A Walk Through Brisighella

The region of Emilia-Romagna stretches from Tuscany to the Adriatic coast. Many of its cities are well known for their cuisine. It is some of the best in Italy - think Bologna, Parma, and Modena. Of course this region also makes some outstanding cars and motorcycles with famous names like Ferrari, Ducati, Lamborghini, Maserati. Beyond that, there is one of the oldest universities in the world, the University of Bologna. It is a region full of diverse riches including a host of UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The Treno di Dante makes a 90 minute stop in Brisighella on some of its itineraries.

There are still some hidden gems in Emilia - Romagna, places off the usual tourist routes. One of these places is the borgo (small village) of Brisighella. I knew nothing about this hamlet before I booked my passage on the vintage Treno di Dante (Dante’s Train) which made a stop there on the way to Ravenna. I included a few photos of Brisighella in last week’s post about the Treno di Dante, but I had so many more photos of this intriguing little village that I had to give it its very own post.

A 90 minute whistle stop doesn’t give nearly enough time to get to know this medieval village. But it’s enough time to spark curiosity and a desire to return. I am already thinking about another visit, perhaps next spring when there is a celebration of the local specialty, the Moretto artichoke. In the meantime, I will share some glimpses of this intriguing borgo.

Looking over Brisighella’s rooftops from up above the Via degli Asini

“Main Street” in Brisighella

From the train station, it is a short walk through a pretty park to get to the center of town.

There is one primary street, lined with cafes, shops, and small restaurants. The buildings are colorful, artisan goods spill out of the shops to invite browsing, and there are lots of flowers. Even the street signs are interesting.

Small alleys and steep stairs branch out from the main road.

The views of the surrounding hills add to the joy of wandering through town.

Above the town are two landmarks. The first is the castle fortress, the Rocca Manfrediana, built in the 14th centrury. The second is the not-quite-so-old (19th century) Torre dell’Orologia (clock tower) that seems to rise magically from the rock formation at its base. In some ways the entire city seems to have risen from the rocks.

Rising above the main street is the Via del Borgo, also known as the Via degli Asini. Long ago this was an important defensive structure. Later asini (donkeys) climbed this street with their loads of gypsum. Today it is lined with small homes with characteristic wooden doors, pretty windows, and a series of arches framing views of the street below and the distant hills.

Up above the Via degli Asini is a pathway that leads to views of rooftops, distant hills, and the fortress. As for the donkeys, the only ones we saw were in a ceramic shop - a colorful souvenir of a stop in Brisighella.

Like other places in Emiglia - Romagna, Brisighella is supposed to have excellent food. On my short visit there was no time for lunch, just a quick coffee. This gives me one more reason to plan a return visit. Next time I will take the regular train, about a 3 1/2 hour journey from my home in Lucca. With winter coming up, I’ll enjoy doing some planning for spring adventures on cold winter morning.

Melograni (pomegranates) growing in Brisighella

Dante’s Train

A 4 person compartment in the vintage train’s 3rd class car. Today it is a wonderful spot for a ride on the Dante Train.

Dante, the most famous of all Italian poet philosophers, was born in Florence in the year 1265.  He lived in Florence, married, fathered 4 children, and became a person of importance in the city of his birth.  But by 1302 political rivalries and power struggles saw him banished from Florence.  He faced a terrible fate should he return - death by being burned alive. 

Leaving his family behind, he traveled throughout Italy and eventually settled in the city of Ravenna, where he wrote Paradiso.  He died there of malaria in 1321 and was buried in the city. Some years after his death the cities of Florence and Ravenna began fighting over his remains. 

Interior of Dante’s tomb in Varenna

Florence claimed that as Dante’s place of birth he should certainly rest there.  Ravenna argued that since Dante lived the last part of his life, died, and was buried in Ravenna, he should always remain in that city.  When the Florentines tried to reclaim the body some 200 years after his death (those Florentines just never give up!), they found his sarcophagus empty.  His body was most likely removed and then hidden by Franciscan monks to keep it away from those pesky Florentines. 

