Italy by andrew

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italy the magazine for lovers of all things italian

Issue 36 March 2006 £3.45 www.italymag.co.uk

the NO.1 magazine for lovers of all things italian

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www italymag co uk OCTOBER 2005

people property holidays style culture food

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EDITOR’S PAGE

the NO.1 magazine for lovers of all things italian

‘benvenuti’, welcome!

MARCH is the month in Italy when the weather

ever seen that has been an inspiration to famous

starts to warm up and the mimosa is in full bloom.

writers throughout the ages.

The bright yellow buds come into their own and are

To plan your holidays or maybe to buy your own

picked in abundance for that special day Festa delle

Donne held on 8th March. Men give the ladies in their life bunches of it to show how much they care and female colleagues ping off emails to each other sending auguri for the fact that they have the good sense to be female! So as I wait expectantly for the ﬁori and a ﬂurry of emails let me tell you about this month’s packed issue.

home in the sun, take a look at our brand new holiday and property databases on the website www.italymag.co.uk – there’s some very tempting stuff on there. If you decide to buy, then consult Giambrone & Law’s question and answer section on

F i o n a Ta n k a rd

page 66. Every month they use their expertise in both Italian and UK property legislation to answer your E D I TO R questions and help you through the bureaucratic maze that I have been experiencing only too well over the last few weeks! To start with we have a fantastic feature on Abruzzo by Laura For those of you with any questions at all about property law just Valentini. This stunning region is deﬁnitely one to put on your list contact us through our dedicated email questions@italymag.co.uk of ‘must sees’, with parks and protected areas that are home to and we’ll do our best to get your question answered in a future 40 masciano brown bears as well as wild boar, eagles and vultures. issue of the magazine. If that isn’t enough to tempt you then it’s worth pointing out that Abruzzo has just become leader of the ‘club’ of Italy’s Most Beautiful March 17th until 19th sees the second year of La Dolce Vita show Villages and when you turn to page 18 I’m sure you’ll see why. taking place at Olympia, London. There are hundreds of stands with every Italian item you could possibly ask for including holidays, For that touch of much-needed brightness at this time of year we food, fashion and property. Last year’s turn-out was absolutely have Gilly Turney showing us how to wear white without looking phenomenal and this year over 25,000 are expected to attend over like snowmen or pharmacists. If you’re not surrounded by mud the weekend. It was fantastic to meet so many of you last year and your washing powder can stand up to it then the look is worth so please don’t forget to drop by and say hello to the italy team pursuing to get in the mood for the summer months that surely if you are planning on coming along. Vi aspettiamo! can’t be that far away. To get your hit of sunny spots right now then turn to page 44 to take a look at a beautiful villa on the Argentario coast with Adam Butler or for those of you already planning your holidays why not try the beautiful Lake Garda? (Look out for the next issue on sale on 16th March 2006) Gillian Price guides us through one of the most romantic places

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Print and Origination: The Friary Press, Dorchester, Dorset. Distributers: Seymour, 86 Newman Street, London W1. With thanks to: Sue Saunders. Telephone: 0207 396 8000 Fax: 0207 396 8002. International Sales: Through Poundbury Publishing Ltd: Contact Debbie Shorey. Telephone: 01305 266360. Copyright: Poundbury Publishing Limited© 2004. All rights reserved. Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or part without prior permission in writing. We welcome contributions that fit into the general theme of the magazine, but only on condition that no irreplaceable material is sent to us. All such material is submitted, received and held entirely at the sender’s risk. Important Notice We do our best to ensure that information is accurate but must emphasise that we cannot accept responsibility for mistakes and omissions. Opinions expressed are those of the authors; we shall endeavour to give an opportunity for alternative views in our letters column. All advertisers submit their own wording and we cannot, therefore, become involved in any disputes between advertisers and their customers. Those responding to property notices should be aware that the magazine goes to press a month before publication and that properties may have been sold in the meantime. Competition entries: These may be made in duplicate form, photocopied or hand-copied, as we realise you won’t want to cut the magazine. Correct entries will be drawn from a hat, or by some other equally random process on the stated date.

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IN THIS ISSUE

the NO.1 magazine for lovers of all things italian

contents

places

arts & culture

16 s e n s e o f p l a c e

12 l e t t e r s 14 w h a t ’ s o n

Frantic pruning of vines and olive trees takes place in the Upper Tiber Valley at this time of year

Our guide to the most interesting events in Italy in early spring

18 Abruzzo, the green heart of Europe

15 i n s i g h t a n d n e w s 30 psychedelic love

A region of beauty and a fascinating heritage with many attractions from brown bears to vast fields of crocuses, described by Laura Valentini

Aleid Ford gives us an appreciation of her favourite painting

26 histor y and tradition on the Venice Lido Murano deserves to be visited for more than its famous glassware, as Fabrizio Fiorenzano explains it’s best-kept secrets

34 book reviews 40 dual language

In this issue’s dual language article, Peter Moore explains the fascination of the Vespa

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MARCH 2006/ISSUE 36 Stunning Binde

Now Availablrse! See page 74

Subscriptions For subscription details see pages 8 and 37. Tu r i n

Milan

Ve n i c e

Genoa

Bologna

Florence

Pisa

Rome

Bari

52 Naples

Sardinia

Palermo

Sicily

lifestyle

Ferzan Ozpetek – man of the world

Julia Buckley meets a film director with controversial ideas

Villa Ciana Adam Butler visits a stunning villa on the Argentario coast

l a w Q & A’ s Our panel of experts specialising in Italian real estate law, taxation and building and planning laws are here to offer help and advice

w h i te h o t t h i s s u m m e r White is high maintenance – but Gilly Turney reckons it’s worth it

business Our regular feature by Emma Bird looks at culture clash in the workplace, personal trainers and landscape architecture in Le Marche

b u re a u c ra c y Michael J Murphy explains the benefits of tax planning: from capital gains to tax returns

56 8

and finally

food & drink

48 le donne del vino

Wine-making is no longer the exclusive province of men, as Marc Millon discovers

52 putting the zest into life! Germaine Stafford learns some fabulous lemon recipes from Erminia Cuomo

holidays

60 lovely Lake Garda The enchanting shores of Italy’s largest lake cast their spell on Gillian Price

64 day tripper Take a trip to S I E N A with Christine Webb

property

68 what’s available in… Lazio For those longing to live in the heart of Italy, Emanuele Dionisi describes this central region

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LETTERS

your letters We welcome your letters and emails to italy magazine. Write to us at the address you’ll ﬁnd on page 8 or email us at editor@italymag.co.uk The winner of our prize letter will receive a ‘STYLE’ fountain pen and ballpen set. This modern and elegant design with a chrome plated ﬁnish is worth £61 and comes from AURORA, Italy’s leading pen manufacturer.

A MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION Thank you for a great magazine, this is the first time that I have had the chance to read your edition (Sept 2005) and I must say I have fallen in love with it. I am Australian, born to Italian parents, and I would just love to live and work in the country my folks came from, but how do I get started? I am currently in a management position working for a steel company. I speak Italian and as an added benefit have completed a two year commercial cooking course (that’s because I have a love of food!). It would be nice if you could point me in the right direction, thanks again for a terrific read. Matteo Soccio (email)

We’re glad you’re enjoying the magazine Matteo. We’ve passed your letter on to Emma Bird and Mario Berri of our business page who have said that they will endeavour to answer your query in the next issue. Watch this space! ED

IDEAL INSURANCE As a frequent traveller to Italy I have ﬁnally given up on the exorbitant cost of the excess insurance sold at car rental counters. It seems that no matter which rental company I use, there is always that additional cost per day, to be paid at the counter, that no one spoke about in the UK when I made the reservation. The last time I visited Italy, the additional cost was Euro 20.00 per day plus a VAT bill of Euro 4.00 making a total of Euro 24.00 per day. Considering

PRIZE LETTER snow coincidence It’s taken me nearly 10 months to put pen to paper on this one, but reading your introduction to the January issue prompted me to write. My wife and I had decided that we wanted to buy a property in Umbria so I fixed half a dozen properties with Charlie Mitford of Italian Property (charlie@italianpropertynet.it), all in a 30km radius of Lake Trasimeno. Having arrived the evening before the viewings I went for a stroll after dinner, everything seemed even more picturesque as the snow started to fall. I awoke the following morning, only to find about 20cm of snow on the ground in Panicale. Help!! By eight o’clock, Charlie had been on the phone to advise that the whole area was deep in snow, and she could not even get out of her drive. She had already telephoned some of the properties and established that they were also cut-off from civilisation. Desperately disappointed, I went for a walk around Panicale and consumed the best-ever hot chocolate in a small café in the main square, admiring the prettiness of the village in the snow. Then by about 11am, cars seemed to start moving, so with the usual British fighting spirit, I decided to try and ‘break out’ of the village and head for my next hotel in Todi. At this stage it is important to mention that Panicale is very much a ‘hill-top’ town. So I started going downhill out of the village, driving particularly carefully because there still seemed an awful lot of snow on the ground. Suddenly, there was no turning back and I was heading

ITALY

I was on holiday for two weeks the entire cost of the excess insurance was Euro 336.00 on top of the cost of the car rental. Having spent ages searching on the internet, a friend told me about www.insurance4carhire.com (0207 012 6300). This company sells an annual insurance policy covering the excess in the whole of Europe for £49.00.In addition to covering the excess on damage to the vehicle and theft, they also cover the windows and tyres – good for strade bianche! The policy was very easy to purchase on the internet with a site that even I can use. They also have a number of other polices that should be of interest to italy readers including an annual ‘Europe Family and Partners’ policy. Hugh Franklin (email)

down a very steep gradient with the car barely in control. I decided to stop the car, before I slid too far down the hill, knowing that I would not be able to keep control because of the gradient and the depth of the snow. I brought the car to a standstill, and then sat for a number of minutes realising that I was completely stranded. Then, out of the blue, a local gentleman appeared on a snow plough, and started clearing the road behind me back up to the village. He gradually got closer to the car, and moved all the snow directly behind the wheels which gave me the opportunity to reverse back uphill, until I eventually arrived back on level ground. Anyway, as I was heading south on the E45 autostrada when I suddenly remembered a property near Todi that I had seen advertised in italy. Given that the weather was much better south of Perugia, I pulled over and reached for the magazine. I duly phoned the number in the advertisement and spoke to the owner. We met one hour later in the main square in Todi and I then followed her off in to the hills to view the property. After an hour, I decided this was ‘the one’, and we eventually took possession in October and are delighted with our purchase. The whole process was a series of lucky breaks, none more so than the brilliant chap that dug me out of the snow in Panicale. I am going in search of him when I return to Panicale next month, armed with a bottle of Brunello. Without him, my car would deﬁnitely have been abandoned for at least 24 hours. Then of course, I am also eternally grateful to the italy magazine and the luck that the property of our dreams had been advertised that same weekend. Grazie mille!!! David Holder, Staffordshire

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EVENTS GUIDE C o m p i l e d w i th th e c o l l a b o ra t i o n o f L I N G UA I T – I n s t i t u te o f I t a l i a n L a n g u a g e a n d C u l t u r e – w w w. l i n g u a i t . i t

whats on whats on

in March

Our essential guide to the most interesting events throughout Italy as spring creeps in, including useful contact information to help you plan your visit

Music

Art 1 s t – 31 s t M a rc h Firenze, Toscana Arnolfo. Alle origini del Rinascimento fiorentino. An exhibition devoted to Arnolfo di Cambio, a sculptor and architect who lived at the time of Giotto. In addition to masterpieces illustrating the sculpture of the late 13th century, such as the statues of Boniface VIII and King Charles of Anjou, a section is devoted to paintings, sculpture and jewellery which reflect the exceptional artistic spirit of Florence at that time. The high point of the exhibition is a virtual reconstruction of the unfulfilled plan for the façade of Santa Maria in Fiore, which demonstrates the relationship between Arnolfo’s sculpture and architecture. Location: Museo di Santa Maria del Fiore. Web: www.arnolfofirenze.it 1 s t – 31 s t M a rc h Rovereto, Trentino Alto-Adige La danza delle Avanguardie. Dipinti, scene e costumi: da Degas a Picasso, da Matisse a Keith Haring. More than a thousand works including paintings, sculpture, costumes, scenery, designs and photographs depicting the magical relationship between dance and art. Masterpieces from the early 20th century to the latest trends in contemporary art. Location: Mart Web: www.mart.trento.it 1 s t – 31 s t M a rc h Brescia, Lombardy Viaggio in Italia. A fascinating journey through Italy illustrated by 150 works from all over the world depicting the Italian landscape. Paintings by the most important European artists who, from the Renaissance to the 20th century, have travelled the country’s roads to capture its beauty. Location: Museo di Santa Giulia. Web: www.museosantagiulia.it

ITALY

1 s t – 15 t h M a rc h Cesena, Emilia-Romagna Corrado Giaquinto. Il cielo e la terra. An exhibition covering the illustrious career of Corrado Giaquinto, one of the principal exponents of European figurative art during the Rococo period. Paintings, sketches and a valuable body of drawings illustrate the art of this painter who worked in Italy and Spain, where his works acted as an inspiration to the young Goya. Location: Palazzo Romagnoli, Biblioteca Malatestiana. Web: www.malatestiana.it 1 s t – 31 s t M a rc h Milan, Lombardy Carlo e Federico. La luce dei Borromeo nella Milano spagnola. The works on display illustrate the life and times of two key figures in the religious and secular history of Milan after the Counter-Reformation. The exhibition highlights the development of religious and devotional painting from works prior to the Council of Trent through to the most intense and spectacular art of the early 17th-century Lombard Baroque period. Location: Museo Diocesano. Web: www.museodiocesano.it 1 s t – 19 t h M a rc h Torino and Rivoli, Piemonte T -Torino Triennale Tremusei. La sindrome di Pantagruel. What megalomaniacs the artists of this century are! They operate on the grand scale and their works are gigantic, reflecting the modern age where everything has to be ‘mega’. This exhibition, in several locations, presents lovers of contemporary art with works by 75 young artists, an overview of the art of the present day. Locations: Castello di Rivoli, GAM, Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, PalaFuksas, Casa del Conte Verde, Chiesa di Santa Croce. Web: www.torinotriennale.it

5 t h M a rc h Perugia, Umbria Bach. L’arte della Fuga BWV 1080. Bach’s uncompleted legacy, at the height of his work with counterpoint as the soul and driving force of musical thought. A masterly performance by Reinhard Göbel and his Cologne ancient music ensemble, who constantly strive for a faithful interpretation of the works of the great German composer. Location: Sala dei Notari. Web: www.perugiamusicaclassica.com 15 t h M a rc h Rome, Lazio Richard Galliano & New York Trio. Special Guest Gary Burton. A great experimenter with sounds, Galliano creates music full of colour, new sounds and sweetness. His elegant and dazzling technique makes every concert an unforgettable experience. His special guest for the evening is the celebrated vibraphone player Gary Burton. A unique opportunity to hear them play together! Location: Sala Santa Cecilia. Web: www.santacecilia.it

Exhibitions and Shows 17 t h – 19 t h M a rc h Verona, Veneto Salus. X salone della cultura e dell`economia del benessere. Everything which is new on the market in the way of products and therapies for health and wellbeing. From tourism to health spas to beauty farms to organic produce. A meeting place for the trade but also of great interest to the visitor. Location: Fiera di Verona Web: www.veronafiere.it 2 3 r d – 2 6 t h M a rc h Florence, Tuscany Danza in Fiera. The world of dance meets in Florence with a programme of events, shows, masterclasses,

competitions and meetings. An important opportunity for exhibitors in the sector. There will be plenty of specialist magazines, associations, showbiz figures, schools and dance companies present. Location: Fortezza da Basso. Web: www.danzainfiera.it

Sport 2 6 t h – 31 s t M a rc h Cuneo, Piedmont CUNEO 2006.mondiali scialpinismo. Following the Winter Olympics, Piedmont hosts another important sporting event: the third Alpine Skiing World Championships. The slogan of the event is ‘Skiing the nature’, which perfectly describes this gruelling sporting discipline. Location: Monviso and Mondole´. Web: www.albain.com/sport

