Monticchiello: A Medieval Village in Tuscany

Italy is now struggling with a second wave of COVID-19 infections. Each week since the end of October seemed to bring a new governmental decree with tighter restrictions. As I write this, in mid-November, Tuscany has quickly progressed from the yellow zone (lowest risk) to the orange zone (moderate risk) and now to the dreaded red zone (highest risk). At present, travel outside of the comune (municipal area) of Lucca is forbidden except for urgent reasons. I was fortunate to be able to travel to the Val d’Orcia in south central Tuscany just before the current restrictions went into effect. Right now, such a trip would be impossible. So, while currently under lockdown in Lucca, over the next few weeks I will share glimpses into some of the small towns and hilltop villages I encountered during my week in the Val d’Orcia.

To begin this series, let’s start with a place that seems to come straight from the pages of a medieval story book, the fortress-like hamlet of Monticchiello.

Stone buildings line medieval streets in the fortified hamlet of Monticchiello

A bit of history: the settlement here is old - dating back to Etruscan times. The current fortress dates to the 1200’s. Today, Monticchiello is the most serene of places, but its history tells a different story. The fortress was part of the defenses of the Republic of Siena (long before there was a country called Italy) making it a 13th century pawn in the conflicts between Siena and Montepulciano. Later, control by Siena gave way to the power of the Medicis. Later still, Monticchiello became a part of the district of Pienza (1777) where it remains today.

Jump ahead to 1944 for some more recent history. During World War II, the area around Monticchiello was the site of conflict between the occupying German forces and the local partigiani (partisan fighters). In an act of reprisal for partisan activities, the German army entered the town and rounded up all the residents, intending to massacre them. In a fortunate turn of events, a young German woman, the wife of a local man, was among the villagers. She was able to convince the soldiers (with the help of the village priest) that the people should be spared. And so the citizens in Monticchiello that day survived the war.

The winding road up to Monticchiello

The approach to Monticchiello is up a winding, cypress lined road - the classic Tuscan landscape. On arrival, and before entering the walled village itself, is a scenic overlook with sweeping views of the valley below.

Monticchiello is a fortified village designed to keep invaders out. Entrance is through an arched opening in the fortress walls, the Porta Sant’Agata. The remains of two watch towers, one rising high and one which has lost its top, flank the archway (top photo). What lies inside is a picture perfect medieval village with sloped streets, stone buildings, open piazzas, steep steps leading up to houses, and pretty flower-filled windows and balconies. There are a couple of restaurants (including the well known La Porta with fantastic views over the valley from its outdoor terrace) as well as small shops and galleries (most closed on this visit, due to the impact of COVID). Of course, there are churches to visit and a museum dedicated to the local theater company.

Beautiful stone buildings are found throughout Monticchiello

Monticchiello is so perfect that is almost looks like a movie set. In fact, it has been often been used in movies, most recently the film “Made in Italy” starring Liam Nelson which was filmed in and around the village. The residents here (only about 200 in number) show great pride in the village, which is spotlessly tidy and full of colorful plants and flowers.

This is a quiet place and definitely not a tourist hotspot. Many who do visit come in the summer for the Teatro Povero, which is unique to Monticchiello. The Teatro Povero (Poor Theater) began here in the 1960’s, an era when the local way of life was in the middle of dramatic transformation. In post-war Monticchiello the agricultural tradition of share-chopping was fading away, people were moving to the cities for work, the economic and societal changes were dramatic. The theater, in which a play is produced based on a theme of current local importance, has involved the community in a type of public self-reflection and expression for more than 50 years. The theme is chosen by the local theater group, the play is written, directed, and acted by locals . One play is produced each year and presented as an outdoor event during July and August. A 2017 documentary film, Spettacolo, tells this story beautifully and insightfully.

Monticchiello may be off the beaten track but that is exactly what makes it so magical! Stopping here gives a glimpse of life in medieval Italy, a chance to walk the steep streets of a fortified village, a taste of the spirit of an authentic hilltop hamlet, and amazing views. And if, like me, you find Italian doors and windows fascinating, then Monticchiello is your kind of place.

