Category Archives: History

Trip Report Salerno February 2026

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Salerno February 2026

Tuesday February 17
We drove south to Foligno. The station there had much better connections for some reason. They have a relatively cheap parking lot. We were meeting our friend Jen who was going to stay in our apartment with the kitties. We gave her the key and we went to catch our train. When we got to the platform with about 4 minutes to spare I realized I had left my hiking stick in the coffee bar. Darn. I use it when I’m doing a lot of walking, which I will be on this trip. But there was no time to go get it. Sigh.

We went to Roma Termini terminal, the main one. We arrived in just two hours. We had a bit of time to kill and then we saw our train was also arriving late so we had about an hour. We decided to grab a sandwich there. I got the porchetta . It was pretty good. 

Our train arrived, the Frecciarossa, red arrow, Italy’s high speed train. Off we went to Salerno with a stop in Napoli. I love the Frecciarossa. We always get business class and always the area silenzio. I love that it is silent. They bring the drink and snack cart just like on the airplane. We had a white wine each. They gave us snacks and water too. We arrived about 4:30. A half hour late. 

Finding our hotel, called the Leucosya Luxury rooms, was not easy. It was just 150 meters from the station, so we were walking. We had been warned by our friends Gary and Susan whom we were meeting there, that it was not obvious. We called and Gary came to our rescue. 

We checked into our room. What a strange room. It has more gold that the Oval Office. No joke. There is the biggest bathtub I’ve ever seen in the bedroom. It has golden tiles and a golden filigree over it. A golden Roman chair. Two golden small tables. Many golden statuettes and and incense burner. The wallpaper is Versace. Maybe the room got lost on the way to Vegas? I KNOW you want pictures 😉

See what I mean?

We went looking for a bar for drinks and snacks. We found a great pedestrian only shoppingstreet. It was lined with bars. It was spitting rain but no place had indoor seating. All was outside with covers, some with glass walls, some with heaters. We finally gave up after walking the entire street and went in one that had plenty of places, under cover. They turned on the heaters. Our waitress was super. We got a bottle of red from Sicily and then a platter of cheeses and meats which came with a few other apperitivi. And we ordered two plates of fried anchovies to share. Perfect. And it rained hard while there but stopped before we walked back. 🙂

Salerno centro storico at night.

Wednesday 18 February
We woke to brilliant sunshine! Wow. It has rained constantly for weeks. First thing was take a shower. It is a space age thing with jets, squirters and a shower. It is always an adventure to figure out the fixtures in hotel bathrooms. This particular shower was a great example. I turned the dial to the picture of what looked like a shower. Suddenly the array of jets up the entire backside of the shower shot out incredible gushes of water right into my face. And across the whole bathroom. I slammed the door but that was no solution since I had to open it to figure out how to turn it off.  So I bit the bullet and jerked the door open reached over while these jets of water were dousing me and everything else. Finally got it off. Dripping wet I got all the towels and tried to mop it all up. Then I tried to figure out which thing to turn the dial to to get the shower. With a bit of experimentation, the shower came on. Adventures in plumbing. 

We were headed to Paestum and would be walking around so good weather would be appreciated. We were served breakfast in our room and met to go get the train. It was leaving at 9:30. It took just half an hour and dropped us right at the Archaeological park. I have been twice before so this was the first time on a train and I hadn’t realized where the train stopped.

We walked through the gate and headed up the road to the old Greek city. The history is interesting. In 600 BCE it was settled by Sybaris, a Greek settlement in the south of Italy and named Poseidonia. In 400 BCE it was seized by the Lucanians. Romans took over in 273 BCE, renaming it Paestum and establishing a Latin colony. Later, its decline ensued from shifts in trade routes and the onset of flooding and marsh formation.

The Greeks built three enormous temples to the gods. Neptune, Hera, and Athena. They were built about 550 to 450 BCE. We entered the park. We bought our tickets and walked in. The two temples of Hera and Neptune were just a little walk away. They are amazing. Almost entirely intact after 2,700 years. I’ve been to other Greek ruins and none can compare with Paestum. We walked down to the amphitheater, then over to where the forum used to be. It was the center of town, center of government and center of life in Paestum. Then down to the far end of the city to the Temple of Athena. It was such a beautiful day. This was a real pleasure.

