as this trip is definitely for those who want to delve a little deeper into Roman life, rather than simply catch the (admittedly stunning) tourist sites.

We met at the Trionfale market (near the Cipro metro stop), and were taken on a whistle-stop tour, taking in fruit stalls, overflowing butchers (with a taste of porchetta), a wonderful fish stall (which, as a seafood fan, I subsequently dreamed about), a quick lesson on olives (with ample tasting, of course), and plenty of hints and info tidbits about the various stalls from Giovanna. The market was fun, if a bit rushed. However, we were about 15 minutes late (problems on the metro), so ours may be a special case. The market itself is quite impressive, stocking pretty much everything you could ever need, food-wise, plus a few extras, such as fresh honey and a stall where you can fill your own bottles with table wine - perfect for that self-catering trip.

Giovanna even gave us tips on how to pick artichokes

Valentino's fish stand. Every type of fish, locally-sourced

Which is your favorite?

After our hypothetical (and not-so-hypothetical in some cases) shopping at the market, we set out on our exploration of Prati. First stop was the newly opened Panificio Bonci. This lovely modern bakery felt like a real treat. Here, among the fresh bread and ground flour, we tasted pizza bianca and pizza rossa fresh from the oven, and utterly divine. Bonci is definitely somewhere I'll go back to, the bread looked delicious.

Bonci. Pizza, pane, and a cool water dispenser were just some of the highlights

Leaving Bonci behind, we headed over a few streets to Romeo, again, a new spot in Prati. This restaurant-cum-deli, with striking decor and a cool vibe is the daughter (are restaurants feminine?) of the Roscioli brothers and the Michelin-starred celebratory chef Cristina Bowerman. Thankfully, the stunningly modern interior doesn't distract from the quality of the food and drink on offer. Here, we took a breather, taking a seat for tastings of bread and two forms of mortadella, accompanied by a glass (or two) of Franciacorta, the Italian version of Champagne. I liked Romeo a lot, and could have stayed there all day (and potentially spent a fortune). It's another place I'll definitely go back to. Their panettoni looked amazing (they also had an equally amazing price-tag) but I managed to resist this time. Also, I should point out that I was already full at this point.

Romeo. Marrying cool with tasty

Franciacorta goes well with... well... everything actually

Dulcis in fundo

Learn from my mistakes. If you take this tour, pace yourself. The final stop, Flavio al Velavevodetto, was amazing. This is the second restaurant by Flavio, the first is in Testaccio. Both are excellent. Here, thanks to Giovanna's charming of Flavio, we were treated to massive portions. We were also treated to an unnecessary starter of eggplant balls, before our pasta tasting expedition began. We started with two pasta dishes (primi), the best carbonara I've ever had, and the classic amatriciana. Both were excellent. The portion sizes were exceedingly generous. I ate them both. Completely. Did I mention that the carbonara was good? We weren't finished. After refreshing our palates with acqua di Nepi (a sign of quality in my book), we had humble yet super tasty polpetta di bollito with roast potatoes. I tried my best, but this dish beat me. I thought I was done, never to eat again. Then the tiramisu came out and picked me up. This was the coup de grace. We had just had a very tasty and extremely filling meal. This was the end of the tour. I was sad it was over, but happy to have experienced it.

Pros and cons of the tour:

This tour is perfect for the real Italophile. Someone who's seen most of the sites, but wants to delve a little deeper. Being led by Giovanna was a real pleasure. She gives insider tips, and is a wealth of information. It would be best to take the tour at the start of your trip, as you could then mine Giovanna for nuggets and tidbits about other restaurants and places to visit in Rome. However, would it pass the mom test? Well, only if mom had already done the main tourist sights of Rome, and also, only if she were a real foodie. We enjoyed the tour, a lot. It was fun, and we got to see some lovely places and enjoyed some spectacular food (did I tell you about Velavevodetto?) On the downside, we walked very fast, and, even though we enjoyed the tour and the food, we didn't feel like we had learned a lot about the area by the end of it, or indeed the actual food we tasted. Perhaps you can't have both. A warm, congenial host, giving a private tour around their favorite city, and a guidebook like level of information on the food.

