Aromatherapy of Rome candles one of the almost favorite types of candles in the reality. Aromatherapy of Rome candles are considered to develop perhaps the almost hot and smoldering scents of old rome. These candles gain incredulously by evoking the tranquil and curative quiet. These candles are designed specifically to be powerful enough to just the correct intention, in that they are not overly feeble and still not then too strong and powerful that they are annoying or irritating. Aromatherapy of Rome candles go in a big kind of scents and colors. Each candle has been created to elicit a distinct lot of feelings.
Aromatherapy has been researched for many years and is now accepted to be a legitimate method of therapy that uses fragrant materials to assist handle and heal sure popular ailments. There are many distinct types of Aromatherapy of Rome candles to select away from, including: Balance candle, with lavender; Speculation candle, with patchouli and ylang ylang. Reflective candle, with honeysuckle and lemon; Sensuous candle, with ylang ylang and myristica fragrans; Relaxation candle, with lavender and tangerine. Tranquillity candle, with chamaemelum nobilis and honeysuckle. There are too Aromatherapy of Rome frosted jar candles that you can purchase.
Aromatherapy is said to assist the patient loosen, alleviate strain and better one’s whole character of living. It is for this cause that Aromatherapy of Rome candles have get then favorite. Every Aromatherapy of Rome Candle will be labeled with the figure of the fragrance and a remark on what effects this specific aroma should get on the human patient. Aromatherapy of Rome candles are almost usually used to alleviate strain and handle new ailments, such as migraines or muscle aches. Some consumption Aromatherapy of Rome candles at job. It is said that the soothing effects of the candles can sooth still the almost hectic job day.
People that have children and are under a plenty of strain will gain almost from this use. One of the almost popular uses of Aromatherapy of Rome candles is to blow one while taking a lengthy warm tub. The candles produce a relaxed air and really heighten the relaxing therapy of the warm tub. Candles can be burned individually or in combinations to produce an enjoyable strain available air that just about anyone can love. To discover the candles there are many locations accessible that provide these candles, and the better manner to discover the position nearest to you would be by using the Internet.
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This collection of essays vividly recounts and interprets the long history and varied culture of Jews in Italy, from earliest times through World war II and the Holocaust. . . . More >>
If you will be touring Europe, why not consider the island of Sicily, a region of southern Italy? Depending on your particular interests, this beautiful island can be an ideal vacation spot. You can get eat really great Italian food, and wash it down with fine local wine. And several parts of Sicily are yet to be discovered by tourists. This article presents western Sicily. A companion article presents eastern Sicily. Another companion article presents Sicily’s capital, Palermo.
We’ll start our western Sicilian tour in Monteale on the Tyrrhenian Sea just west of the capital of Palermo. We’ll meander east and south to the city of Marsala on the Mediterranean Sea, and then head southeast along the Mediterranean Sea to Agrigneto.
Monteale, is a city of about thirty thousand, is situated a few miles southwest of Sicily’s capital Palermo. It is best known for its Duomo (Cathedral), which like so many other Sicilian churches is a product of the Norman conquest. This Cathedral was built from the years 1174 to 1185. The Monteale Duomo is often considered the finest example of Norman architecture in all of Sicily, and believe me there are a lot of competitors.
Can you believe that the interior of this magnificent building contains much more than an acre of gold mosaics? Everywhere you look there is plenty to see, for example, the bronze doors contain over forty biblical scenes, while the north door has over forty panels of evangelists and saints. Make sure to visit the nearby cloister surrounded by beautifully decorated glass mosaics. Finish your tour on the belvedere with its magnificent view of the Conca d’Oro (Golden Conch) Valley.
The town of Erice whose population is less than thirty thousand lies about one half mile above sea level. You’ll love its two castles, Pepoli Castle dating from Saracen (Arabic) times and Venus Castle dating from Norman times, built on what some say was the most famous Greek temple dedicated to the goddess Venus. The city contains the remains of walls from the days of the Phoenicians and the little known Elymians, perhaps descendants of the Trojans. Erice holds many scientific conferences. Capo San Vito is a cape situated approximately twenty-five miles (forty kilometers) northeast of Erice. It claims to have the most beautiful beach in all of Italy. Every September it holds a five-day international competition for couscous, a North African semolina-based dish.