Tra d i t i o n a l Events 5 t h M a rc h Vernio, Tuscany Sagra della polenta di Vernio. This typically Tuscan village upholds the ancient tradition of the ‘Festa della Miseria’, better known today as the Festival of Polenta. The celebration stems from the dramatic events of a 16th-century war, following which the noble lords provided the suffering population with carts full of chestnut flour with which to make polenta, herrings and salt cod, to prevent the survivors starving. Since that time, the tradition has been repeated every year, embellished by an impressive parade in 16th-century costume. Location: Piazza San Quirico. Web: www.inyourlife.it

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INSIGHT and CURRENT AFFAIRS

insight insight

the north and south divide Felix Petrelli’s column on Italian life shows just how different the North and South are

ROWSING the forums of italy I was surprised to see postings from what seems like hordes of Anglo Saxon visitors swapping comments about buying or relocating to the south of Italy, an area that for at least 100 years the indigenous inhabitants have been fleeing in search of a better life. I was born in the south and my parents, like many of their generation left their village in Puglia for Tuscany in search of work. It is true that we are all Italians. We are predominantly Catholic, we speak Italian – though in further flung villages throughout the peninsula this is debatable. My brotherin-law cannot understand my father when he is speaking in dialect, though my twoyear-old Tuscan niece understands her maternal Puglian and paternal Tuscan grandparents equally well. There is a sense of national pride which exists when Italy is competing in any sport at an international level – but there the similarities end. Whereas the north is largely industrialised, with easy access to northern European markets, the south is largely agricultural and is one of the poorest regions in Europe. Unemployment in the South stands at 13.6%, four times that of the North. The Northern League, a major political party, advocates jettisoning the south and creating an independent Northern State. And yet, for all the problems of infrastructure, economy and poor standards of living, the south boasts a beauty and a quality of life that government statistics cannot measure and I suspect that is why, apart from being an attractive investment opportunity, Northern Europeans are arriving in droves to the heel of Italy. The weather is great, there is a history that straddles the ancient Greek civilization, the Roman Empire, the Saracens and even the Normans (witness the odd redhead) and the tempo of life beats to a mercifully slower pace than the one we are accustomed to. All good reasons to return to what was once the heart of the Mediterrenean basin.

news roundup Andrea Antonioni tells us what’s made the headlines in the popular press recently in Italy F L A M I N G PA S S I O N S : Turin hosted the Winter Olympic games in February, with most of Piedmont being involved in the international event. The torch left Athens months before and, as ancient tradition demands, was carried by noted athletes all the way to Turin to light the Olympic flame. Unfortunately, the flame was extinguished by local protesters who claimed that too much attention was being paid to this frivolous event and not enough to their fight to stop the boring of the tunnel through the Val di Susa to carry the high-speed trains Italian transport minister Lunardi wants to see running from France to Venice. S N O W J O K E I N M I L A N : In late January, 48 hours of snow in north-west Italy caused a heap of trouble for Italians living in Milan and Genoa. Nobody had ever seen so much snow falling in one go, the traffic became paralysed and Italians fumbled with snow chains in a desperate attempt to reach their place of work. Sig. Bertolaso nearly lost his job when, as the president of the Italian Civil Protection, he justified the delays in removing snow from the city streets by saying that snow is an unexpected event and that therefore there is nothing to do about it but wait for it stop. S I G . R O S S I A N D L A R O S S A : Valentino Rossi, who in recent years has won every major motorcycling class and is now considered the best rider in the world, had a close encounter with the Formula One environment when he was recently invited by Ferrari to drive their latest race car. Valentino looked very comfortable driving La Rossa and is now seriously thinking of swapping the handlebars for the steering wheel. After winning everything there is to win on a motorbike, he is now looking for new incentive to compete and show his driving skills. I would have thought that the mad driving on Italian roads provides enough exercise in itself!

G R A N D E F R A T E L L O : This year’s edition of the very popular television programme Grande Fratello (the Italian version of Britain’s Big Brother) started on a highly suspenseful note when the producers of the programme set up a competition between Augusto De Megni and an

unknown young Sardinian man. Television viewers were asked to phone in and choose which of the two they wanted to enter the house where this year’s competitors are living. The choice was not just between two ‘nice young men’ but between Augusto, who had been kidnapped as a child by a gang of Sardinian abductors, and a representative citizen of Sardinia. H O L D I N G U P T H E L A W : Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is ending his current term of ofﬁce as he began it in the summer of 2001. While the political parties are gearing up for the elections in April, Berlusconi is carrying out an assault on the judicial system. The Italian parliament passed a bill which downgrades the crime of false accounting, for which the prime minister was on trial. However, Italy’s president Carlo Azeglio Ciampi refused to sign this bill and now there may not be enough time left for it to be resubmitted before April’s elections. B I N G O A D D I C T I O N : Passers-by heard a baby crying in a parked car in a freezing cold night in Rome. When they got closer to the vehicle they could hardly believe their eyes when they realised that an eight-month-old baby had been left there. They promptly called the Carabinieri but soon after their arrival, the parents of the poor child showed up too. The 33-year-old Italian father and 20-yearold Romanian mother candidly explained that they had been at the local casino playing Bingo. They were severely ﬁned by the policemen.

F R A ’ S C A N D A L O : Fedele Bisceglia, a 69-year-old Franciscan monk was famous in Cosenza, in the south of Italy, for his efforts to free the local population from various crimes such as prostitution, drugs, arms dealings and so on, and he had built a home for up to 50 people, giving them work and sustaining the poor. All this came to a halt when he was arrested by the police and taken to prison after a 20-year-old nun who was working in this home, sued him for sexual harassment and rape. The friar at the centre of the scandal denies that this ever happened and from his prison cell declares his innocence and states that he’s been framed by the local maﬁa who are against his good intentions for a better world.

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PHOTOSPREAD

Image cour tesy of Christine Webb

a sense of place I

Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NOT JUST the vines and olives which needs pruning. This man is savagely cutting back the pollarded trees that mark the end of his rows of vines. You will notice that the vines themselves are supported on traditional wooden stakes rather than the rather ugly, but presumably more practical, concrete posts that seem to be covering the vineyards these days.

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A SENSE OF PLACE

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PLACE

MARCHE

PESCARA Castel del Monte

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Chieti

L’AQUIL A

ABRUZZO SULMONA

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N SA c a n TIO

• P• escocostanzo

N A L

LAZIO

PA RK

MOLISE

PUGLIA

Images cour tesy of Cuboimages

HE BOOM formerly enjoyed by Tuscany and Umbria has reached Abruzzo, now regarded as a top tourist destination. There are the national parks of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise, the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga and the Majella, as well as a Regional Park and a good twenty protected areas. In summer, the seaside resorts of the Adriatic coast are full of life, while in winter, just an hour away by car, there are the ski resorts of the Apennines, providing opportunities for downhill and cross country skiing, with 71 summits of over 2600 metres. In the mountains there are woods, waterfalls, caves and even a glacier to explore, following footpaths such as the Lama Bianca and others more suitable to expert walkers and marked with the letter ‘E’. This, Europe’s largest protected area, is home to 40 Marsicano brown bears, chamois, wild cats, otters, marmots, wild boar, squirrels, eagles, vultures and heron.

ABRUZZO:

the green heart of Europe Laura Valentini explains the appeal of a region packed with beauty and interest

Above: Sharing the thoroughfare with a couple of Marsicano bears This image: A busy evening at the duomo piazza in L’Aquila Opposite, upper: Stunning Lake Barrea in the Abruzzo National Park Opposite, lower: Town skyline of Castel del Monte

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ABRUZZO

…the Abruzzo region has just become leader of the ‘club’ of Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages…

IMAGE, OPPOSITE. TOP LEFT BY L AURA VALENTINI.

*Abruzzo II

VILLAGES, LACE

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TA P E S T R Y

Enclosed by Le Marche, Lazio, Molise and the Adriatic, the Abruzzo region has just become leader of the ‘club’ of Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages, a title conferred on those which have best preserved their historical heritage. In achieving first place, it has surpassed the more famous Tuscany and Umbria, and taken its place among the leading international tourist itineraries. In addition to ten villages which had already received the award, the classification now includes gems such as Pescocostanzo, Castel del Monte and Pietracamela, all demanding a visit.

Pescocostanzo’s Palazzo Fanzago also houses the ancient school and museum of lace-making. The lace is produced on a cylindrical cushion, the lacemaker’s nimble fingers speedily manipulating the spindles containing the threads. Over the centuries, the abundant supply of wool has also favoured the production of textiles, in particular tarante, heavy coverings made from coloured wool. Skilled artisans produce the renowned Penne tapestries, as well as musical instruments such as the violins made in L’Aquila, the regional capital, situated in the mountains, which bears the rather dubious accolade of ‘coldest city in Italy’. L’Aquila suffers from something of an inferiority complex compared with Pescara, a more lively commercial and tourist centre, with its port facilities and international airport. This ‘European Blue Riband’ city was the birthplace of the writers Gabriele D’Annunzio and Ennio Flaiano, the inventor of Fellini’s ‘Dolce Vita’. Majella’s claim to fame is its quarries. The white stone is highly prized, and master masons have employed it in the construction of hermitages and abbeys, using it for friezes, portals, rose windows, coats of arms and low relief sculptures. Among the other crafts found in this ancient land is leather-working, with saddles produced for the English royal family. One craft deserving special mention is the tradition of ceramics in Castelli. It has existed since the 15th century and

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The majestic backdrop of the Gran Sasso

Correspondingly colourful characters after a shift of crocus-picking at Navelli, Abruzzo

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immortalised landscapes and mythological scenes for the joy of collectors.

T H E ‘ P R E S E N TO S A’ The delicately-chased ‘presentosa’ is the equivalent of an engagement ring. Nowadays in the form of an elegant filigree pendant (left), it was once a visible form of communication: a heart in the centre of a star showed the marriageable status of the wearer and was given to her by her parents. A necklace bearing

IMAGE, INSET, CENTRE BY L AURA VALENTINI. IMAGE, OPPOSITE, UPPER LEFT BY NICK HANKINS.

in its heyday in the 16th century producing the pharmacy vases known as Orsini–Colonna, found in the world’s most famous museums, including the Metropolitan in New York, the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, London’s British Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum and the Louvre in Paris. Europe’s most noble families commissioned tableware and luxury goods from the artists of Castelli, especially the Grue craftsmen who, with their characteristic colours of blue, yellow, green and orange,

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two hearts, joined by a key or a ribbon, was given by the boy’s parents as a vow. The message was, ‘I am romantically involved’. Finally, a necklace with a ship at the centre was presented by the groom’s father on the wedding day to symbolise the start of the couple’s voyage through life. A bride from Scanno did not wear white, but the traditional 18th-century costume, still worn today for the Catenaccio, a historical evocation of the Scanno wedding, celebrated on 14th August. The costume is embellished with ritual jewellery: corcegli (filigree earrings), stringicolla (necklace), and laccio (bracelet), a waistcoat with silver buttons and, naturally, the presentosa. The most famous gold-working tradition is in Scanno, a charming, lively mountain village, where traditional tools are still used to work the gold. Since 1590, the Rienzo family has handed down the art from father to son. Still on the subject of marriage, the saffron of L’Aquila was used by the ancient Romans to tint wedding garments for good luck, while today it is an indispensable ingredient of many delicious local dishes. The fields of crocuses, which yield this incredibly valuable spice, are an amazing sight. There is the age-old tradition of the ‘confetti’ produced in Sulmona since the 18th century. These are sugared almonds, contained in a little lace purse and presented by the bride to relatives and friends. The most notable makers are Pelino, who produce more than 40 varieties, which are sometimes used as ornaments.

This image: Piazza Garibaldi on market day in Sulmona and above: a Pelino ‘confetti’ stall offers sugared almond floral displays

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d et a i l s i n fo r m a t i o n Abruzzo promotion and tourism: tel. (+39) 08542900212, call centre: (+39) 800502520. Information and accommodation: L’Aquila tel. (+39) 086222306; Chieti tel. (+39) 087163640; Pescara tel. (+39) 0854219981; Teramo tel. (+39) 0861244222.

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BY AIR: direct London-Pescara (www.ryanair.com), tel. Aeroporto d’Abruzzo (+39) 0854324200. BY TRAIN: visit www.trenitalia.it BY CAR: autostrade A24, A25 and A14.

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THE ART

THE ABBEYS

The Cistercian abbeys and austere hermitages dotted throughout the region exert an irresistible attraction, nestling as they do in lovely natural settings. They include the Eremo San Giovanni in Venere (Chieti): among the most grandiose monastery churches, it was founded in the 6th century and is linked to the memory of three Popes. The hermitage is situated on a plateau overlooking the sea, the site in Roman times of a temple dedicated to Venus Conciliatrix: people would come here to ask for family harmony. Santa Maria d’Arabona was the first Cistercian abbey in Abruzzo, built at Manoppello (Pescara) in 1208. Inspired by the elegant French Gothic style, it is set in a lovely park overlooked by the walls and windows of a missing wing and the remains of the original building. Its name derives from the worship of Bona or Orbona, goddess of fertility. Santa Maria Assunta at Bominaco (L’Aquila) was founded, with its annexe the Oratorio San Pellegrino, by the Benedictine monks of Farfa and is a typical example of an Abruzzo Romanesque basilica. San Liberatore a Majella, at Serramonacesca (Pescara) has a façade in the Lombard style, wonderful 13th-century frescoes and an unmistakable belltower with single, double and triple windows. San Clemente a Casauria, an abbey in the valley of the River Pescara, was founded in 871 by the emperor Ludovic II. The complex is reached via a gate guarded by two Roman statues and a drive leads to a beautiful portico and the sympathetically restored church. At Pescocostanzo (L’Aquila), a town known as the ‘drawing-room of Abruzzo’. As well as the Palazzo Fanzago, there is the delightful Basilica di Santa Maria del Colle, notable for its grandiose Renaissance and Baroque decoration, its wooden-coffered ceilings, 16th-century pulpit and delicate wrought iron screen. italy

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There is a wide variety of types of accommodation. Try www.apeabruzzo.net Examples: Rifugio della Rocca, località Rocca Calascio, (AQ) tel. (+39) 338.8059430; The stylish Tenuta Querce Grosse, Francavilla, tel. (+39) 0854919118; The 5-star Berti Hotels & Congress, at Silvi Marina, tel. (+39) 0859350760. For seaside holidays for all the family… Serena Majestic, Pescara, tel. (+39) 08583699. Hotel Dafne, in the very centre of Pescasseroli, tel. (+39) 0863912838. The tranquil Hotel Casale Signorini, L’Aquila, tel. (+39) 0862361184. The romantic Villa Dragonetti, L’Aquila, tel. (+39) 0862680222, Bed and breakfast Villaggio Orsini, Sulmona, tel. (+39) 086452385. Close to the ski lifts at Roccaraso, Rifugio Principessa Giovanna, tel. (+39) 086463090. Il Giardino set in olive groves in the province of Chieti, tel. (+39) 0873911059.

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In the province of L’Aquila: Al Caminetto, via degli Alpini 95, Carsoli, tel. (+39) 0863995479 Plistia, via Principe di Napoli 28, Pescasseroli, tel. (+39) 0863910732 I Dieci Ponti, via Napoli 74, Roccaraso, tel. (+39) 3402635483. In the province of Chieti: La Grotta dei Raselli, via Raselli 146, Guardiagrele, tel. (+39) 0871808292 San Marco, via Plercia 11, Vasto, tel. (+39) 0873549151. In the province of Pescara: Taverna 58, corso Manthonè 46, Pescara, tel. (+39) 085690724 La tana del lupo, contrada Scagnano 19, Caramanico Terme, tel. (+39) 085928196. In the province of Teramo: Da Luisetta, via Case Sparse 5, Castelli, tel. (+39) 0861979100 Don Ambrosio, contrada Piomba 49, Silvi, tel. (+39) 0859351060.

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In winter – skiing! Some of the many ascent stations: Campo di Giove tel. (+39) 0864408197 Campo Felice tel. (+39) 0862917803, Pescasseroli tel. (+39) 0863910461 Roccaraso tel. (+39) 086462210 Scanno tel. (+39) 086474317 Maielletta tel. (+39) 0871896160. In summer there is the wonderful Adriatic with its long expanse of wide golden sands. All year round there are the parks marked with routes of various levels of difficulty, mountain bikes and trekking: Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo, Pescasseroli, tel. (+39) 0863910715 Parco Nazionale della Majella, Guardiagrele, tel. (+39) 0871800713 Parco Nazionale di Gran Sasso Monti della Laga, L’Aquila, tel. (+39) 0862414504 Parco Naturale Regionale del Sirente-Velino, Sercinaro, tel. (+39) 0864797775. Finally, indulge yourself at one of the thermal spas: Caramanico, Raiano and Popoli, at the foot of the Majella; Canistro in the woods of Valle Roveto on the border between the Marsica and Ciociaria.

