Our fourth stop of our Italian tour was at the Agriturismo La Rocca Orvieto. Permit me to translate. An agriturismo is a farm which also takes in tourists. La Rocca was the name of both the agriturismo and the vineyard surrounding it. And Orvieto is the name of the town at the top of a steep hill nearby.
Put them all together and you have one of the most beautiful, relaxing places in all of Italy. This agriturismo sits near the very top of a hill and is reached by one of the most windy roads it has ever been my pleasure to ride on a bus. In fact, the last switchback is so tight that the road had to be widened for our bus to make the turn. Our driver Fausto was a genius when it came to navigating those interesting Italian country highways.
We arrived at the agriturismo after a very full day of sightseeing, and we were ready for some relaxation. Emiliano, Sabrina, and Serena have created a first class retreat for those seeking a respite in the gorgeous Umbrian countryside.
La Rocca Orvieto overlooks Umbria for miles in every direction. Both evenings that we stayed there we had dinner al fresco at their Ristorante La Rocca, where we could sip the delicious local white and red wines and watch the sun set over breathtaking views.
And did I mention the rooms? They were wonderful! Brand new, up to date, each with its own outdoor patio, huge windows to capture the incredible views, marble floors (what else?) and lovely bathrooms.
We never wanted to leave this oasis of serenity. And I mean never.
But somehow our guide Karin talked us into a day trip to Orvieto. Orvieto is another one of those Italian movie-set villages with the medieval church, quaint shops and cobblestone streets. It also had a street fair/flea market going on. The highlight of this for me was the porchetta (aka porketta) booth. Behind the glass in this wheeled booth is proudly displayed an entire roast pig. From said pig are carved slices of a most delicious pork roast, which is then put between a crusty Italian roll for a walk-away sandwich that you will never forget. The porchetta wagon is a fairly common sight in Italy, and with good reason. Give me a porchetta sandwich and a glass of vino, and I’d pretty much be set for the day.
Orvieto is famous for its striped Duomo (church), as well as its Etruscan ancestors, whose tombs have been studied extensively and are on display in a small museum. The Etruscans made, among other things, very lovely gold jewelry. This mysterious race predated the Romans.
After our sojourn to Orvieto, memorable for its food and wine, as well as the trip up the funicular to reach this city built on a butte, we returned to our beloved agriturismo for a well deserved dip in their spectacular pool, another glass or two of vino, some local cheese and salami, followed by another spectacular meal overlooking the landscape of heaven. Ah, La Rocca, I miss you still!
Put them all together and you have one of the most beautiful, relaxing places in all of Italy. This agriturismo sits near the very top of a hill and is reached by one of the most windy roads it has ever been my pleasure to ride on a bus. In fact, the last switchback is so tight that the road had to be widened for our bus to make the turn. Our driver Fausto was a genius when it came to navigating those interesting Italian country highways.
We arrived at the agriturismo after a very full day of sightseeing, and we were ready for some relaxation. Emiliano, Sabrina, and Serena have created a first class retreat for those seeking a respite in the gorgeous Umbrian countryside.
La Rocca Orvieto overlooks Umbria for miles in every direction. Both evenings that we stayed there we had dinner al fresco at their Ristorante La Rocca, where we could sip the delicious local white and red wines and watch the sun set over breathtaking views.
And did I mention the rooms? They were wonderful! Brand new, up to date, each with its own outdoor patio, huge windows to capture the incredible views, marble floors (what else?) and lovely bathrooms.
We never wanted to leave this oasis of serenity. And I mean never.
But somehow our guide Karin talked us into a day trip to Orvieto. Orvieto is another one of those Italian movie-set villages with the medieval church, quaint shops and cobblestone streets. It also had a street fair/flea market going on. The highlight of this for me was the porchetta (aka porketta) booth. Behind the glass in this wheeled booth is proudly displayed an entire roast pig. From said pig are carved slices of a most delicious pork roast, which is then put between a crusty Italian roll for a walk-away sandwich that you will never forget. The porchetta wagon is a fairly common sight in Italy, and with good reason. Give me a porchetta sandwich and a glass of vino, and I’d pretty much be set for the day.
Orvieto is famous for its striped Duomo (church), as well as its Etruscan ancestors, whose tombs have been studied extensively and are on display in a small museum. The Etruscans made, among other things, very lovely gold jewelry. This mysterious race predated the Romans.
After our sojourn to Orvieto, memorable for its food and wine, as well as the trip up the funicular to reach this city built on a butte, we returned to our beloved agriturismo for a well deserved dip in their spectacular pool, another glass or two of vino, some local cheese and salami, followed by another spectacular meal overlooking the landscape of heaven. Ah, La Rocca, I miss you still!
No comments:
Post a Comment