Thanksgiving 2020

Thanksgiving is the most American of holidays. It is traditionally a time to gather with family and give thanks for the blessings, and bounty, of the past year no matter where in the world we happen to find ourselves.  In Italy, Thanksgiving is just not “a thing”. No big turkeys to be found at the butcher, no pumpkin pies in the bakeries, and forget about trying to find cranberries! In years past, I’ve gathered with American friends for an ex-pat Thanksgiving dinner, a sort of hybrid Italian-American celebration. This year, that is just not possible as we are once again in lockdown due to a surge in COVID cases here in Tuscany. So, how do I begin to write about Thanksgiving this year?

Thanksgiving 2019 - back when we could gather for a big, hybrid Italian-American feast

 This year thankfulness is tempered by the knowledge that so many are struggling due to the impact of COVID-19. This is true whether due to the direct effect of illness or to its indirect effects: loss of jobs, isolation, upended plans, loss of control or, worst of all, loss of loved ones.  Its impossible not to think of the struggling business owners (in the United States and in Italy) or of all the nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers who are sacrificing so much and absorbing so much reflected grief and pain. I am saddened for my grandchildren (and all of our children) who have not been to school since last March - I see the toll this is taking on them. I worry for the families who are divided by beliefs and priorities and politics and wonder how (if) they will come together for future Thanksgiving celebrations – for surely we will have joyous, happy, in-person celebrations again in the future.

Street art in Lucca during the time of COVID-19

Back in February and March, when COVID began its rampage through Italy and we were mostly confined to our homes, I started writing down one thing each day for which I was thankful. As Thanksgiving approached this year, I thought it would be a good time to revisit that list. For, despite everything, I, like most of you, have much to be thankful for.

Being in lockdown is much better with a good view. I am so thankful to have a cozy apartment with a view here in Lucca.

Of course, that my family and friends remain healthy tops my list.  I am thankful that I was able to travel to the US this past summer to see my family (with a 2 week quarantine on arrival in NM and again on my return to Italy, a necessary part of travel these days). I will miss my family this holiday season, and will miss celebrating here in Italy with my big ex-pat family as we did last year, but I am thankful to have all of these people in my life and for the periods of respite during the year when we were able to connect in-person.  

Past silly times with my grandkids is something for which I am very thankful (though they may never forgive me for posting this picture).

 Beyond that, looking back on the list of things I wrote earlier this year, it is the little things that have brought me great joy and for which I remain thankful. My list included the smell of orange blossoms, the sound of church bells, a safe and cozy apartment here in Lucca, sunshine streaming through my windows on a cold day, straight to my front door book deliveries from Etta’s Bookstore (a wonderful English bookstore here in Lucca).

Also on the list were dinner deliveries from local restaurants, good coffee brewed at home in my Moka pot, video chats with my children and grandkids, video apperitivo with friends, crossword puzzles, the 3 small shops near my home that provided fresh vegetables, dairy products, good meats and prepared dishes throughout our lockdown. I’m always thankful for feedback from blog readers (that is especially true this year). I’m thankful for the beautiful bushes in the garden across from me, music, the sourdough starter gifted me by friends, videos and on-line lessons from Lucca Italian School, a supply of good local olive oil, and my circle of friends here and in the US who checked in frequently and shared both the worry and the joys of life to be found during this pandemic.

 I hope that you all have reasons to be thankful and hopeful this Thanksgiving and that you are safe, healthy, and ready to resume traveling as soon as it becomes possible!

The Streets of Siena

The city of Siena sits in the middle of Tuscany, surrounded by fantastic landscapes, charming hill towns, and sweeping valleys. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Siena is a city of ancient brick buildings which hug medieval streets, steep lanes, beautiful piazzas, and architectural wonders.

One could easily spend several weeks (or a lifetime) exploring the wonders of Siena. But my recent visit didn’t afford me the luxury of time - I was simply passing through on my way to a week long trip to the Val d’Orcia in south central Tuscany (see end note re: current travel restrictions in Tuscany) . All I had time for was a leisurely walk through town and a nice lunch.

Siena’s cathedral under a beautiful fall sky

Walking toward the historic center of Siena, the dominant feature is the view of 13th century cathedral, its dome and campanile (bell tower) rising high above the rooftops of the city. Up close, the cathedral wows with its marble facade, elaborate portals, sculptures, gargoyles, and mosaics. The bell tower, with its striking black and white stripes, stretches high above. No time to go inside on this trip, that will have to wait for another visit.