Cafè culture in L’Aquila

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IMAGES AT TOP AND UPPER BY L AURA VALENTINI.

This image: The Eremo San Giovanni in Venere Below: The imposing San Liberatore at Majella

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H I S TO R Y AND TRADITION ON THE

V E N I C E L I DO V

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VENICE

The island of Murano holds many attractions for Fabrizio Fiorenzano

URANO is the largest of the islands in the Venice lagoon. Together with Burano, Mazzorbo, Torcello, Sant’Erasmo, Palestra and Lido, it is one of the obligatory stops for tourists visiting Venice. The island is not an independent local authority, as many people think, but forms part of the Venice comune. With its 7000 inhabitants and 70 factories, palazzi and smaller dwellings, it is located to the north-east of Venice, on the Canale dei Marani. Little remains of its original aspect as nature created it and today it is a bustling, well-to-do and productive place. Murano was founded before the birth of Christ by the Altinati, who named it ‘Amuranium’, after one of the gates of their city, Altinia. Over the centuries it increased in importance and in the Middle Ages was famous for its port and watermills. The island is just a few minutes from Venice in one of the many boats run by companies such as ACTV which leave from several departure points every few minutes, stopping at all the larger islands in the archipelago. In many ways, Murano resembles Venice. It is bisected by a large canal commonly known as the Canal Grande, which is traversed by all the ferries arriving and departing. The canal is crossed by only one large iron bridge, which is thus the essential crossing point for anyone wishing to go from one side of the island to the other. However, unlike Venice the island has no central square or old quarter.

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MURANO’S FAMED FACTORIES But the real symbol of Murano is its glass. Until 1295, glass working took place in Venice but from that date a statute issued by the State, fearing outbreaks of fire within the city, ordered all furnaces to be transferred to Murano. For several centuries, the island’s economy has been based on the output of the dozens of small companies with their many master craftsmen, skilled in the ancient art of glass-blowing. The art was handed down over a thousand years ago by the Romans,

who in their turn inherited it from the eastern empire. As a result of the barbarian invasions, the Romans were forced to flee their city and found refuge on the islands of the Venice lagoon, bringing with them their skills with glass. It is a fascinating experience to go into a workshop and see a master craftsman, with apparently effortless dexterity, transform a molten lump of glass into an exquisite work of art,

Opposite: Artisans of glassware demonstrate ancient techniques

Left: The Murano Collection showroom

This image: Murano’s ‘Grand Canal’ with the Venier Foundations to the right as seen from the Vivarini bridge.

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MURANO using techniques invented centuries ago by the early glassmakers. One of the city’s canals is actually called Rio dei Vetrai (glassblowers’ brook) and is lined with workshops. It was here in the distant past that the first ateliers sprang up. The canal is always busy with boats loaded with raw materials and also the many visitors who come to admire the Faro, a sturdy cylindrical white tower built entirely from Istrian stone.

DINING

STYLE

Also on the Rio dei Vetrai is one of Murano’s most prestigious restaurants, Stefano Scarpa’s Ristorante dalla Mora. It opened 40 years ago as a trattoria and, over the years, has developed into one of the island’s most exclusive eateries, easily reached by disembarking from the ferry at the ‘Faro’ stop. It is an enviable location to sit and dine, either in the cosy dining room or on the terrace, especially at night by candlelight, with the lights reflected in the still waters. The restaurant specialises in fish from the Venice lagoon. But Murano, as well as being the world capital for the production of fine glassware, is also a place where its long history has left an indelible mark, with many sites to be explored. The Church of Santi Maria e Donato is one of the oldest and most important churches of the whole lagoon, built in the 7th century in typically Byzantine style. Of particular note is the perfectly preserved floor made from marble and glass mosaic, reminiscent of St. Mark’s in Venice. Until 999, the church was dedicated to St. Mary but then also took on the name of St. Donato. In 1125 the relics of the Saint of Cefalonia were brought here and can be seen to this day behind the high altar. The church is evidence of the vital importance played by the waters of the lagoon, much more so than the land, in that the most beautiful feature, the apse,

faces the sea, where it can be admired by those approaching by boat. The church is one of the finest examples of VenetianByzantine architecture, although the façade is in the Basilica style of Ravenna. Beside the building stands the detached campanile, visible from all over Murano. It is in the form of a square tower in three sections, with three orders of columns surmounted by the bellchamber with triple windows, crowned with arches. Close to the church is the San Donato bridge which links the banks of the canal, It is a beautiful structure with a delicately curved brick arch.

Above: The Dalla Mora Restaurant, Fondamenta Manin This image: The San Donato Bridge with belltower and Church of St Maria and Donato clearly visible to the right Opposite, upper: The mosaic floor with marble and glass inlays Opposite, right: Colonnade and courtyard of San Pietro Martire

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STROLLING THE SHOPS

Another part of Murano popular with visitors is the Fondamenta Riva Longa, close to the Canal Grande and just 50 metres from the Cathedral. It is known as the passeggiata di Murano. The banks have been raised in a project which ended just a year ago, and the Fondamenta is now the most spacious of the island’s promenades, where mums bring their toddlers for a walk. Here there are important clothes shops and the headquarters of the famous factory ‘La Murrina’, which exports highly prized glassware all over the world (www.lamurrina.com). It is also the location of several artists’ studios. On a mundane level, it is also the location of the island’s only supermarket and the embarkation point for ferries direct to Venice airport. The Fondamenta Venier is another shopping area popular with tourists.

A splendid example of Romanesque architecture is to be found in the Church of San Pietro Martire, built in 1348 in honour of St. John the Evangelist, destroyed in a fire and rebuilt in 1511. After its reconstruction, it was dedicated to St. Peter the Martyr. Its original paintings no longer exist and the present decoration comes from other Murano churches which were demolished or closed over the years. The church contains many valuable works but the two most outstanding are by Giovanni Bellini, The Assumption of the Virgin and Saints and Doge Barbarigo presented to the Virgin and Child. When visiting Murano I always ask myself, ‘How do the people of the lagoon live with water in place of roads?’ It is a question asked by many when they visit Venice and the surrounding islands. The postman arrives by sea, the dustcart is replaced by a ‘dustboat’, the merchandise for the shops is unloaded from boats and there are many other examples of this singular way of life. However, it would seem that people live better here than elsewhere and, despite what would seem to be a hindrance, the economy and lifestyle are helped by well-balanced and controlled systems and the waters become a source not only of richness but of protection. italy

d et a i l s i n fo r m a t i o n Azienda di promozione turistica tel: (+39) 041 5298711 www.turismovenezia.it The best time to visit is spring or summer, as the winters are very cold with a greater risk of rain.

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BY WATERBUS: From Venice: Alilaguna – www.alilaguna.it It is advisable to use these boats rather than water-taxis which, although smaller and faster, are very expensive.

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Locanda Conterie Calle Conterie, 21 www.locandaconterie.com Hotel Al Soffiador viale Bressagio 11

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Ristorante dalla Mora Fondamenta Manin 75 www.ristorantedallamora.com Ristorante ‘Da Tanduo’ Fondamenta Manin 67/68 www.datanduo.it

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Murano glass: Glass Museum www.museiciviciveneziani.it Glass masters: Barovier & Toso Palazzo Contarini, Fondamenta Vetrai 28 www.barovier.com Venini Fondamenta Vetrai, 50 www.venini.it Vetreria de Majo Fondamenta Navagero, 29 www.demajomurano.com

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LO V E PSYCHEDELIC

Aleid Ford gives us an appreciation of her favourite painting

The Deposition of Christ, 1525-28 (panel) by Pontormo, Jacopo (1494-1557). Capponi Chapel, Santa Felicita, Florence, Italy. The Bridgeman Art Library

OST LIKELY, you have not heard of the painter Jacopo Pontormo. His reputation went into sharp decline after his death in 1556 and, by the time his name re-emerged at the start of the 20th century, many of his works had been lost or badly damaged. Of those that did survive, the painting shown here, from the Capponi Chapel in the church of Santa FelicitĂ in Florence, confirms him as one of the greatest, most fiercely original Renaissance painters. The Deposition is probably my favourite painting by any artist. I still recall the first moment I laid eyes on it. Walking

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into the darkened church, it lurched at me from the right, a surge of violent colour, a rush of sinewy movement. Pontormo began work in the Chapel in 1525 and finished in 1528. He painted an Annunciation spanning the window to the right and four roundels of the Evangelists into the ceiling. The Deposition has become justly renowned. Completed at a time when Florence was in one of its periodic political convulsions (the Medici had been temporarily expelled and republican rule reinstated), this creation has the extreme, mildly hysterical quality of a work of art produced in a state

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I am always amazed at the emotional purity that Pontomo is able to tap into… of emergency. It is about much more than politics, however. The universal crisis of severance and loss lies at its core.

PAIN

SEPARATION

The painting shows Christ being separated from his Mother after the Crucifixion and carried to the tomb by two griefbedazzled bearers. Pontormo might have been inspired by Michelangelo’s Pietà sculpture in St Peter’s in Rome. But that work’s ideal and serene physical fusion of a young Mother cradling her smooth and handsome Son has been violated by Pontormo’s painting, which wrenches the two apart. Immediately arresting are the sharp, neon colours: hot pinks, metallic blues, lime greens, lemon yellows. I know of no other painter that dips his brush in such a deliciously garish palette. The Deposition is regarded as a pinnacle of the Mannerist style that emerged in Florence in the 16th century. In its broadest sense, Mannerism refers to pictures in which figures are arranged in sophisticated and complex poses. However, this is more than a Mannerist tour-de-force. Eleven huge bodies crowd right up at us. Pontormo took the conventions established by generations of Florentine painters and tore them up, one by one. For instance, he does away with mathematically calculated perspective, the hallmark of Florentine painting since the start of the 15th century. There is absolutely no sense of space here that the eye or mind can measure. Loosened from the rules of rational space, the scene is transported to an undefined plane, where bodily shapes and the direction of gazes control the composition.

VA S A R I ’ S D O U BT S The 16th-century biographer Giorgio Vasari was wary of what Pontormo was doing and wrote in his Life on the painter that ‘anyone who wishes to do too much and almost force Nature ruins the good which Nature has generously endowed him with.’ Vasari might have argued that Christ appears weightless, that the Virgin seems to levitate. Pontormo must have known what he was doing, intending to depict flesh that had lost its substance to become fluid. See how the figures surrounding the Virgin swirl upwards like some twist of vapour. At the heart of this picture there is the Virgin’s empty lap. The art historian Leo Steinberg referred to this quite hauntingly as the painting’s ‘widowed centre’. This blue void is the physical root of the Virgin’s sorrow, the cause of the scene’s outpouring of grief. Into this space Pontormo plants one image, a single hand, that of the Magdalene, lit strongly from above as if by a spotlight. This hand clasps a fold of drapery, and that white-knuckled grip encapsulates everything the Deposition is about: the human desire to hang onto something that is loved even as it drifts uncontrollably away. See by terrible contrast how the Virgin’s hand, the one that reaches out to her Son, is empty.

Pontormo escalates the drama in the painting through the gazes of the protagonists. He paints his eyes large and round, great saucers brimming with feeling. To look from face to face is to land in one restless, troubled expression after another. Each person stares in a different direction, is disconnected and lost in a personal moment of crisis. At the death of Christ mankind felt wholly abandoned and we read this most powerfully in the faces of those that witnessed His passing. This pinball effect, created by the looks that shoot here, there and everywhere (as well as the many white limbs that sweep around the centre of the painting like a whirlpool) threatens to dissolve the scene. Hysterics are at the door.

OBSESSIVE ECCENTRIC I am always amazed at the emotional purity that Pontormo is able to tap into, and wonder how he managed it, coming from the Florentine school renowned for its restraint and reliance on mathematics and form. I know that he looked at northern art. He admired the work of Dürer, for instance. Certainly, the awkward passions and profound longing that penetrate this painting would seem to have something of the intense piety more familiar from Flemish or German art of this period. And yet there could be a reason closer to home. By all accounts, Pontormo had an extraordinary character. Vasari, who knew him, wrote in detail about his eccentric, melancholic and misanthropic ways. While the author might have exaggerated Pontormo’s strangeness for effect, Pontormo’s diary, now at the National Library in Florence, seems to reveal a particularly controlling and obsessive individual. In it, the painter records minutely his shopping lists, the food he ate, the food he passed. Is it possible that a man able to distil his daily existence into the sharpest relief was able to analyse, just as painstakingly, spiritual aspects of man’s existence? There is something alarmingly nauseating and visceral about the way Pontormo can lay feelings bare. I am not surprised that it took a much more modern audience to appreciate Pontormo. Only by the 20th century were we fully ready for the excruciating beauty of his art. This painting in particular expresses something eternal about the human condition, something about the worst loss a parent can bear. In her book Everything I Have Ever Learned About Love Lesley Garner writes: ‘Love opens the door to suffering in many ways. Children especially can break your heart. You would take a bullet for your child, but your unique punishment as a parent is to stand by and watch while the bullet hits them, and you can do nothing but mop up the blood and hold the wounded body. A child’s sickness, failure, rejection and heartbreak are experienced by you with the extra twist of impotence and helplessness.’ I suspect that you will not forget Jacopo Pontormo again.

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Julia Buckley meets a film director with controversial ideas

OR SOMEONE who just gave up smoking, Ferzan Ozpetek is surprisingly calm. ‘I stopped twenty days ago,’ he says, without the slightest hint of jealousy at the curls of smoke encircling us. ‘It’s completely changed my life.’ His restraint isn’t down to a nicotine patch; it’s straight self denial, and he’s messianic about it. ‘I tried to stop loads of times before but this time it’s really opened up something inside my head.’ He pauses to check his evangelising has hit home. ‘Anyway, let’s talk about the film.’

In a curious way, though, we’re talking about it already. The David di Donatello award-winning Cuore Sacro tells the story of ruthless businesswoman Irene, forced to reconsider her life when two friends commit suicide following her takeover of their ailing company. She meets Benny, a streetwise young pickpocket who moonlights as a charity worker for a local priest, delivering food packets to the needy. When Benny is killed, Irene devotes herself to the poor, reinventing her plush villa as a homeless shelter. Her

renunciation of her old life is so absolute that her sanity is called into question. Asked to define the film, Ozpetek doesn’t hesitate. ‘It’s about self denial,’ he says quietly.

OBJECTS

DESIRE

Which is not wholly in keeping with his previous work. Le Fate Ignoranti chronicled the journey of a woman who discovers, after his death, that her husband had spent the last seven years aching to be with his gay lover. It won him the gay equivalent of an Oscar and the constricting reputation as the new director on the homosexual block. Ozpetek prefers not to mention this accolade in his biographies. ‘I don’t believe in the word homosexual,’ he has said. La finestra di fronte showed a housewife succumb to temptation with the object of her fantasies – only to realise that what she is looking for already lies within her marriage. Abnegation has not – so far – had top billing. Yet here he is, a novice non-smoker through will-power alone, presenting the London Film Festival with a tale about the struggle for inner peace. It’s certainly a subject familiar to Ozpetek – death is a recurring character in his films. The lives of his creations are snuffed out by accident, disease, or simply old age. ‘You know what it is?’ he asks. ‘I’m going through a period in my life when death is ever-present. I’m asking myself what the meaning of life is, how time passes so quickly – the questions we all ask ourselves.’

Ferzan

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PERPETUAL ENERGY ‘I don’t accept that we lose people, I don’t accept the idea that everything ends at the point of death. I look for comfort – and I find signs. I lost a close friend two years ago. And when you’re on a boat with friends and you’re all talking about this person, and suddenly you see a huge shooting star and you all look at each other and shiver because you were just talking about her… perhaps I’m talking rubbish, but I like to find in nature the remnants of this energy that hasn’t been lost.’ He’s a spiritual man but Ozpetek’s religion isn’t by the book. ‘I became aware of religion in a very beautiful way,’ he says. ‘I came to know it when I was 17, in Italy, through art. I learned it through the paintings in churches, through the sculptures, so my path to religion has been very different. ‘I have great respect for the beliefs of others,’ he continues, ‘and I have great respect for the sacred. I’ve lived right in between churches, mosques and synagogues. In my head, I mix up all religions. I don’t believe in one single thing, I believe in everything.’ In his Rome apartment a Buddha memorably sits next to a Virgin, a menorah by a crucifix.