The abandoned city of Segesta, about an hour’s drive southwest of Sicily’s capital Palermo, is home to one of the best-preserved Greek Temples, built by Elymians under Greek rule around 430 B. C. Legend has it that they built the temple to impress the Athenians of their wealth in order to enlist Athens against a nearby city supported by Siracuse. Once Athen’s envoys Segesta left work on the temple stopped. The temple remains incomplete, but magnificent. Segesta also boasts the ruins of a Greek amphitheater that presents classic Greek theater (in Italian), a Norman castle, and a small church.
The city of Marsala whose population is about eighty thousand was the major Carthaginian base in Sicily during its wars against Greece and Rome. The city name comes from the Arabic words for great port or Ali’s port. Marsala played an important role in Italian history as the landing point of Italian national hero Garibaldi’s one thousand red shirt combatants who fought for the reunification of Italy.
Today Marsala brings to mind the wine much loved by the British (and others) for well over two hundred years. Should you visit this city make sure to see the Museo Archeologico Baglio Anselmi (Baglio Anselmi Archeological Museum) with its warship and artifacts believed to date from the First Punic War in 241 B. C. You may also want to make reservations to visit the Donnafugata Winery in downtown Marsala. Yes, they do give samples. We have reached the western tip of the island and now head south and east.
Selinunte was the site of a Greek colony founded in the Seventh Century B. C. This colony prospered for hundreds of years until destroyed by the Carthaginians in 409 B. C. Thousands of its inhabitants were slaughtered and most who weren’t killed were enslaved. The city’s seven temples were destroyed; only one has been restored but the ancient market has been excavated.
We terminate our virtual tour of western Sicily at Agrigento, historic city and site of Valle dei Templi (Valley of the Temples) arguably the finest Greek ruins outside of Greece. The classic Greek poet Pindar called it “the most beautiful city built by mortal men. ” Prepare your trip carefully, summers in this part of the world are very, very hot, and while you don’t want to get sick, you don’t want to rush through the site which contains several buildings worth visiting.
Each one of the Valle dei Templi temples is unique. We’ll briefly examine five of them, going from west to east. The Tempio di Castore e Polluce (Temple of Castor and Pollux) is somewhat messy. It was reconstructed well over one hundred years ago by people who didn’t know what they were doing. They slapped together elements from diverse ruins on the site. The Tempio di Giove (Temple of Jupiter) was never completed. At more than 330 feet (about 130 meters) long it was one of the largest Greek temples ever built. The Tempio di Ercole (Temple of Hercules) is the most ancient of these temples. It was partially reconstructed over eighty years ago. The Tempio della Concordia (Temple of Concord) is said to be the best-preserved Greek temple on earth. In the Sixth Century it was converted into a Christian church and restored in the Eighteenth Century. Everything is still there except for the roof and the treasury. Not surprisingly, you are not allowed inside but you can appreciate it from a reasonable distance. The Tempio di Giunone (Temple of Juno) offers a spectacular view of the valley below. Believe it or not traces remain of a fire that burned over twenty-four hundred years ago.
Across from the Temple of Castor and Pollux are several small temples that you may want to see as well. The Hellenistic and Roman Quarter consists of four ancient streets paved with mosaics and a few Roman house foundations. Right nearby is the Museo Archeologica Regionale (Regional Archeological Museum) with lots of antiquities. What about food? Sicily’s great food goes back as far as its beautiful buildings and ruins. Every conquest, and there were several, brought new foods to this island. Sometimes new foods such as tomatoes made their way peacefully to Sicilian tables. Organic food has become fairly popular in Sicily. Of all the Italian regions only the neighboring island of Sardinia produces more organic food. Certified Sicilian food products include olives, olive oil, cheese, tomatoes, oranges, table grapes (I prefer them fermented), and pears.
Let’s suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start with Macco (Fava Bean puree). Then try Involtini alla Siciliana (Meat Roulade stuffed with Salami and Cheese). For dessert indulge yourself with Sgrappino (Whipped Lemon Sherbert with Spumante). Be sure to increase your dining pleasure by including local wines with your meal.