Piazza del Campo, Siena on a sunny fall day

Siena’s most recognizable landmark is its shell-shaped central square, the Piazza del Campo. Long ago this sweeping open space served as Siena’s marketplace. Today it is a gathering spot for locals and visitors alike (and their dogs, who enjoy laying on the warm pavement on a chilly fall morning). The piazza is famous for the architecture of the buildings that ring it, the Palazzo Pubblico (City Hall) and the tall tower, the Torre del Mangia. The Piazza del Campo is also where the famous Palio horse race takes place. On the day of my visit in late October, sun and warmth radiated off the brick surface of the uncrowded piazza.

The Palazzo Pubblico and the Torre del Mangia, Siena

The piazza is also home to the beautiful Fonte Gaia, the Fountain of Joy. The fountain was originally an important source of water for the city. Today it is appreciated as a work of art for the graceful marble reliefs which enclose it on three sides. I have not seen a fountain of this type in other Italian cities, both its shape and the carved surround make it unique to Siena.

These may be Siena’s most famous sights, but Siena is more than just famous landmarks; it’s a beautiful city with streets and squares perfect for wandering.

There are medieval buildings, churches and convents, roof tops, steep streets, and arched alleyways giving glimpses of hidden corners. Taking time to soak it all in is a joy, even if you just have a few hours to wander through town.

The roof tops of Siena

Note: Italy is now seeing a resurgence of COVID infections and, at present, many daily life and travel restrictions are in place. My trip to south central Tuscany was complaint with all restrictions that existed in late October and the first few days of November. Look for upcoming posts over the next few weeks about several of the villages in the Val d’Orcia that I visited during my week-long trip. I hope these posts will be a reminder of the beauty of Italy that awaits when travel is once again possible.

Autumn in the Val d'Orcia

Tuscany is incredibly diverse. The land includes hills, valleys, mountains, forests, rivers, marshlands, lakes, and coastlines. There is even an island - Elba. Tuscany boasts small hilltop villages that few tourists have discovered, popular walled cities such as Lucca, the bustling port city of Livorno, Florence which is famous for its art and architecture, industrial areas and transportation centers. Whew - I could go on and on describing all the different aspects of Tuscany.

But when you ask someone to close their eyes and picture Tuscany, the image they are very likely to conjure is one of soft hillsides dotted with farmhouses, winding roads lined with tall cypress trees, fields terraced with grapevines, and groves of olive trees. This classic image of Tuscany comes from one specific area - the Val d’Orcia.

A classic Tuscan landscape, just outside of the small hamlet of Montichiello in the Val d’Orcia

The Val d’Orcia lies in south central Tuscany, beginning just south of the city of Siena. The whole region - comprised of the municipalities of Montalcino, San Quirico d’Orcia, Pienza, Castiglione d’Orcia, and Radicofani - is a UNESCO World Heritage site. There are no big cities in this region. Small towns and even smaller picture-perfect hilltop villages are scattered throughout. Driving around the Val d’Orcia provides one astonishing view after another. Gorgeous at any time of year, seeing the Val d’Orcia in fall is a special treat.

After the harvest, grape leaves turn gold and red on the vines

The colors of autumn, as the leaves on the grapevines turn gold and then red, the olives ripen on the trees, the valleys and oak forests shimmer with color, are nothing sort of breathtaking. I was fortunate to spend a week in this area in late October / early November - peak color season. Each day brought changes - deepening hues on the grapevines, vines which seemed on fire as their red leaves climbed up stone walls, waves of yellow in the fields, ground covered with oak leaves which crunched beneath my feet as I walked, and the sound of acorns falling from the trees.

As a bonus, the autumn skies had ever changing cloud formations and mornings often began with deep fog rolling down the valley, cloaking familiar sights in an air of mystery.

As for the autumn sunsets and moonrises - wow.

Dusk in the Val d’Orcia, from the grounds of Agriturismo Cretaiole near Pienza

The Val d’Orcia is beautiful when viewed close up on a walk or on a drive, but is even more spectacular when viewed from high up in a hill town. There is something deeply moving about these small hill top villages, about the land here, and about the changing seasons view from above. It fills me with a sense of peace, hope, and the feeling that everything really will be all right with the world, everything in its season.