Luther in the Temple of Neptune
Temple of Neptune
Temple of Neptune
Temple of Hera
Temple of Athena
Temple of Athena

We asked in a Bar for them to call us a taxi. Patrizia came to pick us up and took us to the Caseificio Barlotti, a mozzarella di bufala farm. This has been a long time wish of mine to visit the bufala. We had a very nice tour by Andrea. He showed us the first corral which held the 160 cows giving milk. They were milked twice a day. The next one was the females who were pregnant, some were giving milk too. Then across the way was the corral with the young females. Two years old. They were now able to be bred. They don’t inseminate, they just put the bull in amongst the young females. Then the next barn is the newborns. All females. The males are sold to another farm who will raise them for meat. They are allowed to stay with their mothers for only seven days. So sad. They were very sweet.

The females who were milked twice a day.
Baby girl
Curious baby girl.

After the tour we had lunch and a continuation of the tour to explain the process of the cheese making. They milk the cows at 6am and 2pm. The cheese making begins at midnight and goes all night. They make cheese fresh and completely by hand for consumption at the Caseificio and for purchase in the shop. They also export a lot of their products all over, even in the U.S. They make some out of pasteurized milk (for US) and others from unpasteurized. They make other types of cheese. And also buratta. I asked about the buratta. He said the outer case, making the distinctive bag that encloses the creamy interior, is of mozzarella di bufala. But inside, that is cows milk cheese. It would be too rich if it were all bufala. Anyway, I learned a lot and enjoyed the tour. 

Now for the degustazione. They brought many platters of food. A big ball of the fresh, made last night, mozzarella. She split it 4 ways. There were also three other types of cheese made there. A hard semi aged one, a brie type, and a super soft very fresh one. There was a small piece that was the consistency of bread pudding. Very damp, wet made of several types of cheese and I’m sure it was baked. Very good. Then several types of cured meats. Finally a plate of roasted vegetables and a bowl of fresh quartered tomatoes. We had been saying we would have pasta but no one wanted any after that so we had desserts. All were made from their cheese. Two got the cannoli to share and two got the pistachio ice cream made from latte di bufala. Wow was that rich. And delicious. It was an interesting and tasty lunch as well as informing. All in all a nice experience.

Andrea, our guide.
The selection of food.
The fresh mozzarella di bufala.

Then we called Patrizia who came back to get us and take us to the station. Off we went back to Salerno. I highly recommend a visit to Paestum but not in July and August. Patrizia said it is crazy busy with tourists then.

We got back to the hotel and had a couple hours to rest. Then we decided Caserta was not in our future for tomorrow, mainly because it is a two hour trip and the a two hour tour and lunch and a two hour trip back. We decided that was too much especially since rain is in the forecast. Instead we will visit Vietri sul Mare tomorrow.

Susan was feeling under the weather so Gary, Luther and I walked to meet up with our friends Gary and Bill. They have lived there 8 years. I met them through this blog before they came. We have only seen them twice in person in that eight years. But stay in touch online. Anyway, we met up for drinks tonight. They live in the centro and it is a very cool part of town. I think this would be an excellent choice for anyone considering to immigrate to Italy. Right on the sea. Near mountains, main train line. The ferry boats that go up and down the Amalfi coast and out to Capri. The food of the Amalfi coast – delicious seafood. A real city with all services. It doesn’t close up in the winter like the rest of the Amalfi.

Thursday 19 February
Vietri sul Mare is only about ten minutes from Salerno. It was overcast, chilly and breezy. Very unlike yesterday. Rain predicted in the afternoon.

The view of the town from the top. Note the ceramic dome on the Duomo. Iconic on the Amalfi coast.

We started out at the top of the town. We wended our way slowly downhill. It is a town of ceramics. Many wall decorations of ceramics. All different. There was a table I adored. So unique. The design was embossed, and the background was matte, not shiny. The theme was the seasons. I would have bought it in a minute had I a place for it. 

Depiction of a ceramic maker
The table.
Loved all the different professions and activities pictured in this wall.
I got this primarily to show the old dudes hanging out.
I loved the mural outside the alimentari.
Vietri street scene pictured in a ceramic plaque. Note the dome on the duomo is the same as the first photo in this town above.
I loved the monochromatic tone of this one along with the intricate workmanship.

We turned off the main corso and went uphill to the Duomo. Interesting. We couldn’t go inside because there was a mass going on.   

Duomo, even the decoration on the church is ceramic.