Was it value for money? Yes. Absolutely. We ate a lot of food, all of which was of exceptional quality, and Giovanna was a warm, friendly guide. I don't know what the tour would be like without her. Many of the places had recently opened, and we really felt like we were getting an up-to-date 'these are the good places to eat in Prati' tour. It's obvious that Tavole Romane really know their stuff. Would I recommend the tour? Yes, with the aforementioned caveat that, while you are taken to lovely places, you aren't given a great deal of information about the food you're eating. If this post has whet your appetite, click here for the tour website.

Would I recommend it? Yes, even for my mom. While Prati is not touristy, the places we visited were well worth the trip. The market was great fun and the quality of the food we tasted was exceptional. We will definitely go back to the places that Giovanna showed us, and I think that's the best recommendation one can give.

Photo credits: All photos copyright lazioexplorer.com

Disclaimer: While we were guests of Tavole Romane, we can't be bought, and all opinions are our own.

Lazio Explorer : 2013 blog resolutions

2012-12-27T01:16:00.000+01:00

2012 was a quick year wasn't it? Only 18 posts (19 including this one). Must. try. harder. I guess we've been busy. It's been a great year though. Plenty of sagre, some wonderful trips, and some amazing people met along the way. Anyway, enough of 2012, here are our plans for the blog over the coming year. I can't promise we'll do them all, but hopefully we can tick some of them off the list, and you can see where we want to go with LazioExplorer.

Resolutions and plans for 2013:

From http://www.italytravelescape.com

1. An interactive map of Lazio. We hope to roll this out in the coming weeks. It'll be a google map, with links to blog posts from the various places. This is primarily to you help you, our dear reader, to navigate and explore Lazio (and our blog) better, but will also help us to see where the gaps are, and where to visit next.

2. A 2014 Lazio Explorer Calendar. There, I said it. We've always planned to do this, but have never got round to it. We want to do a calendar for ourselves, and family and friends, with photos of our favourite places in Lazio. Of course, we'll also place a link here if anyone wants to buy it (reasonably priced just to cover costs, of course).

3. To explore more. More of what? Well, everything. There are still many places in Lazio we haven't been. Plus, after brief flirtations with Tuscany, Campagna, Lombardia, Umbria, Emila-Romagna and the Veneto, I definitely want to explore Italy beyond Lazio. Plus, given my thing for train travel, I want to take the one of the frecce, or the new Italo trains. Anywhere.

4. A sagre app. I know. Where do we find the time? Well, this one is on our wishlist, rather than our 'to-do' list, but, given our love of sagre, and your love of sagre (those posts were some of our most viewed last year), we can see a good, well-written sagre app would be a good thing. We also think it would help all the Pro Loco to get the word out about their sagre and feste, so everybody wins. However, we don't know where to start. So... if you're an app developer (both iPhone and Android), or a Pro Loco organiser, get in touch, we'd love to hear from you.

5. More book reviews. I've been quite bad this year. However, next year will be different, and I've got a reading list as long as my arm, so it's time to get reviewing again. As always, our reviews are impartial and personal, so you can always trust my opinion, if not necessarily agree with it.

So there you have it, five new year's resolutions. Of course, I don't think I'll be able to keep them all, but you can dream, right?

What about you? What plans do you have for the new year, or is there anything we have missed off our list that you would like us to try to do over the coming year?

Christmas fun in Lazio - markets, fairs, and more

2012-12-12T01:02:00.000+01:00

It's that special time of year. Snow is falling, the kids are getting excited... and you've got a lot of presents to buy. But there's always time for a little sight-seeing, right?

Lazio is positively bursting with Christmas markets and fairs at this time of year. Stalls are full of locally-produced artisanal gifts, one-off pieces that can't be found in any shopping mall. So it's an ideal time to combine a little sight-seeing with that gift getting.