Fall seen from Montepulciano which lies just beyond the border of the Val d’Orcia

As Italy entered into a “soft” lockdown (less restrictive than last spring, more restrictive than summer and early fall), I felt incredibly fortunate that it was still possible for me to travel to this part of Tuscany and experience the wonder of autumn in the Val d’Orcia. The experience was not diminished by the need to wear masks outdoors, the lack of evening dining (the latest decree meant that restaurants had to close by 6pm that week), frequent hand washing and never being far from a bottle of hand sanitizer, and the closure of many shops. In fact, I think those restrictions gave me a deeper appreciation for the things we can still do and the beauty we can still experience. And next year, when (fingers crossed) things open up again, I hope that visitors will once again return to this region. The area will need our support to recover from this year of economic hardship and we will need the beauty of these places to help restore our spirits.

Sunset, near Pienza, early November 2020

The Olive Harvest in Tuscany

Late October into early November is olive season in Tuscany. Throughout the countryside, fields are dotted with olives trees, some in neatly trimmed rows and others standing alone, gnarled and ancient looking. They shimmer with green, purple, and nearly black fruit and the promise that they will soon yield the spicy, flavorful, wonderfully scented liquid that makes Italian olive oil so prized.

I recently had the opportunity to experience the harvest at one of my favorite places - the Agriturismo Cretaiole near Pienza, Italy. Cretaiole is a working fattoria (farm) with many olive trees. It is run by the Moricciani family who also operate a family farm (Podere San Gregorio) and large olive groves, all just beyond the city walls in Pienza. In all, they have nearly 3000 olive trees. They produce a superb organic olive oil under the supervision of family patriarch Luciano and son Carlo (who is also a professional olive oil tester for the province of Siena). This makes Cretaiole the perfect place to get a close up view of the olive harvest and also provides the perfect excuse to spend a week in southern Tuscany.

My goal was to learn about the harvest and to take lots of photos. I quickly found that it was impossible to just watch! Pitching in is part of the fun and doing so provided the chance to speak with Luciano, who has been harvesting the olives in this area since he was a child in the years after World War II.

Luciano Moricciani has spent a lifetime cultivating and harvesting olives. His Cretaiole olive oil is fantastic!

The first thing I learned is that olive harvesting is hard work! First the olives must be picked from the tall, dense trees. This can be done by hand, climbing up a ladder to reach high into the trees and dropping the olives into a basket. Luciano recounted the dangers of this - including the many falls and broken bones which were common in his youth. These days it is more common, especially in the larger groves, to use a power tool - a sort of vibrating rake - to shake the olives from the tree. The olives then fall into nets that have been spread out on the ground around the trees. This is the process used at Cretaiole, with 2 men performing this job over the course of a week or more (they have a lot of olive trees!).

Shaking the olives from the trees and into the collecting nets

As the colorful olives pile up in the nets, the many twigs that also fall from the trees must be separated from the olives by hand. The olives are then scooped into containers and, within a day, they are taken to the frantoio (olive press) where they will be separated from their leaves, washed, ground, and coaxed into giving up their precious oil.

Separating the twigs from the olives

A few days after taking the above photos, I was able to visit with Luciano and his wife Liliana at their farm, Podere San Gregorio in Pienza. In the farm’s cantina, the newly pressed oil is stored in large vats and the oil is put into bottles and tins for sale under the Cretaiole labe

Together we tasted the new oil on slices of bread alongside some of the other products from the farm (delicious prosciutto and salami), a local pecorino cheese, and glasses of red wine produced from Cretaiole’s vines. The new oil was a beautiful green color, fragrant, and very, very tasty.

This was a wonderful opportunity to talk to the Moricciani’s about their lives, their land, the business of the agriturismo, and the area around Pienza.

It is always a treat to be able to buy a new season olive oil straight from the farm, but it is even better when you’ve had the chance to participate in the harvest, although truth be told I did more watching and photographing than working. Still - I think there must be at least one or two of “my” olives in the big bottle of oil that I took home with me.

I will enjoy the bold flavor of Cretaiole olive oil drizzled atop a bowl of minestrone or over toasted bread throughout the coming winter. If you’d like to taste this wonderful organic extra virgin olive oil, Cretaiole ships 1 and 5 liter cans.

A huge thanks to Luciano, Liliana, and Carlo Moricciani for inviting me to learn about the olive harvest and for being such warm and generous hosts.

Contact information for Cretaiole website: cretaiole.it email: info@cretaiole.it