We headed back down and stopped in a shop. Gary was on a mission to replace broken spoon rests. He was very particular. Here he found it. And Susan bought a platter. Not to be outdone, I got a trivet. The proprietor seemed surprised and happy to have sold three things. It’s off season. I don’t suppose there are a lot of sales. 

Gary’s Italian teacher had evidently gone on and on about Salerno pizza. Better than Naples she said. So, Gary felt he must try the pizza. Not a hard sell. We all happily helped with this quest. We ate in a nice place back at the top of the town. The pizza was quite good. It seems Florentine pizza is always uncooked in the center. These were cooked through.

My pizza. Yummy.

Back to Salerno. And home to nap and digest. Later we planned our last day with Susan & Gary. We are staying and touring Salerno. We will meet Bill and Gary for sightseeing and lunch. But a lot depends on the weather. Supposed to rain.

Friday 20 February 
Such a great day. We expected it to be raining but I checked and the streets were dry. So it was game on! We had breakfast and headed out at about 10:15 to meet Gary who would lead us to the elevator up to the gardens of Minerva. The elevator only went so far though. We had a continued climb to get up there. 

Palazzo along the way

We made it and watched a super informative video before entering the gardens. It was all about the history of medicine in Salerno it goes way back. To before the year 1000. It was the first hospital to actually care for people. The science was based on the harmony of the universe. When the balance is upset  it causes illness. They saw life as being comprised of four elements: earth, air, fire and water, which correspond to four qualities, hot, cold, moist and dry. The humors are blood, black bile, yellow bile and phlegm. They have a direct relationship to the four elements. They also took into account count the temperament of the individual, his mental qualities, his state of health. All this is the theory of humors. 

Which brings us to the plants. Just as the body was divided and classified by the humors and elements so too, the plants were classified. This allows each one to be classified for what it could treat in the human body. And also it’s strength

See the circle with the colours? That is how they classify this particular plant

We next went into the gardens. They were pretty with many water features. The plants were in winter mode. It would be amazing in spring and summer. We also met the local turtle. Quite friendly. He had a great place to live. I really enjoyed learning about those ancient methods of medicine.

This the everlasting spring. The source of the water for the gardens and fountains.

We headed back down to the flats to visit the Duomo. All the domes on all the churches along the Amalfi coast are made of ceramics. This one is the Duomo in Salerno.

The church was really interesting. It was very big. And very white. No decorations on the ceiling. The painting behind the altar was pretty impressive. There were a few moorish looking tile decorations on a few things. The crypt was, on the other hand super decorated. 

Then we headed to lunch at taverna Santa Maria de duomo. So fun. Us four plus Gary and Bill. The place was in a former church. This was their favorite restaurant. They booked for us. It was a delicious lunch with good conversation. It was all seafood with some most interesting preparations. I will put descriptions on the photos. You knew there would be photos, right!? 😁

My scampi with a Thai sauce.
Tuna balls. Fresh tuna ground up and made into balls and fried. Unusual.
Gnocchi with seafood. Mussels, shrimp, squid, octopus. Very yummy..
Baccalà – salt cod – whipped and put into giant shell pasta. Another interesting preparation.
Panna cotta.

Saturday 21 February
The train from Salerno left five minutes late. It was interesting that Gary’s phone app said it was fifteen minutes late. So we waited a bit, but not TOO long. And good thing because when we got there they showed it on time on the big board. It arrived five minutes late in Roma where we only had a 20 minute layover so this cut it to 15 minutes. It was touch and go getting the train to Foligno. That platform was 2est it is a very long walk. My friend Jen, who used the train alot and lives in Foligno assured me the train to Foligno would leave late, giving us extra time. But…miraculously (unfortunately) the train to Foligno was on time meaning we had  NO extra time. We barely made it. We were not alone, thankfully, because the train couldn’t leave while people were boarding. And a lot of us panting people were still boarding.

Adventures in train travel. I’m fine with riding in the train and watching the scenery, but the getting on and off, finding seats, stowing luggage, can all be stressful. The good news…the Bar had my hiking stick! 🙂

That concludes another trip report.

Ciao!

I knew it would be an adventure!

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Boy, was I right. I picked up Ariela at the bus stop in Umbertide. I had volunteered to drive her as she is exploring fairly rural parts of Umbria and she doesn’t drive. She is a Doctoral Student at John’s Hopkins whose expertise is Medieval religious art. It was already 2:30 so we were off to a late start. Our destination was Mercatello sul Metauro in the Marche region. Umbria abuts this region. I have been through this area once a long time ago on the way back from Udine.

