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Ravishing Ravello

10 Nov

We headed south for the Veterans’ Day weekend. Last time we were south of Rome on the mainland was in December 2011 when we spent a lovely week in Sorrento visiting sites from Naples to Pompeii, Ercolano and Amalfitown. Ravello has been on my list for some time, and it seemed a good idea to hit the hiking paths of the Sorrentine Peninsula during the cooler weather of the off-season.

The view from B&B Auditorium Rooms.

The view from B&B Auditorium Rooms.

As the week prior to travel progressed, it looked like we might be rained out. But the train tickets had been purchased and a B&B secured, so off we went on a gloriously sunny Friday. Ravello did not disappoint and the weather has been kind. Our B&B overlooked the Bay of Salerno from a delightful east-facing balcony where we were able to eat freshly baked cornetti and ham-and-cheese toast kindly prepared by our hosts Marco & Pasquale. We’d have to walk a lot to amortize breakfast.

Italy's show

Italy’s show

Friday evening was a fireworks contest between Japan and Italy, held in the gorge below Ravello, with the fireworks rocketing to a height easily visible from the Piazza del Duomo. There, ensconced with glasses of good red wine, we joined the locals and enjoyed the spectacle of two 3-minute shows before heading off to dinner at a cliffside restaurant overlooking the bay. What luck to arrive the evening if such an event!

Gathering for fireworks contest, Italy vs Japan.

Gathering for fireworks contest, Italy vs Japan.

There is an amazing variety of surfaces in this network of trails around Ravello. this one of stones set in concrete with retaining walls. Far more sophisticated than the Cinque Terre.

There is an amazing variety of surfaces in this network of trails around Ravello. this one of stones set in concrete with retaining walls. Far more sophisticated than the Cinque Terre.

I had hoped to hike the Sentiero degli Dei, but it would have required a couple of buses to achieve the start of the trail, four hours of walking, and an additional two buses to return.  As I am nursing a bum knee (possible torn meniscus and under care of a physical therapist) we opted for a shorter hike with no buses, thinking it would be a shorter journey. Ha!  It turned out to be an arduous hike between five small towns: Ravello, Santa Caterina, Campidoglio, Minuta and Pontone. We were the ONLY PEOPLE hiking this path on a Saturday, testament to the fact that the tourist season had passed.

Photographer on the edge. Beautiful vista over the Mediterranean.

Photographer on the edge. Beautiful vista over the Mediterranean.

These sheep along our trail eyed us suspiciously.

These sheep along our trail eyed us suspiciously.

Our hiking book (under)estimated the hike at 7km. It was closer to 10km by our reckoning, and took  4.5 hours of walking due to the crazy number of stairs we had to ascend and descend…and my bad knee. My physical therapist would not be amused as she told me to avoid stairs for “awhile.” Oh well! It was trek, through amazing terrain and a variety of surfaces and stellar views. We encountered hard-working farm folk, horses, sheep and a talkative kitty that escorted us through Minuta. We took a wrong trail for about 20 minutes, where we almost gave up and turned around,

Decision point - we chose incorrectly and went left for 20 HARD minutes down through the forest.

Decision point – we chose incorrectly and went left for 20 HARD minutes down through the forest.

thinking the trail the book depicted had fallen into disuse.  (The book said “Where the pavement ends take the dirt path on the left.” It said nothing about the staircase to the right, which was the correct way.) Luckily we decided to ascend said staircase to see where we were and picked up the rightful trail, one with mush easier going. We’ve encountered many un-groomed trails in Italy. This one had parts that were almost too good to be true! Contrary to the ruggedness of the Cinque Terre, parts of this trail were stone embedded in concrete with retaining walls.  But oh-my-God there were stairs!

Farmers use horses and mules to carry products and supplies on the network of paths.

Farmers use horses and mules to carry products and supplies on the network of paths.

Italians usually do not eat pizza for lunch. We have no such reluctance. This one with tomatoes, spicy salami, anchovies, mozzarella and pecorino.

Italians usually do not eat pizza for lunch. We have no such reluctance. This one with tomatoes, spicy salami, anchovies, mozzarella and pecorino.

