Author: Our Italian Romance

Umbria… Just a Memory Now – Postcards from Italy

Umbria… Just a Memory Now – Postcards from Italy

Our Italian Romance

The day has come to leave Umbria

Our 11 days here have come to a sad conclusion and now we have to go.  However, before you start feeling too bad for us, you should know that we hopped into our Alfa Romeo and 2 hours later… Hello Chianti region in Tuscany!

Before we totally leave the Green Heart of Italy, we need to wrap up a few loose ends. Because wi-fi can be a bit sketchy while travelling and we have been out enjoying Italy, we find ourselves behind on our posts.

To catch you up, we will treat you to a 5 in 1 post that highlights the last few days. This includes the towns of Spello, Montefalco, Numana and Castelfidardo.  All of these were day trips from our home base in Perugia.  Let’s get started.

Spello, Umbria

Spello was high on the list of must see towns this time around. With its flowers cascading color from it’s ancient stone walls, buildings and steps, it was going to be a photographers dream day.

As it turns out we were about a week or so early for Spello’s famous flower art festival. We knew this going in, however, what we didn’t expect was the lack of flowers on display before the show.  We were imagining the explosion of flowers you see on Instagram and Facebook.  Nope.

Montefalco, Umbria

Montefalco on the other hand, was a very pleasant surprise.  We had dropped this town off our must see list, only to add it back on after hearing such positive reviews from other travellers we met.  Montefalco is a great place to visit.  It has a nice layout and great views of the countryside.  Two thumbs up.

Numana, Marche

Numana is a town on the Adriatic coast of Italy and is popular with beach lovers.  A little over 2 hours from Perugia, it was nice, but we prefer the smaller, quieter beaches as a rule.

Castelfidardo, Marche

Another nice hilltop town with something a little special.  Yes, it has great views, but it happens to be the Guinness world record holder for the largest handmade playable accordion.  Thank you Gino D’Acampo for the tip!

We found the shop in the town’s main piazza with the help from Guinness World Records signage, pointing to the shop as an official record holder.  What we didn’t find, was a door that was unlocked, to allow us in to see this marvel. 

Turns out that from 12:30 pm to 4:00 pm the accordion shop is closed.  We were there at 1:30 pm and we were starting to feel the effects of heat exhaustion.  No standing next to greatness taking selfies this day amici.  An air-conditioned ride back to the apartment seemed more appealing than hanging out another couple hours in +33 C temps.

Perugia, Umbria

Perugia is a great Italian city.  It has a lively main corso that leads to the fountain in the Piazza IV Novembre. The corso is pedestrian friendly, steeped in history and has lots of outdoor ristorante tables under large umbrellas.  If you want a more medieval experience on your visit, you’re in luck. Just turn off the main corridor and there you have it, instant Medieval architecture.

The piazza is an excellent spot to sit and relax on the steps of the Cathedral of San Lorenzo.  This is especially true in the evening, when the heat of the day diminishes.

From the open windows of our apartment, we had the most incredible view of the valley below.   Possibly the best view we have ever had from a temporary home in Italy.

arrivederci Orvieto

Arrivederci Orvieto – Postcards from Italy

Our Italian Romance
Arrivederci Orvieto

Saying arrivederci gets harder every time

Orvieto has imprinted itself on us.  From the good friends we have made, the spectacular cathedral, stunning vistas and many yet to be discovered restaurants this charming old town has us hooked.  It really is hard to say arrivederci Orvieto.

This little gem in Umbria has us dreaming of one day extending our stay here by months, because 7 days just aren’t enough. 

Arrivederci Orvieto… it’s time to say goodbye, but we know we will be back.

Day Trips in Italia – Postcards from Italy

Day Trips in Italia – Postcards from Italy

Our Italian Romance

Day trips through the Italian countryside are a must!

Some of the most enjoyable times we have in Italy are when we’re on day trips in the Italian countryside. Over the last few days we’ve visited 4 such places and now we’ll showcase them for you.