The monks never did reveal the hiding place and for more than 300 years Dante’s remains were lost.  They were rediscovered in 1885 and briefly exhibited to the public before being placed inside his tomb.  The remains have been moved several times to protect them during times of war, but thankfully never again misplaced. Today, Dante’s body lies once again in his peaceful small tomb near the Basilica of San Francesco in the center of Ravenna.  Each year the Florentine’s send the oil that lights the lamp above the monument.

During his exile, Dante crossed the territory between Florence and Ravenna.  The area, partly in Tuscany and partly in Emilia-Romagna, includes the Apennine hills, deep valleys, rivers, and forests full of chestnut trees.  One thing is certain though – Dante definitely did not travel by train!  The first trains didn’t arrive in Italy until 1839, about 500 years after his death.

 So, how is it that just last week I rode Dante’s very own train (Il Treno di Dante) from Florence, through the landscape of Dante’s wanderings, to Ravenna?   The train trip named for Dante was introduced in 2021, to celebrate the 700th anniversary of his death.  The route was offered again this summer and fall.

The centoporte train during a stop-over in Brisighella. Likely Dante didn’t wear a mask during his travels, but in late September Italy still required them on trains. Thanks to Diana Nason for this photo.

 The Treno di Dante is a restored “centoporte” (100 doors) train from the 1920’s.  The small cars have compartments of 4 seats, each with its own door and windows.  The interiors bring back an earlier, more gracious age of travel.  The seats are wooden benches as upholstery was only found in first class, the trim is polished wood.  The windows are curtained.  The wooden luggage racks above each seat are spacious (and far more useful than the narrow racks found on modern trains).  Many of the fittings are brass - door handles, curtain rods, window latches, vents above the windows, even the pull for the emergency brake.  All of these things combine to make the train elegant.  This is slow travel at its best. And if you are a train buff - well, this is a rare opportunity to ride a vintage Italian train.

The trip begins in Florence at Santa Maria Novella station.  On route to Ravenna it travels through several small villages including Borgo San Lorenzo, Marradi, Brisighella as well as the larger town of Faenza.   The trip includes one stop, sometimes in Faenza and other times in Brisighella. We had plenty of time to explore the medieval village of Brisighella on our trip during a 90 minute stop (photos below).  After leaving Florence at 8:50 am we arrived in Ravenna a little after 1:00pm.

 On board, a guide shares some Dante history along with information about the countryside through which the train travels and the small villages along the way.  The narration is mostly in Italian, but the guide did provide an abbreviated version in English.  The train moves just slow enough to appreciate the beautiful scenery along the route.

Dante himself made a surprise appearance, traveling through the cars in his red robes and talking with passengers.  Still in exile, he didn’t join the train until after we left Florence.

There is no need to be a Dante scholar to enjoy this activity.  It was a fun journey - a relaxing ride with lovely scenery, a beautiful historic train, a chance to explore Brisighella, and a dash of history too. 

A couple of days in Ravenna at the end of the trip provided a chance to explore the city and learn more about its Dante connections. It is an fascinating city and oh wow - those mosaics!  Look for more on Ravenna in upcoming blog posts.

The Dante Train runs this year through November 1st.  I found no current information about whether there will be a 2023 season of the Treno di Dante. 

 Website:  www.iltrenodidante.it

 Tickets can also be booked through Get Your Guide. Website:   getyourguide.com

A Medieval Weekend in Lucca

3 years ago, in those distant times before the pandemic, I experienced my first Lucca Medievale (Medieval Lucca). As with so many events, the festival was cancelled in 2020 and 2021. It’s been a long wait, but 2022 is a new year and this past weekend marked the return of the festival.

From 2019, The Liberation Day ceremony which marks Lucca’s liberation from Pisa in 1369.

