Travel Umbria

Friday, August 26, 2011

Todi: A Personal Experience

Touring through Italy? Pointing the car to wherever it may go as you explore the regions of Tuscany and Umbria? A fabulous stopping point between Rome and Florence is in the Umbria region and it’s lovingly known as the enchanting town of Todi.

Do you remember when those first Visa commercials came out? Airline tickets $600, Rental car $200, exploring the Italian countryside? Priceless. The picturesque hill town, all lit up and inviting in the original commercials was the town of Todi.

The town offers relaxation second to none as you tour through the countryside. The central square of the town is known as Piazza del Popolo and is a fantastic spot to simply sit, enjoy a glass of chianti and some wonderful pappardelle pasta. Bordering the square are many venues to explore including an old tower, an ancient cathedral and La Rocca castle. Do not miss the exquisite stained glass windows or you’ll kick yourself later.

During my own visit to Todi, I stayed outside of town in a small house attached to a larger estate. I found the lodgings on www.cuendet.com and paid a small pittance for seven days that was less than a week’s stay in many hotels. The estate was extensive, and it felt like the rest of the world had ceased to exist. The Tuscan countryside lifestyle was an easy one to immerse in, without a worry in the world. Many bottles of wine and a variety of good books were consumed during the stay. For those wanting to truly get the feel of Todi as a town and immerse yourself in its culture, I would recommend staying in town. There are numerous accommodations that are first rate.

Todi is a perfect spot to centralize yourself at if day-trips throughout the region are your desire. Bordering the well positioned town are Spoleto, Perugia, Orvieto, Assisi, Montepulciano, and Cortona.
Assisi to me was the most impressive, with its massive stone walls rising up out of the fields. Driving up towards it, one is overcome by its sheer size and scope. Montepuliciano personally fostered the best wines of the region, and Corona was a joy to visit to see where the book “Under the Tuscan Sun” was based. Spoleto was a near rival to Todi in the absolute comfort that one feels walking around the main square. It is easy to lose yourself in the city, relaxing and soaking it all in. You won’t be sorry if you find time to visit Spoleto as it is a quick day-trip from Todi.

Todi is also geographically perfect as it is close to halfway between Rome and Sienna/Florence. At a meandering pace, it is a great spot to take a load off while travelling from one of the big cities to another. The lifestyle is a little slower in the smaller hill towns, and you may want to leave your watch at home. The pictures are worth a thousand words, and are ultimately… priceless. You will treasure the memories that you create in this fabulous Umbrian town forever.

Italy is one of my favorite places in the world. My other favorite is Bermuda. I write mystery/romance novels set in Bermuda. Find them at www.waynewhicher.com or on www.amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005I044L8

Sunday, August 14, 2011

How to Plan a Wedding in Umbria

Planning a wedding in Umbria is excellent choice. Wedding planners in Umbria are extremely professional and are specialized to arrange all the services for Catholic or Civil Weddings. Umbria is a peninsula in Italy that is landlocked. It does not have a coastline or a common land border with any of the countries. This region is named after the Umbri tribe which was an ancient local tribe gradually absorbed into the Greek culture. Some of the areas in this region are relatively uninhabited. Some areas are developed due to agriculture and industrial development due to which there are plenty of foreign immigrants living in this region along with the locals. As of now it is divided into two provinces- Perugia and Terni.

This place is abundant in natural resources, urban development, historic structures, castles and churches and yet is cost effective compared to the USA. Hence, you can check with the wedding planners through the ones available on websites or through your references and friends.
They provide you good service even if you want a wedding with just 10 guests or 200 guests.
There are wonderful, luxurious villas right in the heart of Umbria where you can stay for a few days before your wedding. They have exotic outdoor locations and delicious Italian cuisine.
If a couple wants a civil ceremony along with a reception, they can get married in town halls in historical structures wherein there are in-house services available.
They provide services for accommodation, chapel services, florists, musicians, garden venues, decorations and arrangements, food and drinks, photographer and all other services required for a dream wedding.

Most people seem to have got a good experience and are more than satisfied with their service. They can have a lavish, memorable wedding and can directly head to their honeymoon. Instead of looking after all the arrangements, they can relax and enjoy their wedding as they all have to plan is their budget.

A wedding ceremony could be held in an ancient private chapel with beautiful, lit candles and décor. Here you can complete all the legal formalities and the religious rituals with blessings.
Umbria is a preferred venue not only because of the costs but also due to their services, greenery, exotic locations and historical monuments. It is called the Green Heart of Italy.
There are various privately owned farmhouses that are rented for staying and enjoying an extended holiday. There are guided tours and transport availability to the airports and train stations. If you plan an extended holiday you can enjoy the local ethos, local market trips, festivals, learning local cuisine and much more in your budget.