There were two possible routes. The first mistake was trusting Google maps. Google maps said it takes an hour. The shorter, faster route is the one we took. We headed up into the mountains. The road was very small. This was not the one I remembered from before. Eventually we made a left turn onto a strada bianca (white road) which is unpaved. Well, no turning back now so off we went. I asked Ariela how far we were from Mercatello…15 kilometers (!). The going was slow because the road had ruts from the rains. We saw not one single structure on this entire road. I must say the scenery was spectacular. High, rugged mountains with huge bare cliff-faces and deep gorges. I kept praying we wouldn’t get a flat. When we finally turned onto asphalt, I practically knelt and kissed the tarmac.

We entered the little town of Mercatello – population about 1,000. It was mostly churches. There was a cute little bar near where we parked. The town was beautiful.

Ariela had made an appointment with Don Fabio the Priest at the Chiesa di Santa Maria. It is a small church, there is a painting there that the building was built to house. It was built in the 1400s. The reason Ariela wanted to come was a crucifix with movable limbs and covered in skin. It was made in the 1500s. She wanted to see it. I was intrigued. She said it was one of very few examples in Italy. There are many articulated crucifixes but few are covered in skin.

I tried to research it and found it difficult to find a lot of information. The purpose of these articulated Christs is that they are used in recreations of Jesus’ life on holy days and the Christ manikin stands in as the real Jesus. They are still used today. The crucifixion is realized with the statue of Jesus with the articulated arms. I even read this bit online.

…the hair on the statue of Jesus is laid down by girls after their first menstruation. The images are treated as living people and create the fusion of the statues with the characters in flesh and blood; this fusion between reality and the appearance of being real makes humans and statues protagonists of the scenes in which one and the other, indiscriminately, seem to belong to the same mystical dimension…

So the people worshiping in the procession actually believe this IS Jesus. This seems to happen more in the southern parts of Italy. Although we have processions in Umbertide it isn’t to this degree. Anyway, I took some pictures. First the church.

Don Fabio is seated on the left.
Our first view of the figure. He is kept in a niche behind the altar, behind a long painting that covers it and behind glass behind that.
The figure is just under two meters long or around 6 feet. It is disturbingly lifelike.

The covering on the figure is very flexible. It is said to be human skin that was tanned and that is came from a Turk. The man who was showing us the figure picked up and bent the limbs so we could see. One other interesting fact, no one knows what is inside of the figure. How it is constructed etc.

Ariela was thrilled. She lives and breathes this stuff. It is her life. She will be writing her thesis on this. I had to pry her out of there. 😁 We returned on the good road. It was just as I remembered. Well paved and extremely curvy. It goes through the very high mountains between Le Marche and Umbria.

So that was my excellent adventure. It is amazing the treasures Italy has hidden away.

La Raccolta…Olive harvest!

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Our friends who have around 75 olive trees asked us if we wanted to help. This is our second time to harvest there. We really love being involved in the olive harvest which has been happening here for thousands of years. To be able to be a part of something that has gone on for so long is really something we like about living here.

I have hurt my left knee and have been nursing it for over two weeks so I was really not sure I could be much use, but Luther wanted to go as much as me, and I was willing to try.

We have had at least two weeks of dry sunny weather. Everyone in Umbria has harvested much earlier than normal. We had a very hot and very dry summer which affected the crop. It is fairly plentiful and all my friends have had good harvests and weight to oil ratios are pretty good. Here are a few pictures.

Beautiful views from this property. There are always dogs at the harvests it seems!
Putting the nets under the trees.
The nets catch the olives allowing faster picking using hand rakes.
Olives of differing hues and ripeness. Makes for more piccante oil.
Luther working his tree.

They hire a helper team with the beaters that shake the olives from the top branches. They had started yesterday, and were back today. We others harvested the lower and interior branches.

I don’t mind admitting that a hard days work nearly killed me. I managed to work steadily the four hours up to lunch. And credibly, I might add 🙂. I worked probably five or six trees. While I worked I thought about the fact that I am a small part of a long, unbroken line of people, just like me, stripping the olives from the branches on a golden October day — year in and year out for thousands of years. Makes one feel the history of this ancient land.

When we left they had 20 boxes of olives to take to the mill. All the trees were harvested. I will try to find out what the weight was, and the yield of oil.