We wore off those cornetti. At Pontone we had to refuel. The only restaurant along the way served up mid-day pizza, much to our satisfaction, fueling us for the uphill slog back to Ravello. Three minutes after returning to our room, the skies opened. We barely avoided being soaked, and reveled in afternoon naps and reading until it was time to eat again. (As I’ve said before, our trips are great meals strung together by long walks.)

Sunday we awoke to mostly clear skies and another fine breakfast. Time to walk

We were the first visitors this day. No one else arrived until we were leaving.

We were the first visitors this day. No one else arrived until we were leaving.

again! Ravello is blessed with two beautiful villas and lots of charming alleyways (and stairs!). We set off for Villa Cimbrone where we meandered completely alone for an hour-and-a half. This is a remarkable property. An estate dating to the 11th century, fallen into disuse and decay, restored in the early 20th century by an English nobleman who had more money than God. It is truly lovely. In addition to being open to the public, it is an ultra-exclusive hotel, booked up for months in advance despite the high prices.

This was called the crypt....not sure why. Magnificent vaulted arches. Villa Cimbrone.

This was called the crypt….not sure why. Magnificent vaulted arches. Villa Cimbrone.

Infinity Terrace at Villa Cimbrone.

Infinity Terrace at Villa Cimbrone. A little overcast but no rain.

Avenue of Immensity, Villa Cimbrone

Avenue of Immensity, Villa Cimbrone

Much of Villa Rufolo is lost to the ages. This tower dominates the remains.

Much of Villa Rufolo is lost to the ages. This tower dominates the remains.

After a restorative double espresso in the Piazza, we tackled the smaller but lovely Villa Rufolo. This one dating to the 13th century, where it was once of such an impressive size, it was said to have “more rooms than days in the year.”  Here we found magnificent sea views, ancient ruins, gardens, and a weird purple man floating in a pond. After, we ate a nice lunch of seafood and fresh vegetables in the company of two very vocal cats.

Note the purple man, floating in the pool in a garden of pansies.

Note the purple man, floating in the pool in a garden of pansies.

Ravello is peaceful. There is no traffic to intrude on a good night’s sleep, nice locals who seem happy it is now off-season, breathtaking vistas in every direction, and (we think) good food, leaning toward fish, with one of our favorites prominently featured in most establishments, marinated anchovies. But then as Ric says, “We’ve never had a bad meal in Italy. Some are just better than others.”

Iconic Ravello view from Villa Rufolo.

Iconic Ravello view from Villa Rufolo.

In a place where land is scarce, gardens are strung along hillsides in tiny plots. Ingenuity! Pumpkin vines and other squash are hung from lattices and caught in netting to prevent falling.
In a place where land is scarce, gardens are strung along hillsides in tiny plots. Ingenuity! Pumpkin vines and other squash are hung from lattices and caught in netting to prevent falling.

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Up one side and down the other

15 Oct

Saturday it was supposed to rain, a rather large disappointment when one is in the Cinque Terre as the major activities here are out-of-doors.  Luckily the day dawned partly cloudy and we refused to believe the forecast pushed out to our cell phones.

The path begins climbing gently from Monterosso al Mare, but the climbing continues for 2 km.

The path begins climbing gently from Monterosso al Mare, but the climbing continues for 2 km.

The Sentiero Azzuro or “Trail No. 2” is still closed in some sections, plus it is the trail most tourists gravitate to, so we headed in another direction, north out of Monterosso al Mare to the town of Levanto.  As we were staying in Manarola, we had to take a train to Monterosso, about an 11 minute ride. Any adventure that begins with a train ride scores extra points with Ric.

Train station with a view, and Ric.

Train station with a view, and Ric.

The fact that we also started the day with freshly-baked, flaky pastries filled with chocolate,  still warm from the oven… well, need I say more? Yes, I must say more, because we topped off with a torta di noci e marmelada di albicocchi (pie-like pastry with walnuts and apricot jam) before leaving Monterosso. SIGH, I love vacation.

Tower above Monterosso, along the path. A residence? A hotel? Non lo so....

Tower above Monterosso, along the path. A residence? A hotel? Non lo so….

We enjoyed almost complete solitude for the first 2 kilometers of the hike, only encountering three people.  This was a tough trail with steep and unending stairs placed into the hill.  Some scrambling was required where hard rock refused to yield to trail building.