We’ll conclude with a quick look at Sicilian wine. Sicily is number one among Italy’s twenty regions when it comes to the acreage devoted to wine grapes and to the total annual wine production. And an independent Sicily would be the world’s seventh largest wine producer. It may be surprising but only slightly more than fifty percent of Sicilian wine is red. Sicily produces nineteen DOC wines. The term DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which we can translate as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. Only about 2% of Sicilian wine carries this sometimes prestigious classification. But there are many Sicilian wines without the DOC classification, sometimes by choice.
Over the years Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, and yet he prefers fine Italian, German, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and good company. He knows what dieting is, and is glad that for the time being he can eat and drink what he wants, in moderation. He loves teaching a variety of computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. Visit his new wine, diet, health, and nutrition website www. wineinyourdiet. com and his Italian food website www. fooditalyfood. com.
Researching Your Family History in Italy: Genealogy 101
By: Michael Cestaro*
For most Americans of Italian descent, obtaining information about their ancestors can be quite daunting or seem even impossible when they have to reach past Ellis Island and start poking around in Italy. But truth be told, in most situations, a researcher armed with correct data and a bit of patience, can gain access to an abundance of information that can provide great insight into his family history.
Provided that a researcher has the correct spelling of his ancestor’s name and the date and place where the event (i. e. , birth, marriage or death) took place, it is possible to obtain copies of documents that are well over a 100 years old. In a rather ironic way, it is Italy’s history of bureaucracy and the Italian government’s obsession with forms and details that can come back to benefit the individual who is searching his Italian roots tenfold.
Generally speaking, most Italian documents that recorded a birth, marriage or death around and prior to the turn of the century, did so in a very formalistic way. The end result of this method was an inclusion of useful details such as maiden names, street addresses, witnesses to the event, occupations of the parties, and the names of those present at the recording of the event (including even the mayor and town officials) in the document. In addition, other details, such as whether the parties were capable of reading and writing, were sometimes hand-written onto the documents. For the individual searching his family history, access to all of this type of information can be like winning the genealogical jackpot.
So exactly where are these documents kept and what information does a researcher need?
Italian birth, marriage and death certificates are kept on file at the Office of Vital Statistics of the comune or town where the event occurs. When a document is requested, it is normally provided in an estratto per riassunto form, which is an extract of the most relevant information recorded at the comune. For those interested in merely obtaining dual citizenship, this is the form that most consulates will require as part of their application process.
For somebody doing genealogical research, however, the better form is the copia integrale. Unlike the estratto, the copia integrale includes the many invaluable details in which the genealogical researcher would most probably be interested. It is important to note that under Italian law, a copia integrale is only available if the event occurred more than 75 years ago.
Beyond birth, marriage and death certificates, military records can be fertile ground for genealogical exploration. Italian military records, for the most part, are kept in provincial archives, unlike birth, marriage and death certificates, which are stored at the local level. If an individual’s ancestor served in the military, conscription and service records are likely to include information such as his physical description, town of residence, parents’ names, profession and educational level, as well as a chronological history of service from conscription to discharge.
Once an individual has conquered the task of obtaining his ancestor’s document, the next hurdle may be deciphering the handwriting on the document. Because these documents may predate the invention of the typewriter or were prepared in a town that did not have a typewriter at the time (yes, there was a time when a manual typewriter was considered cutting edge technology), reading the handwriting on the document may present its own challenge. Still, with a bit of effort and the use of a computer’s zoom function, even this obstacle can be overcome.
For those seriously thinking of looking into their family history or who are at the point in their research where they must now search in Italy, a basic understanding of the types of documents that are available and where they are stored is essential. Genealogical research into one’s family history can be a fun hobby that may be challenging at times, but is undeniably rewarding on so many levels and for a variety of reasons.
*Michael Cestaro is the President and CEO of Your Italian Heritage, LLC. You can learn more about the company and its services by visiting www. youritalianheritage. com.
Michael Cestaro is the President and CEO of Your Italian Heritage, LLC. You can learn more about the company and its services by visiting www. youritalianheritage. com.