Ask me if I am happy I participated…YES! Thank you Joanne and Mark. Ask me again next year! 🫒🫒🫒💕💕💕

Ferragosto

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To get you in the mood, here are couple of beach scenes from a previous trip to Senigallia, a seaside town in the Marche on the Adriatic. This is what the seaside looks like here. Nearly all of the Adriatic beaches get the ”blue flag” designation because they are so pristine and clean.

Italy is pretty fanatical about the August vacation month which revolves around Ferragosto, August 15th — a one day holiday that somehow justifies the closing down of Italy for the whole month. I know a number of people who plan trips to Italy to look at houses only to find all the realtor offices closed. We learned early on that one should never plan to get anything done in August in Italy.

When we moved here, we arrived at the end of June. We were just beginning our renovations on our apartment. We rushed to get plans in place and pay a visit to the kitchen manufacturer before the end of July so we could place our order. It actually made no difference because, although we ”placed” our order, the factory still shut down August 1 for the month!

Most Italian families will be going on vacations of two to three weeks because their workplaces — both public and private — close. Even hospitals and clinics close or are on skeleton staffing. The whole country takes a break. It is unimaginable to foreign visitors.

Ferragosto is untouchable here. It centers around August 15, but the whole month is considered a holiday. If Italians don’t somehow celebrate Ferragosto, they are bereft. Even if they are broke, and renting an umbrella is expensive, they go. Italians may be having hard economic times. But as I have said before, Italians have extended families. Over the years properties are passed down and inherited. It seems all Italians either own, or they have the use of, multiple houses. Including beach houses. This makes a getaway affordable. Also, if they are short on cash, nonno and nonna are always happy to help out with funds. Families, after all, are everything here.

The actual day designated Ferragosto, August 15, is a time for big meals on the beach under umbrellas and canopies, with family and friends.

For some history — Ferragosto is an old custom. It goes back to the ancient Romans, to Emperor Augustus Octavian who made it a celebration in the first century. It is named after Augustus – Feriae Augusti, meaning ‘Augustus’ rest’. Of course the reasons for the holiday were different back then when they celebrated harvests and pagan gods of fertility and well-being. They decided to stretch the holiday to before and after the day so August is the month of vacation and celebration. Everyone joined in, no matter their class.

Of course, when Christianity came along, Ferragosto couldn’t be the pagan festival it once was, but like Christmas it was incorporated and became Assumption day.

Starting in a day or two, all the cities will empty out. When tourists come they will see the ubiquitous signs on the doors of bakeries, shops and restaurants…‘chiuso per ferie (closed for holiday). Rome will be empty. It will be populated by non-Italians and the few poor souls who keep the hotels open.

Ferragosto is something that will always be celebrated no matter how! Buon Ferragosto a tutti!
~~~~~
Partially adapted from The Local.

What I’m reading…

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I am re-reading a book. This will be my third reading. There are only one or two books I have re-read in my life. This one is entitled “The Tuscan Year – life and food in an Italian valley” by Elizabeth Romer. It was written in 1984. It is still in print. I first read it a number of years before we even thought of moving here. I brought my copy along when we moved and re-read it after moving. It was only then that I realized I now live within just a few miles of where this takes place. The book is divided into the months of the year and chronicles the lives of a family of land owners in Tuscany. This farm was just near the border with Umbria. The way of life would have been the same in both regions. They were self sufficient. They grew all they needed, cured their own prosciutto, made their own pecorino cheese, raised wheat and milled it, and made bread in a communal oven, once a week. The life fascinates me.

“The only animal whose death the old Tuscan people really mourned was the ox, the beautiful white beast that drew the plough; they were mourned almost as if they were human because they too need nine months in the womb before they are ready to be born.” from the book.

Photo credit Agricultura.it

The author was an Egyptologist, British, and wanted a place between England and Egypt. She rented a house on the farm of the Cerottis. She made friends with Silvana, the wife and matriarch. By doing so she could sit and observe their way of life. There are recipes at the end of each chapter. For a cook and Italianophile it is a wonderful read.
~~~~~~
The first chapter, January, is all about the dead of winter; the chores that are done in this month – the butchering of the pigs and the making of prosciutti, salami and sausages. It is about how they cooked and were nourished when there was no garden to speak of. These were the bitter months when they didn’t work in the fields. The book says during this time their lives were very like their ancestors. These forbears would have spent the time making and repairing baskets for collection of olives and grapes. They would have made wooden sleds and carts to be drawn by the oxen. The women would have spun woolen cloth and embroidered their trousseaus. They decorated all their linen sheets and nightgowns with lace and embroidery. Nowadays the men repair farm equipment and tools. Silvana knits socks and shawls, using wool from their sheep. The book said she used two intertwined wools, one light, one dark so she could see in the firelight.

