A day by the Adriatic Sea......

After promising ourselves for many months a trip to the sea, Nick and I finally made the trip which took just a little over an hour. We had heard from friends that the small town of Cesenatico would not disappoint and they were right!

Cesenatico lies 64 miles north-east of the Chestnut Barn on the Adriatic coast. The town dates from 1302, when the harbour was created and a fortress built to protect the town. In 1502 the famous renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci was commissioned by Cesare Borgia to design the harbour canal. It was from here on the 2^nd August 1849, that Garibaldi sailed with his wife and 200 members of his army to save Venice from the Austrians. Today, ten traditional sailing boats or ‘bragozzi’ line the canal and are a sight to behold, especially when used as part of the towns many festivals which take place during the summer months, the brightly coloured sails or ‘Vele a terzo’ compliment the colourfully decorated homes and businesses that line the canal on both sides. The town also boasts a wonderful Maritime Museum dedicated to the seafaring history of the port and coastline, as well as the small but interesting museum, which uncovers the Roman history and archaeological finds of the area.

The beach is sandy and is normally lined with umbrellas and loungers which can be hired for the day, it being October the loungers had been stacked away for the winter. Now it was dotted with the odd Italian couple enjoying the sunshine and the plus 30 degree temperature before the autumnal weather firmly took hold. The sea was also very warm and Nick and I enjoyed a walk along the shore letting the waves gently lap at our feet, others were more adventurous diving from the breakwater! 

Cesenatico is renowned for the ‘Adriatic Blue fish dish’ the name taken from the colour of the fishes dorsal fin, which is available in most of the fish restaurants that line the old canal, the choice of fish and shellfish available is amazing and it is all freshly caught. There was nothing nicer than sitting there gazing out over the water towards the boats whilst enjoying a fish lunch and a nice chilled glass of white wine to compliment the dish....We had a great day and will definitely be back with our friends in tow........

Ciao Catherine x

La Balestra - Sansepolcro

Le Feste del Palio della Balestra - a step back into the past....

It is a traditional event that takes place annually every second Sunday in September in the Piazza Torre di Berta in Sansepolcro, between the neighbouring towns of Sansepolcro and Gubbio. The participants of all ages dress up in sumptuous medieval costumes; the dresses are made in heavy, richly coloured velvets, embroidered with various coloured braids. There are processions and parades through the streets, banquets with dishes of the period, banner games and the biturgense flag wavers, who are a definite ‘must see’, their art has made them famous all over the world.   

The procession begins with drum rolls and trumpets blasting in accord, as medieval uniformed men lead the flag throwers into the arena where the brilliantly coloured and richly embossed symbolic fabrics are thrown high into the air and caught again by their long poles.   

Trumpets hail the arrival of the civic dignitaries from both towns who take up their seats in prime positions. We are now looking through a portal into another dimension, one side of the arena is medieval, beautiful young women in tall pointed hats of rich velvet and ribbons that drift across the breeze, dresses in silks and satins of all colours, young men aristocratically clad, with bloomers, silk-stockings, buckles on their shoes and chains of office and rank around their necks, all capturing the mood perfectly. The bowmen, dressed as if marching into battle, occupy their left, at an angle of ninety degrees, in the other corner of the square, 21^st century digital cameras, their flashlights competing to frame an image of this magnificent spectacle, whilst the media are positioned expediently to capture the event for a much wider audience.   

The main event is the crossbow shooting competition, which is taken very seriously. Tension fills the air as each side fires their handmade, decoratively carved crossbow in the order previously ‘plucked from a hat’ by the officials. The target or 'corniolo' is a black circular wooden disc on which sits a coned disc with a diameter of three inches, white in colour, to stand out from the dark background. From their positions some thirty six metres away, their crossbows finely balanced and seated on wooden rostrums, the bowman release their individualised bolts (a shorter form of an arrow) or 'verrette' and there is a crack as each string is freed from its tension; the air resonates with the sound of these beautifully made missiles travelling in the space between bowman and target, all eyes try to follow, heads turn in unison and the action culminates with another crack and a roar of appreciation from the crowd. The accuracy of each shot is to be marveled at; the target fills up slowly, soon it will resemble the feathered headdress of an American Indian. Some attempts fail and shattered and frayed wood and feathers fall to the ground, the days and months that went into their making, a distant memory in the thoughts of the artisans that lovingly balanced and formed them, they are unique to them and so easily identified if fortune should favour them.

The target is eventually removed from its position in front of the Banca Monte Dei Paschi Di Siena, and taken away; officials from both camps, select from behind closed doors the winning bolt, the one that survived the onslaught from seventy or more of its competitors, vying for the same tiny spot but remaining firmly lodged in it’s heart. The air fills with tension as the winners name is finally revealed and this victory goes to Sansepolcro. The piazza is filled with cheers from the crowd and chants of jubilation ring out through the ancient narrow streets. It will be another eight months before the friendly rivalry is challenged, this time in Gubbio....  

If you would like to learn more about the way of life,  the local people and the wonderful towns and festivals held in Northern Tuscany then follow me on my journey in 'A Chestnut Barn in Tuscany' and 'Back to Tuscany and the Barn', both of which are available in digital format and paperback through Amazon.

Enjoy..Ciao Catherine x

(Photos courtesy of Steve Munday)

Anghiari...a medieval jewel in the Tiber Valley...