Unending stairs.

Unending stairs.

By now the path is steeper. Ric says try not to show how much he is sweating.

By now the path is steeper. Ric says try not to show how much he is sweating.

Monterosso from above.

Monterosso from above.

After an hour of constant uphill trekking we reached the ruins of the Eremo di Sant’Antonio, a 13th century monastic hermitage at Punto Mesco. Stupendissimo!

Eremo di Sant'Antonio. Imagine buidlng this in the middle ages?

Eremo di Sant’Antonio. Imagine building this in the middle ages?

Ruins of Sant'Antonio

Ruins of Sant’Antonio (Not me! The rock walls!)

Three years ago, in October 2010, we first traveled to Italy and were in the Cinque Terre about this time. We were daunted by the 60-or-so stairs we had to climb to our room in Vernazza! We hiked a portion of the Sentiero Azzuro that trip but nothing nearly so ambitious as this 10 km hike-and-scramble. Now, with a level of fitness we never thought we could achieve, it was a challenge but one we knew we could accomplish.

On the way down, different surfaces through a piney and then deciduous wood.

On the way down, different surfaces through a piney and then deciduous wood.

This is not an environment of “groomed” trails and sometimes it was difficult to tell where the trail was.

At a junction we couldn't decide if this was a stream bed or a path.... The path was in fact hidden to the right and then merged into he stream bed.

At a junction we couldn’t decide if this was a stream bed or a path…. The path was in fact hidden to the right and then merged into he stream bed.

Where's the path? This rock formation presented right in the middle of the path. Where to go? Upon scrutiny, there was a "path" to the right...sort of.

Where’s the path? This rock formation presented right in the middle of the path. Where to go? Upon scrutiny, there was a “path” to the right…sort of.

From Punto Mesco most of the 2.5 hours was in descent, but the extent of trail maintenance seemed to be clearing off fallen trees. Not that it was a bad trail, but in some places it required some creativity in finding the best path. We encountered a number of people hiking up from Levanto, intent on reaching Monterosso.  Looking back at our route, we were happy we hiked Monterosso to Levanto, and equally happy we started quite early as we hit Levanto at just the right time for lunch, allowing us to call this hike yet another Path to Lunch.  And how nice is it to start with pastry and end with wine?

How cute is this? On the outskirts of Levanto, a little cat-feeding station protected by an umbrella.

How cute is this? On the outskirts of Levanto, a little cat-feeding station protected by an umbrella.

Boardwalk in Levanto

Boardwalk in Levanto

It was windy that day.

It was windy that day.

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Familiar yet foreign

30 Jul

30 July 2013.

I love to experience new places. I love planning the route, finding lodging, determining what-to-do and what-to-see, and of course I love

View across the Alpe di Siusi from the Mont Seuc lift area. This is the view that made me fall in love with the area.

View across the Alpe di Siusi from the Mont Seuc lift area. This is the view that made me fall in love with the area.

the going and doing. (Ric likes the going and doing. Lucky for me he plays along with my excessive need to plan.)  We even enjoy getting a little lost as there is no better way to really experience a new place. But there is something about going back to a place we’ve been before that is also compelling.

When you enter a town you’ve visited before, familiarity envelopes you like a hug from a friend. We found this to be so true in Oregon where we visited Cannon Beach twice each year.  Knowing the restaurants and the best place for coffee and Danish at 7:00AM when you come off a beach walk at dawn; knowing how the tides affect the beach and when is the best time to explore the tide pools: These things made for a relaxing mini-vacation every time we went to CB.

If you follow this blog you know we get out and see a lot of new places, but we also like the repeats. We hardly need a map in Venice after three trips there, but we always find new things to do there, like our Winter Break in Venice.

Ortisei river view

Colorful little Ortisei sits alongside a mountain stream.

In the spirit of embracing an area we’ve visited before but expanding our knowledge and enjoyment, we returned to the Val Gardena and the little town of Ortisei. (See last year’s trip to the Val Gardena here.)