TURKISH

‘I became aware of religion in a very beautiful way’, he says… ‘I learned it through the paintings in churches, through the sculptures…’

I TA L I A N ?

But Ozpetek’s search for meaning isn’t confined to religion; he’s something of a philosopher as well. Born in Istanbul but with three decades of life in Italy to his name, the native press is positively schizophrenic in ascribing him a nationality. ‘Sometimes they think of me as Italian, and call me an Italian director of Turkish origin,’ he shrugs. ‘Sometimes they say an Italianised Turk. Otherwise, they’ll say just Turkish, or plain Italian.’ His characters – straight, gay, male, female – always perch uneasily on the boundaries of society. Has his background not influenced this? ‘I think I’d feel uncomfortable in any society – anywhere. I think man as a whole feels ill at ease.’ Is staunchly Catholic Italy – where Cuore Sacro’s religious overtones weren’t appreciated by all – not a little repressive for his liking? ‘You know what?’ he says. ‘I’ve created my own Italy. I live happily, because I have my own borders. Maybe I could have done it in Turkey, England, France, and it would have been the same. In today’s world, we all have the same problem. Apart from Spain – there’s a different vitality

in Madrid – I find the rest of the world very closed.’ Turkey’s entry into the EU is a particularly sore point. ‘It’s in Europe’s interest to take Turkey in, but the way they put it sounds as if they’re doing Turkey a favour. It makes me laugh – it’s economically imperative, plus Istanbul is far more so-called ‘European’ than other European cities. The Lega Nord campaigns against Turkey by urging citizens to defend their Christian patrimony. The problem is that they have a bit of a blind spot when it comes to other religions, other cultures. But I

don’t think they really mean these things – they are just reflecting the feelings of many of their supporters.’ Outburst over, it’s time for Ozpetek to move on, and he’s ushered over to a film crew from his adopted country. Thirty seconds later, he springs back, thrusting his hand across the table. ‘I forgot to say – it was lovely to meet you,’ he smiles benignly. The storm is over, the smoke-free calm is back. italy Cuore Sacro was shown at the Times BFI London Film Festival. www.cuoresacro.com

ITALY

*Books MAR L/O

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ARTS AND CULTURE

69AD - The Year of Four Emperors

By Peter Shaw

69 AD-THE YEAR OF FOUR EMPERORS by M.Gwyn Morgan

Mediterranean Winter

L I B R I book reviews

MEDITERRANEAN WINTER by Robert D. Kaplan

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS 2006 £17.99 H ARDBACK

ccording to the author this period has been a victim of misinterpretation. Both ancient and modern writers have tended to sensationalise the events of that year by declaring it to be one of the most chaotic, violent and frightening times in all of Roman history. In this work Gwyn Morgan offers readers a fresh, balanced look at the period, something that books on this topic have not done until now. His research and argument are based on two considerations which have often lacked attention in the past: that we need to unravel (rather than cherry-pick) between the conflicting accounts of Tacitus, Plutarch and Suetonius, our three main sources of information and that the role of the armies has too often been exaggerated The result of this book therefore is an accurate and insightful narrative history, filled with colourful portraits of the leading participants and new understanding into the nature of the Roman military. An original and compelling retelling of this often misunderstood chapter of Roman history.

ARROW BOOKS 2006 £7.99 P APERBACK

he author recalls a journey around the Mediterranean when he was younger and uses the journey to meditate on the golden age of travel and the pleasures of history. Starting in Rodin’s sculpture garden in Paris he travels to Tunisia, once proud Carthage and to Sicily, then up the Dalmatian Coast to Greece. The spirits of the past populate the journey, from Hadrian and Homer to Hannibal and Ibn Khaldun and the book closes with a personal pilgrimage to meet Patrick Leigh Fermor, whom Kaplan visits in his hideaway on the Aegean. The author is drawn to places where East and West have intersected, the haunts of old warriors, mystics and crusaders and has produced a work rich in fact and myth. Robert D. Kaplan is widely regarded as one of America’s top travel writers and this is an excellent display of intellect.

DOLOMITES AND EASTERN SOUTH TYROL by Dietrich Hellhole

Dolomites

SUNFLOWER BOOKS 2006 £12.99 P APERBACK

entle green valleys and towering limestone pinnacles make the Dolomites a holiday paradise for all lovers of the countryside and rural pursuits. This is a comprehensive guide to history, legends, customs, food, art and architecture. Whatever time of year you visit there is appropriate advice with information on transport, valleys, peaks, towns and villages. Practical information for skiers includes lift opening times in summer and winter and prices. This is also an ideal companion for walkers and cyclists with twenty-four walks listed and dozens of other hikes and cycle routes. As is the vogue with guides now, the publishers promise to update relevant information on an associated website.

THE SCENT OF WATER by Alison Hoblyn

The Scent of Water

TRANSITA 2005 £7.99 P APERBACK

llie, a middle-aged artist, needs to rebuild her life after the death of her husband. Filled with fear but yearning to get a hold on life once again, she enrols on a garden course in Tuscany one spring. Here she begins relationships with fellow students Nerine - an eccentric character in her seventies – and the much younger, and perplexing, Max. This is a lyrical novel, a journey through loss and change, to forgiveness, faith and new beginnings. Transita Ltd, the publishers, are devoted to publishing contemporary women’s fiction that provides insight, inspiration and encouragement to women in the prime of their lives and this work fits appropriately in the mix.

TO 34

ITALY

ORDER THE BOOKS REVIEWED ABOVE ( BY PHONE OR ONLINE ) – SEE THE M AGAZINE B OOKSHOP PAGES 36 AND 37

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ITALY

*Bookshop MAR

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BOOKSHOP

LIBRI The

magazine bookshop

the city of falling angels john berendt Hodder & Stroughton RRP: £20.00 Hardback OUR PRICE: £18.25 Code ITM00386 The author’s view of the world’s most beautiful, historic cities - Venice P&P UK £2.20 P&P EUROPE AND IRELAND £3.80 P&P USA AND REST OF WORLD (AIRMAIL) £6.40

Italian phrasebook Lonely Planet Publications RRP: £3.99 Paperback OUR PRICE: £3.64 Code ITM00358

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between the seas charles lister Secker & Warburg RRP: £16.99 Hardback OUR PRICE: £15.50 Code ITM00411

Lister’s journey is as exuberant and expansive as the country he visited P&P UK £2.00 P&P EUROPE AND IRELAND £3.80 P&P USA AND REST OF WORLD (AIRMAIL) £6.40

Learning Italian in Italy Louise Read Simon Read How to Books RRP: £12.99 Hardback OUR PRICE: £11.85 Code ITM000419 This guide is packed with information on planning and organising your trip

Authentic Italian family puddings, sweets and other recipes

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La Dolce Vita Ursula Ferrigno Mitchell Beazley RRP: £20.00 Paperback OUR PRICE: £18.25 Code ITM00405

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Walking in Italy Sandra Bardwell Lonely Planet Publications RRP: £12.99 Paperback OUR PRICE: £11.85 Code ITM00296

A look at Italy’s wealth of natural beauty, history and culture P&P UK £1.50 P&P EUROPE AND IRELAND £2.70 P&P USA AND REST OF WORLD (AIRMAIL) £4.30

Naples, Capri, Amalfi 2nd Edition Fodor’s Fodor’s RRP: £13.99 Paperback OUR PRICE: £12.77 Code ITM00110 Discover this beautiful region, with its sea-wreathed resorts and starlit isles P&P UK £1.50 P&P EUROPE AND IRELAND £2.75 P&P USA AND REST OF WORLD (AIRMAIL) £4.50

private tuscany elizabeth helmanminchilli Scriptum RRP: £16.95 Paperback OUR PRICE: £15.47 Code ITM00393 The spirit of living in Tuscany is captured in brilliant colour. P&P UK £2.20 P&P EUROPE AND IRELAND £3.60 P&P USA AND REST OF WORLD (AIRMAIL) £6.20

ORDER NOW FOR THE IDEAL GIFT Call 01305 266360 from UK or +44 (0)1305 266360 Call during ofﬁce hours and you can pay with debit/credit card. Please have your card and book details to hand

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Travel Writing

Over 125 delectable recipes for pastas, risottos, vegetables, salads and fruits

Travel Guide

Account of Mayes’ love affair with Italy, presenting her now truly at home

Food and Drink

Truly Italian Ursula Ferrigno Mitchell Beazley RRP: £14.99 Hardback OUR PRICE: £13.68 Code ITM000091

Travel Guide

Culture

Fiction

P&P UK £4.70 P&P EUROPE AND IRELAND £6.80 P&P USA AND REST OF WORLD (AIRMAIL) £12.20

A comprehensive phrasebook to help you in any situation

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from Overseas

Travel Writinf

P&P UK £1.00 P&P EUROPE AND IRELAND £1.750 P&P USA AND REST OF WORLD (AIRMAIL) £2.25

Travel Writing

Teach Yourself Buying a Home in Italy Peter Macbride & Giulia Gigliotti RRP £14.99 book and cd OUR PRICE: £13.49 Code ITM00168 This series gives help with every aspect of finding, buying and renovating a home

A journey through loss and change, to forgiveness, faith and new beginnings

Bella Tuscany Frances Mayes Bantam RRP: £7.99 Paperback OUR PRICE: £7.29 Code ITM00362

A beautifully-produced and lavishly illustrated ode to Tuscan good taste

Travel Writing

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living in tuscany barbara and rene stoeltie Taschen RRP: £14.99 Hardback OUR PRICE: £13.86 Code ITM0038

Greene on Capri Shirley Hazzard Virago RRP: £6.99 Paperback OUR PRICE: £6.38 Code ITM00218

A memoir about the author’s time spent with Graham Greene

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Language

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A comprehensive guide of walks and tours from the Carrara quarries down to southern Tuscany

Language

Tale of a summer journey from Milan to Rome on a Vespa

Venice Jack Altman and Barbara Ender-Jones PM Publications RRP: £3.99 Paperback OUR PRICE: £3.64 Code ITM00273 A guide to the dream city for art lovers and those just wanting to take a break

Tuscany Elizabeth mizon Sunflower Books RRP: £10.99 Paperback OUR PRICE: £10.03 Code ITM00457

Travel Writing

vroom with a view peter moore Banham RRP: £7.99 Paperback OUR PRICE: £7.29 Code ITM00452

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Travel Writing

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Travel Guide

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A comprehensive guide to history, legends, food and architecture

Fiction

A journey around the Mediterranean when the author was younger

History

An original and compelling retelling of a misunderstood chapter of Roman history

THE SCENT OF WATER Alison Hoblyn Transita RRP £7.99 Paperback OUR PRICE: £7.29 Code ITM00454

DOLOMITES AND EASTERN SOUTH TYROL Dietrich Hellhole Sunflower Books RRP £12.99 Paperback OUR PRICE: £11.85 Code ITM00456

Travel Writing

MEDITERRANEAN WINTER Robert D. Kaplan Arrow Books RRP £7.99 Paperback OUR PRICE: £7.29 Code ITM00453

Food amd Drink

69 AD-THE YEAR OF FOUR EMPERORS M.Gwyn Morgan Oxford University Press RRP £17.99 Hardback OUR PRICE: £16.42 Code ITM00455

Travel Writing

NEW t h i s m o n t h

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The following titles have been featured in our book reviews. Other titles are available online and can be despatched direct to you.

Italian Cinema mary p wood Berg Publishers RRP: £16.99 Paperback OUR PRICE: £15.50 Code ITM00329

Italian fashion including top designers and companies from Armani to Zegna P&P UK £1.50 P&P EUROPE AND EIRE £2.50 P&P USA AND REST OF WORLD (AIRMAIL) £3.70

Culture

Fashion, Italian Style Valeria STeele Yale Books RRP: £25 Hardback OUR PRICE: £22.81 Code ITM00311

cosi fan tutti michael dibdin Faber & Faber RRP: £6.99 Paperback OUR PRICE: £6.39 Code ITM00315

Elements of Italy Lisa St Aubin de Teran Virago RRP: £7.99 Paperback OUR PRICE: £7.29 Code ITM00217 An outstanding anthology presenting works from classic writers P&P UK £1.20 P&P EUROPE AND IRELAND £2.10 P&P USA AND REST OF WORLD (AIRMAIL) £3.50

Travel Writing

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Fiction

Like the rest of Italy, Naples is concerned about its image and trying to clean it up.

Culture

Motorcycle Journeys through Alps and Corsica john herman Whitehorse Press RRP: £21.50 Paperback OUR PRICE: £19.62 Code ITM00257 Each trip has a detailed route, easy-tofollow maps and unique photographs P&P UK £1.50 P&P EUROPE AND IRELAND £2.50 P&P USA AND REST OF WORLD (AIRMAIL) £4.50

straddling the borders martha cummings Branden RRP: £12.99 Paperback OUR PRICE: £11.85 Code ITM00264 An Italian-American moves to Italy to be with the grandfather she never knew P&P UK £1.20 P&P EUROPE AND IRELAND £2.10 P&P USA AND REST OF WORLD (AIRMAIL) £3.00

Travel Writing

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Travel Writing

roman art and architecture sir mortimer wheeler Thames and Hudson RRP: £8.95 Paperback OUR PRICE: £8.17 Code ITM00396 The classic on Roman architecture, town planning and sculpture

History Ancient

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An overview of one of the most prolific and influential of national cinemas

Rome Duncan garwood and kristen kimball Lonely Planet Publications RRP: £11.99 Paperback OUR PRICE: £10.94 Code ITM00317 All new easy-to-use maps, expanded listings, city life and itineraries P&P UK £1.50 P&P EUROPE AND IRELAND £2.50 P&P USA AND REST OF WORLD (AIRMAIL) £3.80

The Bay of Noon Shirley Hazzard Virago RRP: £7.99 Paperback OUR PRICE: £7.29 Code ITM00207

Travel Guide

What’s hot and what’s not from global nomad Herbert Ypma

General Fiction

Travel Guide

hip hotels: italy herbert ypma Thames and Hudson RRP: £18.95 Paperback OUR PRICE: £17.29 Code ITM00390

Among the protagonists is Jenny, in flight from Naples after a sombre drama P&P UK £1.00 P&P EUROPE AND IRELAND £2.00 P&P USA AND REST OF WORLD (AIRMAIL) £3.50

Check out the whole range of books and order online at

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*Language Page

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TEACH YOURSELF ITALIAN

La lingua

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Struggling with vocabulary? Put off by mountains of grammar? Tongue-tied and blushing when trying to speak a new language? The Elisabeth Smith starter kits have come to the rescue! For anyone who thinks they’re ‘past it’ or ‘hopeless at languages’ this sevenweek course has been designed to take things nice and easy, building up confidence and knowledge steadily. The starter kits are full of great tools: there’s a coursebook, flash cards for words and phrases, and a ‘Personal Tutor’ on two CDs. There’s also a ‘Traveller’s Companion’ full of essential holiday language for shopping, getting about, eating out and more.

Teach Yourself Italian Conversation Maria Guarnieri & Federica Sturani RRP £14.99 3xCDs pack with booklet OUR PRICE: £13.49 Code ITM00171 All-audio conversations provide a great way for absolute beginners to learn and for everyone to improve their communication skills. Each course is centred around 20 realistic dialogues. The first two CDs contain the language you need to speak and understand, without getting overloaded with grammar. The subjects covered are those typically encountered on holiday or on business abroad. The third CD, teaches skills for listening, so you can understand what’s being said back to you. You can use the conversation courses on their own or as an accompaniment to both the beginner’s and the complete series.

Teach Yourself Italian Phrasebook Vincent Edwards & Gianfranca Gessa Shepheard RRP £3.99 OUR PRICE: £3.59 Code ITM00170 Our brand new phrasebooks are essential accessories for travellers of all ages. Each title in the range is packed full of essential everyday words and phrases covering all the situations you are likely to encounter whilst abroad, such as finding accommodation, eating and drinking and getting around. There’s a pronunciation guide at the start of the book, and every word listed has an anglicised version to make learning the language easier. Throughout there are useful tips for the traveller, plus an alphabetical dictionary at the end providing fast and easy access to vocabulary when the need arises.