Vitorchiano, Lazio

Vitorchiano is a medieval village that hangs on the cliffs it was build upon. It has an easy layout with great views. We are not fans of big crowds so we were lucky, we had the streets to ourselves for the most part. Cool place!

Bomarzo, Lazio

We thought Vitorchiano was quiet until we stopped in Bomarzo. This well preserved village was ours to explore mostly alone… other than a six toed cat, two construction guys and a restaurant owner. I think we would have taken pics of any tourists had we seen one! Nice visit nonetheless.

On a previous visit we went to il Parco dei Mostri di Bomarzo (the Monster Park). It is an interesting and worthwhile stop if you get the chance.

Montefiascone, Lazio

Montefiascone is a located high above the southern end of Lago di Bolsena giving it a fantastic view from it’s highest point in the public garden. This was the biggest of the 4 communities we visited on our day trip from Orvieto. The walk up from the parking area to the public garden (Park) is steep but manageable.

Bolsena, Lazio

Bolsena is located on the north end of Lago di Bolsena, 25 minutes from Orvieto. The lake is the largest volcanic lake in Europe. Of the 4 places we explored over the past couple days, I would confidently say, Bolsena was our favorite. It has a lively old city which has great character and a beautiful, people friendly marina and beach to walk along.

Normally the multi-colored hydrangeas are in full bloom when we visit in June, but not this year. Spring came late and now the hydrangeas are late too! All’s not lost, the roses were great!

Day trips from Orvieto are a fantastic thing to do if you rent a car

Not only are the medieval cities worth the trip, the roads getting to them are ultra scenic. I should mention, all of these trips were under an hour from our home base in Orvieto.

Orvieto – Postcards from Italy

Orvieto – Postcards from Italy

Our Italian Romance

That settles it… Orvieto is still our favorite hill town!

When a parent is asked which child of theirs is their favorite, they tend to say they’re all loved equally. We realize this is mostly true, but some are just a tad more loved than others…

Orvieto is our favorite child so to speak. Like the parent of a large brood, we say we love all of the places we’ve been to in Italy. However, it is the place we would come to live, if it were at all possible. As it is, we try to return every time we make the trip to Italia. So by default it’s our favorite!

Orvieto is a classic Umbrian hill town

As hill towns go, Orvieto has so much going for it. It has stunning Umbrian views to offer as well as excellent people friendly streets to explore. The atmosphere is laid back and the food is great.

What’s great about Orvieto is that it’s a place that’s still alive with locals that live here, work here and send their kids to school here. It has a feel of community that other places don’t.

Is it bad that I kind of want to keep it a secret?

I would hate to see this town overrun with tour buses like many others are. Honestly, we just love it here. It is a perfect place to relax in with photo ops at every turn. When you are tired of walking, rent an E-bike like we did today and explore it’s wonderful streets. It was great fun!

Arrivederci Roma – Postcards from Italy

Arrivederci Roma – Postcards from Italy

Our Italian Romance

And there it is, time to say Arrivederci Roma

It’s been 4 very busy, wonderful days in the Eternal City. The highlights from today were the Campo de’ Fiore and the Quartiere Coppede. This quirky, secret neighborhood is the reason we choose to stay in this area. It was the brainchild of architect Gino Coppede and was built between 1913 – 1927.

Tomorrow morning we hop on a train to our beloved Orvieto (in Umbria) for 7 nights.

We leave you with a few pics from our last day

Another Fine Day in Rome – Postcards from Italy

Another Fine Day in Rome – Postcards from Italy

Our Italian Romance

As days go in Rome, it was a fine one to be sure

Let’s start by saying, matching our previous days total of 24,000+ FitBit steps was just too much to duplicate. We had a slow start to the day and our website was having issues that needed immediate attention. Without the fix, there would be no new Posts. All good now!

