This part of our trip happened as an aside during our time in Rome.
Our friends had planned an escape to the mountains for a couple of days to get a break from the high temps in Rome, and I had no idea where we were headed or what we'd be doing. As someone who is always the planner, it's unusual for me to just go along for the ride. I was in good hands, as Gabriele and Andrea drove us to the charming towns of Subiaco and Cervara.
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| The monastery of San Benedetto |
First, Subiaco. There was lunch in the mountains in a tiny restaurant (that didn't look like a restaurant at first, but like we were walking into someone's house.) That was Al Boschetto, where the owner's shy young teenagers brought out what felt like home-cooked food. We spent a night in a beautiful old palace turned bed & breakfast, the Palazzo Moraschi.
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| The garden at one side of the Palazzo |
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| Walking into town from the Palazzo |
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| The Palazzo Moraschi, with a chapel below |
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| The entrance to the Palazzo |
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| The breakfast room - I believe this was depicting Diana, Goddess of the Hunt |
There was the absolutely wonderful monastery of San Benedetto - the Sacro Speco carved into rock on high on the hill. This monastery was built over the grotto where Saint Benedict lived as a hermit, and the frescoes are magnificent. I would absolutely go back to spend more time there. One of the things that really struck me was that there is the only known depiction of Saint Francis painted when he was living, so it is believed this is the most realistic "portrait" of him in existence. Bonus that there was an awesome gift shop full of local products like honey, chocolates, soaps, herbal products, liquors, made by the monks. They had their own books on uses of herbs as medicine that I found interesting. While in the shop I was surprised to learn that Saint Benedict is the saint of opening doors, and they had a medallion in the shape of a key that the priest blessed for me - the perfect medallion for a Realtor! This guided tour of the monastery was free, with a voluntary donation accepted at the end. I highly recommend a visit here!
Interesting this past year that Saint Benedict and I met up a few times, so to speak. I had not connected the dots that San Benedetto, Saint Benedict, and Saint-Benoît (in French) are all the same person. Saint Benedict wrote the rules on monastic life, and I loved his simplistic message of "Ora et Labora" - Prayer and work. He is considered to be an important saint, and is known for providing protection. So we unexpectedly visited his monastery over his original grotto in July, and then again at the Benedictine Abbey at Saint-Benoît-du-Lac this December near my Canadian hometown! I can't help but feel like it's a sign to have had 2 experiences around this same saint in a matter of months.
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| Visiting the Abbey at Saint-Benoît-du-Lac |
We also found the trail to hike down to the Laghetto (pond) di San Benedetto. I did not make it all the way down to the bottom with the men because I knew I'd be slow on the long hike back up, but hiked about halfway down then back up. I waited in the shade, listening to birds and the pealing of the bells echoing off the mountains. It was so beautiful - I was having a moment! The walking I did do was pretty...through a forest and over a footbridge crossing a river. The guys took the last photo of the laghetto for me.
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| A small sign on the road to the monastery directs you to this path - you can pull alongside the road to park and start the hike down. |
Right nearby was the the really peaceful monastery of Benedict's sister, Santa Scolastica. This has a series of 3 internal cloisters: one built in the 1200s, another during the Gothic period, and the other during the Renaissance, though some of it was rebuilt after being bombed in WWII. The bell tower dates from the 12th century. Our guide shared a story about one of the marble workers who worked on the cloisters in the 1200s, and how his son and grandsons continued and completed the construction. They had signed their names. I feel like that's a beautiful thing they did finishing the work of their family.
I loved the sense of calm and safety that permeated the space. It was all sunshine, cloisters, and quiet. Our guide told us there are 19 monks still living there, with a wide age range that I can't quite remember, only that it was impressive. I know one of the monks is Canadian though!
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| I love a good Gothic arch! |
We had a delicious dinner at a restaurant Andrea found, Tre Bruschettieri. It was quirky & whimsical with all these interesting nooks. The food was local and traditional, and it was a lovely evening. On trend, I had a pasta dish, and Scott got this huge chunk of some kind of meat - the kind that either makes you excited about meat, or steers you towards vegetarianism. It definitely pushed me towards the latter, but he loved it! We got a little lost walking to and from there back to our bed & breakfast at the palazzo, but it's a lovely little town to explore.
On Sunday morning, after a nice breakfast buffet in the absolutely beautiful breakfast room of the Palazzo, complete with frescoes, we visited Cervara di Roma, the Village of Artists, perched on a mountain near Subiaco. We parked at the bottom and hiked up the stairs and paths dotted with art work along the way, working towards the central piazza, before continuing up higher into the village. This charming, tiny hilltop town was practically carved into the mountain. Around every corner was tucked a piece of art, a sculpture erupting from the rocks, a poem. At the top we found the church. The walks were steep, and it felt like if you lived here, you had to be in good physical health to get around. It also felt like a close-knit community, as evidenced by the neighbors who came out to say hello to an elderly woman who was helped to and seated at a bench along the narrow alley between some homes. I felt a little bit like an intruder as we explored these tiny alleys. The Realtor in me couldn't help but wonder how people move furniture in such compact spaces where cars don't fit. They must have some strong people who carry everything up, or maybe donkeys that I didn't see? As I stood contemplating, I started to notice the delicious smells wafting from windows and doorways as everyone seemed to be cooking Sunday lunch.
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| This house had a bridge to get to the door! |
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The piazza was filling up with people, and we headed to the nearby town of Arsoli, which is right on the line of Abruzzo, for lunch at a restaurant that Andrea had reserved. He was amazing at finding and booking really good restaurants so quickly. I think it might be one of his super powers. We sat outside at Hosteria 36 and sipped white wine and nibbled arrosticini (roasted/grilled lamb skewers) and then tried the local hand-made pasta specialities. We even liked the stray cats that lazily sat under the tables and we may have fed them a bit. Coffees came in these really sweet covered cups, then we were on our way.
There was a stop in Tivoli on the way back for gelato. Seriously, could this day have gotten any better?
We ended the weekend with a delicious lasagna dinner at Gabriele & Andrea's apartments with Monica & Gaetano joining us, then driving us back to their place. Did you know that traditional Italian lasagna does not have red sauce like we're used to here? It's made with a béchamel, and I think it's better!
While everything we did and saw (and ate!) was really special, the best part was spending time with Gabriele, and getting to know our new friend Andrea! I know it sounds so cheesy to say it, but my heart was so full. I've said it before, but it's not lost on me how very lucky I am to have these people in my life, and to share these experiences with them. When I'm having a rough day, I think back on these shared moments.
Huge thanks to all of our Roman friends for the absolutely amazing hospitality, and for not telling us if you're tired of us visiting so often!
Travel Tip I learned from Andrea:
Use The Fork app to find and book tables at restaurants!
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