Despite spring being ever elusive, Italy continued to charm us as we made our way north. After leaving Pompeii we spent the next week exploring the vibrant capital Rome and the small character-filled towns of Orvieto and Assisi in Umbria.
Rome
We were toying with the idea of giving Rome a miss on this trip. We have both been before and prefer navigating through smaller towns and cities in the campervan rather than metropolitan giants like Rome. However, I found a motorhome sosta near the centre of Rome, but within easy access of the motorway. It wasn’t going to be any extra effort to stop, and when we saw “Roma” on the road signs we knew we couldn’t have driven past this enticing city if we’d tried.
A metro station was right beside the camping area and as we arrived in the early afternoon we didn’t waste any time heading into the centre of Rome. That was the start of three wonderful days exploring the city again, without the pressure of getting to every tourist attraction, and even more enjoyable, without the queues. The beauty of Rome is that so much can be seen by wandering the streets. Around every corner is another iconic piece of history, another visual pleasure. As Andrew so eloquently put it – Rome is those boring school history lessons coming alive in front of you.
That first afternoon we headed straight to the Trevi Fountain. This towering monument of opulent baroque carvings, resplendent in marble glory, is truly captivating, and it seems everyone agrees. The area around the fountain was swamped with tourists vying for that perfect photo, all the while heavily armed soldiers quietly watched on. Like all European cities, security here is high. Along with everyone else we threw our three coins into the turquoise waters of the fountain. Tradition says the first of those coins guarantees your return to Rome. Not far from the Trevi Fountain, through narrow lanes and across a couple of piazzas, is the magnificent round Pantheon with its huge stone dome. Originally built as a Roman temple it was later transformed into a Christian church and famously houses the tomb of Raphael. We wandered in and gazed up to the huge dome above us. Rain had come through the wide hole in the middle and the area of floor below was cordoned off. The dome seems to hang, unsupported and perfectly balanced. It is wonderous to think it was built 2,000 years ago. Outside a religious parade walked by, the serious looking participants all decked out in white robes and carrying crosses. Piazza Navona is nearby and we wandered through, past elegant buildings and marble statues before heading down to the Spanish Steps. There was a rugby game in Rome that day – Scotland vs Italy. It had just finished, and the fans were swarming into town all decked out in their kilts, with rosy cheeks glowing from the cold and the refreshments imbibed. Andrew stopped a fan and asked who had won. Scotland! It was sure to be a big night in Rome for some. The Spanish Steps were covered in people, the brisk temperatures not scaring away the tourists. Fontana della Barcaccia, the 17th-century baroque fountain shaped like a ship located at the foot of the steps, is a particularly popular photo spot.
We sat a while, soaking up the vibrancy of the crowds in this beautiful city. The day was fading as we walked through to Piazza del Popolo, a grand square flanked by the twin churches of Santa Maria in Montesanto and Santa Maria die Miracoli and with a giant Egyptian obelisk in the centre. The fountain of Neptune glowed in the evening sun and a busker’s giant bubbles hovered in clusters, sparkling gold and blue.
The next morning it was back into the city. This time we got off in Piazza della Republica and walked down Via Nazionale to Piazza Venezia where the elaborate Victorian monument dedicated to the father of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II, sits. Opinions on this flamboyant monument have always been mixed. It’s known as the typewriter by locals and the wedding cake by others. It started to hail, and we ran for cover. The rain continued, and we were hungry. It was time to find shelter and food. We stumbled on a Chinese restaurant in a small square. Two priests walked in. We took that as a sign this was a good place and despite being in the capital of Italy enjoyed a lunch of divine steamed dumplings, noodle soup and sweet and sour chicken. When we emerged, the rain had stopped, and we headed down Via dei Fori Imperiali past the ruins of the Roman Forum and Roman plaza towards the most iconic of all monuments in Rome – the Colosseum. We have both been inside before and felt for the poor souls waiting in the long queue as the rain started yet again. You can spend a full day in this part of Rome, as I have before, exploring the Forum and Palatine Hill, and of course the inside of the magnificent Colosseum itself. Visiting Rome for the first time requires careful planning if you want to see everything – a day for the Roman ruins, a day for the Vatican and a day for the rest at a minimum. Not having that pressure on this visit was incredibly liberating.