Leaving the Alpe di Siusi after two nights, we transferred to Ortisei. Although the two are but a few kilometers apart as the crow flies, it took us about three hours to make our way because the biggest part of the journey is descending from the Alpe di Siusi to the valley, about 600 meters, just about 2000 feet.  There are no direct routes, especially without a car.  From our hotel at Saltria we took a bus to the lift, made our way via the gondola lift down from Compatsch to Siusi, then another bus to Ortisei with some waiting required. In fact, last year we took a different gondola up to the Alpe from Ortisei and hiked to Saltria faster than we were able to go down via this year’s three-part public transportation journey necessitated by luggage.

A walking path runs between the 3 villages of the Val Gardena.

A walking path runs between the 3 villages of the Val Gardena.

This time we knew where to get off the bus so we could enjoy the beautiful ride from Siusi to Ortisei. This time we knew exactly where to find our hotel, Hotel Garni Walter, up a steep street just across the river. No orientation, no navigation required. We were warmly greeted by Sylvia and Georg who remembered us from last year. The familiarity with little Ortisei meant we could get to new adventures quickly: Three days of hiking high above the Val Gardena. There is something for every ability level here: easy walks on wide paths, moderately challenging gains (and losses) in altitude, bike trails around jagged peaks, as well as technically challenging routes that require endurance and some mountaineering skills. They are accessed by various lifts such as a funicular to Raciesa, a two-part gondola to Seceda, and various other lifts up-and-down the valley.

We were thrilled to find ourselves virtually alone at Raciesa  one morning at 8:45, having caught the first funicular up

Ric, high above the Val Gardena. In the distance, across the valley, is the Alpe di Diusi, the meadow we hiked earlier in the week.

Ric, high above the Val Gardena. In the distance, across the valley, is the Alpe di Siusi, the meadow we hiked earlier in the week.

the mountain. After a quick shot of espresso taken with a fabulous view, we set off toward Rifugio Raciesa and a loop hike, on a wide and well-groomed path. (For the record and those who want to go: trails 35 & 10.) After the rifugio the trail changed to a rocky climb, and looking back we started to see more people on the initial approach to the rifugio. We clamored up to Santa Croce and were rewarded with numbingly beautiful views, not too many people. But as we started back down, trail 35 started to look like an expressway at rush hour. In pairs and groups, people were thronging to Rifugio Reciesa. Descending through high-alpine meadow, we congratulated ourselves on starting early, but fought our way back along the trail against the incoming swarm on the easy part of the trail. People with trekking equipment were outnumbered by grandparents and moms pushing strollers. The hordes are easily escaped by taking a challenging route and there was a fine lunch to be had at a rifugio, served German-style with a nice cold Radler, a beer and lemonade concoction we have come to enjoy.

By late morning, there was quite a crowd at this refugio. Past this point the trail got steeper and fewer marched on.

By late morning, there was quite a crowd at this refugio. Past this point the trail got steeper and fewer marched on.

Another day we went to Seceda, one of the highest cableway terminations at 2518 meters (just under 8300 feet). A magnificent cloud free and chilly morning quickly warmed as the sun rose. This hike was challenging in that we encountered narrow trails, inset with concrete forms, meant to not only define the trail but to protect the meadow. A misstep would mean rolling down a steep meadow for 600-1000 feet. Other trails were rocky and slippery: not the super-highway of the prior day. (And no baby strollers!) Still the beauty was awe-inspiring as we made our way to Rifugio Firenze (trail 1) and on to the lift at Col Raiser (trail 4). Again herds of cows, tiny mountain barns, a distant church, and rifugi dotted the landscape backed by majestic rock formations and mountain peaks. Luckily we choose this direction as it was mostly downhill. Folks hiking toward us, having ascended at Col Raiser, were quite out-of-breath from the almost constant uphill trudge of 2 ½ hours. Lunch at Rifugio Odles (milk fresh daily from their own cows!) was restorative, including another lovely Radler.

Mountain rifugio in the Dolomites

Site of another mountain lunch: tagliatelle with fresh mushrooms and a grilled vegetable platter. Try to find that on the trail in Oregon.

Our final day we succumbed to the lure of the Alpe di Siusi again, taking a lift that is practically in the back yard of our hotel. We’ve had quite a work out for four days, so opted for a less-demanding route with slightly less elevation. As we encountered cows, horses, and a number of people making hay in the morning sun, Ric commented that we were, in actuality, hiking in farmland. However this “farmland” sits about a mile high, and is ringed with mountains, a far cry from the fields of North Dakota.

