A dive in the past, traveling through the central Italy

Busy week between Tuscany, Marche and Emilia are looking for characters from the past, mystery and lots of fun!

 

The first couple of days

Let's go drive to Volterra, after five hours by car finally arrived.
Our room was large with private bath, we stayed here for two nights. It 'a B & B but there are also apartments. The space age breakfast in the morning, a lot of things to eat and the lady who runs it is very nice and polite. (One morning we waited for breakfast .. we woke up at 11.00 !!!).
We arrived at 13.00 and in the afternoon we went to see Siena, unfortunately we have not had time to see her well and we only visited the area and the Piazza del Duomo.
We had dinner in a very nice restaurant in the district of Istria.
The next day we went to visit Cecina and take a dip in the sea ... the water was not very clean but not stopped us!
In the evening we went to see the little town of Carducci, Bolgheri with the famous avenue of cypresses. It 'very rustic, cute. We saw the poet's house and took a tour through the narrow streets of the country. We had dinner and went back to Volterra. A little advice, if you want to visit this village you should go early because there's always lots of people, and parking is scarce! (and they are all paid in the evening).

Last day in Tuscany

Our third day we dedicated to the town of Volterra. We reach the center walk from our room (about 10min) Visit the old town and take the map at the tourist office in Piazza dei Priori. We go to visit the Etruscan site, opens at 10.00 and you pay 2 € (included in the price but also the archaeological area of Rome, which is not very far).
This archaeological site is not very big but you can see remains of the Etruscans, the entrance is given a guide (which then is not returned), where what was said and what is now!
Walking towards the Roman site we find a curious museum: the museum of torture ... we enter the ticket costs € 7 per person. It 'great and you can see what is evil man, that cruel means of torture only shudder to see them, every tool is then commented (even in different languages). On leaving we were a little 'uncomfortable ...
Our trip continues to the Roman site, another show, you see the amphitheater ... rich in history and very exciting!!
Then it's time to go back unfortunately but our holidays are not yet over ... back to Caravaggio, the day after two of our friends to share it with, Catholic.

Urbino and Urbania

Quiet trip, we left at 05.00 in the morning to avoid the classic traffic (since it was also Friday) summer. We arrived at ten in our B & B: www.hotelcorallo.biz very nice and a short walk from the beach, unfortunately we found the only empty room with four beds ... (the cost was € 34 per person per night)
The hotel is nice and the staff is available for the car there is private parking.
The breakfast buffet is plentiful and you can do until 12.00!
Soon after we start to place your luggage to Urbino, a scant hour we got there, parked near the walls and walking to the historic center where there once the tourist office armed with map and go exploring.
First visit to the Cathedral of Urbino, beautiful and well preserved, then we walk towards the birthplace of Raphael.
Before you get here we stop to visit the Church of San Francesco.
Arriving at the house of Raphael take the ticket, 3 €. The house is large, on two floors, like any museum you can not take pictures! I liked very much! Although from the outside is not much ...
Keep going on the way Raffaello arrives in a sort of park where the center is the statue of the artist! From the park you can enjoy a beautiful panorama of the surrounding area, very impressive!
We continue our walk and arrive at the Fortezza Albornoz, again the landscape is very beautiful, you see the other side of the city of Urbino, made pictures of ritual we approach the fort so that we can enter, but unfortunately it was closed ... too bad.
We stop for lunch at a bar near the Fort and eat a dish of "growth pastry with tomato and mozzarella, say it is similar to piadina but has a particular taste different, very good!
Continuing the tour, we decide not to look at the map and to live in the city and walk through alleys, stairways and streets, we find ourselves in front of the Cathedral, then we decide to continue on the opposite side of the square and admire the Egyptian obelisk which was donated by Roma in 1734.
We then walked around the walls until you reach the parking lot.
We continue our trip to Urbania (or Casteldurante) because I wanted to see the famous mummies.
Getting there Parking and take a tour of the city, not knowing where to go ask a girl who shows us the road to get to the Church of the Dead where they are preserved mummies. The city is not very large and very well turn on foot. The church is small but very pretty.
Fortunately we have found before you reach the tourist office and we took the map of the city (you never know ...) and found that there are several things to see.
Enroute, we see the town hall and the church of S. Francis.
Unfortunately the church was closed but we have waited for 15.00 and we see a nice gentleman comes up and opens the door, asking us if we wanted to visit the cemetery of mummies and say yes, we find that Judas was our guide ... ... and that he knew everything but everything about the mummies! Admission is 2 €.
We enter and immediately the smell of old assails us, like being in a crypt ... impressive!
Begins to tell the story of each mummy, are 18 and each has undergone a process of natural mummification! Each mummy has a story and our guide explained all the ce. We were very pleased! Go there because it's worth it!
We then returned to the Catholic dead tired for the trip is that for long walks.
We settled and we go out for dinner, our hotel advised us a little restaurant nearby and we trust. We ate fish and pizza!