We admired the impressive Arch of Constantin, the Roman gate decorated with figures & battle scenes, before walking back around the Colosseum and up through the Park of Colle Oppio where the ruins of Nero’s house lie. We got a bit lost for a while and then popped out in front of the beautiful Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore. How convenient, this was on my list of places not yet visited. Andrew waited outside while I ventured in to admire the famous Roman mosaics & gilded ceiling of this 5th century papal basilica. This was one of nearly 20 churches we went into in Rome. They are on every corner and in every street and are all exquisite works of art. For us they were beautiful places to rest a while and to escape that pesky rain.
The sky cleared, and we finished the day with the grand view out across Rome to St Peter’s Basilica from Trinita dei Monti, sitting at the top of the Spanish Steps.
For our last day in Rome we headed straight to the Vatican. We knew the museum was closed as it was Monday but hadn’t intended on going anyway, as we have both already had the pleasure of viewing the masterpiece that is the Sistine Chapel ceiling, painted by the great Michelangelo. However, we did expect to be able to visit St Peter’s Basilica again. This was not to be. It was closed as the Pope was ordaining three Nuncios inside. It was opening again at 5 that evening but only for Mass and we obviously didn’t look catholic enough as the security guard emphasised that we would need to come back tomorrow. Plenty of people were here for the 5pm service. It was midday and people were already queuing to attend, and it was pouring with rain again. We sheltered from the rain and watched people come and go, many looked like they were joining the growing queue just because it was there, and with no realisation it meant a 5 hour wait in the rain. It was odd that they didn’t have any clear directions for the many tourists that were there. After our unusual visit to the Vatican we walked back to the River Tiber past the Castel Sant’Angelo and across Ponte Sant’Angelo, the bridge lined with 10 dramatic baroque statues of angels, each bearing a symbol of the suffering and death of Christ. If you’re a Dan Brown fan, you’ll know the place from his novel Angels and Demons.
Back in the Centro Storico (the historic centre) we wandered through the quaint narrow streets and got wonderfully lost again, before stumbling on the Pantheon. That’s where we are! What a nice surprise. We walked back down to the Trevi Fountain for one last look and finished our day with a pint of Guinness. It was two days after St Patricks Day, but it’s better late than never.
If that coin does its thing, then no doubt we’ll be seeing you again Rome. Arrivederci for now.
Orvieto
Orvieto is 120km north of Rome in the Umbria region of Italy. It a very small historic town perched on a plateau and surrounded by volcanic tufa cliffs. I had read that it is considered one of the most dramatic hill towns in Italy and has a rich history dating from the time of the Etruscans over 2,500 years ago, so I added it to our itinerary. We arrived from Rome around midday and easily found our campsite, a parking area at the bottom of the cliff right next to the funicular station. This proved very handy as the funicular cable-car is the quickest way to get from the bottom of the hill up to the historic centre.
It was quite odd going from the modern, rather boring rural town below and then arriving in an immaculately picture-perfect historic village balanced on a column of volcanic rock. It’s almost as if the earth dropped around it, leaving it behind. Most of the quaint cobbled lanes and streets are car-less and there is a peaceful feel to the place. The 14th century cathedral, Duomo di Orvieto, is particularly striking with a grand façade of gilded mosaics. Being atop cliffs, there a plenty of places to enjoy the views across the Umbrian countryside. The rain was holding off and we had a good chance to explore the village. We wanted to visit the famous underground cave network and with the only English tour of the day going at 5 we had some time to kill. Unfortunately, it started to rain. It was overcast when we left the van, but we decided not to take umbrellas. Silly decision. It was getting dark, it was cold, and it was very wet and there is only so long you can pretend to be looking in a souvenir shop. By chance Andrew found a broken umbrella on the street. It had been abandoned for good reason, but we made do. The rain was still teaming down at 5 and despite the make shift umbrella we were wet. It was a welcome relief to get underground into those dry caves.