As I said there are many recipes in each chapter. This particular passage I loved:
“The Scottiglia is made with a mixture of meats and cooked with the odori, carrot, celery, and onion, then served on a slice of bread that has been toasted and rubbed with garlic. The dish originated in harder times when there was not much meat to be eaten and all the neighbors would crowd into one house for the evening, bringing with them whatever piece of meat they could obtain: a piece of rabbit or prosciutto, some chicken, a little veal or maybe some tripe, very often game of some description. Then the meat would all be cooked up together in the large cauldron and flavored with the usual vegetables and wine. The oldest recipes for this dish specify that absolutely no oil was to be used in the preparation of the stew, maybe because the meat was fattier in those times. While the meat was cooking what is known as the veglia would take place: the people, usually all from a small hamlet…would sit around the fire and give recitations of Dante and verses that the men had made up themselves. These would very often contain veiled references to the girl who had caught their eye, and in this way the cold evenings passed in a pleasant manner.”

Photo credit Arezzonotizie.it

The Scottiglia is served in a bowl with a toasted piece of bread on the bottom, rubbed with garlic. Juice is ladled on the bread and then a helping of meat.
~~~~~~
I think I may include an excerpt now and then, in this journal. This January chapter is so evocative of times gone by and cold, dark winters which we still endure but I am reminded it is nothing like they had to endure back then. Then, death was very near and if you weren’t prepared, you could die.

Autumnal Umbria & Rocco Ragni Cashmere

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I cannot tell you how beautiful Umbria is in the fall. Breathtaking. These two were taken by Barbara Roy Chawk Skinner a virtual friend of mine who recently visited Umbria. They were taken from the Montefalco wine region. Exquisite.

Looks like it is not real. But it is!
Sagrantino grape vines turn bright red in the fall.

On Monday my friend Susan and I went to the Rocco Ragni outlet shop. Did you know Umbria is well known for the manufacture of quality Cashmere? Well it is. There are many high-end, as well as lesser known, manufacturers here.

I’ve always been curious as to why it is produced here in such quantity. The raw material comes from goats in Kashmir. It is the undercoat they produce to survive the very harsh winters there. Super fine stands with air pockets for insulation. I read it is called duvet! Hence the name of our warm covers!

At the end of the eighteenth century this material – thanks to the English and French trading companies and then to the subsequent textile revolution in the following century – took on an ever-increasing value. These were the times when cashmere shawls cost more than a horse carriage, when queens and empresses would confirm the noble qualities of this material by wearing large and rich cashmere capes and cloaks. So it became very profitable to produce. I still don’t know how Umbria started to produce this material.

Rocco Ragni is a famous producer. We happen to have one of his three boutiques in Umbertide. He also has an outlet store in Compresso. A little Borgo of 1,500 people. It is in an impressive old stone building and this is also where they produce these fine products. The family lives in Compresso, and the Headquarters is there. They also have a showroom in Milan. I will say, although their sweaters are not cheap, the prices here are not exorbitant like some of the more famous houses. This is where the outlet store is. Would you have guessed? Sometimes things are hard to find here!

After I bought three sweaters….😁…then I took some pictures of the outside scenery. This place is up in the Umbrian hills and quite remote, hard to find, but amidst very beautiful, perfectly Umbrian, landscapes.

Enjoy the season!

Lago Trasimeno

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I love our big lake called Lago Trasimeno. It is the biggest lake on the peninsula, with a surface area of 49.4 sq miles, it is just slightly smaller than Lake Como. The lake’s water quality is very good. This is because of the small population living in its watershed, and a lack of large farms in the area. Trasimeno is shallow, muddy, and rich in fish, including pike, carp, and tench. During the last 10 years it has been 5 meters deep, on average. It has no outlets and only two minor streams feeding it. It is mostly reliant on rainfall, and fluctuates in depth because of that.

There are three islands in the lake — Isola Polvese, the largest — Isola Maggiore, the only island with year round residents (population 35) — and Isola Minore, a private island which once had a town with a population of 500. It was abandoned due to malaria.

Isola Polvese just off the coast of San Feliciano