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The Mediterranean is one of the favourite destinations for cycle touring. This book gives detailed route descriptions to touring the coastal regions of Spain, France, Italy, Greece and beyond. . . . More >>
Cycling the Mediterranean: Bicycle Tours in Spain, France, Italy, Greece, and Beyond
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This is a full-length study of a topic of central importance to the development of Italian and European culture. The spread of printing to Renaissance Italy had a dramatic impact on all users of books. As works came to be diffused more widely and cheaply, and reading became a more popular activity, so authors adapted their writing and methods of publishing to the demands and opportunities of the new medium. Brian Richardson focuses on the interaction between the boo. . . More >>
If you are in the market for a European tourist destination, you should consider the Latium region of central western Italy on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Latium, also known as Laszio, is the region that includes Italys capital Rome, the Eternal City. Because it is so easy to find articles describing the multiple pleasures of Rome, we are going to write about the lesser-known attractions of Latium. This article focuses on Latium east of Rome. A companion article describes Latium west of Rome.
Well start our tour Tivoli about 22 miles (35 kilometers) northeast of Rome. Well head northeast to Subiaco. Well double back to Palestrina, which is south and a bit east of Tivoli. Then it is south to Ninfa and Sermoneta before heading southeast to Sperlonga on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Well head back northwest along the coast to finish our tour at Anzio. You may want to continue northwest along the coast to Ostia Antica, Ancient Rome’s port city, which is not described in the present article.
Tivoli is famous as the site of Hadrians Villa, a not so little getaway retreat for one of Romes most famous emperors, built in the early Second Century. During the latter years of his rule ran the empire from this villa. The site exceeds a square kilometer (over 250 acres) and contains more than thirty buildings, some of which are yet to be excavated. A large part of this villas decorations and statues can be found in the Vatican Museums. Hadrian liked the dome on an Egyptian temple called Serapeum and transplanted the design to his villa. A prominent architect of the day begged to differ, comparing Hadrians design to a pumpkin. Can you guess how this story ends? Hadrians Villa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Unfortunately part of the site is on the World Monuments Watch 100 Most Endangered Sites list. You may recognize this villa from the HBO film series, Angels in America.
Villa dEste is another UNESCO World Heritage Site in Tivoli. It is a beautiful water garden, reminiscent of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. This villa was founded in the mid-Sixteenth Century by Cardinal Ippolito of dEste, son of Lucrezia Borgia, after not being chosen as Pope during a lengthy conclave. His loss was the worlds gain. Just to give you an idea of its scope; one of the pathways is called the Avenue of One Hundred Fountains. Make sure that you visit the Fontana di Rome, a scale model of Ancient Roman, demolished but partially rebuilt.
The city of Subiaco, population about ten thousand, is the site of the Roman Emperor Neros villa, said to compete with Hadrians villa, constructed decades later. However, Neros villa is in ruins. You can see these ruins on your way to the cave in which St. Benedict lived for several years and founded his Sixth Century Monastery, which is still standing today. The Monastery contains numerous frescoes, some over one thousand years old. The nearby abbey was the site of Italys first print shop, founded in 1464. You can well imagine the contents of its library.
Palestrina, whose population numbers some 18 thousand, was settled in the Seventh or Eighth Century B. C. under the name Praeneste. Like many cities near Rome, its graves often contain Etruscan artifacts. About two thousand years ago this area was a favorite summer resort for wealthy Romans who mocked the uncultured local inhabitants. The ancient city of Praeneste contained the Temple of Fortuna Primigenia, one of the largest temple complexes in the ancient world. Fortuna was the goddess of fertility, abundance, and success. People came from near and far to pray for her good graces.
Youll also want to see the Seventeenth Century Palazzo Barberini (Barberini Palace) housing the Museo Nazionale Archeologico di Palestrina (Palestrina Nation Archeology Museum) with its collection of Roman and Etruscan pieces and a two-thousand year mosaic that depicts the flooding of the Nile River. And theres a model of the temple in its full glory.
The town of Ninfa was once owned by the Popes. During the Fourteenth Century Pope Clement VII destroyed the town in an internal war. For about six hundred years it lay in ruins, largely because of the malarial mosquitoes in the nearby marshes. And then in 1920 an aristocratic English artist, Ada Wilbraham, married a member of the Caetani family that had been given the city way back in 1297 by Pope Boniface II, another Caetani. Wilbraham began the restoration that has continued to this day. The site includes a bridge and seven churches from Roman times, a castle, and the city wall, all in a state of arrested decay. The restored medieval town hall has hosted famous writers including Ezra Pound, Henry James, and T. S. Elliott. Its visiting hours are quite restricted.