Underneath Orvieto is a maze of underground passages dug into the volcanic tufa. These caves beneath the city have been in use since Etruscan times. It was quite spectacular to peer down an incredibly deep well dug over 2,500 years ago with steps carved into the side while imagining climbing down there to get water. During the Middle Ages, the network of passages grew larger and was used for water cisterns and pigeon breeding. Our guide challenged us to guess what the nooks in the walls were used for; I quickly said “pigeons” and was congratulated for my perception. Luckily, I got in before Andrew, he was going to suggest wine. Not surprisingly the tunnels have compromised the stability of the rock and the village was at risk of caving in. To make matters worse the porous cliffs were eroding quickly. With the help of EU grants a lot of remedial work has been done, adding support columns inside the caves and binding the cliffs to ensure the village will be around for a lot longer yet.
The next day as we drove out of Orvieto we stopped at a local winery. Inside were two shiny chrome full-sized petrol pumps with digital display showing the cost per litre. These were for pumping wine directly into customers’ containers – one for white and one for red. Andrew couldn’t resist!
Assisi
Our next destination was Assisi, 132km northeast of Orvieto and still in Umbria. Assisi is best known as the birthplace of St. Francis of Assisi — patron saint of Italy, founder of the Franciscan order, and lover of all animals which wins him my affection.
We were taken aback when we turned off the highway. Assisi is beautiful. A postcard-perfect town cascading down the hillside, stopping only where flat, fertile pastures begin. Our campsite was directly below Assisi with a panoramic view of the town, the forested mountains behind, and the distinctive Basilica of St. Francis stretching out from the edge of town.
It was bitterly cold, and we wrapped up warmly and headed up the path of the pilgrims into the steep and winding streets of Assisi. It was immediately evident why it is considered one of the best-preserved medieval towns in the world and one of Italy’s most treasured gems. Although a little touristy, it is a truly lovely place.
Above the town is the massive Rocca Maggiore, a 14th-century castle. We thought we’d start our visit at the top and made our way up the steps to the castle. On the mountain behind us we could see fresh snow falling on the pines and it felt like it was coming our way. We pulled our coats in tighter and braved the chill to take in the stunning view from Rocca Maggiore across Assisi and to countryside below – a patchwork of fields and vineyards scattered with picturesque farmhouses.
Assisi is not large, only 3,000 people live here. Yet, it has more than its fair share of historic buildings, Roman ruins and sacred chapels, which is why the town is so popular with visitors and is a UNESCO listed heritage site. More than 4 million people visit each year, many of whom are pilgrims.
After exploring the upper town, we made our way down to Assisi’s main attraction, the 13th-century Basilica di San Francesco, which contains the sacred relics of Francis and beautiful frescoes of his life. It was a pleasant surprise to find that entry to the basilica is free. St. Francis went up even higher in our opinion. Construction on the Basilica was started immediately after St. Francis’ death in 1228 and it was officially completed after the addition of the upper church in 1253. It is divided into the upper church and the lower church and both are filled with amazing frescoes. The upper church, or Basilica Superiore, is covered with 28 frescoes by Giotto and are the artistic stars of the church. Each fresco is a scene from St. Francis’ life. Though completed centuries ago, the frescoes are still fabulously vibrant and the colours rich and complex. The lower church houses frescoes by artists influenced by Giotto’s work. Also, in the lower sanctuary is the Cripta di San Francesco – the monumental tomb of St. Francis of Assisi. While the upper church seems to be a celebration of beauty and life, the lower church’s dark rooms and sparse decoration are more reflective and sombre.
It was a beautiful place and the perfect way to finish our day in Assisi. We walked back down the pilgrims’ path to our campsite and rugged up for the cold night ahead.
Overnight the wind picked up. Our van swayed from side to side and shook violently. It got so bad that in the middle of the night I Googled whether campervans can blow over. The first search result was a story of a campervan in New Zealand which was parked near Mount Cook and blew over, temporarily trapping the inhabitants. Needless to say, we didn’t get much sleep.
The next morning we headed to Tuscany.