Need to learn enough of a language to feel confident on holiday, but don’t want to work through a book? The One-Day Italian provides a 75-minute all-audio crash-course that’s gain without pain. No studying, no grammar, just some fast and entertaining reallife speaking practice. With only 50 words to learn, the one-day series provides a quick-fix lifeline for all holidaymakers so they can get the most out of any trip abroad. The author, Elisabeth Smith, has been teaching languages worldwide for 30 years and is the UK’s number one foreign languages author.

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Teach Yourself Italian Starter Kit Elisabeth Smith RRP £24.99 OUR PRICE: £22.49 Code ITM00177

Collins Express Italian Dictionary Collins RRP: £8.99 Paperback OUR PRICE: £7.99 Code ITM00205

Pocket-sized if you have big pockets, this is the ideal travel companion or quick reference guide. With a wipe-clean cover to cope with travel eventualities there are over 600 pages of text. Comprising a comprehensive Italian/English section and extensive English/Italian section, the book includes some added extras, with the Italian section incorporating a pronunciation guide for each entry plus a chapter of word games. There is also a wealth of modern and idiomatic phrases not normally found in a dictionary this size. Good value for money. P&P UK £1.70 P&P EUROPE AND IRELAND £3.00 P&P USA AND REST OF WORLD (AIRMAIL) £5.00

Teach Yourself Quick Fix Italian Grammar Vittoria Bowles RRP £5.99 OUR PRICE: £5.39 Code ITM00192 These pocket-sized books are designed to provide instant help to those learning a language and needing to get to grips quickly with the most important grammar points. This series is ideal for the absolute beginner or the intermediate student wanting to check grammar points quickly and easily. P&P UK £1.25 P&P Europe and Ireland £2.00 P&P USA and Rest of World (airmail) £3.20

Teach Yourself One-Day Italian Elisabeth Smith RRP £6.99 CD OUR PRICE: £6.29 Code ITM0016

Teach Yourself Italian Vocabulary Mike Zollo RRP £8.99 OUR PRICE: £8.09 Code ITM00195

Teach Yourself World Cultures Italy Derek Aust & Mike Zollo RRP £9.99 OUR PRICE: £8.99 Code ITM00191

Teach Yourself Italian Verbs Maria Bonacina RRP £8.99 OUR PRICE: £8.09 Code ITM00194

The World Cultures range gives you everything you ever wanted to know about your chosen country in one book. Designed to enrich your course, or any stay abroad, the topics covered include language, culture, geography, food and drink, fashion and the practicalities of living.

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If you are learning a new language or refreshing your skills and you need an easy guide to how verbs work, this series is for you. With full coverage of 200 frequently used verbs and an extensive glossary, these books are perfect for students at all levels.

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Teach Yourself beginner’s Italian Vittoria Bowles RRP £8.99 book (178) OUR PRICE: £8.09 RRP £20.99 book and dbl cd (179) OUR PRICE: £18.89 RRP £20.99 book and dbl cassette (180) OUR PRICE: £18.89 RRP £14.99 dbl cd (181) OUR PRICE: £13.49 RRP £14.99 dbl cas (182) OUR PRICE: £13.49 Code ITM00––– Please add the code number of the format you require when ordering

Teach Yourself complete Italian Lydia Vellaccio & Maurice Elston RRP £9.99 book (183) OUR PRICE: £8.99 RRP £22.99 book and dbl cd (184) OUR PRICE: £20.69 RRP £22.99 book and dbl cassette (185) OUR PRICE: £20.69 RRP £14.99 dbl cd (186) OUR PRICE: £13.49 RRP £14.99 dbl cas (187) OUR PRICE: £13.49 Code ITM00––– Please add the code number of the format you require when ordering

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The beginner’s courses are written for complete beginners who want to move at a steady pace and have lots of opportunities to practise new language skills. Grammar is explained very clearly and we do not assume that you have studied a language before. All the basics of both written and verbal communication are covered, and you will learn everything you need to get the most out of a holiday or to go on to further study.

Each course provides a comprehensive guide to understanding, speaking and writing the language. The courses are straightforward and clear, offering a thorough grounding in the basics. Progress is fast, and by the end of the course you will be able to communicate with confidence in a wide range of situations. These courses are ideal if you want to brush up on rusty language skills or develop your knowledge to a high standard.

The instant courses provide a quick and easy way to get you speaking a language in no time. The fast, grammar-free approach will appeal to anyone who wants to cut out the frills and concentrate on the essentials. This No1 foreign languages author has been teaching her successful ‘instant’ courses worldwide for 30 years. With clearly structured learning, split into 35-45 minute chunks, Elisabeth guides you through all the basics, building up your confidence and ability rapidly.

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DUAL LANGUAGE

Peter Moore rides a vintage scooter from Milan to Rome. Try reading the Italian version first then check with the English version below

JOYS OF THE VESPA

KNEW MY DREAM of riding from Milan to Rome on an old Vespa was going to work when the woman at the Italian DVLA agreed to speed up the paperwork if the owner of the bike took her to lunch. It should have taken six weeks but with a pizza and vino in a romantic bar in Milan, they were stamped and issued immediately. It seems there is an ‘Italian solution’ to any problem. This flexible approach towards regulations proved rather fortunate. I didn’t know it was impossible for a foreigner to register a vintage motorcycle in Italy. Nor did I realise that the special licence plates for foreigners were only for brand new bikes. I’d bought my vintage Vespa on eBay Italy on a whim, pursuing a dream I’d had since a teenager watching old movies like La Dolce Vita and Roman Holiday. I put in my bid and five days, six hours and twenty-three minutes later I was the proud owner of a 1961 Vespa with saddle seats and a little too much chrome. I now had seven days to send 21200 to a man in Milan I’d never met for a bike I’d never seen and that I couldn’t legally own. But Gianni, the previous owner, answered my feverish, concerned emails with Latin nonchalance. I could pay him when I arrived in Milan and I could keep it registered in his name until I was ready to export it. What appeared to my Anglo-Saxon mind an insurmountable wall of red tape was an intriguing obstacle to be circumvented to Gianni’s more Latin mindset.

FOR LOVE

THE VESPA

I took close to three months to meander from Milan to Rome. I came to rely upon people bending the rules to help me. Gianni not only agreed to keep the bike in his name but he helped me arrange membership of ACI, the local AA. The first time I called them out, the rescue truck took me to a mechanic who worked on old Vespas and who took me to a five-star hunting lodge and convinced the manager to house and feed me for less than 40 euros. In Siena I was allowed to park only metres from Il Campo. And in central Rome a Municipal policewoman turned a blind eye when I set off down a road restricted to residents and delivery trucks. Of course, it helped that I was riding an old Vespa. The Italian government has a policy of Rottamazione, paying people 21000 to crush their old bikes to meet EU emission levels, so there are very few vintage Vespas left on the road.

ITALY

I learned that the Vespa holds a special place in Italian hearts. For older generations it was cheap family transport in the post-war years. To teenagers in the 60s and 70s it was a cheap yet stylish ticket to freedom. Every Vespa has a story. Mine was originally bought by a young man specifically to court his future wife. It was loaded with accessories – not to look flash, but to convince his future father-in-law that he was a man of means. (The second seat, however, was intended to ensure his girlfriend wasn’t too saddle-sore to say yes when he finally popped the question). I met another chap whose whole family used to go on the Vespa every Sunday to the local village. Sometimes they had to choose between buying petrol or pizza. If pizza, father had to push the Vespa home.

WORDS

FOR

YOUR VOCABULARY BOOK

My rudimentary Italian became supplemented with helpful phrases. Non scintilla – no spark. Scoppia – it blasts (backfires). Puntini – points. I also learned the names the different regions gave the voluptuous curved cowls at the back of Vespas. In Livorno they called them puppe – breasts. In Lucca they were polmoni – lungs. The Romans were the most accurate, calling them chiappe – buttocks. There is no better way to see Italy than on a Vespa. I could feel the sun and smell the freshly cut hay. I had to travel on minor roads, past stone villas and fields of sunflowers. I could ignore traffic restrictions and ride through ancient towns. The hook under the seat was perfect for the breads, cheeses, hams and tomatoes that I bought. When I finally got to Rome my girlfriend joined me and we had a fantastic time pretending we were in Roman Holiday. (Sally made a good Audrey Hepburn. I was a decidedly low-rent Gregory Peck.) We scooted up cobbled streets past the Coliseum and the Pantheon and to the tiny cafes and restaurants of Trastevere. Riding a vintage Vespa in Italy was an impossibly romantic way to see this impossibly romantic country and one, I should point out, that should not be taken lightly – within six months of our weekend in Rome, Sally and I were married! italy Vroom with a View by Peter Moore is available through our bookshop on page 36. For more pictures visit www.petermoore.net

*Dual LangMAR

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ITALY ON A VESPA

LE GIOIE DI AVERE UNA VESPA

Italian translation

APEVO CHE il mio sogno di andare da Milano a Roma su una vecchia Vespa si sarebbe realizzato quando la signora presso l’equivalente in Italia del DVLA ha convenuto di sbrigare più velocemente la pratica se il proprietario del motorino l’avesse invitata a pranzo. Sarebbe stato necessario sei settimane ma con una pizza e del vino in un romantico bar a Milano, i fogli sono stati vidimati e rilasciati immediatamente. Sembra che ci sia una ‘soluzione italiana’ a qualsiasi problema. Questo approccio alla burocrazia si è dimostrato efficace. Non sapevo che è impossibile per uno straniero registrare una motocicletta d’epoca in Italia. Così come non sapevo che le targhe speciali per gli stranieri sono disponibili solo per le moto nuove di zecca. Avevo comprato la mia Vespa d’epoca su eBay Italy d’istinto, inseguendo un sogno che avevo avuto sin da ragazzo guardando vecchi film come La Dolce Vita e Vacanze Romane. Ho inserito la mia offerta e cinque giorni, sei ore e venti tre minuti dopo sono diventato l’orgoglioso proprietario di una Vespa del 1961 con i sedili a sella e un pò troppa cromatura. A questo punto avevo sette giorni per mandare 21200 a una persona a Milano che non avevo mai incontrato per una moto che non avevo mai visto e che non potevo legalmente possedere. Ma Gianni, il proprietario precedente, ha risposto ai miei messaggi nervosi e pieni di preoccupazione di posta elettronica con calma latina. L’avrei pagato appena giunto a Milano e l’avrei potuta tenere registrata a nome suo fino a quando ero pronto ad esportarla. Ciò che sembrava alla mia mente da anglo sassone un muro insormontabile di burocrazia era invece per la mente più latina di Gianni un intrigante ostacolo da aggirare.

ITALIAN TRANSL ATION COURTES Y OF ANDREA ANTONIONI. PHOTOGRAPHS COURTES Y OF PETER MOORE.

PER AMORE

DELLA

VESPA

Ho impiegato quasi tre mesi per avventurarmi da Milano a Roma. Sono giunto ad appoggiarmi a persone che hanno piegato le regole per aiutarmi. Gianni non solo ha accettato di tenere la moto a suo nome ma mi ha aiutato ad organizzare la registrazione presso l’ACI, la AA locale. La prima volta che ho richiesto il loro intervento, il carro attrezzi di soccorso mi ha portato ad un meccanico che lavorava su vecchie Vespe e che mi ha portato in un ricovero a cinque stelle e ha convinto il direttore ad ospitarmi e a darmi da mangiare per meno di 40 euro. A Siena mi è stato concesso di parcheggiare a pochi metri da Il Campo. E al centro di Roma una vigilessa ha chiuso un occhio quando sono andato giù per una strada riservata ai residenti e ai furgoni porta consegne. Certamente, ha aiutato il fatto che guidavo una vecchia Vespa. Il governo italiano ha una politica della

Rottamazione, pagando 21000 alle persone che demoliscono le loro vecchie moto per soddisfare i livelli di emissioni della UE, così ci sono pochissime Vespe d’epoca rimaste sulla strada. Ho capito che la Vespa ha un posto speciale nei cuori degli italiani. Per le vecchie generazioni era un economico mezzo di trasporto negli anni dopo la guerra. Per i ragazzi negli anni sessanta e settanta costituiva un lasciapassare a buon mercato ma di stile verso la libertà. Ogni Vespa ha una storia. La mia è stata originariamente comprata da un giovane uomo specificamente per corteggiare la sua futura moglie. Era carica di accessori – non per pavoneggiarsi, ma per convincere il suo futuro suocero che egli era un uomo ricco. (Il secondo sedile, tuttavia, aveva lo scopo di assicurarsi che la sua fidanzata non avesse un dolore troppo forte al sedere per poter dire sì quando lui avrebbe finalmente fatto la sua richiesta). Ho incontrato un’altra persona la cui intera famiglia andava in Vespa ogni domenica al vicino paese. A volte dovevano decidere se comprare la benzina o la pizza. Se prendevano la pizza, il padre doveva spingere la Vespa fino a casa.

PAROLE

PER

TUO

VOCABOLARIO

Il mio Italiano rudimentale è stato arricchito da utili frasi. Non scintilla, Scoppia (batte in testa), Puntine. Ho anche imparato i nomi che le diverse regioni hanno dato alle voluttuose curvature nella parte posteriore delle Vespe. A Livorno le chiamano puppe – seni. A Lucca si chiamano polmoni. I romani sono i più precisi, chiamandole chiappe. Non c’è un modo migliore di vedere l’Italia che su una Vespa. Potevo sentire il sole e odorare il fieno appena tagliato. Dovevo andare su piccole stradine, davanti a ville in pietra e campi di girasoli. Potevo ignorare le restrizioni del traffico e andare attravero antiche città. Il gancio sotto al sedile era perfetto per il pane, il formaggio, il prosciutto e i pomodori che compravo. Quando alla fine sono arrivato a Roma la mia fidanzata mi ha raggiunto e ci siamo molto divertiti facendo finta che eravamo in Vacanze Romane. (Sally ha fatto una buona Audrey Hepburn. Io ero uno scarso Gregory Peck.) Abbiamo sfrecciato lungo strade a selciato davanti al Colosseo e il Panteon e davanti a piccoli bar e ristoranti di Trastevere. Guidare una Vespa d’epoca in Italia era un modo incredibilmente romantico di vedere questo paese incredibilmente romantico e uno, dovrei sottolineare, che non dovrebbe essere preso alla leggera – entro sei mesi dal nostro finesettimana a Roma, Sally e io eravamo sposati! italy

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LIFEST YLE

Images by Adam Butler

NSCONCED high up a steep mountainside, hundreds of feet above the intensely blue expanse of the Mediterranean Sea, is a delightful stone and stucco house called Villa Ciana. It is practically invisible from the road that runs directly below the house; this is due to its location, secluded within a natural, almost shell-like enclave hollowed out from the hillside that continues up to the highest summits of the Argentario promontory off the coast of Tuscany. This shelters it from the harsh northern winter winds and offers the most unbelievable panorama southwards over a long stretch of dramatically rugged

VILLA

coastline, towards the point where the eponymous ancient watchtower ‘Torre Ciana’ is located, one of the many along the Argentario coastline which were built during more belligerent times under Siennese rule in the 15th century and the Spanish presence from the 16th century. The entire promontory of the Argentario – roughly 20 miles around – is dotted with similar ancient watchtowers and wonderful bays along the coastline, and the steep and often rocky slopes that rise sometimes precipitously from the sea on all sides culminate at over 2000 feet at the highest point called Punta Telegrafo.

Ciana

Adam Butler visits a stunning villa on the Argentario coast

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AN ITALIAN HOME

WHO DARES, WINS… ACCESS An extremely rough, unsurfaced road joins Torre Ciana to the next tower, Torre delle Cannelle, at the other extremity of the sweeping bay below, and it was by battling up this route amidst an unspoilt landscape of typically Mediterranean macchia, with the incomparably beautiful view of the Tyrrhenian Sea below, that Cecilia and Cesare Puccioni decided to buy this old mountain house in the late 1970s. The nearest town is Porto Ercole on the southern side of the promontory, over half a dozen kilometres away behind Punta Ciana with its watchtower, but the Puccioni’s idea was to have a place that was not only very secluded, but whose only access was an extremely inaccessible road. As a consequence, total silence reigns in this delightfully hospitable corner of the world, as even today only the most intrepid adventurers drive up along the treacherous road. This is due to the local government’s insistence that the Argentario should never have a conjoined link of smooth ring roads (so that the traffic will never be intense as in many other areas of the Italian coastline) and thus the peace and tranquillity and the unique natural flora and fauna will be preserved.

