Rome is a wonderful city but it is, after all, a noisy, busy, annoying place. Motorini buzz up our street at all hours, buses discharging their air brakes echo in the night, and even the church across the street hums with activity as late as 11:00 PM. Seagulls sometimes screech as early as 3:30 AM, and compete with a songbird whose otherwise beautiful song is not quite so lovely at that dark hour. So we seek to leave the city, walk without worry of careening motorini, and give our ears a rest. Even a single day out of Rome can leave one refreshed. So it was with delight that we accepted the invitation of friends to join them at their home in a tiny town almost too small for the map.
Whenever I need to leave it all behind
Or feel the need to get away
I find a quiet place, far from the human race
Out in the country
“Out in the Country” by Three Dog Night
As we leave Vico, heading up a rural road.
The official town site says Vico Nel Lazio has a population of 2258. That might be true on a day that everyone who owns a home there shows up and brings the extended family. Our friend Gigi, whose family has had a house in Vico for 5 generations, says there are maybe 1000 people year-round. There are two bars, a tabaccheria, and a bakery. Everything else is down the hill a few kilometers away, except for the 8-or-so churches. Vico sits at over 700 meters above sea level. This medieval village dates back to at least the 13th century. The ancient gates are still in use and many of the original 24 towers still visible. It is not a tourist destination.
Tiny Vico Nel Lazio as seen on our ascent.
Driving about an hour and 45 minutes from Rome, we arrived late one Sunday morning to be greeted by Emanuela in the town piazza. Shortly, our group of 7 set out on a two-hour mountain hike, high above Vico. Gigi has been hiking these hills all of his life and took us meandering through grazing cows and horses with foals alongside. We could never have done this on our own. We’d be wandering there still today without his expert guiding. Along the way we shared stories with the accompanying Italian friends, picking up new vocabulary words as they willingly helped us with their language. As storm clouds threatened across the valley, we found a trough high in the hills. It must have been there for a very long time, fed by a spring. Luckily the rain arrived only as due gocce (a few drops).
Heading back to Vico we enjoyed il pranzo della Domenica (Sunday lunch) in the picture-perfect setting of Gigi and Emanuela’s garden. Following antipasti of salumi and cheese, there was homemade fettucine by the talented Maria, roasted suckling lamb and potatoes, salad, fruit, pastries and wine. It’s no wonder some of the group took to napping in the grass. Click on any photo below for a slide show.
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- Ludovica, Paolo, me, Emanuela, Fabio & Gigi prepare to hike.
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- Mountain meadow on our trek near Vico Nel Lazio.
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- Horse and foals
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- Cows roaming free in the mountains, raising their calves.
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- Gigi waves us in and the cattle soon departed.
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- Spring-fed trough for cattle and horses. Good enough for people if you take your water above the animal trough….
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- The cattle get a turn at the trough as we leave.
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- Gigi photo bombs Ric at the high mountain trough. Emanuela and Fabio are at right.
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- Fabio and Gigi set up the antipasti and aperitivi
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- Maria delivers a massive platter of fettucine con ragu to the garden table. The pasta was “fatto a mano” that morning.
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- We gather for lunch as Maria brings the pasta.
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- Tiny, brightly flavored forest strawberries!
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- Delicate pastries from a Roman shop round out the meal.
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- Casa seen from the garden. It is HUGE.
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- After lunch napping.
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- 40-year-old resident tartaruga.
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- Entrance to Emanuela and Gigi’s home.
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- Entrance courtyard to the house, which has been in the family for many generations.
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- View to the sky from the cortile.
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- Medieval gate exiting Vico Nel Lazio.
Girovaga 