CIVITA DI BAGNOREGIO, Italy (NY Times)— Forgive Sandro Rocchi if he seems a smidgen satisfied as he enjoys a midday glass of red wine at his children’s restaurant and relishes the unlikely revival of this stunning hilltop village. He moved away in the 1970s for lack of prospects. Now there are shops, restaurants, boutique properties and gobs of tourists.

“The place has come back to life,” Mr. Rocchi said.

There is a teensy problem, though.

Civita di Bagnoregio is slowly, steadily collapsing, and it has been for centuries. Landslides have incrementally eroded the sheer cliffs, at one point slicing off the ancient stone residence of the village’s most famous native, Giovanni di Fidanza, the medieval theologian canonized as St. Bonaventure. For years, this losing war of geological attrition was not such a big deal because barely anyone lived in Civita, and not too many people visited.

The year-round population is still tiny — maybe six people, maybe eight — but Civita, 75 miles north of Rome in central Italy, is now a tourism dynamo, with more than 500,000 visitors expected this year. It is a candidate to become a Unesco World Heritage site. It is the centerpiece of a regional tourism campaign and is featured on city buses in Rome. It is, everyone agrees, a marvel.

Photo Tourists played on the columns outside the San Donato Church in Civita. More than 500,000 visitors are expected this year. Credit Nadia Shira Cohen for The New York Times And it is still collapsing, if very slowly. In May, a hillside gave way near the elevated one-lane road that leads to the footbridge that leads to the village. The road remains stable as crews are working on the hillsides; tourists have not seemed to notice. A local geologist estimated that Civita had suffered about 10 landslides during the past year, some of them small, others more damaging.

“Rain is the main problem,” said the geologist, Giovanni Maria Di Buduo, who oversees a local museum dedicated to the geology of Civita and the surrounding region. “Rain gets into the fractures of the volcanic rock and creates alterations. In the last five centuries, we’ve seen a reduction of the cliff by about 20 percent due to landslides.”

Given the newfound tourist trade, as well as the historical and cultural significance of a village first built by the ancient Etruscans, the Lazio regional government is moving to respond. One possibility is to push for a national law granting special status and funding to Civita. Also, Lazio officials say they will draft a 10-year plan for a holistic approach to reinforcing and protecting the village, after more ad hoc efforts in the past....

(Read the entire article here)

A 42-year-old Italian from Naples has become the first woman to win the world pizza making championships. Teresa Iorio scooped the coveted Caputo trophy on Thursday, awarded to the best pizza made in traditional Napolitano  style, Ansa news reported. “I'm so happy,” said a tearful Iorio as she picked up her award. “I'd like to dedicate this to my mother and my father who taught me the art of pizza making. Whenever I roll out a pizza base I think of my dad,” she told reporters.

Iorio had extra cause to celebrate, being the first female to win the award in the competition's 14 year history.“I thought it was impossible. I want to share my award with pizza making women everywhere.” Iorio said. The master pizza maker comes from a family of pizza making women and heads up the pizzeria Le Figle di Loro in Naples, with an all female staff that includes her two sisters and niece.

The world pizza making championships celebrate the complex craft of pizza making and attracted 500 pizza chefs from all over the world to Napoli Pizza Village this year. At Napoli Pizza Village, the chefs competed in a number of different categories, including gluten-free pizza, pan pizza and even free style pizza before their creations were judged by an expert jury comprising Michelin-starred chefs.

I thought that as a treat, I'd show you an assortment of some of the best looking pizzas I've ever seen. Celebrate pizza by making one at home this week! Here are some links to other posts that will help...

PIZZA MAKING: Putting together a pizza toolkit

Nostra Cucina: Our Pizza Sauce Recipe

RECIPE: How to make a basic thin crust pizza dough          

Let these pizzas inspire you!

Let's get this straight from the outset. I'm an American. Sure, I'm technically Italian-American--full blooded, both sides of my family. My Dad was born in Molfetta, Puglia. My Mom was born here but is second general Napoletano. But I learned to be happy and proud about being an American after living in France for a while. Other countries don't hold a candle to our freedom and the possibilities our American way of life offers.

But... There is a lot to be learned from other cultures, as I did after living and traveling throughout France when I was a younger man. As complex as France was, I found Italy to be much more simple in many ways. The food is more simple--much easier to grasp the simple cooking methods than in French cuisine. The wine is both simple and good, whereas French wines, varieties and classifications are mind-boggling. The architecture is also simple in a timeless way... some villages have barely changed since the time of the Romans.

But mostly I want to explore the lifestyle. What are the elementary things that make the Italian way of life so loved and prized throughout the world --no less by the proud people of Italy itself? If you want to live the Italian life you need to go on a Voyage to both Italy and inside yourself. You need to ground yourself in the basic things that make Italians both complex and simple... that allow them to appreciate the mundane things around them, their families and the natural world around them--especially in the sense of where their food comes from.