I started out talking about going back to familiar places, that although familiar you can find new adventures. Clearly we enjoyed our return to the Alpe di Siusi and the Val Gardena, and we know we will be back again.  When you hike in most places – at least those we have hiked and we are especially familiar with the Pacific Northwest and to some degree Hawaii – you start at one place and end at another, seeing only the path in front of you and the vistas as you pass them. Here we encountered a different phenomenon. Because of the broad vistas across the meadows, often we could see where we had been hours ago, or even days ago. At Col Raiser we could see back to

Ric said we were hiking in "farm country."

Ric said we were hiking in “farm country.”

where we had started 3 hours prior. From our hike through “farm country” we could see a rifugio far across the Alpe that we’d visited 4 days ago. This ability to see the landscape was almost as though we were looking at a map. And yet what seemed so vast was really a speck on the map of this great region, the Trento-Alto Adige, in this beautiful Italy.

Laying right across the path, ambivalent to the parade of hikers passing by.

Laying right across the path, ambivalent to the parade of hikers passing by.

View of the Dolomites

From a tiny rifugio with goats and bunnies, we had a fine view down the meadow.

As we hiked down the meadow, we saw this group hiking out above us. Glad we were going another direction!

As we hiked down the meadow, we saw this group hiking out above us. Glad we were going another direction!

Luckily we walked down the mountain. Our ultimate destination is in sight at the end of the green area, a hotel on top of a cliff, but far below where we started the hike. We could see the starting point from the end, after 2+ hours of hiking.

Luckily we walked down the mountain. Our ultimate destination is in sight at the end of the green area, a hotel on top of a cliff, but far below where we started the hike. We could see the starting point from the end, after 2+ hours of hiking.

Across the delicate meadow "they" laid these concrete forms as a path, protecting the meadow from trampling and preserving the path. In some places the drop off below this "trail" was quite steep. One misstep and you'd roll for hundreds of feet.

Across the delicate meadow “they” laid these concrete forms as a path, protecting the meadow from trampling and preserving the path. In some places the drop off below this “trail” was quite steep. One misstep and you’d roll for hundreds of feet.

View from Seceda, about 8500 feet high.

View from Seceda, about 8300 feet high.

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Feeling German in Italy

25 Jul
A nice Italian man - who lives in NYC - offered to take our photo high in the Alpe at Puflatsch.

A nice Italian man – who lives in NYC – offered to take our photo high in the Alpe at Puflatsch.

I am feeling rather German – or perhaps more accurately, Austrian – right now for three reasons.

  1. I bought a pair of hiking shorts for the first time in 12 or 13 years. Thanks first to my vascular surgeon, but also to my personal trainer, my legs are in better shape than they have been in 25 years;
  2. We are drinking beer with lunch;
  3. We are eating apple strudel every day.

Even some of my high-school-and-university German is flooding back into my head, crowding the Italian I work so hard to speak. The other day I asked for a spiesekarte (menu) at a restaurant. What deep and obscure part of my memory bank did that come from?

We are in far northern Italy, the Val Gardena, an area that was Austrian until the end of WWI and has kept its flavor more German than Italian. Here we see menus with spaghetti aglio, olio e pepperoncini alongside weinerschnitzel and strudel.

This is a hiker’s paradise. First stop, the Alpe di Siusi, the largest high-alpine meadow in Europe.  We scoped out the area on our

Sunrise on the mountains as seen from our hotel at Saltria.

Sunrise on the mountains as seen from our hotel at Saltria.

2012 trip to Ortisei and made a two-night stay in the meadow a priority this year so we could hike more up in the alpe (meadow). We chose the Hotel Saltria  for its relative remoteness. One train, two buses and the cable lift/gondola up to the meadow made for a varied travel day, proving you can visit the alpe without a car.  Hotel Saltria is a half-pension hotel: both breakfast and dinner are included in the per person price, something we’ve not experienced before, preferring to find our own dining options. Did I mention this place is remote? There are no other dining options. The food was plentiful and nicely done.