The little town of Sermoneta also belonged to the Caetani family who built a castle to defend it in the Thirteenth Century. Pope Alexander VI, the father of Lucrezia Borgia, drew the line dividing Portuguese South America (Brazil) and Spanish South America (everywhere else). He seized the castle in the Fifteenth Century and transformed it into a fortress before giving it to his son Cesare. Later it returned to the Caetani family. Besides the castle you should see the Cathedrale and the wall paintings in the ruined San Giuseppe (St. Josephs) Church.
Sperlonga was a resort in the days of the Romans. The Roman Emperor Tiberius built a villa called Grotta di Tiberio, but it was more of a palace than a grotto. The dining room was situated on an island in the villas pool. As luck would have it, the grotto collapsed during an imperial party, but a government official saved Tiberiuss life. The site now is home to a museum, Museo Nazionale, which displays statues and artifacts from the villa. Make sure to see the massive statue of Odysseus blinding a Cyclops. The beautiful beach south of town is great for strolling and for swimming.
We head northwest along the Tyrrhenian Sea to finish our tour at Anzio. This city of about 45,000 people was the birthplace of Roman Emperors Caligula and Nero, who built a magnificent villa long since destroyed. Anzio is a resort area with high-quality beaches. Between January 22 and May 24, 1944 Anzio and neighboring Nettuno were the site of a major World War II battle, Operation Shingle. The Allied invasion was said to be one of the most complete surprises in military history. However, the battle itself was quite deadly and proved to be controversial. The city contains the Anzio Beachhead British Military Cemetery and a Beachhead Museum. The American Military Cemetery is in Nettuno.
What about food? Latium cuisine is one of abundance. The best cuts of meat were reserved for the rich and the poor had to make do with the rest, including feet, heart, kidneys, tongue, and tripe. Lets not forget the pasta, which is said to be among the best in Italy. Fettuccine Alfredo comes from this region.
Lets suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start with Provatura alla Salsa di Acciughe (Provatura Cheese with Anchovy Sauce). Then try Saltimbocca alla Romana (Veal and Ham Rolls). For dessert you can indulge yourself with Crostata di Ricotta (Ricotta Tart with Candied Fruit). And remember to increase your dining pleasure by including local wines with your meal.
Well terminate this article with a quick look at Latium wine. More than four out of five bottles produced here are white. There are twenty five DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine, twenty of them white. However, only about 6% of Latium wine is so classified. Frankly, the region is not known for its wine. It once was; in the distant past Falernum, a Latium red was the hit of Ancient Rome. Who knows, perhaps some day this region will regain its former glory when it comes to wine. In the meantime, theres lots to see and to eat. And plenty of fine Italian wines are available. North of Latium is Umbria, and north of Umbria is Tuscany. Boncompagni Ludovisis Fiorano Rosso is a Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend from Latium that comes highly recommended but I have yet to taste it.
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine German, Italian, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and the right people. He knows what dieting is, and is glad that for the time being he can eat and drink what he wants, in moderation. He teaches various and sundry classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. Visit his new wine, diet, health, and nutrition website www. wineinyourdiet. com and his Italian wine website www. theitalianwineconnection. com .
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This guide expertly divides northern Italy’s lakes and mountain region into touring areas – one per chapter. The scenic masterpiece of northern Italy’s lakes and mountains is included, taking in the Renaissance splendour of Venice and Florence, and the glamorous resort towns of the Italian Riviera. It also features Lake Maggiore, Lake Como, Milan, Lake Garda, Verona, the Dolomite Road, Venice, Padua, and Florence to Pisa. . . . More >>
If you are looking for a European tourist destination, consider the area west of Naples in the Campania region of southwestern Italy on the Tyrrhenian Sea. You will find several small towns and two islands. While the area is not undiscovered it tends to be less touristy than many other parts of Italy including Campagnia on the other side of Naples, namely Sorrento and the Isle of Capri described in companion articles in this series. If youre in the neighborhood, be sure to visit Naples, described in another companion article in this series.