Much of the Argentario is also a nature reserve, and the warm climate allows an effervescent blooming of evergreen shrubs including maritime pines, olive trees, carob, cypress, juniper, lentisk, broom, thyme, rosemary, laurel and lavender.

STEEPLE

S TA B L E ?

The front elevation of the villa could almost be a chapel, but it was most probably originally an agricultural building. Cesare and Cecilia converted it into a simple arrangement of comfortable rooms on two levels, allowing as much exposure to the delightful outdoor space as possible. There are doors giving access from all parts of the house to the terraces and gardens on each side, which cascade with colourful bougainvilleas and flowering plants. The pathways consist of stone slabs set into the ground as steps, or just stone staircases, in keeping with the natural look of the house. The interiors are resplendent with character and personality, being built as they are with the warm pastel-coloured stucco typical of Italian architecture, and each room has antique furniture,

The front elevation of the villa could almost be a chapel…

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The simply furnished bedrooms are both comfortable and peacefulâ&#x20AC;Ś paintings and watercolours by local artists. In the upper sitting room are two tables with a collection of shells, redolent of the sea which is visible from practically every room. The simply furnished bedrooms are both comfortable and peaceful, and the bathrooms are mostly fitted with traditional sinks, taps and cast iron bath tubs. In the lower sitting room, a huge stone fireplace dating back several centuries is lit in the colder months, and this is sufficient to warm the entire house above. A little television sits here, but the inhabitants generally enjoy other pursuits such as reading, discussions, meetings with friends and family.

e g

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AN ITALIAN HOME

of an oak tree) is resplendently set with a multitude of delicious Tuscan offerings – as is common in this hospitable and gastronomically advanced part of Italy – and no other meal or dinner experience can ever begin to compare. Once arrived at this villa, the peace and beauty make it hard to leave but there are several winding roads that lead up and across the mountainous promontory, offering stunning vistas of all the bays and the sea below, and the islands of Giglio and Giannutri on the western horizon. The Argentario is still quite under-developed, and relatively few tourists come here. Strict controls have kept the promontory free of speculative building, and the natural beauty is truly magnificent. italy The Puccioni family occasionally rent out this villa when they are not there, for further details please contact Ginevra on 07771 658 855.

DINING AREA TO DIE FOR The Puccioni family – now consisting of grown up children and even grandchildren – all like to congregate here in the warm summer months where the many loggias and terraces offer options for reading, relaxing or just languishing in the sunshine. The swimming pool by the side of the house offers the chance to cool off, and to imagine being in the warm sea which can be seen behind a row of cypress trees. In the evenings, the dining terrace in the upper loggia above the pool offers a wonderful view of the bay below and the night sky above, and provides for a truly memorable dinner setting. Lit only by candles, lanterns and the twinkling stars, the huge table (made from a single wide slice

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LE DONNE

DEL VINO

Wine-making is not the exclusive province of men, as Marc Millon discovers

Pictures cour tesy of Kim Millon

INE has long been considered the domain of men. Men grow grapes. Men make wine. Men travel the country and the world to sell wine. Men purchase wine. And men get together to drink wine. Yet in reality this is far from the truth! Today women are more involved in wine than ever before. Women winemakers produce some of Italy’s greatest wines. Women are running some of Italy’s most stylish enoteche. There are top women sommeliers that work in

some of the country’s best restaurants. And there are many highly respected women wine writers and journalists. This situation is a reflection of the evolution of both Italian wine and Italian society itself. It was really only in the late 1960s and early ’70s that quality Italian wine began to gain a national and international reputation. The old tenant farmers who worked under the centuriesold system of sharecropping known as la mezzadria were leaving the land, and there was an exodus from country to city. Many wine estates were abandoned and this gave the opportunity for newcomers to transform the wine country. Faith Willinger (left), the well-respected American food, wine and travel author who has been a resident of Tuscany for over thirty years, recalls this period of transition and the self-awareness that suddenly transformed the Italian wine scene. ‘When I first came here, wine was just something we drank,’ she recollects. ‘However, I remember an astonishing wine epiphany that happened about twenty-five years ago when I had my first taste of Le Pergole Torte (a pioneering Sangiovese-based ‘super Tuscan’ vino da tavolo). It was a true revelation of how great the wines of Italy – and particularly the wines of Tuscany – could aspire to be.’

Faith Willinger www.faithwillinger.com

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WOMEN IN WINE

result achieved with the assistance of expert female tasters, including Maureen Ashley MW, Astrid Schwarz, enoteca owner and expert wine taster, Daniela Scrobogna, one of Italy’s best sommeliers, and Italian-American Marina Thompson, PR and wine expert.

MAKING WINE BY HAND

AND

BY FOOT

Stefania Pepe, another founder member of Le Donne del Vino in Abruzzo, has had wine running in her veins almost from birth. ‘I was born inside the wine business,’ she says proudly. ‘First my grandfather, then my father were making wine… all by hand and foot! I remember when I was only five years old, pressing the grapes and feeling the tickling under my piedi nudi. I guess I was not really a normal girl. I was always too tired to go out dancing with my friends.’

LE DONNE

DEL

VINO – WOMEN

WINE

‘Women have always worked in wine,’ continues Faith, ‘but previously they had unofficial, underground roles, as wives or daughters. Now, all of a sudden, women were able to take leading roles as the new world of Italian wine became increasingly high profile. That is why the creation of Le Donne del Vino was so significant and exciting. I am proud to have been a founder member.’ Le Donne del Vino was born in 1988, with the express aim of recognising the achievements of women in wine. Today there are more than 700 members from all sectors of the wine world and from every region in Italy, as well as a limited number of international members.

CASATO PRIMO DONNE Donatella Cinelli Colombini (above, left), a leading winemaker in Tuscany and a founder member of Le Donne del Vino, is perhaps unusual in that she grew up with mother Francesca Colombini as a role model. Francesca’s family estate, the Fattoria dei Barbi e del Casato, was the source of not just world-class Brunello wine but also olives and other agricultural crops as well as livestock for the production of traditional Tuscan salumi and pecorino cheese. Donatella was thus raised in a family where it was accepted that women could play a leading role in the production of fine wine. It was natural to go into this profession, she says, because ‘of all agricultural products, wine is the most noble and refined’. Donatella’s own Casato Prime Donne estate is most definitely a very feminine winery in every way, as even the name suggests. In the cantina, the barrels and new oak barriques are arranged comfortably around frescoes depicting the history of Montalcino. And here the winemakers are all women, something still considered revolutionary for Italy. ‘This is to prove,’ says Donatella, ‘that the so-called ‘weaker sex’ can compete in the highest levels of oenology. I believe that women most certainly can produce wines that are as great.’ Donatella’s flagship wine is called Brunello di Montalcino ‘Prime Donne’. Produced only in the finest years, it is a collaborative

Donatella Cinelli Colombini Le Fattorie di Donatella Cinelli Colombini Casato Prime Donne 53024 Montalcino (Siena) tel: (+39) 0577 849421 fax: (+39) 0577 849353 (+39 )0577 email: vino@cinellicolombini.it www.cinellicolombini.it Associazione Nazionale ‘Le Donne del Vino’ Via S. Vittore al Teatro, 3 20123 Milano tel and fax: (+39) 02 867577 email: info@ledonnedelvino.com www.ledonnedelvino.com

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Stefania (below) was the first woman in her family to become directly involved in the making and marketing of wine. ‘Our land is very traditional. My parents had only three girls, no man, so I got the chance.’ Stefania went to university and there became passionate about organic grapegrowing and biodynamic winemaking. At the time, few producers in Italy were following this path, but she was convinced that it was the strada to make even better wine. It is a method entirely in tune with the natural processes of winemaking followed by the family, including pigiatura ai piedi – pressing the grapes by foot. ‘Why do I do this? Because the wine is better! Natural wine – wine made by hand and foot – ages better. It has more natural power. And when you drink it, you can really taste and feel the difference. We have been certified organic since 1996 and I’ve now integrated this with biodynamic methods of production.’ I wonder, do women make wines necessarily different from wines made by men? ‘Sure! I can guarantee it,’ says Stefania. ‘In 1993 I made my first wine in the wine cellar of my father, using the same grapes from the same vineyard. My wine was completely different from his: much rounder, more balanced, softer and more velvety. Wines take on the personality of the person who make them, just as a dog becomes similar in nature to its owner.’

THE LUNGAROTTI SISTERS AND WORLD OF WINE

THEIR

Chiara Lungarotti, Vice President of Le Donne del Vino, believes that the work of the association is very important. Says Chiara, ‘The world of wine has been a masculine domain for millennia. We want to bring a breath of fresh air and more balance. The road is long, but we have embarked on it with a spring in our step.’ Chiara and her sister Teresa Severini (above) are in charge of their family Lungarotti wine estate in Torgiano, Umbria. Chiara’s father and Teresa’s stepfather Giorgio Lungarotti was a visionary agronomist who transformed the Torgiano countryside into a specialist

Stefania Pepe Azienda BioVitivinicola Peep Via Chiesa, 10 64010 Torano Nuovo (Te) tel and fax: (+39) 0861 856493 email: info@montepulcianodabruzzo.it www.montepulcianodabruzzo.it

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Chiara Lungarotti and Teresa Severini Cantine Giorgio Lungarotti, Via Mario Angeloni, 16, 06089 Torgiano PG tel: (+39) 075 988661 Fax: (+39) 075 9886650 email: lungarotti@lungarotti.it www.lungarotti.it

zone of viticulture. Their mother, Maria Grazia, has been an equally inspirational influence An art historian and Director of the Lungarotti Foundation, she has worked to place wine within a broader cultural context through the creation of the Museo del Vino and the Museo dell’Olio. These are no mere collections of old wine and oil presses and the like, but serious museums with artefacts dating back to Etruscan times, and splendid works of art that place the production, consumption and enjoyment of wine and olive oil within the context of Western civilisation. ‘The works of my father and my mother were absolutely complementary,’ says Chiara proudly. ‘My mother’s love of art was perfectly integrated with my father’s practicality in transforming the countryside, and in this way Torgiano has become a veritable ‘wine world’.’ Today, Teresa is the winemaker at the Lungarotti estate. She origi-nally studied botany but discovered a passion for oenology and was one of the first women in Italy to become a qualified professional winemaker. Indeed, in those early years, when Italian wine producers travelled all over the world, Teresa was often the only woman. Today Teresa looks after group communications and works closely, together with Chiara, with winemaker consultants Denis Dubourdieu and Lorenzo Landi and with resident oenologist Vicenzo Pepe. ‘A good winemaker makes wines that reflect not only the terroir but also the personality of the producer. This is fundamental!’ says Teresa. Indeed, it is fascinating to contrast some of the classic, muscular and traditional Lungarotti wines such as Rubesco Riserva ‘vigna Monticchio’ and the super-Umbrian San Giorgio IGT with the more modern, supple – dare I suggest, more feminine – wines that have been created under the guidance of Teresa and Chiara, such as the stunning Giubilante IGT (an intriguing modern blend of Sangiovese, Syrah and Merlot). Le Donne del Vino demonstrates a vitality that embodies the dynamic energy, precision, creativity and passion that women are adding to the world of Italian wine. In every way, it is a world that has grown ever richer, more colourful, and more beautiful as the result of their efforts and contributions. Long may it continue! italy

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putting the into life! Germaine Stafford learns how to put the zing back into her cooking with these fabulous lemon recipes from Erminia Cuomo Images cour tesy of Germaine Staf ford

T IS ALMOST impossible to talk of the Amalfi coast without the mind’s eye conjuring up images of snaking coastal roads flanked by mountainsides covered in neat terraces of lemon groves. The area’s history of growing lemons dates back centuries, and if the local lemon industry has somewhat diminished over the years, the quality of its lemons certainly hasn’t. Up in the village of Furore, pleasantly removed from the bustle of the better-known hot spots on the coast, lemon expert Antonio Ferraioli, who along with his family runs the hotel-restaurant Bacco, explains to me exactly what it is that makes these sfusato amalfitano lemons so special. ‘The first thing you notice is their incredibly intense scent, and then also the elongated shape, the knobbly peel with its unusually high content of essential oils, the abundance of juice they yield, and the near absence of pips – all these things make this a unique type of lemon. So much so that they now enjoy an I.G.P. (Indicazione Geografica Protteta) status which acts as a guarantee that the lemons have been cultivated respecting traditional farming methods and following the Rules for Production that dictate, for example, the use of dry stone containment walls for the terracing and that the trees be grown under pergolas of chestnut wood.’

It’s hardly surprising then, that lemons feature heavily in local recipes, and not just in sweets and desserts, but throughout the whole menu. What could be simpler or more appetising than a meal of pasta or rice conjured up in the blink of an eye with little more than a generous grating of lemon zest as its main flavour? Or an aromatic plate of stuffed squid or cuttlefish like the one Antonio’s sister-in-law Erminia Cuomo prepared for me? But a quick look around the Ferraioli family’s hotel shows that in this part of the world, lemons are more than a simple fruit. In the breakfast area sits a plate bearing lemons the size of rugby balls that exude a delicate and exotic perfume that pervades the whole room, and in the dining room, baskets and platters piled high with lemons serve as centrepieces to the tables. Along the walls, sideboards are laden with lemon-scented biscuits and sweets, jams and liqueurs, and from the terrace outside the window you can admire the hotel’s lemon groves that pull the eye gently but inexorably seawards. And you could gaze, enchanted, for hours if it weren’t for the irresistible aromas coming from the kitchen that pull you gently but inexorably back indoors… italy

fresh a n ch ov i e s with l e m o n j u i c e

alici marinate al limone

Although you might not ﬁnd lemons from Amalﬁ in your local market, do take time to pick the most fragrant lemons on offer. You really will taste the difference.

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I N G R E D I E N T S ( s e r v e s fo u r p e o p l e ) 700g fresh anchovies salt freshly squeezed juice of 6 untreated lemons 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp dried oregano extra lemons for decoration Preparation First attempts at deheading and boning these delicate little fish can often result in some raggedy looking specimens, but after the first few tries things get easier. Remove the head and the interiors then gently flatten fish open with your thumb and tease the backbone away from the flesh, leaving the tail intact (this helps keep the alici from falling apart.) Leave anchovies under gently running water for ten minutes, after which drain them well. Arrange a layer of dry anchovies in a terrine, sprinkle with salt and spoon over some of the lemon juice. Continue with the layers until all anchovies and lemon juice have been used and leave to marinade for at least four hours. To serve, drain off lemon juice, dry anchovy fillets and arrange them on a platter. Drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with dried oregano, arranging wedges of lemon around the platter for decoration. (Some flakes of dried chilli or a little chopped parsley can also be added if wanted.)

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RECIPES WITH LEMONS

fusilli with lemon Simple and essential, this dish typiﬁes the Italians’ gift for turning whatever they have to hand into a feast. Serve when you have unexpected guests, when you don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen or when (magari!) you have more lemons than you know what to do with.

I N G R E D I E N T S ( s e r v e s fo u r p e o p l e ) 2 untreated lemons 125g shelled walnuts small bunch flat leaf parsley extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper 350g fusilli from Gragnano 100g Provolone del Monaco cheese, grated (or substitute with normal provolone) 1 lemon, sliced, for decoration Preparation Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil for the pasta. Peel lemons, taking care only to remove the yellow part of the peel and avoiding the bitter white pith. Finely chop lemon peel, walnuts and parsley. Pour a generous swirl of olive oil into a shallow saucepan or frying pan and heat. Add the lemon peel, walnuts and parsley, and sauté for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper. In the meantime, cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Drain pasta and add to the lemon mixture. Toss well and at the last minute mix in the grated provolone. Serve immediately on plates decorated with slices of lemon.

fusilli al limone

seppie ripiene al limone lemon filled cuttlefish Using only the zest of the lemon in the stuffing results in a fragrant, almost sweet-tasting, filling that perfectly complements the cuttlefish exterior. (Squid can be used in place of the cuttlefish if you prefer.)