If you want a wedding that is stress free and in a different yet exotic location, getting married in Umbria is a good option. There you have many wedding planners who give good service without extra costs of consultation. You just need to mail them your details, budget and requirements. They would send you the details about the location, food and other services according to your budget.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

The Quintana Joust in Foligno

As many knighthood competitions the actual Quintana Joust (Giostra della Quintana) is definitely something not to miss in Foligno, or during your first visit in Umbria. In the last few years the Quintana happens twice a year, with the first in June and the 2nd during September. La Sfida, the challenge, takes place in June, while La Rivincita, The Return Game is in September. In June the event is in nocturnal hours, lightened with floodlights on a Sunday evening, but in September it happens on a Weekend morning.

The Joust is associated with Foligno and is the most crucial occasion of the southern area since it underlines the beginning of summer celebrations. More and more personalities are joining the event giving the Quintana Joust more resonance in Italy.

1946 is the year of the first edition of the Joust. For 50 years now Foligno has celebrated this event that transforms the city in a magnificent Baroque revival, with marvelous costumes ornamented with laces, rich fabrics and many refinements to relive the 16th century splendor with chants and horse rides.

The nights challenge each other representing the 10 districts of Foligno. Their names are Crocebianca, Cassero, Contrastanga, Ammanniti, Badia, Giotti, Mora, Morlupo, Spada and Pugilli. The prize is the Palio, a painted fabric on a post.

The challenge of the joust happens in 3 stages. In each stage knights must spear 3 rings in succession. The rings to catch are smaller with each subsequent stage, passing from 10 to 6 centimeters in diameter. The winner is the knight catching all the rings and committing no penalties.
The event begins with the Sprasanti Fair, where you can enjoy the historic revival of the district market and buy goods with the original money of the period. You will be allowed to change your money with the fair currency at the entrance of the fair.
The nicest thing is that all districts have their own tavern, which will be open for the vent only and serve the best traditional Umbrian dishes.
The whole event ends with the costume parade and the jousting.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Market in Florence

Spoleto Festival dei Due Mondi

The 2011 Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto went by without a word on Travel Umbria. I did not talk about it because the festival was literally hijacked by the local and national government, stealing it from the Menotti family and their non-profit organization, boycotting it in any way possible, finally ruining with sad political games and artistic incompetency what for fifty years the founder Gian Carlo Menotti and his son Francis had done to bring this festival to world fame.

I strongly encourage you to visit the official website of the Spoleto Festival and watch the video on the first page titled "Spoleto Festival. The End of A Dream" by Michael Lebor. For your convenience I am posting it here also, but please visit the website to get all the information on the matter.

The video briefly, but thoroughly, covers the story of the end of the Festival. You will learn how local municipal government boycotted the festival in any possible way by raising theater rental fees to improbable amounts, blocking access roads, sacking company computers obliging organizers to do all the work with pen, paper and rubber sole, denied the promised fundings at the last minute so that employees and workers could not be paid, and finally, and perhaps the saddest note of all, the church started ringing its bells over the final concert in a last desperate effort to ruin the performance. Thankfully, the bells became part of the performance (thanks to the director's mastery) and enriched the performance!

Although the 2007 edition ended as a success, all the efforts to save the festival were in vane and damaged the Menotti family. Francesco Rutelli, the culture minister at that time, played a major role in ruining and stealing the concert to the people of Spoleto and the Menotti family. Watch the video for more details on this.

Please share the Spoleto Festival website link as much as possible and encourage all to watch the video on the homepage. Again, this is the link http://www.spoletofestival.it/index.en.htm .
These behaviors are shameful and impoverish the great artistic heritage of Italy. Let your friends know!

The Spoleto Festival was a creation of the composer, Gian Carlo Menotti over 50 years ago. His son Francis took over the festival over a decade ago as Gian Carlo's old age made it impossible for him to continue as festival director.

Sadly Gian Carlo died in 2007, leaving the festival rights to his natural successor, Francis. Just one year later the Italian authorities had forced Francis out, repossessing his homes and taking the festival away from the Menotti family.

Monday, July 25, 2011

The Salami of The King

A typical pastry from Umbria, Italy

Ingredients for the salami: 300 grams of flour, 300 grams sugar , six egg yolks, the juice and peel of half lemon, 75 grms of baking powder.
Ingredients for the filling: 200 grams alchermes liquor, 150 grams of cocoa powder, half glass of milk, 400 grams of yellow cream.

How to make it:

Beat the egg yolks together with the sugar, add the flour, the juice and peel of the lemon, and mix in well. Add the yeast and mix it in well. Smear with butter a narrow and long oven pan, then pour the mix in to reach a thickness of half centimeter. Heat the oven at 180 Celsius, then set the mix in for a few minutes. Using a clean kitchen towel dampened with water, remove the cooked layer of sponge cake from the oven pan. Spread the wet towel on it, then flip the oven pan. Set it on a kneading surface and dampen it with alchermes (in substitution you can use cherry syrup mixed with vodka. Do some tests for consistency and alcoholic content prior to using it), then spread a layer of chocolate melted in milk, and one layer of cream. Roll the sponge cake to create a tight sweet salami.

Perfect for all seasons, this Umbria recipe is best accompanied by a sweet wine or black tea in winter time.