Anghiari by night

Anghiari, a jewel in the Tiber Valley

Anghiari is a breathtakingly beautiful ancient fortified hilltop town which lies roughly 13 miles south of the Chestnut Barn. At night the town takes on an air of magic and you briefly feel like a time-traveler in a medieval time-warp. 

It's a town of stone buildings, terracotta tiles, rounded
Romanesque and square medieval towers and round

Anghiari by day

headed arched window recesses, supported by neatly carved pillars.

Coned and pyramid shaped roofs with intricately forged weather-vanes stretch towards the sky and you expect too see a damsel in distress and  long thin, brightly coloured silken flags curling in the breeze.

We had no idea that we were walking in the footsteps of one of the first Archbishops of Canterbury, the famous Saint, Thomas Becket who had been here in 1164.

Anghiari has much to offer with many museums and churches full of history and art. The narrow flagstone back streets have a charm all of their own and the views across the Tiber plain are stunning. There is a wide choice of restaurants to suit all budgets and there is a weekly market held on Wednesday morning.

To learn more about the beautiful town of Anghiari and its history read A Chestnut Barn in Tuscany or Back to Tuscany and the Barn or better still enjoy it first hand and come and stay at the Chestnut Barn and follow in my footsteps...for more info check out www.achestnutbarnintuscany.com 

Palazzo Vitelli alla Cannoniera, Citta di Castello.......

Palazzo Vitelli alla Cannoniera

The view from the palace loggia

Last week Nick and I spent a wonderful day with friends strolling around the narrow flagstone streets of Citta di Castello, a beautiful medieval town which lies 42 kilometres south of the Chestnut Barn...followed by a long delicious lunch at one of our favourite restaurants called Le Logge.

One of the highlights was a visit to the stunning Palazzo Vitelli alla Cannoniera which was originally built between 1521 and 1545 to celebrate the marriage of Alessandro Vitelli and Angela Rossi. The palace now plays host as the Municipal Art Gallery and houses paintings and sculptures by a variety of artists, including the world renowned 

Raphael, who worked in Citta di Castello during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century. The banner of the Holy Trinity dates to 1499 and is the only remaining painting by Raphael that remains in Citta di Castello, it was one of the first works of art attributed to Raphael. The museum also houses a collection of bronzes by Bruno Bartoccini in the twenty one rooms dotted about the fresco covered ceilings and halls.

The rich black sgraffiti style decoration that is present on the facade is the collaboration of the famous Arezzo born artist Giorgio Vasari and Cristofano Gheradi. The embellished walls overlook the formal symmetrical gardens, which were once famous throughout Europe for their exotic plants....

Banner of the Trinity 

If you ever visit Citta di Castello there is lots to see and do, there are weekly markets and festivals, one of which includes the famous truffle festival which is held every October...For lunch or dinner I do recommend Le Logge which is located just off the main piazza, the food, wine list and service is first class, you will not be disappointed...to find out more you can read all about it in my second book...'Back to Tuscany and the Barn'... 

Ciao Catherine x

Villa La Ripa - Wine tasting...

Yesterday Nick and I, together with twelve other friends returned to Villa La Ripa, the vineyard located at Antria on the outskirts of Arezzo to spend a morning wine tasting. Our host Saverio Luzzi and his assistant Silvia were as welcoming as always and delighted us with yet more wonderful stories about the Villa and how it came to be, as well as answering all our questions about wine making and the fermentation process.

Here are a few pictures of the magnificent Villa which is home to Saverio, his wife and his daughter as well as his two new German Shepherd puppies Sherlock and Margo.

TI

Each room reveals something to delight, whether it be a statue, the stump of a sixty year old vine or a beautiful fresco.

It is hard not to be overwhelmed by the sheer scale and beauty of the Villa and for me the wine tasting is just an added bonus. Villa La Ripa produces between 6000 - 7000 bottles of wine per year, three of which are red and one rose. They are called Psyco, Tiratari, Peconio and the rose, Spaziolibero. My personal favourite being the Peconio.

You can read more about Villa La Ripa and its delicious wines in my book 'Back to Tuscany and the Barn' which is available at Amazon in both paperback and digital formats.

Ciao Catherine xx

Apple picking in Tuscany!

We awoke to yet another beautiful day in Tuscany and a couple of hours was spent apple picking with good friends. The month of July was unusually wet for this region, however it does seem to have boosted this years fruit crops....and there is nothing nicer than a slice of mature Pecorino cheese with a crisp juicy apple and a nice glass of red to wash it down with...Salute! 

Whilst writing we had another fabulous review from guests that stayed at the Chestnut Barn during August...

If you too would like to stay at the Chestnut Barn, please check out our website at www.achestnutbarnintuscany.com  where we are already taking bookings for next year!

Summer at the Chestnut Barn

The Chestnut Barn is available to rent on a weekly basis from May 2015 through until the beginning of October 2015. Bookings are already being taken, so for full information on the Chestnut Barn visit www.achestnutbarnintuscany.com 

Come and stay and follow in my footsteps, visit the beautiful cliff top towns and immerse yourself within the wonderful Italian countryside.....take a stroll through the ancient chestnut groves and enjoy the breathtaking views from the gazebo. 

Relax by the private pool that is surrounded by chestnut and oak forest and sits nestled on the hillside overlooking the mountain, Monte il Castello. The absence of ambient light is an astronomers dream and during the month of July is only rivaled by the natural spectacle created by the fireflies. 

We look forward to seeing you soon....

Ciao Catherine x