Italy 2017: Monday, May 8: Day 7: Spoleto
After a day of rest and a good night's sleep, I am feeling better. After breakfast and after looking at the overcast sky and the rain forecast for early afternoon, we decide to drive to Norcia in eastern Umbria. Norcia had been hit with a series of earthquakes in 2016 and there was significant damage reported but I had also heard that the town was ready for tourists.
Leaving Spoleto, we enter the long tunnel under gray skies and emerge to bright sunshine. The drive to Norcia mostly follows the course of the Nera River (this is the Valnerina) so there are few hills but there are green mountain slopes on both sides. We see signs along the way advertising rafting on the river but the "river" seems so narrow from the road that it is hard to envision.
As we approach Norcia, we enter a broad valley and in the distance, we see the snow-capped peaks of the Sibillini mountains. Up to now, we see no apparent earthquake damage but as we get to the city walls, the gate to the city is held up by braces and is covered by scaffolding. We circle the walls to the other side of the town and see a lot of damage to the walls...at points, the road is narrowed to one lane due to the collapsed structure.
We park at a gate on the east side of town and start to walk to the center following the Google maps directions on my phone. But as we walk, we see many houses either damaged or destroyed and our path to the center is blocked by many streets that are blocked off by red tape and signs saying "zona rosa".
IMAGE Missing
We retrace our steps, get in the car and drive further around the walls to the next gate. At this gate, there is a lot of activity and many temporary buildings and tents housing shops, offices and repair crews.
Photo by Jim Zurer
Walking through the gate, there are soldiers directing traffic and red signs showing which streets are open.
Photo by Jim Zurer
When we follow the designated route to the main piazza, the road is almost completely blocked by trucks and a bulldozer digging out a collapsed building but we are told that we can squeeze through between the trucks and houses and we continue. The bulldozer operator pauses his work as we edge past.
Photo by Jim Zurer
In the main square, there are some shops open and restaurants are setting up for lunch but it is very quiet. We buy some strawberries at a "frutta verdura" and notice that the road from the first gate we had come to was open in spite of the scaffolding.
As we stand in front of the duomo, we seethe facade is standing but the entire church in back has collapsed. The tower of of the city hall next door has also been heavily damaged.
Photo by Jim Zurer
Photo by Jim Zurer
We are very disheartened seeing the conditions in the town and think it will be a long time before things are back to normal.
Photo by Jim Zurer
We drive back to Spoleto along the Nera in a different direction....and instead of returning to town through the tunnel, we opt for the panoramic route over the mountain....and are rewarded with incredible vistas and beautiful scenery.
Photo from
http://www.umbrianrefuge.com/
Photo from
http://www.norciavacanze.it/
Back in Spoleto, we have a quick lunch at La Piazzetta dell'Erbe but this time it is empty and the food doesn't seem as good.
In the afternoon, I walk up to Piazza Mercato to meet Pauline and Steve and Wes and Linda Yoder, Slow Trav veterans who were at the lunch that we missed yesterday. We take them to see the view over the valley from the Ponte di Torri and have a coffee at a cafe where we discuss our mutual passion for Italy.
The rain threatens to begin and they have to return to Assisi so we make for the moving stairway and say our goodbyes. I take a quick look at Pauline and Steve's apartment (beautiful view over Spoleto from the terrace) and walk back down to our hotel, just beating the rain.
It is raining fairly hard as we walk out to meet Pauline and Steve for our final dinner in Spoleto. We have a very good meal at a very traditional trattoria just across the street from 9 Cento.
The Osteria del Trivio is a very pleasant family run place and our meals are delicious.
Photo by Jim Zurer
Diana and I share an extensive antipasto platter, followed by pappardelle with broccoli and sausage for Diana and strangozzi with fave, pecorino and guanciale for me. There is a sufficient choice of vegetarian options for Pauline.
We have enjoyed our stay in Spoleto both for the very appealing city and its sights and for the chance to spend time with Pauline and Steve.
Tomorrow we are off to Tuscany with a stop for lunch with Letizia Mattiaci (Alla Madonna del Piatto) at her agriturismo above Assisi.
Jim and Diana