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Rites of Spring
 | | Olive Grove in Spring |
The arrival of longer days and warmer weather ignites the natural desire to be outdoors. In many parts of Italy, basking in the warmth of the spring sun extends to rediscovering the annual bounty that spring offers for the dinner table. In Italy's Green Heart, Umbria, seeing people pull over on the highway to delve into woodlands in search of wild herbs and vegetables is one of the first signs that spring has truly arrived. Of course, it helps if you knowwhat you're looking for.
 | | Edible Field Greens |
Our assistant and native Umbrian, Cristina, participated in a lecture and walk led by a botany professor from the University of Perugia. The subject - edible herbs that can be found on Monte Subasio. The group started out at 8:30am from the aqueduct above the hilltown of Spello.
Professor Ivo Picciarelli is a local connoisseur and expert on Umbrian traditions. He and his assistants led small groups of enthusiasts on a very easy and comfortable walk (just under 3 miles) through the hills, identifying the plants that had been introduced in the previous evening's lectures. No one was allowed to actually harvest anything on this walk to avoid micro-environmental disaster. Along the way, the walkers encountered a refreshing fountain of spring water and stunning views over the countryside. After the final 500 meters, the only really steep part of the walk, Cristina and the group arrived in the piazetta of Collepino for a simple lunch of pasta with wild asparagus, sautéed country greens (campagnola) and grilled sausage.
 | | Community Lunch |
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Spotlight - Veneto and Lombardia
The primary destinations for travelers to the Veneto and Lombardia are of course Venice and Milan. But both regions offer other charms that are wonderful destinations in themselves. Verona, Vicenza, and Padova in the Veneto and Brescia, Cremona and Mantova in neighboring Lombardia are relatively unexplored and deserving of your attention.
Verona, the best known of this group, can be the base from which other towns are visited in day trips. Vicenza, less than an hour drive from Verona, is a town of architectural gems. Andrea Palladio is the favorite son of Vicenza, and his signature architecture can be seen throughout the town, from the Town Hall to several private palaces. As one of the Veneto's wealthiest towns, there are also lots of shops and cafes in which to people watch and soak up the local ambiance. An hour east of Verona by car, Padova (Padua) is home to Italy's second oldest university, Padova University, founded in 1222. The town boasts a rich academic heritage as well as an abundance of art and architecture. In Lombardia, Montova is a 35 minute drive from Verona. This is a truly beautiful town and has an incredibly romantic and poetic pedigree: birthplace of the poet Virgil, the setting of Verdi's Rigoletto, and Shakespeare's haven for Romeo in exile from Verona. The charming piazzi, impressive Palazzo Ducale and number of excellent restaurants may warrant more than a one day visit. And then we have Cremona, home of composer Monteverdi and the violin maker Stradivari. Finally, we have Brescia, Lombardia's second city after Milan. Brescia offers Roman ruins, Palladian architecture and a number of significant paintings as well as churches of artistic and historical importance. |
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Vinitaly and Lucia di Lammermoor
March and April have been busy months for us. We both attended Vinitaly in Verona at the beginning of April. Vinitaly is Italy's largest wine trade show and features 4 thousand wine producers from every corner of the country. As a taster, it can be overwhelming, but it was Brian's fourth year attending and he can move easily from region to region, seeking out the wines and producers on his To Taste List. As many winemaking families themselves are in attendance, Maria Gabriella visits with them to identify unique properties and experiences to offer our travelers.
On a musical note, Brian made his role debut as Enrico, Lucia's mean spirited and overbearing brother, in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor at Theater Dortmund in Germany on March 30. |