I didn’t really understand the Alpe di Siusi until we had visited. It sits at about 6000-6500 feet with mountain peaks towering over the meadow. The meadow is rolling, with tiny barns, haying operations, herds of cows and horses, crisscrossed with hiking paths for every level of fitness and dotted with wonderful little places called rifugi, refuges where one can take sustenance, quaff a beer, or spend the night. Ric said the word “refuge” brought to mind a rustic lean-to to shelter to use in case of inclement weather. Far from his description, in a rifigio you can find food to rival a café in a major city.

Rifugio means a place to refresh, eat, even take a room for the night.

Rifugio means a place to refresh, eat, even take a room for the night.

Monday we took the first bus out of Saltria, connected to a chairlift at Panorama, and set out on a four hour excursion, a loop that had us walking to a point where we could make our descent to the hotel at the end. This up-and-down hike allowed a stop for second-breakfast at cute Rifugio Molignon, serving apple strudel and great coffee.  We marched on through alpine splendor, ending at another rifugio for lunch before taking a final chairlift down.  For those seeking this particular journey, and for the record so I can look back at this blog and remember, after ascending to Panorama, we hiked to Rifugio Molignon, and then on to Rifugio Zallinger, ending at the Florian lift, using trails 2 & 7. It’s briefly described in Rick Steves’ guide where he calls the hike “moderately strenuous.” We’d agree!

Tuesday we only had time for a two-hour trek, but what a walk it was! Taking the Puflatsch-Bullaccia chairlift, we toured the north side of the Alpe di Siusi, looking back at the previous day’s venue and taking in the view down into the Val Gardena and little Ortisei, where we were to spend the next four nights. From the very edge of the Alpe di Siusi we could make out Castelrotto and see far to the north toward Austria before moving on to complete our hike, descend the Alpe and make check-in time at Ortisei. For the record, trails PU and 14 make a nice moderately easy loop.

The trails are amazingly well-signed. You barely need a map once you have a vague idea of the area you wish to hike. The landscape

Well-signed trails make it easy to find your way.

Well-signed trails make it easy to find your way.

changes from lush meadow with wildflowers to alpine scrub, with rushing streams – some of which need to be forded – as well as forested glades. You hear only the sound of cowbells on the breeze, occasional bleating of goats, and the voices of passing hikers. Pure serenity seasoned with the odor of freshly mowed hay. Some paths are carefully laid rock while others are more traditional dirt. All are well-engineered for drainage. It is much easier to navigate than the Cinque Terre and much less crowded.

We made it to Ortisei Tuesday evening. But that part of the trip will have to keep for another post.  Time for dinner, but I cannot resist adding a few more photos to illustrate the beauty of this area.

The varied landscape of the Alpe di Siusi.

The varied landscape of the Alpe di Siusi.

Chairlift at Florian

The way up…and the way down. Chairlift at Florian.

One of the fun aspects of hiking here is seeing the path you travel unfurl behind or in front of you.

One of the fun aspects of hiking here is seeing the path you travel unfurl behind or in front of you.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away....Does it count if it's in your strudel?

An apple a day keeps the doctor away….Does it count if it’s in your strudel?

Rifugio Zallinger. Amazing location!

Rifugio Zallinger. Amazing location!

You can hike from rifugio to rifugio, for snacks, meals, rest, restroom. What a concept!

You can hike from rifugio to rifugio, for snacks, meals, rest, restroom. What a concept!

One segment led through a pasture with horses and cows.

One segment led through a pasture with horses and cows.

Cows have the right of way.

Yes, this is the trail. Cows have the right of way.

Alpine meadow view of the Sciliar

Alpine meadow view of the Sciliar

Cat on suitcase

Ric’s overbonded cat Janie planted herself on his suitcase as if to say “Don’t go.”

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Even further away…

13 Jul
Another cute Italian village, nestled in the Gran Sasso.

Another cute Italian village, Castelli nestled in the Gran Sasso.

Santo Stefano was only the beginning of our long weekend in Abruzzo.

Do you ever yearn for deserted roads? How about hiking trails with no oncoming foot traffic, nor any foot traffic at all for that matter? Have you encountered ponies in the woods? Or restaurants where you pay half of what you’d pay in the big city? Plus lovely people delighted to help you practice your Italian and artisans of magnificent pottery? Welcome to Abruzzo, in particular, welcome to Castelli.