As it was, our early morning start turned into an early afternoon getaway. Oh well, stuff happens and we didn’t let it hold us back from having another memorable day in Rome.

A tram ride to the Colosseum was just what we needed

There’s nothing like jumping on a tram, steps from your apartment, then jumping off some 30 minutes later at the foot of the Colosseo. It really is an awesome experience standing in front of this iconic Italian monument.

I say this even after multiple trips to the Colosseum. Sharing the moment with scads of people can be overwhelming, but who am I to begrudge them of their own special moment?

Doing things a bit different

While strolling around the Colosseum and Forum, you can’t help but be drawn to the huge white stone monument erected to honor King Vittorio Emanuele II.

Normally, we walk around the perimeter, getting sore necks from looking up at this imposing structure. Not this time. We made the walk up to the second level and got great views of the surrounding area. Good news, it is free! What a perfect place to snap loads of pictures.

Now, if you want even better views for even more spectacular photos then here’s our Tip of the day! Fork out ten euro each and wait in line for an elevator ride to the upper deck for truly remarkable views.

The nearly 360 degree vistas are stunning, as well as a great way to get perspective of where all the major attractions are located in relation to one another.

Time to share some images of our day with you

Click on an image to enlarge and scroll.

Back to Roma – Postcards from Italy

Back to Roma – Postcards from Italy

Our Italian Romance

We’re walking on Roman soil once again friends

It’s been 2 years since we last set foot in Roma. I will say it’s way too busy, way to loud and it has way too many people. Nevertheless, we love it! It truly is a unique city to wander around. The food is great (most of the time) and we’re enjoying the search for which ristorante we’ll try next.

We’ve revisited and knocked off a few must see spots in Roma so far including the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Piazza del Popolo and the grounds of the Villa Borghese Park. Oh, how could I forget, we visited 10 of Romes 900+ churches along the way. Each one of them was an amazing sight to see!

The maze they call Rome

Todays trek saw us put on 24,000 steps and 11.5 miles during this long day of walking, but who’s counting. Oh yah, our FitBits are! I will confess this one thing, walking through the streets of Roma can confuse the best of us in a heart beat. We pulled out the map countless times and still kept getting twisted around.

A couple from Alabama asked us if we knew where Piazza Navona was. The thing is we just left it 10 minutes earlier and we still had trouble pointing them in the right direction.

In the end, we got them on their way. We wisely spent 15euro, caught a cab and made it to home base with time for a pizza and walk around the neighborhood. What a great day!

No more talk, just photos from Roma amici.

Click on an image in each gallery to enlarge.

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Jacaranda trees in Cagliari

The Jacaranda Trees of Cagliari – Perfectly purple

Our Italian Romance
Jacaranda trees in Cagliari
A Perfect Compliment to Historical Architecture

If Purple is your color then the Jacaranda is your tree

Jacaranda is a native tree originating from the tropical and subtropical regions of Mexico to South America. It is a huge favorite for its ornamental qualities in parks, streets and gardens. Perhaps you’re not familiar with the Jacaranda and its striking clusters of large purple-blue flowers. If this is so, I will guarantee you this. You will never forget your first time… seeing one that is!

Jacaranda Blossoms in Sardegna
Just Awesome!

The Jacaranda trees of Largo Carlo Felice

If you’re ever planning a trip to the Italian island of Sardegna, consider going in late May or early June to Cagliari. Why? The Jacaranda on Largo Carlo Felice (street) are in bloom, that’s why.

Largo Carlo Felice has 100 plus of these beauties lining both sides of its short and wide road. While these grand trees are not yet fully matured to their potential majestic size, (50 feet high and 60 feet wide) they are nevertheless very impressive to look at in their blooming glory.

Granted, compared to places like South Africa or Australia which have long used these ornamental trees to line their boulevards, parks and gardens, Cagliari’s trees do not quite measure up. However, if you’re a fan of blossoming trees and you are planning a spring trip to Sardegna… this is the place for you!