So, here are some things you might try to live The Italian Life...

1. Appreciate your family. Italians respect their elders much more than Americans. They also dote on their children and consider them as the most precious things in their lives.
2. Slow Down and Stop Rushing. As I've written about before, Italians see time as a flowing river. Once it flows past, you can never catch up to it. You can only sit on the banks of the river and appreciate what flows past right now--in this moment.
3. Take a long lunch. Most Americans barely take a lunch break, eating their sandwich as they work. Many eat lunch on the go as they walk or drive. In Italy Italians close up show and go home to eat lunch--from 12pm - 3:30 or 4pm! They consider lunch as the more important meal of the day.
4. Eat a light dinner. I heard a saying years ago for eating a healthy, Mediterranean style diet: "Eat like a King in the morning, a prince for lunch, and a pauper at dinnertime. Italians have rich, sweet pastries for breakfast (colazione), eat a hearty meal at lunch, and eat lightly for dinner.
5. Buy natural, fresh foods--preferably organic. Italians frequent local farmers' markets every week and buy breads at bakeries, fish and fish mongers and meat at butchers. Sure, they have supermarkets, too, but in general, food is purchased fresh for use the same day. Find a local butcher and buy your meat there instead of in the supermarket. Support local farmers' markets.
   
6. Drink only with meals and friends. Believe it or not, Italians aren't really big boozers. Americans drink far more wine and hard liquor than Italians do, even though most Italians will have wine and occasional cocktails. The difference is they drink wine with meals for the taste--not to get a buzz on.  They drink cocktails when meeting friends, usually in the early evening hours. Italians will also have a small aperitif before a meal. Drink for the taste and with meals to drink like an Italian.
7.  Embrace people. Italians hug and kiss. Old men walk arm in arm--women do, too. Even men embrace and kiss each other on the cheek. Now I'm not saying to do all of this, but there is something beneficial about physical contact. Americans are way too distant from each other. Hugging a friend to show how glad you are to see them is a great thing. But do it more than just on their birthday or Christmas. Don't let a day go by without touching another human being. 
8. Love where you live. Be proud if your home. Italians are different than Americans in that they really come from 20 different and distinct regions. They weren't one country until recently in their history. Each small town has something they are very proud of... the local food specialty, the local history, the Castle in their town, the mountain overlooking them, the sea nearby, the local bread or wine, etc. Look to your own community and develop a sense of place and history. Join an historic society or other community group. Promote local history and food.
   
9. Try growing your own food. Many Italians grow their own vegetables. No matter how small a plot of land they have--often just a balcony or patio--they'll at least grow herbs and tomatoes. It's very gratifying to prepare food that you've grown from seed to plate.
   
10. Cook more meals from scratch. Many Italians know how to cook, the nonnas (grandmothers) and the nonnos (grandfathers) alike. The old pass their recipes down to the young and teach the young children how to cook at an early age. The Italian cuisine is one of the simplest to cook... both the ingredients and the methods of preparing the food are pretty straight forward. Start making your own pizza and you might never call for take out again. Try making your own sauce, bread, stews and soups.
    
11. Consider your bella figura. Italians are very self-aware. They are prideful about their personal appearance and cleanliness. They will dress up to go to church. They get dressed up to take a walk in the evening. They do use their bidets. They don't walk barefoot--even at home. They do laundry a lot--just look at all the clothes drying on the clotheslines. Looking your best gives your psyche a positive boost.
    
12. Take an evening walk with your family. Each night in every town in Italy, Italians get out after dinner to walk in the piazza or the main viale (boulevard). They call it the passeggiata.  It's a time to relax and digest... to meet up with neighbors, relatives and friends. It's also a time to shut off the TV and just be with your family.
    
13. Eat meals together.  Italians eat meals together. They go home at lunchtime to have a large meal with the family. Americans will eat in separate rooms, family members might eat different things during dinnertime, or they will eat at different times entirely. Dinner should be a time to sit, eat and share the day's events with the family.
    
14. Learn to live with less. Smaller houses and apartments and smaller cars. That's what Italians live with. Small fridges let them buy more fresh foods. Small cars means less car to pay for... and they use less gas. Small cars take up less space... so you can fit cars just about anywhere. Smaller kitchens mean that although you can cook at home, you'll balance it out with eating out in a nice restaurant once in a while. Small or non-existent closets mean you won't hoard.

So, try these suggestions and live the Italian way... be a Buongustaio (person of good taste). Learn to live la dolce vita (the sweet life). 


--Jerry Finzi

If you liked this post, please spread the word around about Grand Voyage Italy. Bring your friends. Ciao!

 

Before becoming a Voyager in Italy we heard all sorts of horror stories about pickpockets and didn't want to become victims. To be honest, it wasn't all that bad, however, there are still things you should do and watch out for when traveling in Italy.