Well start our tour in Solfatara just west of Naples. Then we will head west to Pozzuoli and southwest to Baia. Well pop up north to Cumae. We finish our tour with some island hopping, first south to Procida, and then southwest to Ischia. The entire area is called Campi Flegrei (Fields of Fire) because it sits on molten lava. There is no reason to believe that volcanic eruptions are a thing of the past. And remember, the area is not far from Mount Vesuvius on the other side of Naples.
Solfatara is a semiextinct volcano whose most recent eruption was in 1198. Its name comes from the Latin sulpha terra for land of sulphur so you know what to expect. Solfatara is hardly attractive, unless you like to look at boiling mud. But as long as you stick to the path you should be safe. On the positive side the escaping vapors have been used for medicinal purposes since Roman times.
Pozzuoli is a fishing town that has become a suburb of Naples, hardly suprising given its proximity. The Greeks founded it in the Sixth Century B. C. Formerly the home of affluent Romans, its famous residents include St. Paul and Sofia Villani Scicolone better known by her professional name, Sophia Loren. Pozzuoli was damaged by volcanic eruptions during the Middle Ages and again in the 1970s. Youll want to see the Anfiteatro Flavio (Flavius Amphitheater), Italys third largest, that held 40,000 spectators. It hosts evening concerts in the summer.
Baia was perhaps the greatest Ancient Roman resort of them all. All the big shots including Caesar, Nero, and Tiberius had a home away from home in Baia. Cleopatra was visiting when Julius Caesar met his untimely end. For many people part of Baias attraction was its thermal, mineral waters said to have healing powers. Local excavations include the Temple of Mercury, the Baths of Mercury, the Baths of Sosandra, with the semicircular Theater of the Nymphs and a statue of Sosandra, the Temple of Venus, and the Baths of Venus.
Cumae was perhaps the first Greek colony on the Italian mainland, founded in the Eighth Century B. C. Youll want to see Antro della Sibilla (Sibyls Cave) considered by many people to be the most romantic classical site in all Italy. This cave, almost five hundred feet (one hundred thirty one meters) long, was carved out of solid rock. According to legend Sibyl was a prophet granted almost eternal life (as many years as the grains of sand in her handful) but she sadly forgot to request eternal youth. As she aged she shriveled so much that her body fit into a bottle that hung from a tree. In between uttering prophecies she begged for death.
Most present Cumae is underground. Make sure to see Lago dAverno (Lake Avernus), a volcanic crater lake that the Romans considered the entrance to Hades (Hell). According to legend, birds flying over the lake would die from the poisonous fumes. It was on these shores that Virgil wrote The Aeneid. Lets assume he didnt inhale.
Right near the coast you’ll find Procida, a densely populated island with about eleven thousand people jam packed into two square miles. This is about one third the population density of Hong Kong but Procida is the most densely populated island in all Europe. In spite of all that, Procida is beautiful and relatively undiscovered compared to the other islands off the coast of Campania. Try not to miss the Good Friday procession, an annual event since 1627. The island and its small fishing village Corricella were featured in the films Il Postino and The Talented Mr. Ripley, filmed in many Campania locations including the island of Ischia, described next.
We will finish our tour of this sometimes lovely area west of Naples at the island of Ischia, probably inhabited for thousands of years. Its almost sixty thousand inhabitants including thousands of German citizens live mostly from tourism with an estimated six million visitors a year. No, this is not one of the undiscovered gems that pop up from time to time. Over the millennia Ischia endured many conquests. Among the worst was in the mid-Sixteenth Century when the pirate Barbarossa devastated the island, taking four thousand prisoners in the process.
The Castello Aragonese (Aragonese Castle) is Ischias most heavily visited monument. It was built on a rock near the so-called mainland somewhat less than 2500 years ago. In 1441 the castle was linked to the island by a stone bridge. The nearby beach is fine and its waters may heal your ailments.
The La Mortella gardens belonged to the British composer William Walton and his Argentinean wife Susana, 23 years his junior. It is home to several thousand rare Mediterranean plants. After visiting the garden you can climb the long dormant volcano, Monte Epomeo, bathe in the Giardini Poseidon Terme (Poseidon Gardens Spa), or take a short boat trip to the village of Sant’Angelo on the southern coast.