Afterall, what those other places don’t have going for them is they are just not Italy! Sharing a gelato with your sweetheart as you stroll under the purple-blue canopy of the Jacaranda trees is, in a word, meraviglioso.

Some say they’re purple, some say they’re blue. I say they’re fantastico.

It’s been about 4 years since these images were taken. What that means for you is that these trees have branched out with 4 more years of growth! Bigger trees mean more for you to love when you visit Cagliari in June.

  • Jacaranda in Cagliari
  • Looking through to the Old City
  • Jacaranda tree lined walkway
  • Jacaranda trees lining Largo Carlos Felice
  • In bloom in June
Tears for Paris – Notre Dame

Tears for Paris – Notre Dame

Our Italian Romance
The Notre Dame on the River Seine
The Notre Dame on the River Seine
Notre Dame
Of Better Days

Notre Dame was nearly lost to us all

Four short years ago we made the reluctant decision to shorten our trip to Italy by three days. Why would we do this? To make our first ever visit to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame.

At first we were hesitant to give up any days which took us out of Italy early. Ultimately, we decided it would be a good idea to sacrifice a few days for Paris. Boy, were we right!

Had we not made the trip to Paris back in 2015, we most likely wouldn’t have seen it before this devastating fire struck. As it is for many, the regrets of putting off visiting Notre Dame are now hitting home.

The fire of April 15, 2019 nearly robbed us all of a historical jewel. Seeing the cathedrals flaming spire topple over into its Nave was a dagger to the heart. Watching the flames consume the 13th century timber roof was a sobering and devastating sight. More than that, the realization that Paris was about to lose its beloved cathedral to the rapidly spreading fire was a sickening possibility.

Fortunately this ending did not come to fruition. The iconic flying buttresses with the help of the Parisian firefighters held strong to save the bell towers and Nave walls. Miraculously much of the stained glass windows may have survived the flames.

Watching the dramatic scenes of smoke and flames billowing from the cathedral was devastating. It was the footage of tearful Parisians lining the River Seine singing hymns as they watched their Church burn that left a real impact on me. It was a powerful scene.

The resurrection of Notre Dame begins

Even before the clean up had begun, a promise to rebuild from President Emmanuel Macron was announced. Not only did he plant the seed to rebuild Notre Dame, he said it will be done in 5 years. France’s ultra wealthy, big corporations and regular citizens have already pledged over a billion dollars towards the reconstruction. There are official fundraising campaigns being set up to accept donations worldwide.

However, be very careful to do your homework if you choose to donate to the restoration efforts of the church in the coming weeks. The scam fundraisers will certainly outnumber the official sites by 10 fold.

Like many others, we will be donating to this grand cathedral for its rebuild. Let’s hope that the architectural design they go with will honor the past craftsmen and artisans.

WARNING: Putting off seeing the worlds historical treasures may result in you never seeing them at all

Without a doubt we were fortunate to see Notre Dame before the disastrous fire struck. Of course it should also be said, we look forward to seeing Notre Dames Resurrection.

Last but not least, we would love to share our gallery of images from our only visit to Notre Dame. Without a doubt these photos have become much more to us than just our average holidays pictures.

(Click on an image to view full size)

A Pretty in Pink Bougainvillea

Beautiful Bougainvillea – Always a show stopper

Our Italian Romance
Pretty in Pink Bougainvillea
A Beautiful Patio Umbrella in Bosa, Sardegna

Anywhere that Bougainvillea can THRIVE year round is a good place for us!

Since we are Canadian prairie dwellers living in a Zone 3a plant hardiness region, with lows of -40 Celsius, this may explain our intense love affair with this tropical beauty. The sight of a 30 foot high, florescent pink explosion of color is good for our souls.

And… knowing that Bougainvillea grows throughout most of Italy, makes us love this country just that much more.