I’ve always been fascinated with the fishing culture and history of the lake. Fishing is done only with nets, and many of the families on the lake have been fishing for generations. A fisherman’s life on this lake depends on the catch. If the morning catch is plentiful, they will sell their fish to the co-operative. Then they will clean their nets and go out again the next morning. If the morning catch is small, they will often go back out in the afternoon to try again.

Photo credit Cooperative Pescatore del Trasimeno

The inhabitants of the communes around Trasimeno and the Umbrian people have successfully protected their lake, whose waters are fit for swimming and whose surrounding valleys and islands are protected. In 1995 a natural park was established over the entire surface and the shores. A 50 km (31 mile) bicycle path was opened in 2003 around the lake that allows tourists to explore. There are also cross-country paths, especially over the hills on the eastern side. Inside these limits no motorized boats are allowed. They limit the length to 9 meters at the waterline, and they can be propelled only by oars or sails. This keeps loud, disruptive jet skis and motor boats away. For this reason Trasimeno is calm and beautiful. Perfect for enjoying nature and meditation.

The Trasimeno Fishermen Cooperative located in San Feliciano, was established on 23 September 1928 with the aim of improving the economic conditions and quality of life of the fishermen.

Photo credit Graham Hoffman

It is made up of a workforce of at least fifty people, it defines itself as the guardian of the natural environment of Lake Trasimeno; a fragile ecosystem in which the fishers live in harmony with their catch, protecting their balance through fully sustainable fishing.

Photo credit Cooperative Pescatore del Trasimeno

The Trasimeno Fishermen Cooperative has seen, in the last decade, an important generational change, which has reduced the average age of the fishermen from 75 to 40 years. This means the traditions will continue and prosper. It is one of the many things that I love about Umbria…Here, the traditions live on.

The Cooperative is helping preserve the profession of lake fishermen. The younger workers contribute to the income of the Cooperative by giving the fish to the Cooperative’s warehouse on a daily basis, guaranteeing the supply of fish, which is processed for the purposes of storage and distribution of the fresh and frozen lake fish to operators in the tourism-hospitality industry, and to individuals, in the two distribution points in San Feliciano and Sant’Arcangelo.

The Cooperative also offers fishing tourism activities: for instance, excursions on Lake Trasimeno — fishing trips with traditional techniques that allow you to discover the landscapes of the lake and to admire the pretty sunsets, accompanied on board by fishermen.

Photo credit Graham Hoffman.

Because we can, and because it is a gorgeous autumn day, we went to San Feliciano for lunch and some photo taking. Da Settimio and Osteria Rosso di Sera are our two favorite restaurants there. Both specialize in lake fish and seafood.

And now for the mandatory food pictures.

For another perspective on the lake, here is what it looks like from the mountains that ring it.

This is a spectacular view of the lake from a friends house up on the mountain above Tuoro. Incredible views.

In summertime it is a party place with lots of camp grounds, discos, restaurants, hiking, biking, boating and swimming. I think it is pretty much undiscovered except by Italians. It is a beautiful place.

Ciao, ciao, ciao.

Winery visit — La Palerna

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Today my friend Elizabeth Wholey arranged a wine tasting and lunch for us. It was a pretty day and we took off north — way north. To the very top of Umbria. It meets up with Tuscany and to the east Le Marche. Three regions. This winery is not in a wine region. It is in an unlikely location. And they are focusing on the Pinot Noir — Pinot Nero — wine grape. Also an unlikely choice. The winery is called La Palerna. It is at an altitude of 650 meters. High above the upper Tiber valley. Owned by Luigi Merendelli and his wife Paola. They own a large packaging company called Vimer. Here is the view from the winery.

We were greeted by Rosanna. She has worked for the Vimer industries and the family in different capacities for a long time. She is Swedish born but was raised in Luxembourg. She married and moved to the Upper Tiber Valley with her husband who is from here. Now she is in charge of sales and marketing of the Palerna winery.

We toured the property with the permission of Paola to include their beautiful grounds.

Rosanna took us around the property. We saw some of the vines and also the orto, or vegetable garden.

Orto, well fenced in to protect from the animals
Sangiovese leaf.
Pinot Noir leaf
Vine, Pinot Noir, has red stems
Sangiovese has green stems. See the baby grapes?