What about food? Volcanic soil makes food tasty and plentiful and gives wine a special zest. The focus here tends to be on vegetables and fruits. Tomatoes are served every which way, including pizza and spaghetti of course. Try to taste the mozzarella cheese, made from the milk of water buffalo.
Lets suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start with Nero di Seppia (Spaghetti with Black Squid Ink). Then try Coniglio allIschitana (Rabbit simmered with Tomatoes). For dessert indulge yourself with Strufoli (Honey Balls). Be sure to increase your dining pleasure by including local wines with your meal.
We conclude with a quick look at Campania wine. Campania ranks 9th among the 20 Italian regions for both acreage devoted to wine grapes and for total annual wine production. The region produces about 64% red and and close to 36% white wine, as there is little ros?There are17 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is no guarantee that such wines are truly superior. Only 2. 8% of Campania wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. The G stands for Guarantita, and youll find three, the red Taurasi, the white Greco di Tufo, and the white Fiano di Avellino. I have tasted the Fiano and found it to be top of the line. A single DOC wine is produced west of Naples; the Ischia DOC whose region covers the entire island of Ischia and is made from a variety of local grapes. This wine may be red or white. The red may be dry or sweet, while the white may be still or sparkling. Frankly, Id go with the Fiano di Avellino.
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but between you and me, he prefers drinking fine German, Italian, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and the right people. He knows what dieting is, and is glad that for the time being he can eat and drink what he wants, in moderation. He teaches various classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. Visit his new wine, diet, health, and nutrition website www. wineinyourdiet. com and his Italian travel website www. travelitalytravel. com .
From the foundation of the first church of San Fruttuoso di Capodimonte to the apogee of the Abbey
When one speaks of San Fruttuoso with someone who knows this splendid locality on the promontory of Portofino, few are aware that the complete name of the nuclear abbey of this little village is San Fruttuoso di Capodimonte. Capodimonte explains the name; San Fruttuoso explains the legend which we will briefly relate.
Arriving from Spain, the priests Giustino and Procopio of Terragona wanted to reach the coast of Liguria and bring the bones of San Fruttuoso, the archbishop of Braga and founder of monasteries in Spain and Portugal. He would later be mart yered in 262.
A strong tempest surprised them in the area of Portofino and it was here that an angel of the Lord appeared to Giustino and promised to bring him to safety in a narrow’avine in the cliffs and from which he would chase away a pestiferous dragon. The priests would then have to construct a church there among the rocks by a gushing spring.
It was thus that the locality where the church was constructed and later the monastery, first of thefollowers of Saint Colombano and then of the Benedictines, came to be called San Fruttuoso. Here the Abbey that was to have such great importance for the Tigullian Gulf until the twelfth century developed.
The Abbey exercised rights over hunting and fishing on the entire promontory and in addition fostered agriculture, mostly on the eastern slope of the promontory of Portofino which was more suitable for cultivation.
The submission of many coastal and inland parishes reaching as far as the dio- ceses of Tortona, Bobbio, and Brugnato, were the consequences of many donations. Anticipating the fatal year 1000 that was supposed to represent the end of the uorld, many feudal lords and even emperors deprived themselves of land to be given to the church.
In particular the empress Adelaide or Adalgisa of Bourgogne must be remembered for having donated the land of the “oltregiogo”(1) for her spiritual salvation and that of the emperor Otto I and in appreciation for the physical salvation of her son Otto II’s escape from a grave danger. Even the island of Sestri Levante belonged to the Abbey and so we can confidently talk about its supremacy over the lands of Tigullio.
Since San Fruttuoso belonged to the “marca januensis”(2) constituted by Berengario II in 950 and entrusted to the Obertenghi family, the relationship between the Abbey and the aristocracy was such that the existence of numerous feudal landlords such as the Fieschi, the Este and the Malaspina did not pose a serious danger to the Abbey. The Fieschi were established in eastern Tigullio while the other two were dominant in the Appenine mountains and in the Po valley and plain.
The year 1133 is a very important date in the history not only of the Genoese church but for the abbey at San Fruttuoso as well. Since Pope Innocent Il separated the diocese of Genoa from the seat of Milan, establishing it as an archdiocese with Siro II, it became necessary to reorganize the territory.