As long-time readers will know, one of the things I love about Italy at this time of year are the nativity scenes (presepi) that pop up in practically every town and village (see my post of the presepi I saw last year, for a taster). These can range from small, humble pieces to live presepe, where half the village gets in on the act.

So, here are our picks of the markets and presepi in Lazio this month:

Christmas market, Anguillara, Prov. di Viterbo 8th Dec - 6th Jan.

Anguillara sabazia, perched on the edge of lago di Bracciano, is hosting a Christmas fair, from December 8 to January 6th, with crafts, an antique fair, flea market, gifts, ethnic and speciality stands and even an ice skating rink! More information can be found here.

Natale nei Vicoli, Sant'Oreste, Prov. di Roma 8th Dec - 6th Jan.

Sant'Oreste, perched on the shoulder of Monte Soratte, about 40km north of Rome (on via Flaminia) is hosting 'Christmas in the streets', in the medieval old town. There are events on every weekend, including a visit to the wartime bunker under Monte Soratte, ordered by Mussolini himself. Click on the poster image below for more information.

Christmas market, Sacrofano, Prov. di Roma, 15th - 16th Dec.

Sacrofano, about 25km north of Rome, and easily accessible on the Roma-Civita Castellana-Viterbo trainline, is a charming medieval town. On the weekend of the market, there will be Christmas trees, chocolate tasting, candied sweets, arts and crafts, along with other food stalls, throughout the streets of the old town. More information can be found on their facebook event page.

Christmas market, Nazzano, Prov. di Roma, 15th - 16th Dec.

From 3-8pm on Saturday, and 10am-7pm on Sunday, Nazzano, situated about 40km north of Rome, will host its Christmas Arts and Crafts fair, with only handmade objects on sale. The fair will be in the Museo del Fiume.

Presepe vivente, Corchiano and Sutri, Prov. di Viterbo, 25th Dec - 6th Jan.

Presepi viventi, or 'living nativities' are a pretty big thing in Lazio. We went to the one in Sutri last year, where the presepe was set in the ancient etruscan caves just outside the town. We had a great time, there were lots of people dressed up, re-creating a whole town scene, cooking bread, making pottery, tending animals (and letting you stroke them) - it was a lot of fun, and all for about €5.

Presepe vivente, Greccio, Prov. di Rieti, 24th Dec - 8th Jan.

Greccio, twinned with Bethlehem (bizarrely), is a sleepy hilltop town nestled in the Monti Sabini hills. Every Christmas, the town comes alive with over 100 people involved in the living nativity. The nativity is split into six scenes, and has its origins in a cold Christmas Eve of 1223 when St. Francis of Assisi, on his return from Palestine, wanted to rebuild with the people and animals of the time the Nativity in Bethlehem. More information, in Italian, can be found on the Greccio ProLoco site.

These are just a selection. There are many more fairs, presepi and markets happening in and around Lazio over the coming month, such as those in the towns around Viterbo, as covered by Mary Jane Cryan. If you spot any other good markets, fairs or presepi in Lazio this year, feel free to add more in the comments section (or tweet/email me) and I'll add them to this post.

But what can you do if want to feel all Christmassy, but you don't have the time to leave Rome? A good place to start would be a recent post by Buzz in Rome, which covers the best decorations in Rome. If you need to do a little gift shopping in the eternal city, you should head over to Revealed Rome, where, among many other useful articles, Amanda's got gift-getting in Rome covered. With shopping sorted, you'll no doubt be thinking about food. Thankfully, Tavole Romane have thoughtfully provided an annotated list of all the best restaurants in Rome, that are open over the Christmas and new year period. Finally, don't leave Rome without taking part in some Roman Christmas traditions, such as the Piazza Navona Christmas market, or indulging in a slice of fluffy Pandoro. There. That's Christmas sorted.