Paolo and Francesca Castle; Cagliostro and Azzurrina Castles

The second day we decided to go and visit the famous Castle of Gradara (the castle of Paolo and Francesca), got parked your car (of course the parking is paid)!
We walk and find that it is the classic medieval town. Completely surrounded by walls!
We enter and immediately find the tourist office, although very small, we take the map and began our adventure. We go straight into historical museum (€ 4), where several specimens are preserved among them, instruments of torture (similar to Volterra), costumes and pictures of the story of Paolo and Francesca, medieval weapons, tools of rural life and also under the museum you can access the cave and the tunnels of the sixth and fifth centuries. d.C.
We go to the castle and we see many shops, restaurants and bars.
Arrived at the castle make the ticket (again 4 €) and start the tour, is not very big and there is a compulsory route to follow. It would have been nice if there was a Judas who explained a little 'history .. but nothing. Patience was nice anyway.
Walking there is also a vantage point where we see even the sea.
We stop for lunch in a restaurant suggeritoci the lady of the historical museum (and I must say that advised us very well): www.osteriadellaluna.com is run by two brothers Matthew and Robert. I advise you to try the gnocchi with tomatoes and cheese fassa ... Delicious!
After eating we decided to continue our journey to visit another castle: the castle of San Leo.
After parking we go as usual looking tourist office, we find him and take the map.
Visit (or more visits, I could not get into the church because I had a vest) two churches: the Parish Church (built in the Carolingian era, and renovated in Roman times, when gathering around the nucleus of the medieval city), there is also near the Cathedral St. Leo. Behind it is the bell tower and can be visited at a cost of 3 €.
Then we walk towards the fortress, there are two paths, one with a paved road and no, we chose to go the paved road and the return path. You can also reach the castle by car.
When you arrive, let the ticket (€ 7) and start exploring the castle, we quickly realize that it is very big and there are the suggested route, but we're on our own. We visit all the rooms and we liked it a lot, there are also full explanation is on the rock is the famous Count Cagliostro, who was imprisoned here.
After the tour we start again to reach Montebello.
We park and visit this tiny little town .. very characteristic surrounded by hills. We came here to see the Castle of Montebello, they say it's haunted ... (especially Azzurrina) www.castellodimontebello.com
There are two possible hits that can make a day and a night, we have chosen the nottura, which is dedicated to the mystery.
Let the ticket (the night tour costs € 7 while the daytime 6). We immediately meet the guide, in my very good and prepared for, she identified much in the character that tells stories of terror. I recommend you see it, I'd tell you everything we've seen but would not be right! You have to see with your eyes and hear with your ears what is happening in this fortress.
Returning to the hotel exhausted, were fast asleep dreaming Azzurrina ...

San Marino

Last day, after paying left for San Marino.
Statelet hinterland of Romagna. I must say that I was a little disappointed. I thought I found a medieval city instead is very commercial and tourist ... We still visit the city, seeing the three towers and building public and the changing of the guard taking place every hour on the half hour.
Thus ends our journey between present and past ... exciting and fun but also with a touch of mystery.