I N G R E D I E N T S ( s e r v e s fo u r p e o p l e ) 4 cuttlefish extra virgin olive oil 100g stale bread made into breadcrumbs (shop-bought breadcrumbs don’t work) 50g lemon peel, cut into thin pieces 50g capers, rinsed 50g Grana Padano cheese, grated 2 eggs, beaten salt glass of dry white wine Preparation Cut tentacles from cuttlefish, and remove the guts, eyes and beak. Then remove the cuttlebone from the main body. Rinse cuttlefish thoroughly under cold running water. Chop tentacles into small pieces. Heat a good swirl of olive oil in a frying pan, add chopped tentacles and fry gently for 10 minutes. Mix cooked tentacles (and juice) with the breadcrumbs, chopped lemon zest, capers and Grana and bind with the beaten eggs. Season with salt. Spoon stuffing into the cuttlefish bodies and arrange cuttlefish in an ovenproof dish. Add the glass of white wine to the bottom of the dish and drizzle the cuttlefish with olive oil. Cook in an oven preheated to 180°C for 45 minutes and serve hot.

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lemon liqueur Here in Furore, lemon liqueur is traditionally made in March and September, at the beginning and end of the main lemon season. For best results, choose lemons that are not quite ripe and are still slightly green in colour.

I N G R E D I E N T S ( fo r a p p ro x 1 1/ 2 l i t re s ) 1 litre boiled, cooled water 800g caster sugar 3 untreated garden lemons 800ml grain alcohol

Bacco is an attractive hotel-restaurant in the small village of Furore half way between Amalfi and Agerola with its terrace and dining room offering amazing views of both sea and mountain. The cooking is authentic and imaginative and the seasonal menus offer a tempting range of local specialties and products. ALBERGO-RISTORANTE BACCO VIA LAMA, 9 84010 FURORE (SA) Tel: (+39) 089 830360 Email: info@baccofurore.it Website: www.baccofurore.it

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rosolio di limone

Preparation Pour the water into a large jar. Add the sugar, cover and shake each day until sugar has completely dissolved. In the meantime, grate the rind from the lemons, being careful not to include any of the bitter white pith and leave to soak in 200ml of the alcohol for eight days, stirring the mixture often during the ďŹ rst three or four of these days. (In winter keep in a reasonably warm part of the house.) After eight days, strain the mixture through a piece of damp muslin or cheesecloth material, squeezing residue well to extract essential oils. Mix lemon-scented alcohol with the remaining 600ml of alcohol and leave to rest for a further 24 hours. The next day, mix together the alcohol mixture with the sugar and water mixture and pour into a large bottle or demijohn. Leave for 15 days, remembering to shake bottle every so often, after which ďŹ lter liqueur through a piece of muslin or cheesecloth inserted into a funnel, as many times as italybefore serving. necessary to obtain a clear liquid. Chill well

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e t i h w HOT

this summer

White is the new Black for Spring/Summer 2006. WARNING: It is high maintenance – but Gilly Turney reckons it’s worth it!

NE OF THE STRONGEST looks to come out of Milan for this Spring/Summer was white. Indeed it wasn’t just Italian designers who homed in on white for their new collections, it was a look interpreted by influential designers across the globe. An antidote to the stark, sombre black or the opulent velvet and textured looks worn this winter; the antithesis of the hippyesque, layered trends of last summer, white feels so right for the new season with its cool, crisp, feminine image. Suddenly there is a fresh new feel about the way women will be dressing whether it be city slick office wear, a wisp of a pretty frock, or casual down dressing. Crisp cotton, cool linen, broderie anglaise, lace, some crochet, were key ingredients in a more sophisticated ladylike take on fashion. T H E Y ’ R E A L L AT I T ! The biggest trend is the return of the dress, from mini shifts (Bottega Veneta) to flirty frills (Dolce & Gabbana), and sunray pleats (Fornarina). At Prada, Miuccia Prada led the way in her unique style with many variations to suit all – an overscale man’s collarless shirt dress, a sleeveless button-up collar slightly sixties-inspired fitted dress, asymmetrical pleats on a drop waist, a deep-V shift on wide black straps, gathered and sheared yokes on fluid coat-dresses. Her plain lawn dresses incorporated the cutwork details of finely crafted tablecloths found in old Italian specialist shops. Jil Sander redefined the classic shift with a short sleeve hooded version that wouldn’t look out of place in an office, at lunch, or holidaying on a yacht, such was its versatility; just ring the changes with accessories to suit the occasion (the current vogue for big bold beads would dress it up). This minimalist collection had some of the slickest white including a chic funnel-neck slim coat and fabulous skinny pants worn with an elegant white shirt or narrow top.

Dolce & Gabbana

Etro

Prada

Crisp cotton, cool linen, broderie anglaise, lace, some crochet, were key ingredients in a more sophisticated ladylike take on fashion 58

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FASHION –SPRING/SUMMER 2006 Fornarina

IMAGES COURTES Y OF CHRIS MOORE.

BIN THE PRINTS In a surprise departure from previous seasons, Dolce & Gabbana’s D&G diffusion line was nearly all white. Gone were its psychedelic floral prints, in their place lace and broderie anglaise looks – a come-hither melange of tiered cotton skirts or cardigan wraps made from fine antique-looking lace teamed with white cropped jeans or trousers. But there was still the glamour in their iconic form-hugging dresses – with lace sheaths, halter neck, strapless or corset styles. Versace too has gone for a radical change. Taking inspiration from Palm Springs and the confident lifestyle it suggests, Donatella Versace kept her usual figure-emphasising shapes but made them softer and more romantic. Her slinky V-neck white slip dress with unusual gathered hem, and fitted white dress cut low at the back with clever use of straps and fastenings to create focus on the back, the season’s new erogenous zone, herald a new classy kind of sexiness from this designer. Moschino emphasised the low plunge back on a white dress with a big black and white bow in the small of the back above a tiered frill skirt. WOW T H E M AT WO R K Sophisticated tailoring, both separates and suiting, in pared down ladylike styles usher in a new dress code for work and elegant day wear this season with the emphasis on the waist. Suits are slim and glamo-rous – like Versace’s cropped nipped-in-atthe waist jacket and fluid below-the-knee skirt, or Roberto Cavalli’s chic white safari curvy knee-length skirt suit, belted and buckled at the waist, proving that he does more than just design for wannabe footballers’ wives. At Marni there were the shapes we are now so familiar with from this innovative designer – the short, wide raglan-sleeve fifties jackets, the loosely fitted summer dresses, and a lovely white duster coat pulled in at the waist, with a unique handcrafted belt. It is Consuelo Castiglioni’s eye for quirky accessories that makes her collection even more individual and desirable this season with an eclectic mix of patent leather, string, big clunky buckles, resin discs, foil sequins and plastic plaques, worked into belts, bags and jewellery. T H E D E AT H O F J E A N S ? That master of tailoring, Giorgio Armani, had wide easy fluid trousers worn with softly styled

Moschino

Jil Sander

Marni

jackets (long and short sleeve) or the sleekest tops. Cigarette pants – ankle length and cropped – were everywhere and are set to replace jeans as a wardrobe basic for summer, dressed up with a jacket, a puff-sleeve blouse or crochet top, dressed down with a t-shirt (or two, layered) and belted under a linen white waistcoat. And you can’t get through the season without The White Shirt – lacey, ruffled, in crisp linen or broderie anglaise, there is every style to choose from. It is the look for work, worn with a pencil skirt or narrow pants. Wearing all white takes some skill – choose wisely and you won’t end up looking like an auxiliary from the local hospital! A simple white shift should be impeccably cut and accessorised with beautiful shoes, multi-strand necklaces, and sleek hair; check the proportions of an all-white suit; if it is too stark maybe inject tonal colours to soften the look. Or add a splash of colour – at Etro they have a white linen duster coat, its hem massed with impasto embroidery that evoked Matisse cutouts: white – with blue – the colours of summer… italy

Wearing all white takes skill – choose wisely and you won’t end up looking like an auxiliary from the local hospital! ITALY

*HOLS_Lake Garda

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lovely L AKE GARDA

The enchanting shores of Italy’s largest lake cast their spell on Gillian Price

WRITERS’ RECOMMENDATIONS

Images by Gillian

OUR FIRST VIEW of Lake Garda never fails to take your breath away. You happen upon the lake unexpectedly as the foothills of the Alps separate momentarily to reveal a shimmering crescent of water. The beautiful southern shores dotted with villas and castles spill out onto the Po plain. Lake Garda was shaped by a mammoth glacier and is a world unto itself, with a unique micro-

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It has been appreciated since at least Roman times – the poet Catullus described it as a ‘pearl’ – and generaP r i c e tions of writers, artists and musicians have found inspiration and romance here. D.H. Lawrence eloped in 1912 with his beloved Frieda, and they spent two ecstatic years there. He had probably learned of it from the writings of Goethe, who sang its praises in 1786: ‘How I wish my friends were here for a moment to enjoy the view I have before me!’ Byron was unlucky, in 1816 commenting grumpily: ‘Terrible weather. Poured with rain. It would have been better not to have come.’

An excellent starting point for a holiday is Sirmione in the south, set on the tip of a slender peninsula. No private traffic is allowed (with the exception of hotel guests). You enter across a narrow bridge via a curious 13-15th century fortress, Rocca Scaligera (left), complete with drawbridges, a moat, dizzy walkways and bird’s-eye views over the town. Follow the signs ‘passeggiata panoramica’ leading along the lakefront shaded by graceful pine trees and cypresses to a small beach, Lido delle Bionde. Here vast rock slabs extend into inviting turquoise waters and you could easily imagine you were in the Caribbean! A path turns left uphill to a 1st-century Roman villa known as ‘Grotte di Catullo’ in a spectacular setting.

SINGING

ITS

PRAISES

On your way back, keep an eye out for a prominent yellow villa. Throughout the 1950s this was home to legendary opera diva Maria Callas, shortly before passing away in 1977 confided, ‘I am yearning for Sirmione’. A frequent guest at the Grand Hotel Terme was celebrated tenor Giuseppe Di Stefano, who declared: ‘Singing in Verona and living in Sirmione: the ultimate!’ The great conductor Toscanini spoke of ‘an oasis of peace’. Exhausted after the walk? Take a therapeutic break at the nearby Terme for everything from a warm bathe to a massage. Though the

MAIN IMAGE AT TOP COURTES Y OF CUBOIMAGES.

climate. Northwards, it is squeezed between towering limestone cliffs which channel stiff breezes, to the delight of windsurfers and yachtsmen. Beyond are the spectacular heights of Monte Baldo, defined the ‘garden of Europe’ for its rare endemic flora which escaped the chill of the ice ages. Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy with a surface area of 370 sq km. For centuries it has been a summer playground for northern Europeans and is now a ‘must-visit’ for visitors from the UK, thanks to convenient airports with low cost flights.

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sulphurous water was discovered in the 1500s, it was not until 1889 that a diver succeeded in piping it from a depth of 20 metres to Sirmione and a spa was finally inaugurated in 1921. Needless to say, spotless modern premises have since repla-ced the old facilities. In striking contrast, 36 km north as the crow flies or a relaxing 21/2 hours by ferry is Malcesine, perched on a rocky promontory (opposite, left). Here too the settlement grew up around a picturesque castle erected by the lords of Verona, the Scaligeri. Goethe risked arrest here in 1786 when his innocent sketching generated suspicions that he was spying for the Austrian Hapsburgs! A ramble along the ramparts and the laborious climb to the tower are rewarded by exceptional vistas.

MOUNTAIN RETREATS However the most awesome views are from Monte Baldo, a forbidding rock barrier that backs the town. Treat yourself to a ride on the ultra-modern cable-car with revolving cabins that glides up to a dizzy 1760m. A whole day can easily slip away in the wonderful alpine world as you contemplate the magnificent vistas, enjoy a Tyrolean-style lunch at one of the open-air restaurants, or take a stroll to a

INFORMATION Sirmione Tourist Office is located at the entrance to the pedestrian zone, tel. (+39) 030916114 www.bresciaholiday.com The Malcesine Tourist Office is near the port, tel. (+39) 0457400555 www.malcesinepiu.it while the friendly hotel booking service is at the bus stop, tel. (+39) 0457400373 www.malcesinebooking.com GETTING THERE ‘Valerio Catullo’ airport at Villafranca (Verona) and Montechiari (Brescia) www.aeroportoverona.it Shuttle buses to lake resorts. Further west is Bergamo’s ‘Orio al Serio’ airport www.sacbo.it with good bus and train connections. GETTING AROUND Ferry information tel. 800551801 or www.navigazionelaghi.it Buses around the lake PROPERTIES FOR SALE GREI tel. (+39) 0309900808 www.gardaestates.com Sirmione café

local dairy farm to taste their delicious creamy cheeses. But be warned, Lake Garda is subject to light mists, the bane of photographers who hope for award-winning shots of the lake backed by the Alps! However, it makes for soft light and a romantic atmosphere down at lake level. Here a stroll at sunset on the pedestrian-only promenade is rewarded by the memorable sight of Malcesine on its headland jutting out into the lake. Here in the summer of 1913 the young Austrian artist Gustav Klimt hired a rowing boat to paint the town of Malcesine from the water in inspiring pastel hues. italy

WHERE TO S TAY Sirmione: at Colombare, Hotel Europa (tel. +39 030919047, Via Liguria 1, www.europahotelsirmione.it Waterfront location with swimming pool. On the peninsula is Villa Paradiso tel. (+39) 030916149, Via Arici 7. www.villaparadiso.3000.it no mod cons but a quiet garden. Malcesine: you can’t beat friendly family-run Hotel Castello (left), Via Paina 3/d. Tel. (+39) 0457400233 www.h-c.it Excellent cuisine and a steam bath. note: most hotels close November-March.

EATING OUT Sirmione: Antica Trattoria La Speranzina Via Dante 16. tel. (+39) 0309906292. With romantic terraces dropping to lake level. In Piazza Carducci where the ferries dock a choice of outdoor cafés offer sunset drinks and delicious gelati. Malcesine: Ask directions to the porto vecchio (old port) for Ristorante La Pace tel. (+39) 0457400057 which specialises in grilled lake fish.

S PA S Sirmione has two modern spa complexes www.termedisirmione.com

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Pisa

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FLORENCE

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tripper DAY

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Arezzo

• SIENA

TUSCANY

UMBRIA

LAZIO

Take a trip to S I E N A with Christine Webb

GRAZIA IPPOLITO

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SIENA IS A VISUAL FEAST; a medieval masterpiece of city planning that grew organically around its vast central Piazza del Campo. Many claim that Siena is the finest example of an intact medieval town in all of Europe. It’s not hard to see why. Narrow lanes hug the hills, winding around the nucleus of the Piazza. As you meander toward the centre, nothing can quite prepare you for the visual blast as you enter the Piazza for the first time… so that’s where we start. Siena is not on a main train line and although buses can be taken from Florence and Arezzo, most visitors arrive by car. There are several car parks on the outskirts from where you take the gentle walk up to the town heading for the Piazza. Once within the maze of streets and alleyways it’s easy to become quite lost and disorientated. It’s not uncommon for people to completely forget where they parked their cars, so make sure you find the nearest landmark to return to and carry a map.

COFFEE AND CULTURE ROUND THE CAMPO Simply called ‘Il Campo’, the great piazza of Siena fans out in nine segments of herring-

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Il Campo Gelataria Artigianale Palazzo Pubblico Torre del Mangia Pizzicheria de Miccoli Liberamente Osteria Ceramic Shop Restaurant Gli Archi The Duomo Piccolomini Library Shopping Monte dei Paschi di Siena

Images by Chistine Webb

bone paving and is said to represent the ruling council of nine and the folds of the Madonna’s cloak protecting the townsfolk. Begun in 1293, it has the effect of a great amphitheatre with the main player being the grand council chambers, Palazzo Pubblico, and magnificent Torre del Mangia. So impressed were the Council of Nine with their efforts that in 1296 they set down one of the first known town planning edicts that

encouraged harmonious building standards and forbade balconies facing Il Campo. My favourite place to stop for morning coffee and a delicious slice of Siena’s famous Panforte is in the street behind the piazza at Gelataria Artigianale; 31 Via di Città. Wait for a table on the tiny balcony at the far end of the bar (despite the 1296 edict) where you are in the box seat overlooking the elegant Fonte Gaia with pigeons drinking upside-down

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from the mouths of stone wolves and the constant goings-on of the vibrant piazza. Next stop is the Palazzo Pubblico itself. For 700 years the town council has operated from this building and still does, on the ground floor. The upper floors now contain the Museo Civico which includes Simone Martini’s 1315 masterpiece, the Maestà, taking up the whole wall of the Sala del Mappamondo. Here the enthroned Virgin with the Holy Child sit under a canopy held aloft by a host of Saints and Angels. On the opposite wall is Martini’s intriguing equestrian portrait of the Guidoriccio da Fogliano with a splendid heraldic caparison. There are also the allegorical depictions of Good and Bad Government. These are thought to be the first large secular paintings since the Roman era, with Pax (Peace) residing over the cityscape of Siena, a dancing group, traders selling goods, buildings under construction, leading out into the verdant countryside of harvests and abundant crops. Bad Government, largely damaged, is ruled by the devil and chaos. Before you leave the Palazzo Pubblico you may wish to try the 503 steps of the Torre del Mangia for a magnificent view of the Piazza, Siena and the Tuscan countryside beyond (opposite, left).