Lucca is a perfect place of a festival showcasing life in the Middle Ages. Much of the city maintains a medieval streetscape. A troupe of sbandieratori (flag tossers) regularly performs at events throughout the city. It is not unusual to catch a procession of people in medieval costumes parading through the streets, accompanied by batteristi (drummers). At times I’ve followed the sound of canons, to find medieval reenactors loading and firing them from Lucca’s walls. The only “open carry” you’ll find here are the balestieri (crossbow men) carrying their weapons in procession. The liberation of Lucca from Pisa (in the year 1369) is still marked annually by pageantry straight from the Middle Ages. Yes, Lucca is just the place for a medieval festival.

Turning wood on a medieval lathe

This year’s event included an encampment of tents atop Lucca’s walls around which a variety of medieval crafts, arts, scenes of daily life, and weapons were reenacted.

There were falconieri (falcon handlers), makers of armor, sword fighters, crossbow demonstrations, instrument carvers, musicians, dancers, food displays, potters - all in period costume. Especially fascinating was the booth with the medieval pharmacy, including dental instruments that looked downright frightening. I would not want to see these tools in my dentist’s office!

It was fun to stroll though medieval times, but on a hot June day it was a relief to return to more modern times and give thanks for an air-conditioned apartment! But come next June I’ll be ready for a return to the Middle Ages.

San Quirico d'Orcia

The small villages in the Val d’Orcia have much in common.  They sit on hilltops and look out over rolling hills, olive groves, vineyards, and cypress trees. They are often fortified by city walls, the legacy of ancient conflicts. The street plans are mostly Medieval, often with a single main street and a large main piazza ringed with stone and brick buildings. They are filled with churches large and small.

Classic Val d’Orcia scenes, in the village of San Quirico

And the history!  From Etruscan tombs to Roman roads, from Medieval streetscapes to World War II bombs, the history of these villages is rich and fascinating.  That they have so much in common, and yet each village has its own unique character, makes a trip through this area especially wonderful. Think of Monticchiello with its Teatro Povero and stone houses, Montalcino with its famed Brunello wine and steep streets, Bagno Vignoni with its thermal pools, and Pienza - the perfect Renaissance city - with its pretty houses and flowers filled window boxes.

 San Quirico d’Orcia is yet another of the villages found in the Val d’Orcia. Named after a martyred child saint, it lies between Montalcino and Pienza, situated along the ancient Via Francigena, the pilgrim’s route between Canterbury and Rome.  Today, modern pilgrims and adventurous walkers still pass through San Quirico as they follow the ancient path. Other tourists arrive more conventionally by car and stay to enjoy the many things that make this a most pleasant spot.

The ancient wall around San Quirico

Most of the wall surrounding the city remains, with 2 gates providing entrance to the historic center of town and several of the former watchtowers still standing (though now repurposed, some into tall and narrow homes).  The Porta Cappuccini is the old and most historic gate – a lovely way to enter the town.

 The best way to explore San Quirico is to simply wander.  A stroll along the main street, Via Dante Alighieri, takes you both along the route of the Via Francigena and past most of the main sights in town. At one end, just inside the city walls, is the Collegiata Church (12th century) with its interesting shape, three very different entrances, and beautiful bell tower.  

The Collegiata Church (also known as the church of Santi Quirico e Giulitta)

Further down the street is the church of San Francesco, with its famous terracotta della Robbia madonna (moved here from the Chapel of the Vitaleta) and its combination bell and clock tower. In front of the church is the Piazza della Liberta`. This lively square is the center of town and a hub of activity.  It’s a great place to stop for a coffee or a glass of wine and to soak in the atmosphere. 

Piazza della Liberta` and the Church of San Francesco

In this square is also the entry to one of San Quirico’s special spaces – the Horti Leonini, a 16th century garden.  The centerpiece is a statue of Cosimo III di Medici. All around him is classic Italian garden design. 