This will most likely be my last post before Christmas (I've got to get gift shopping myself!), so all that remains is for me to thank-you for all your comments, tweets and friendship over the last year and to wish you a very, Merry Christmas!

Pete (aka LazioExplorer)

Italian Olive Oil - the organic, traditional, hand-picked way

2012-11-28T23:32:00.001+01:00

Imagine, the sun glistening through the leaves, the sound of the olives dropping on the floor, the calm tranquility of an age-old ritual, repeated every autumn for millennia. I lived it. A few weeks ago, I became an olive oil producer.

OK, maybe that's a bit strong. I became someone who helps other people who are far more experienced in making olive oil. OK, full disclosure, I helped my father-in-law collect his olives and take them to the press to make olive oil. But kind of, in a way, on some (very low, discreet) level, I was an olive oil producer. I made olive oil.

The scene of the crime

'The early bird catches the olive' could be a saying around these parts. I arrived late, around 9ish, and a few trees had already been de-olived (I may have just made that term up). It was time to man up and meet the olive.

So how do you do it? Well, it's pretty simple. You find an olive tree with plenty of olives and place nets all around it on the ground. These nets are pretty big and have to cover as much ground as possible as the olives can fall quite a distance from the tree (they aren't apples after all). Then, with a (gloved) hand or a small stick, you start to remove the lower-hanging olives. All the olives are removed, although the blacker they are the better, as this means they contain more oil. Then, with a larger stick, you start beating the higher branches in a downward motion. This is where you have to be a little careful, as the olives start to rain down at this point. I managed to get at least three straight in one eye, almost one right after the other. You continue to do this until all the olives have fallen. Where there were higher branches, we took to the ladders with a saw. Apparently, when pruning an olive tree you are meant to remove many of the internal branches, so much so that a bird is able to fly straight through the middle of the tree, without touching a branch.

My brother-in-law making sure every last olive is collected

Anyway, back to the picking. Once you're finished with the tree, you round-up all the olives on the ground, removing any attached leaves, twigs etc., and collect them all in a sack. Then you choose your next victim. I mean tree.

What about the worker's camaraderie, you know, the songs, the banter? I tried to make a bit of light chit-chat, you know, of the 'soooo, did you see the game last night' variety. Roma had just lost the derby della capitale 3-2 to Lazio and thus this was a risky venture. Little response other than a few 'don't mention these things to me' kind of hand gestures, and we were back to silence. Mrs LazioExplorer though, is a dab hand at the chit-chat. The daughter of the local landowner came down to see us, so the wife promptly stopped and, well, you know, engaged in public relations. For about 2 hours. These things are important. The men, however, continued to whack seven shades of $hit out of the tree.

A morning's work

So we have the olives, now what? Well, turns out we aren't the only ones with the idea of making olive oil at this time of year. The frantoio, which I guess translates to olive press, makes all its money in these 2 months or so of olive oil production. It seems everyone with a patch of ground makes olive oil. Thankfully, my father-in-law is an old hand at all this, and (as he often is) was ahead of the curve. We had a reasonably-timed appointment at the frantoio and had to get there promptly in order to not miss our slot. My uncle wasn't quite as organized though and so had an appointment for 3am the following night.

At the frantoio, when it's our time, our olives are machinated into a pulp, finer and finer, with the olive oil dripping out through various filters until it comes out, with an overpowering spicy smell.

Ready for their final journey

The frantoio machines

Where the magic happens

Fresh, smelly-but-oh-so-lovely olive oil

So there you have it. Organic, hand-picked, locally produced, high quality olive oil. It tastes amazing. You can drink it. Fresh, it has a spicy pepperyness that is almost too much. It's liquid gold. We have too much of it, of course, my father-in-law gets carried away with these things. He wants to sell it, but we don't know where to start. So, if you want some pure olive oil, produced in the most organic, simple, and local way we know how, just let me know. My father-in-law would be thrilled, and it is the best around, even if I do say so myself ;)