• Be aware of your surroundings. If you happen to turn down a seedy looking street in Rome or Florence (there can be many of these), just be wary if someone is walking behind or too close to you. Keep a special lookout at night. But more so for pickpockets, keep on heightened alert when you are in crowds. Muggings and other violent crimes are few in Italy. Getting pickpocketed can be prevented but if you plan properly, it won't be the end of your special holiday in Italy.
  
• Think of the wallet you carry during the day as your dispensable wallet… if you lose it or it gets stolen, make certain your lose isn’t going to be that big. Keep only enough cash for the day in it. You might even go as far as keeping one or two of those sample credit cards in there to fool any mugger. In the rush they’ll see something that looks like a credit card and run like hell.  
• Keep everything valuable in a money belt, bra pouch, or my favorite… a leg wallet. This includes credit cards, passport and such.
• Consider the old standby, the hotel safe. Many rooms come with one right in the room, but I’m not so comfortable about using them. If you do have something to protect, ask if the hotel manager has a safe.
• For me, keep your wallet in your front pocket and when in crowds, hook your thumb on that pocket with your fingers always checking to see if your wallet is in there. You might place a few rubber bands around your wallet to make it less slippery to pull out of your pocket.
• Consider specialty clothing… for instance, I purchased a great travel vest that had a hidden pocket so well hidden that I didn’t find it right away.
• For women, consider buying a travel purse. Many come with a steel cable running through the strap. This makes it impossible for a crook to cut it or pull and break it away from you. They also have locking zippers, hidden pockets, flaps that cover the locked zipper compartment and even a special pocket to protect your credit card and passport’s smart chip from being accessed.
• Turn the flap side of your purse toward your body. When sitting in a restaurant, unhook the locking strap (many models have this feature) and lock it around a table leg to prevent someone running by from snatching it.
• When walking on sidewalks, walk well away from the curb—more than an arm’s length. A typical method thieves will use is snatching purses while driving by on a scooter. Be aware of this when standing at the corner crosswalk!
• As happened to me one time in Paris, be very careful when standing to ogle something in a shop window. While you concentrate on that pretty dress or fancy pastry, a pickpocket will slip into your handbag or back pocket. I grabbed one guy’s hand out of my camera bag when I saw him sneaking up to me in the shop window’s reflection.
• If you catch one in the act, shout loudly, “Ladro!” (Theif!) They’ll run away fast.
• When traveling in inclement weather or in the colder months, consider wearing longer rain gear with inside pockets. Keep your valuables in there tightly buttoned up, especially in crowds, subways or buses.
• When traveling as a couple, make sure you split the valuables between you. In case one gets cash or credit cards stolen, the other will have the backups.
• If you keep one credit card for day use in your wallet, keep a second backup in your leg or bra wallet.
• If you are trendy and are going to wear one of those chic scarves as Italians do, think about buying one before you leave and sewing a little pocket into it to keep spare cash or card.
• Do not leave your luggage in the luggage area at the end of train cars! Keep them in overhead racks right where you are sitting so you can make sure no one leaves the train with one of your bags.
• When waiting in the station for a train, find a spot where you can stand with a wall behind you. Don’t stand where someone can grab one of your bags or come close enough for pickpocketing. Think about using a small luggage cable to lock all your bags together. It’s hard for a thief to run off with 4-5 bags cabled together.
• The most critical times to protect from thieves is when you are tired from a day or two of traveling by air, rail and car. Try to be alert even though you are sleep-deprived.

 

I hope this helps protect you while you are on your own Grand Voyage. Rome is no worse than Manhattan, Florence is just plain packed shoulder to shoulder with tourists, Naples is… well, Naples. Just be careful and have a great time!

For more... read:
Keeping Things Safe against Pickpockets & Thieves
Travel Tip: Before Losing a Wallet in Italy...
Keeping Safe in Italy: Gypsies, Scams, beggars and Italian Toll Booths?
Rome Taxiphobia: Much Ado About Nothing


--Jerry Finzi

 

If you enjoyed this post and found it useful, please post a link to it on your favorite travel site. Grazie!

 

Simple and easy to prepare... Thin baguettes cut and hollowed out into short tubes. Stuff with rolled prosciutto and tuck a stick of sharp provolone or caciocavallo in the middle. Perfect as hors d'oeuvres for a party or as a simple antipasto.

We saw many nutty sights with cars and drivers in Italy. This video shows a typical Italian way of thinking in order to solve a problem...

I found this beautiful video profiling the Solimene Ceramics Factory on the Amalfi Coast in the seaside town of Vietri sul Mare. Aside from Solimene producing some of the most beautiful ceramics from Vietri, the building--although tired--is a Mid-Century Modern architectural gem. Read about our visit to this unique ceramics factor, the other nearby ceramics shops and our drive on the Amalfi Coast here.
Enjoy the video...

If you enjoyed this video... send us some nice Italian cheese. Perhaps an aged sheep's milk caciocavallo. ....Ok, then just LIKE us and SHARE with your friends. Ciao!