CORTONA

I always enjoy Cortona although it is nothing like that town that was described in "Under the Tuscan Sun" and other novels by Frances Mayes who maybe wrote about it when it was small and compact, when one could get to know the shopkeepers and neighbours.  Now it is flash, lovely but commercial, spread out.  I understand that because of her descriptions many many Americans visit there and went to her house Bramasole hoping to see her and the garden she described so vividly, so many that she had to move into a different dwelling close by.  Many Americans come here to get married, there's very good restaurants and picturesque piazzas

PANICALE

Panicale is a lovely little small town on the border of Umbria and Toscany.  Compact and historic with original walls and oval shaped streets almost all the activity is entered on the main piazza with three restaurants, two bars, lots of life and apparently there's music there every night in season.  It even has a theatre and many foreigners living there.  Some have bought houses and others rent for a few weeks or months.  There's a nice girl who takes care of all the rental properties who's very friendly and helpful.  Seems like a good place to rent after one feels like settling down in a sunny climate.

NEW PALS

Staying in Camping Listro there's a constant change of neighbours and people to meet.  Some of them  stay to themselves of course.  Last week I had nice English neighbours on both sides and we fell in to the habit of having happy hour together and wine later after dinner.  One night we had a BBQ together.  Also met a nice girl from Castiglione who had me over for dinner with her 2 daughters.  Camping is so much better than an anomynous hotel or Albergo.  We were joined by a lovely German couple Susanne and Uli

Ted, Lesley and Josie

Barbara, Goia and Serena

MANTOVA

The lovely city of the Gonzagas who ruled here for over 400 years.  Powerful, proud and rich people with a love for architecture and art they certainly left their mark in the great palaces, piazzas, painting and frescoes not to mention churches.   Montegna painted especially some of the rooms in the Ducal Palace especially the "Chamber degli Esposi"  
They rode beautiful horses and palace rooms have their images on the walls.  Verdi's Opera Rigoletto was based on the jester to one of the family and his house is preserved with a statue of him in the courtyard.  The sense of history is everywhere.  The city is a UNESCO site along with Sabbionetta which is only 33 kms away and was the leisure seat of the Gonzagas away from the bustle of Mantova.  Their palace there is also very striking and preserved and there is a lovely Theatro Antica.

Rigoletto

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Theatro Antico

MONTE SOLE

Last time I was in Italy four years ago I met Mauro who runs the Albergo up on Monte Sole.  A lovely quiet spot among the green hills to camp, walk, contemplate and read.  Went by to say hello and stay for a few days in camper there    No other cars around during the evening and night.   Mauro was kind enough to fix a meal for both of us as they are not yet open in the evenings.
This is the region where 740 old people and children were murdered by the Nazi in Sept/Oct of '44 in retaliation for their menfolk in the resistance.   Very evocative ruins draped with tear drop shaped tributes to the events

Mauro

Ruons of church memorial

BOLSENA

On to Lago di Bolsena another return trip down memory's lane.  Again it is so much quieter at this time of year.  I camped in La Pineta down at the lake.  It's almost empty and price is good out of season.  Of course went up to the Castello to the Enoteca which is also only open until 7.30 pm and even then there were very few people there.  Grand to stroll around those cobble stoned lane ways and have an Aperitif in the piazza.  Rode the bike into town every night and stayed a week.

Aperitivo in piazza

Castello

Taverna in Aenos

TARQUINIA

Tarquinia was founded by the Etruscans centuries BC and they left behind a whole region of their tombs with their painted walls depicting their way of life and burial.  Splendid.   In the town there's a wonderful museum in a palace that's well stocked with sarcophagi , carvings, tombs and the objects that they made ranging from urns, everyday utensils, jewellery, pots and articles that were buried with the remains of the dead.   It's situated only ten kms from the coast

Museum in palace