What about Prague?

posted by Anne & Kirk Woodyard
Music and Markets Tours

Little by little the mountains of snow are beginning to melt outside my window, and as the winter winds down (no more snow storms, PLEASE!) thoughts of springtime in Prague fill my mind.

Most of the posts on the Slow Travel Tours blog stay in western Europe, but we’ve followed the music further east, to include one of Europe’s oldest and best known music festivals in our Music and Markets tour itinerary. Why did we choose Prague?

Well, in addition to the fact that the Prague Spring Festival, now in its 65^th year (and the granddaddy of the plethora of classical music festivals now in existence) hosts stellar musicians from around the world, performing in supremely beautiful settings such as Prague’s majestic castle, there’s the city itself.

A living, breathing fairy-tale, with its cobbled streets, Gothic spires, fanciful façades, and a magnificent hilltop castle  presiding over it all, Prague survived the World Wars of the previous century with its architectural layers of history intact.

Here are a few of our don’t-miss Prague highlights:

• Yes, it’s touristy, and you’ll be packed in with hundreds of other gawkers from around the world, but you can’t miss the striking of the 15^th century Town Hall clock, with its challenging-to-interpret astrological components and saints marching on the hour
• A stroll around Mala Strana, Little Town, our favorite area of Prague, replete with glorious gardens, quiet corners, majestic churches, and cobblestone lanes virtually unchanged since the 1400’s
• Dinner in a castle  – our guests always enjoy the gracious service, delicious candlelit meals and slightly shabby elegance of Palffy Palac
• A memorable concert (or two or three or…) in one of Prague’s matchless concert halls, such as the Estates Theater, where Mozart conducted the premier of his Don Giovanni in 1787
• Choose a souvenir worth keeping – perhaps a ring or necklace of garnet or amber, both Czech specialties, or a goblet or two of fine Bohemian crystal
• Even though I’m not a beer enthusiast, I have to include world-renowned Czech beer on the list. Quaff a Pilsner Urquell, invented here in 1842, at an authentic hospoda, or pub, such as Baracnicka rychta in Mala Strana
• Check out Cubist architecture – Prague’s the only city in the world where this art form influenced architecture. Seek out the Cubist Lamp Post (on Jungmannovo namesti, just off of Wenceslas Square), and stop for coffee and pastries in the Cubist café at the House at the Black Madonna

These are just a few ideas for your trip to Prague – we’d love to hear of other places to see and things to do in Prague – share your favorites!

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The best way to describe us (Kirk and Anne Woodyard) is that we’re interested in the stories that make the places we visit come alive.
We’ve visited Europe more times than we can count, learned some entertaining stories there, and met some warm and helpful people who also enjoy the wonders of music and life in Europe.

Between our music-related travels, we split our time between our homes near Washington DC and the Languedoc in the south of France. We look forward to sharing these stories and friends and experiences with our Music and Markets guests.

While both of us have experience in organizing travel and music groups Kirk’s background is in project management and competitive writing, and Anne is an accomplished pianist with over thirty years of teaching experience, and a travel and food writer specializing in France and Italy.

Layers of interest

posted by Cheryl Alexander – Italian Excursion

After nearly four dozen trips to Italy over the last fifteen years I am pleased to say that my enthusiasm for traveling to this lovely country has not been dampened.  It still holds levels of mystery and a myriad of unexplored places that I couldn’t hope to uncover in a couple of lifetimes.  It appeals to my senses in so many ways with its culture of caring for things that are important such as family, history, the arts and conservation of all things natural or beautiful.

One of the first things I noticed when I started visiting Italy were the bell shaped recycle containers that each town or city displays prominently, as a constant reminder for everyone to be aware of caring for the land. Fields are carefully laid to fallow between crops; an economy of energy is observed by all in many ways. Small cars, small refrigerators, laundry either flapping in the breeze or hanging out of second story windows to dry because in Italy few have automatic dryers, even if they may have a washing machine. An irresponsible use of energy, say the Italians.

And art is felt at every turn, every juncture, down to the base level of graffiti, (most notably in the transportation areas of cities.) A church on every corner means a museum has been erected to house not only a place of worship of a favored entity but to worship the sanctity of art. This is a country where there are thousands of archeological sites stopping time so that study can be made of the multiple layers of history explaining Italy’s culture and civilizations that have made their mark on the land. These sites are as common as a Starbuck’s coffee house in the U.S.

I love the area I call the “tri corners” in central Italy, where Tuscany, Lazio and Umbria meet. There are visible differences in the landscape of each of the regions but more notable are the differences in such things as food, grape varietals and customs or language. Very subtle differences sometimes, greater contrasts at others, but they are evident. Italy has only been a whole country for a short time and it took a couple of hundred years for all the states to concur that they would be whole at some point. I can see that it will be easy for me to continue making two or three trips a year to Italy and never tire of what I will find as there are more interesting things to see and do, than imaginable. Layers and layers of people, places and things to keep one’s interest!

Cheryl has been traveling to Europe, particularly Italy, for more than fourteen years. Her interest in Italy, its history, art and rich culture led her to purchase property near Orvieto, allowing her to spend more time there. Cheryl’s exploration of Italy include the regions of Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio, as well as the areas around Venice and south towards Sorrento. She continues to travel into Italy’s less traveled regions, and enjoys sharing her discoveries with others. Relaxed, leisurely tours are her specialty with an emphasis on the comfort of her guests.Cheryl spends the rest of her time near the beach in San Diego, cavorting with her two small grandchildren. She’s an avid reader, health advocate and community volunteer. Her career as a social worker brings an understanding of people’s needs to the tour business.

Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.

Slow Travel Tours in 2010

Are you planning a special European vacation this spring, summer or fall?  We hope you’ll consider one of the small group tours offered by the members of Slow Travel Tours! Our small group tours provide an indepth experience in many of Europe’s unique regions, often with a specific focus. 

Our members are offering a wide variety of trips throughout 2010.  Although some groups are already fully booked, the trips listed below have openings available.  If you can’t decide between two trips, consider booking back-to-back trips or traveling to Europe at two different times of year. Visit each website for trip details or to contact the organizer. 

May

Cave Art and Castles Tour
Offered by Caves and Castles
Vezere Valley, Dordogne, France
May 9 – 15 

Wine, Food and Architecture of Central Italy
Offered by Italian Excursion
Umbria, Italy
May 10 – May 17 

The Luberon Experience – Women’s Week
Offered by The Luberon Experience
Bonnieux – Provence, France
May 15 – 22 (three spaces left)  

Music and Markets in Prague
Offered by Music and Markets Tours
Prague, Czech Republic
May 22 – 28  

Bella Italia: Watercolor and Journaling
Offered by Adventures In Italy
Orvieto, Italy
May 23 – 29 (two spaces left)  

Healing Art of Photography
Offered by Adventures In Italy
Orvieto, