June 2010
17 posts
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Looking back at our visit to Castellammare di... →
WatchBevagna is truly a unique place. After meeting the mayor, we toured the city, taking in the sights and experiencing its history and practices.
Every year, Bevagna shuts down its businesses for ten days, transforming itself into a perfect replica of a medieval-era Italian town. Businesses close their doors and reopen as candlemakers, paper artisans, and thread craftsmen, among other trades....
A Local Tv Station interviews the VOD group in... →
American students of NIAF VOD, National Italian American Foundation Voyage of Discovery in Washington, DC, visiting for three days in the Vallo di Diano, were fascinated by the beauty of the territory. Local news caster, Rocco Colombo has collected testimonies of some of the students and of the President of the Mountain Community Vallo di Diano, Raffaele Accetta.
Gli studenti statunitensi del...
WatchHere’s a breathtaking view of Vesuvius from Stabia’s historic center. Meet our guide, Aubrey, and take in La Villa di Arianna
WatchA member of another tour wowed us with his beautiful voice, and sang the beginning of the Italian favorite “Nessun Dorma”
La Città di Castellammare di Stabia
Wow.
The villas we toured in Castellammare di Stabia were awe-inspiring. Buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE, the massive villas were preserved in their ashen vaults until over 1500 years later, when the Bourbons performed excavations there (haphazardly, according to our wonderful guide, Audrey) in search of valuable Roman art and architecture with which they filled their homes and...
Photo Collection: Italian Panoramas
The city of Castellammare di Stabia.
Vesuvius by day. A view from Stabia.
Wildflowers grow in abundance on the mountains surrounding il Vallo di Diano.
The courtyard at the Charterhouse of St. Lorenzo.
The view from the roof of our hotel in Padula. We’ve become closer than friends with our hosts there. More about them tomorrow!
A goodbye party at Agriturismo Tre Santi
To celebrate our last night in Padula, Valentina, Michele, and the other people at Agriturismo Tre Santi threw us a party, complete with an extensive menu of antipasti, pasta, and desserts. They also had a dance floor covered by a tent, and our good friends Federico, Francesco, and Settimio DJ-ed for us. With great food, close friends, and Italian music, we couldn’t go wrong!
A view of...
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WatchSnippets from our day of hiking, cooking, and eating!
Le Grotte di Pertosa
On Wednesday, June 2, after we met the Bishop and celebrated the birth of the Italian Republic, we traveled to the famous caves of Pertosa. It is rumored that these are the very caves on which Dante Alighieri based his book Inferno.
The caves date back to an impressive 35 million years ago, and are ranked as one of the most important natural sites of South Italy.
After a light lunch, we ventured...
Il Vescovo Monsignor Angelo Spinillo e La Festa...
After closing on yet another successful day in the beautiful city of Padula, we traveled to Teggiano to meet the Bishop. The Bishop, Mons. Angelo Spinillo, has an interesting story, in that he is the Bishop of the very town in which he used to be a priest. In fact, he used to be the priest of the Mayor of Padula, Giovanni Alliegro.
Il Vescovo, Mons. Angelo Spinillo (middle) and Mayor of Padula...
Agriturism in Vallo di Diano
Early this morning, we boarded a bus headed for the mountains that define the boundaries the valley. As our guides — Tiziana, Giuseppe, Giovanni, Settimio, Enio, and Francesco — escorted us up the mountain, we were treated to spectacular panoramic views of the entire valley and surrounding landscape.
On our way up, we stopped at San Michele alle Grotelle, a church carved into the...
Il Museo di Joe Petrosino
On Monday (May 31), our group visited the historic House-Museum (Casa-Museo) of the decorated police officer Giuseppe “Joe” Petrosino.
Petrosino was born right here in Padula in the province of Salerno on August 30, 1860. When he was only 13 years old, his family moved to the United States to settle in Little Italy. Petrosino, upon arriving on Ellis Island, surprised the immigration...