Next we toured inside the winery. These are the methode champenoise bottles. They are turned a quarter turn every week and slightly tipped higher. It encourages the sediment to slide into the neck where it can be popped out before corking.

Rosanna provided us with a lovely antipasti to complement the wines we tasted. They are very proud of their Methode Champenoise sparkling wine. Nudo di Palerna. 100% Pinot Noir.

She sources her food locally. We had a big platter of toasted bread drizzled with their oil.

We had the Mozzarella di Bufala from la Fattoria Montelupo. I buy mozarella often. I am a huge fan of the cheese made from the milk of the water buffalo. It is famed from down south in Campania. I’ve had it a number of times and am always blown away by the rich creaminess. It is NOTHING like common mozzarella. Well, I am here to tell you this is the real deal. Made from the milk of water buffaloes just north of us. The fat in both the olive oil and the cheese is cut by the sparkling wine which is why it’s paired. A marriage not to be beat!

Next we tried their Rosatto. Or Rose to us. Made from Pinot Noir and Sangiovese grapes.

She paired this one with meats. Salami and cured ham or proscuitto. Also from a local producer – Azienda Agricola Pigolotti. Along with a plate of bruschetta with pomodori…tomatoes.

Next we had. This was an everyday quaffing wine. Only €8.00. This is a normal price for decent but not fancy wine. We had this one with two local cheeses. Both pecorino.

Then, the prized Pinot Nero. This is not a normal grape here. We have only seen it at one other place near Orvieto. Sr. Merendelli fell in love with the French Pinot Noir and decided to dedicate much of his vineyard to this grape.

And finally Cospaia1441. It is made from Merlot, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. It is nice with a lot of fruit and boldness. But the best part is where it got it’s name. It seems the border between Tuscany and the Papal State of Umbria was not fixed. There was constant fighting. So, finally, in 1441 the two agreed the small river running from the Marche down to the Tiber river would be the border. The north would be owned by Tuscany and the south would remain a Papal state. Due to a technical error, they seemed to not mention an island in the river. So it was neither Tuscany, nor Umbria, but a free and independent republic for almost 400 years! The label has a floating island on it held up by balloons. The motto of the land was “perpetua et firma libertas” — “firm and perpetual liberty”.

Here are Rosanna and my friend Elizabeth.

An excellent excursion. Other than a bit of haze it was a beautiful day. Let it be the first of many more!

Etruscans been here

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I have been meaning to write about the purported Etruscan building up the river from us. The only mention I could find about it was in Wikipedia. “The nineteenth‑century archaeologist Mariano Guardabassi attributed this small building in the settlement of Lame, about 1 km from the center of the modern town, to the Etruscans although this is by no means certain.” I’ve been intrigued by the building since I first walked past it. Now seems like a good time to write a post about it, since not much is happening around here right now.

The earliest evidence of a culture that is definately Etruscan dates from about 900 BC. The people we call Etruscans called themselves Rasenna. The Romans called them Etrusci or Tusci. The Tivere (Tiber) river was the dividing line in ancient times, between the Rasenna/Etruscans to the west of the river and over to the Mediterranean, and the Umbras to the east. But there was an expansion in around 500 BC which crossed the river over to the foothills of the Apennine mountains. Our little building is on the east side of the river near the water.

Here is a picture of the Etruscan arch in Perugia. Perugia was originally settled by Etruscans and was one of their main cities. They have an amazing well, the arch, and a very good museum. I’m sure there’s more. The photo of the arch below is attributed to Wiki Media Commons.

Now for the picture I took of the little building near Umbertide. I took a series of photos of this building last fall and I’m going to have them printed and framed. This one is of the front of the oddly shaped building. I think it has five sides. Maybe six. None are equal. And I think the only part that is Etruscan is the center and the arch. You can see the different stones. I guess it’s been repurposed over time. It sits on a farm. Anyway, I just love this building and wanted to share.

Italian sentences for today…”Oggi ho fatto commissioni. Sono andato a fare la spesa. Mi sono tagliato i capelli” in English “I ran errands today. I went grocery shopping. I got my hair cut”. Pronounced oh-gee oh fah-toe com-miss-see-oh-nee. So-no ahn-dah-toe ah fah-ray lah spey-sah. Me so-no tah-glee-ah-toe eee cap-ell-lee.
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Stay safe everyone. Andrà tutto bene 🌈