Castelli is known for its ceramics, but is less famous – and less touristed – than the Tuscan destination of Deruta. We learned of Castelli quite by accident. In May, on our way home from Puglia we decided to spend a night in the mountains. On that trip, we selected a hotel in the tiny hamlet of Ornano Grande, right beneath the highest peak on the Italian peninsula, the Corno Grande.  Il padrone of the hotel told us we had to go to Castelli before we left the area. “Bellissima” he said, and he was right. It is rated as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy.  That brief taste convinced Ric and I we had to return to Abruzzo and to Castelli. Then, in what can only be described as a happy coincidence, when we mentioned this lovely place to an Italian friend he said, “That’s my mother’s home!” So with an insider’s knowledge we were directed first to Santo Stefano and then to Castelli and environs for continued rest and relaxation.

Castelli is tiny: really tiny. A couple of restaurants, minimal lodging choices, a generous number of

Abruzzo is not the pizza capital of Italy, but this salmon, mozzarella and pistachio pizza was to die for.

Abruzzo is not the pizza capital of Italy, but this salmon, mozzarella and pistachio pizza was to die for.

ceramicists. The views are amazing and the town has a great “hang out” factor, but lodging is not abundant. There are a few agriturismos in the area, and the Parco Nazionale Gran Sasso has a resort hotel nearby, but we wanted to be more in town. Luckily we found B&B Vecchio Mulino (Old Mill). There Luciana made us welcome at her modest but pristine home. Originally a mill, 13 years ago it was remodeled into a five room B&B. A quieter place does not exist. Only the babble of the nearby stream and the occasional crow of her rooster provided background noise.  Old Buc, her dog, quit barking once he knew we were guests, and the new kitten kept us entertained.  Goats, horses, chickens, and bees round out the livestock, and Luciana puts her homemade acacia honey on the breakfast table each morning.  As it was in a jar equipped with a pump, I almost had to restrain Ric from squirting it directly into his mouth.  Once again, we slept for 9 hours each night.

Castelli ceramics institute: gigantic nativity figures. Absolutely stunning in person.

Castelli ceramics institute: gigantic nativity figures. Absolutely stunning in person.

We hiked, we shopped for ceramics, and we ate too much: A perfect getaway! The residents were only too happy to help us find our way and enjoy the treasures of the area. One man, a ceramicist, encouraged us to go to the Istituto D’Arte “F.A.Grue” Castelli  (Institute of Ceramics) just up the road. This is a 107-year-old institution that attracts students and artists from all over. When we saw him later in the day, he we very disappointed we had not seen it – yet.  In fact, when we tried to go there it seemed closed.  By now it was almost 7:00PM, but he phoned his sister, who works at the school and arranged a private tour for us. It was truly a highlight!

Only 2 hours from Rome, we’ll go back for fresh, cool mountain air. Forest hiking, beautiful views, and the welcoming Abruzzese people again when we get a chance.  Following are a few pictures from the region.

There are two Castel del Montes in Italy: a true castle in Puglia and this charming town in Abruzzo. It suffered damage in the L'Aquila earthquake.

There are two Castel del Montes in Italy: a true castle in Puglia and this charming town in Abruzzo. It suffered damage in the L’Aquila earthquake.

Lovely fresco in Castle del Monte.

Lovely fresco in Castle del Monte.

Mosaic inlaid in a wall in Castel del Monte.

Mosaic inlaid in a wall in Castel del Monte.

Roadside picnic stop in Abruzzo, on our way to Castelli. A herd of cattle relaxed, unencumbered by a fence, just around the corner.

Roadside picnic stop in Abruzzo, on our way to Castelli. A herd of cattle relaxed, unencumbered by a fence, just around the corner.

This little guy was looking for apples or carrots.... Acted more like a puppy than a pony.

This little guy was looking for apples or carrots…. Acted more like a puppy than a pony.

I didn't get a great shop of this work in progress. The pony kept getting in the way. Momma horse was hauling firewood out of the woods.

I didn’t get a great shop of this work in progress. The pony kept getting in the way. Mamma horse was hauling firewood out of the woods.

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