Leave part of the wooden shutters to our room open so we wake up a lot earlier than has been the case for some time. Fairly leaden skies to start with but the forecast is for variable weather for most of the day.
Breakfast very basic but quality locally baked bread, home-made jam and ricotta cheese are ideal after considerable gluttony at last agriturismo in Peschici.
Spend some time booking a hotel near the Trevi Fountain for our last 2 nights in Rome and then walk down to the nearby village of Asverna. This turns out to be a real surprise and larger than expected. After the obligatory coffee in the square we saunter round the historic centre of this beautifully kept village.
Shortly after our arrival on the previous day we had observed a small town sitting precariously atop a high ridge behind Asverna and assumed that this was the much-vaunted town of Scanno at an altitude of 1080 metres. We, therefore, set off in the car along yet another breathtaking mountain road with yours truly psyching himself up to tackle the switchbacks. Soon find out that this town is in fact called Castrovalva and Scanno is in fact some 15 kms to the south through the awesome Gola del Sagittario, a very deep gorge through which the Sagittario river runs. The river has been damned to form the Lago di Scanno further up the gorge and the road hugs the cliff face in another of the engineering feats which have become all too familiar to us in Italy.
Some kms up the gorge we see in the distance a beautiful hilltop town which we assume again is Scanno. Wrong again! This is Villalago and its unbelievable position high above the gorge surpasses anything we have seen before. We take a quick detour into this wonderful small town and we are rewarded with a torrential downpour which in no way diminishes our enthusiasm for this unheralded gem of a town.
Now the news you have all been waiting for- yes we do arrive at Scanno which has become a real tourist centre in recent years. Put on the map by the Photographer Cartier-Bresson during WW Two who was fascinated by the traditional dresses of the local ladies Scanno is now expanding at a rapid rate, with many Alpine-style hotels and apartments springing up. Sadly, the dresses seem to have become more of a feature in a bi-annual festival although one can still see some of the more elderly ladies in the traditional garb going about their daily business.
Another exhilarating drive takes us back to the Agri and we resist the temptation ( not very strong on my part ) to tackle the very daunting drive up to Castrovalva. Decide to visit the nearby town of Cocullo whose main claim to fame is its May Processione dei Serpari which involves some intrepid characters adorning the statue of San Domenico with jewels, banknotes and live snakes. The procession has pagan origins so not sure as to when or why poor old San Dom was roped into the bizarre ritual. Marcello at the Agri had suggested that we spend some time at the museum in town which is mainly devoted to this annual event. Unfortunately, like much of Italy during this twilight period before the true season starts, it was closed. Maybe it will be open again the next day in time for it to close again for its lengthy siesta!
For once a lightish meal at the agri restaurant ( only 3 courses ! ) and in bed by 10.00 pm.
Gail moment of the day- During a walk near the River Sagittario we come across some people having a picnic lunch. Gail remarks that “ perhaps we could have a picnic here too, if only we had brought something to eat with us!”. Travel with NGI is never boring.
More tomorrow when we arrive in The Eternal City.
The Obese Ferret.
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