MAP COURTES Y OF CHRIS TINE WEBB.

POSSIBILITIES

FOR

PRANZO

Why not picnic in the Piazza? Buy a scrumptious panino from one of the many deliciously crammed alimentari, such as Pizzicheria de Miccoli, 95 Via di Città. For a light lunch and position! position!, opt for Liberamente Osteria; 10 Il Campo where you can enjoy the comings and goings in the piazza. Next door is a wonderful ceramics shop with balls painted in all the colours of the various contrade (above, right). If you want an inexpensive hearty feed of traditional Sienese fare, I

11 highly recommend Gli Archi, 22 Via Pantaneto. Exit the piazza from the far right with your back to the Palazzo, turn right past the Logge del Pappa and you’ll find a comfortable restaurant, plenty of tables under arched, vaulted ceilings. Supped and satiated you should be ready for the Duomo. Exit the Piazza from the far left and continue along Via di Città and turn right. Siena Cathedral, completed in 1215, is one of the great Gothic cathedrals of Europe. It upholds the Sienese tradition of sumptuous, over-the-top excess in the most pleasing manner. Every available space is lavishly decorated, gilded and striped, sculpted or adorned with mosaic. The main features are inlaid floors of black and white marble completed between 1349 and 1547, and the Piccolomini Library, a small room brilliantly frescoed by Pinturicchio, assisted by a young Raphael, begun in 1502.

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Opposite the Duomo is the newly restored Santa Maria della Scala, originally a pilgrim’s hospice. First mentioned in a deed of gift in 1090, it has recently been transformed into a cultural institute. Future plans include a Technological Park with a humanistic leaning and an International Centre for Restoration Research. From the Duomo you may wish to window shop along Via di Città, where Siena’s sartorial elegance is evident and so too the expertise of its bootmakers. For those that need a fresh dose of modernity, try the Palazzo delle

8 Papesse, 126 Via di Città. Built around 14601495, and reopened in 1998 as a centre for Contemporary Art, the vaulted and frescoed ceilings make a wonderful juxtaposition to many of the temporary exhibitions by leading exponents. If you turn left at Banchi di Sopra, you’ll find yourself at the neat Piazza Salimbeni and the head office of the Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the oldest bank in the world, founded in 1472 and said to have financed Christopher Columbus’ voyages to the New World. Now is probably the time to find one of Siena’s exceptional enoteche (wine bars) while you prepare yourself for the journey home. italy

INFORMATION The official tourist site: www.terresiena.it Museo Civico and Torre del Mangia: (27 and 26 respectively) are open every day, hours vary from summer to winter. Entry to The Cathedral including the Piccolomini Library: 23, open every day, Sundays and holidays restricted times. Palazzo delle Papesse: 25 for special exhibits. The Palio: July 2 and August 16

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LEGAL MATTERS

L’AVVOCATO RISPONDE Expert advice on your queries about Italian Legal problems Many dream of buying an idyllic home in the Italian sun. The buying process may seem complex at first, but in reality it is no more difficult than buying a house back home. However, you still need to tread carefully through the minefield of bureaucracy, local taxes and legal issues. Our panel of experts specialising in Italian real estate law, taxation and building and planning laws is here to provide guidance and practical advice, helping to make the process as smooth and as painless as possible. Giambrone & Law I have been told so many different things about capital gains tax that I’m not sure what is correct. Does the five-year rule apply for a main residence (prima casa)? I am told if I buy another main residence within a year there is no capital gain to pay. The five-year rule is still applicable irrespective of whether you own a prima or seconda casa. You will be liable to pay the new capital gains rate of 12.5% on any profit made from the sale of your property bought and sold within five years. If you purchased your house as a prima casa and obtained the reduced imposte of 3% (instead of the full tax of 10%) and then decide to sell within five years, not only will have to repay the difference (7%) back to the State, you will also have to pay CGT. If, however, you purchase another property as your prima casa within one year from having sold your house, you will still have to pay CGT, although the imposte remain the same at 3%. We are planning on moving permanently to Italy this year and our main source of income will be our company pension. As this is paid in the UK we will have already paid tax on it and we have been told that we will not be liable for any further taxation in Italy under an EU agreement. Please could you confirm this as different people have told us different things? The position taken by the Inland Revenue is that even if you are not resident in the UK, you will normally be liable to UK tax on any UK income, which in your case is your UK company pension. There are instances, however, where you may also have to pay tax in the country in which you live. Italy has a double taxation agreement with the UK and so if this ruling applies to your situation you may be able to claim exemption or relief. For further clarification it is best to ask your Solicitor or local branch of the Inland Revenue. Do we need to have our own Notaio or must we use the vendor’s Notaio? Only one Notary is required to handle the sale. The buyer is entitled by law to select the Notary, who is a public official and an independent legally-trained professional. The Notaio is responsible, among other things, for drawing up the final deed of sale to be notarised. Moreover, he/she guarantees the accuracy of the declarations made by each of the contracting parties, approves, authenticates and notarises the document, and verifies and guarantees the identities and bona fides of the contracting parties. The Notaio then reads out the document aloud to the parties.

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Avv. Gabriele Giambrone

Avv. Alena Salatino

Mr. Ramon Spano

I am told that either the estate agent or a Geometra will normally draft the compromesso. Is this is correct? Compromesso is the term applied to the preliminary contract. The contratto preliminare is governed by Italian law and is a binding contract to all intents and purposes. It must be legally valid in any event. There are a high number of instances where non-qualified practitioners or non-legally trained professionals may draft preliminary contracts. Many mistakes (with negative consequences) are known to occur, however, so it would be unwise to leave matters in the hands of just anyone, especially those who have a vested interest in selling the property. It is therefore very important that you seek independent advice from someone who is familiar with the complexities of Italian property and contract law. How do I know if I am buying all the land and buildings included in the sale? All properties are made up of particelle (parcels). Your solicitor handling the conveyance of the property will check, as part of the searches, the mappa catastale (a map showing the property with its parcels), which is available at the registry of buildings and land. This map will identify and correctly describe the property that you are buying. A copy of this map should be attached to the contractual documentation. We are about to sign the compromesso but since we have

Avv. Massimo Migliorini

As far as Italian Law is concerned the parties are free to determine the contents of the contract…

applied for a mortgage we would like to make the contract conditional on the mortgage being granted. The estate agent has told us that this is not possible. Is this true? There are many instances where contracts may be conditioned by the buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. As far as Italian Law is concerned, the parties are free to determine the contents of the contract as per the provisions set out in article 1322 of the Civil Code (Contractual freedom). There is nothing stopping you from adding your own conditions, providing the vendor is willing to accept them, of course, because a subject to mortgage clause for example, effectively binds the vendor. When drafting conditional clauses, care must be taken in ensuring that they are worded with precision otherwise ambiguities can arise.

Magical Marche

If any uncertainty arises the condition may be declared void. All answers are intended for guideline purposes only.

Charles Joseph

For case speciﬁc issues, please write to info@giambronelaw.co.uk If you have any general questions relating to real estate you wish to put to our panel of esperti, please send them to questions@italymag.co.uk and we’ll make sure that they are answered for you.

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what’s available in…

For those interested in living in the heart of Italy Emanuele Dionisi describes this central region

T U S C A N Y U M B R I A

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Rieti

Selci

B• IN

A A B L A • Z I ROME O

R U Z Z O

AZIO is a large region in central Italy bordering with Tuscany and Umbria in the north and Campania in the south. It comprises the provinces of Roma, Frosinone, Latina, Rieti and Viterbo and is one of the most varied regions in Italy, geographically, culturally and economically. From the Apennine mountains, you pass through forested hills, valleys and volcanic lakes, vineyards and olive orchards, down to the flatlands, the coast and the Tyrrhenian Sea. This beautiful and peaceful countryside is dotted with tiny hilltop villages and provides opportunities for skiing as well as visits to seaside resorts, modern cities and national parks. Lazio lies in the centre of the

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Lazio

Italian peninsula and is said to mark the divide between the north and the south of Italy, not only economically but also geographically. Northern Lazio is home to a green, rolling landscape, very similar to Tuscany and Umbria, while southern Lazio is far wilder and more sparsely populated. In many ways, Lazio is dominated by Rome. It is the largest city in Italy as well as being possibly the most important cultural and historical centre of western civilisation and the home of the Roman Catholic Church. Its attractions leave much of Lazio unknown to the foreign tourist (and to many Italians). This is one of the joys of the area: there are no tourist buses, no postcard shops and the local people are genuinely friendly and welcoming. Although it has a wealth of culturally and archeologically important sites, it remains largely unchanged and untouched by modern development.

COUNTRYSIDE

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The region is not characterised by one particular geographical trait and its landscape varies greatly. There is the Tyrrhenian coast, the inland plains, and then rolling hills, rising to the higher, steeper mountain ranges of the Latium Preapennines and part of the Apennines. Amongst the more mountainous areas lie huge volcanic lakes. Large areas of the hillsides are farmed, although the characteristics of this landscape make it unsuitable for large-scale modern-day farming and have

helped maintain the traditional character of the agriculture, which is limited mainly to vegetable and fruit production. This can be seen in the vineyards and olive groves covering the hills and Lazio is home to some of the finest olive oil in Italy (it is one of the three regions designated DOC for olive oil production). In the coastal areas the climate is typically maritime, remaining mild throughout the year. In Rome the average summer temperature is higher, 25°C, but occasionally it may reach 40°C. Hillside areas and mountain valleys have harsh winters and the localities set in the Apennines have a clear mountain climate with both cold winters and cool summers. Rain is less frequent on the coast while the mountain areas get the most of it, especially during spring and autumn. Lazio is extremely easy to reach, with two international airports: Rome Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci) and Rome Ciampino. It is also accessible from all over Italy by train and the Sabina area especially has good connections with Rome. The A1 motorway connects Rome with Naples, Florence and Milan. Almost the whole region can be reached from Rome in up to one and a half hour’s drive.

THE PROPERTY MARKET Throughout history, many great civilisations have strongly influenced this region and are reflected in the medieval fortified hill towns, Roman and Etruscan ruins, monasteries and convents. The countryside is full of wonderful

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17th, 18th and 19th-century houses, all in the typical Italian style so loved by foreigners. Lazio is gloriously undeveloped, a fact reflected in the property prices. The region (apart from Rome) Rieti really is the heart of ‘Undiscovered Italy’. Depending on your taste, you have the choice of rustic village houses and country cottages, a seaside apartment or villa, a grand town house or apartment either in Rome or one of the smaller cities in the region, a farm, villa or estate in the country, or even a disused monastery! Rome itself is obviously a major attraction, not only for its cultural interests and shopping, but also for the easy access it provides to the rest of Europe and further afield, with frequent flights to and from all major destinations. The most interesting areas for the property market in Lazio, in addition to Rome and the chief towns of the provinces, are mainly those

at the seaside, in the skiing resorts (Terminillo) and above all in the countryside near Rome, with railway connections to the capital. In the last few years, property prices in the Sabina area (in the province of Rieti) have risen considerably. Currently a renovated stone house with some land costs between 21800 and 22500 per square metre. The prices of apartments in Sabina villages go from 21000 to 21400 per square metre.

RESTORING YOUR PROPERTY Restoration costs can vary greatly, depending on the work required for the structural consolidation of the building. Normally the cost

P R O P E R T I E S

F O R

for stone houses requiring structural restoration varies between 2700 and 2850 per square metre. Where structural restoration is not necessary, but attention is needed to floors, painting, fixtures, plumbing, electrical system, etc, costs range from 2450 to 2600 per square metre. We expect the prices of countryside properties close to train stations to increase further in the future. Consequently, investing in these areas now can be a good opportunity not only for tourists but also for those who work in Rome but prefer living in the countryside. It is worth mentioning that this winter the ski resort of Terminillo is undergoing a revival. Important investments have been made in the property and tourism sector which, together with the construction of a football and sports ground at an altitude of 1600m, will contribute to a definitive revival of Terminillo, the so-called ‘Mountain of Rome’. italy

S A L E

Casale Colle Rucciolo – beautifully renovated stone villa (location – Labro, Rieti) Set in a wonderful hillside position near the medieval village of Labro, Lake Piediluco, and the towns of Rieti (Lazio) and Terni (Umbria). Lower ground floor: double garage, a taverna-style room with fireplace, a large kitchen and utility rooms. Ground floor: main entrance, large sitting room, a second kitchen, and various service rooms. First floor: has four double bedrooms (one en suite) and the main bathroom. Each level has verandas and balconies with wonderful views plus large mature garden and two further garages. Price: Euro 480,000 (approx £331,000) Casale Selci – stone house set on three levels (location – Selci in Sabina, Rieti) The walls and roof have recently been renovated, conserving the original aspect although the following need to be completed: external and internal electric system, water system. Heating, bathrooms, floors, doors and windows. Total cost should be between 60,000 and 90,000 euros, depending on the quality of the materials. The land that belongs to the property has been cared for. It also includes a small wood. The property is set in a beautiful natural context, with lovely views over the Tiber valley and Sabina hills. Price: Euro 300,000 (approx £207,000)

Casale Acquaviva – renovated panoramic stone house (location – Acquaviva di Nerola, Rome) Set in the middle of green Sabina hills but also very near the village of Acquaviva di Nerola (Province of Rome). The house is set in the higher part of the property and is surrounded by a garden and parking place. Basement floor: there’s a large recreation room. First floor: has the main entrance, kitchen, living room, bedroom and bathroom and terrace. Second floor: bedroom with annexed bathroom. The garden has a pizza and bread oven. Price: Euro 200,000 (approx £138,000) All properties available through

Dionisi Ovington Casa Principessa – apartment (location – Selci in Sabina, Rieti) Beautifully renovated apartment in Selci, right in the heart of Sabina. The apartment is part of the famous Palazzo Orsini and is composed of living room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom, while on the top ﬂoor there’s another bedroom with an independent entrance. The apartment will be sold with all the furniture. Price: Euro 98,000 (approx £68,000)

ITALY

Property Search Limited Registered as Real Estate Agency in UK and in Italy

Italian Ofﬁce

Via delle Ortensie, 18 - 02100 - RIETI tel. (+39) 0746 205588 fax (+39) 0746 296449 e-mail: italia@dops.it www.dopropertysearch.co.uk

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BUSINESS

IN BUSINESS… In this month’s business section, Emma Bird looks at culture clash in the workplace, personal trainers and landscape architecture in Le Marche

… o t w o H

CAREER DoCTOR:

– HANDLE THE WORKPLACE C U LT U R E C L A S H –

Mario Berri continues in his role as career doctor. Specialising in Italian start-ups and the health of Italian companies, he is a former senior manager with experience working in international teams in the UK, Italy, Switzerland and Germany.

One year ago I was running a Weaveaweb networking event and was waiting in the hotel foyer for members. The start time was 5pm but no one had turned up. By 5.15pm, only two members had arrived. I suggested we should make a move to the meeting room. ‘But it’s early yet,’ said Valeria. ‘Let’s wait another 15 minutes.’ It was a sign that I was still having difficulty dealing with the culture clash between what I saw as imprecise, ﬂexible and laidback Italians and my own precise, planned mentality as a Brit.

I run a successful gym in the UK and would like to continue in this field when I move to Italy. Could you tell me what the fitness industry is like? Is it a regular part of most people’s lives and is it common for people to have a personal trainer? How can I go about this? Jo Philips, Leicester The palestra is always full of men and women pumping iron. Italians are very health conscious and place a lot of emphasis on looking good. Although personal trainers are not common in Italy, they are gaining in popularity. The Virgin Active gyms in Italy (www.virginactive.it) have personal trainers in their gym as part of their key staff. The ISSA Italy, (International Sports Science Association), now certifies personal trainers. The site address is www.issaitaly.com

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And, of course, that’s where most business

JOBSITES

dealings go wrong: international colleagues