Stepping back into the Piazza della Liberta`, and continuing down Via Dante Aligheri, are two of my favorite spots.  One, is a hidden courtyard which contains an old well and the pilgrim’s refuge the Ospedale della Scala.  The other, right on the street, is the small church of Santa Maria Assunta, which is over 1000 years old (but no interior photos allowed!)

The old well in front of the Ospedale della Scala

 It’s also fun to wander the small side streets.  On my most recent visit, during the height of the olive harvest, I found an active but very old frantoio (olive press) which was still using old stones to grind the olives.  The friendly staff invited me inside to watch the process.  The smell of the fresh olive oil was delicious!

And on a side street just along the church of San Francesco is the wonderful Trattoria al Vecchio Forno, built on the site of the old town bakery (forno).  I’ve eaten here on previous visits and it’s a place that never fails to please.  My lunch, a honey drizzled sformatino and a pappa al pomodoro, eaten outside in the garden on a warm fall day, was delicious.

 Heading back to Pienza, the Chapel of the Madonna of Vitaleta is visible from the road.  It is well worth the detour to stop and visit this tiny chapel, which is one of the most photographed spots in Tuscany.   The chapel itself is not usually open, but the surrounding vistas are spectacular.  

 San Quirico was the last stop on my trip through the Val d’Orcia.  There are so many other places left to explore, among them the famous wine towns of Montalcino and Montepulciano (which is just outside the Val d’Orcia) and also the gardens at La Foce.  

I guess I’d better start planning a return trip!

Bagno Vignoni

Looking back over the past several posts, it is easy to understand why the entire Val d’Orcia is a UNESCO world heritage site. It would be impossible to pick just one town, one church, one monument with places like the Abbazia Sant’Antimo and Monticchiello in the running. To add one more reason why this valley is so special, add to the list the tiny hamlet of Bagno Vignoni.

In Italian bagno means bath, and here in Bagno Vignoni the baths are the hot spring fed pools for which this small hilltop village is famous. While there are certainly more modern spas located here today, the uniqueness of the town lies in its historic pools - sulfurous and hot, they’ve been used since Roman times. Pilgrims, popes, future saints, artists, and a host of important persons from centuries past have come to soak in the warm waters. Even before the medieval baths were built, the Etruscans came to the natural hot springs in this area.

Another view of the Baths of St. Catherine

At first glance, it would be easy to believe the village hasn’t changed for centuries. The main piazza in Bagno Vignoni is ancient and unlike any other I’ve seen in Italy. No central square with historic statue or fountain here. Instead, the central Piazza delle Sorgenti is a large, rectangular pool, fed by the hot springs just below. It dates back to the 1500’s and has changed little since that time. The pool is surrounded on 3 sides by a wall and, just beyond that, beautiful stone buildings. There are homes, shops, and a church standing just outside the wall of the baths.

An doorway in central Bagno Vignoni

On the fourth side of the large pool is the Loggia of Saint Catherine of Siena. Imagine her sitting there (well before she achieved sainthood) to admire the view of the pools. History says she did just that.

The Loggia of Saint Catherine (on the right)

On closer inspection, there are definitely signs of a more modern life here. Shops and cafes surround the main pool and branch out into the pretty side streets. A bit further on are hotels advertising spa services.

Not far from the central pool there is a series of small channels where the water flows to the cliffs that overlook the valley. Once upon a time these channels fed mills which were important to the economy of the town.

One of the abandoned buildings in the Parco dei Mulini

Today the Parco dei Mulini (Park of the Mills) is a place to dip your hands into the warm water and also to enjoy the expansive views. Looking down, the water runs over the cliff and way down below is a large pool for bathing.

A large pool lies at the foot of the cliffs of the Parco dei Mulini

Looking up, towards Castiglione d’ Orcia, is a huge ancient fortress, the Rocca a Tentennano (sometimes called the Rocca d’Orcia).

Rocca a Tentennano, a short drive from Bagno Vignoni

Bagno Vignoni is a marvel - and one more reason to spend some time exploring the Val d’Orcia.