A Frenzy of Frescoes in Small Town Puglia

In the surprisingly-elegant town of Galatina, a spare Gothic-facade hides a riot of fabulous frescoes in the basilica. The church, dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria, was started in 1369 and completed in 1391, commissioned by Raimondello Orsini del Balzo, Prince of Taranto and lord of the entire Salento territory, who had recently returned from the Holy Land. Legend holds that he summited Mt. Sinai in devotion to the deceased saint, bent to kiss her skeletal hand, and swiped one of her fingers in the process, bringing it back with him in a silver reliquary.

Whatever the motive for the basilica, it is one of Puglia’s rare examples of Gothic architecture. The facade is rather plain, but not without that Pugliese penchent for flair dabbed around the rose window and the portals, the intricate carvings so delicate they resemble lace worked in stone. But step inside and you’ll be rubbing your eyes to check if you’re seeing things, while your mouth will fall in surprise at the reality: the entire (entire!) interior is completely covered in colorful scenes, in Giotto style by Francesco d’Arezzo. In fact, the magnitude of these frescoes is second only to the church that Giotto famously frescoed, St. Francis Basilica in Assisi. This basilica has three naves and cross vaulted ceilings, all vividly festooned with detailed paintings depicting various Biblical scenes. There are stories from Genesis, the Seven Sacraments, the Archangels, the Apocalypse and much more. It is a jaw-dropping wonder of art, well worth a detour when you’re in the Salento.

The cloistered courtyard also contains frescoes, and there is a lovely sculpted 16th century nativity scene, as well. A small museum contains artifacts, art and other items related to the church.

Piazza Orsini, Galatina

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My Villa By The Sea

I have a lovely villa in the hills above the Mediterranean. The views from the different levels of terraces sweep across the landscape down to the water and it never fails to relax me. Sunset is especially gorgeous from here, particularly with a glass of local rose’ in  hand, as the sky turns the same color as the wine in the glass. This villa is a piece of paradise. Read more

Where Wine Tasting is a Mystical Experience

What seems like an ordinary wine tasting room hides a secret cellar.  Cantina del Notaio has a strong reputation for making excellent wines in the volcanic soil of Mt. Vulture.  Its wine shop is on the main street in Rionero and looks like any ordinary storefront.  But go down to see the barrels and you find yourself below the streets of town in old chambers of stone and brick, the ideal temperature and humidity for wine storage. Read more

All Aboard The Papal Train

Bypassing the long line of tourists that snakes along the Vatican walls is gleefully gratifying. A stab of guilt creeps in at the thought, a shred of my Catholic school days poking at me. But when the guard waves us past the entry and we enter the ticket office area, my guilt gives way to relief. No hours of standing outside!

This is the first step of our “exclusive” day inside the papal realm. When Pope Francis said the Vatican should be more open, he meant it, throwing wide the doors not just to the private papal gardens in Castel Gandolfo, but also the Vatican’s own railway. When I learned about this little-known opportunity I quickly booked online for a day of unprecedented access to previously padlocked Vatican gems. My parents were visiting and my father is an unabashed train fanatic. I knew this would be more fascinating to him than any monument in the Eternal City.

The papal railway, officially known as the Ferrovia Vaticana, has less than one mile of track, one siding, and one small station. It is the world’s shortest national railway line, used mostly by the city-state to transport goods into the Vatican, though a few popes have used it for pilgrimages and ceremonial events. Pope Francis, dubbed “the people’s pope,” has decided that the people should indeed enjoy the treasures of the Vatican, including its train tracks.

The day is pretty regimented with a strict time schedule. Guests are given a train sticker to wear, some maps and an audio guide wand, and then are sent off into the vast Vatican Museums, loaded with some of the world’s most incredible art treasures, including the Sistine Chapel. There are only 90 minutes to visit the museums, though, so you won’t be able to see it all. After that you have be at the appointed meeting place in the Vatican Garden, or miss out on the rest of the day. Plan on just a few of the art-adorned salons, and come back for a more extensive museum day another time.

The schedule continues with a walking tour of the Vatican grounds, shepherded by a guide around the gardens and to some of the monuments within the walls of the Holy See, a peaceful place most visitors miss. Then it is on to the cute neoclassic-style train station to board the “papal express” to Castel Gandolfo, known for centuries as the papal hideaway, the summer residence of pontiffs in the rolling hills south of the city.

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An hour later we arrived in Albano Laziale, where we boarded an electric tourist trolley and were taken around the private papal gardens, a 135-acre park surrounding the Villa Barberini with botanical and architectural treasures and the ruins of Emperor Diocletian’s villa. There are sculptures, fountains, unique flora, special Papal symbols, manicured grounds, and the Vatican’s working farm. Who knew? The pope has animals, cultivated fields, orchards and a veggie patch.

All this was the exclusive domain for pontiffs alone, never opened to the public until 2015. There is also the option of touring the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo for an extra €5 ($5.40) We decided to wander around the town, have some lunch, and enjoy the overlook of Lake Albano instead. Then we boarded the train back Rome’s St. Peter’s Station, a little giddy, feeling like we had spent a day in the Pope’s secret realm.

The Papal Train and Private Papal Gardens Tour is available weekly, every Saturday. Cost is €40 (about $43). Book online to hop aboard this unusual and interesting railway!

 

Travertine and Talking Walls

Resting where the region of Le Marche brushes up to Abruzzo, the city of Ascoli Piceno is full of surprises. Its more elegant than you’d expect, and part of its splendor comes from the fact that the entire city is built of creamy-colored travertine. The gorgeous Piazza del Popolo is paved in it, looking like gleaming marble.  The stone makes the city look prosperous and grand.

Ascoli Piceno Piazza del Popolo

And it was; it had a heyday of prosperity from the wool merchants and other trade guilds, today’s streets are still lined with the palazzi they built with their wealth.  One of the ways they liked to flaunt it in the Middle Ages was by building a tower, and Ascoli was awash with them. It boasted more than 200 of the tall status symbols, under Frederick II order half of them to be destroyed. He thought they were getting a bit too ostentatious.

Medieval towers Ascoli Piceno Italy
Travertine Towers in Ascoli Piceno

So then the trend became a door inscription. Nobody seems to know why but inscribing a favorite verse in the travertine lintel of the entry door became a fad, so as you wander around town keep your eyes open for these talking walls that bestow words of wisdom, catch phrases or religious maxims to anyone willing to read them. Many are in Latin or in the old dialect. And while they were inscribed in the 1400s, they’re still doling out wisdom or a smile all these centuries later.

inscriptions ascoli piceno
A “talking wall” (“not without fatigue”)

medieval inscriptions ascoli piceno
A 15th century inscription in Ascoli

 
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Ascoli Piceno is an underrated place, with beautiful sights, a wealth of good restaurants, a beautiful historic center to explore – all only a half-hour from the Adriatic Sea. It is located on the ancient Roman road, the Via Salaria.

My Go-To Roman Restaurant

In a city where restaurants come and go, it’s nice to have an “old dependable”-a place that doesn’t change with the trends and is a comfortingly consistent presence.

That’s what Trattoria Sant’Andrea is for me.  Located in the upscale area of the Spanish Steps, this is a district where new eateries crop up with carefully constructed “Contemporary Style” and “Trendy Furnishings” to attract wannabe fashionistas but, too often, offer mediocre food of miniscule portions at elevated prices, because it’s all about “The Atmosphere” and “The Concept”.  You might have a good meal at those places, but then the next time it will be dull, and, honestly, usually the service pretty much sucks. Read more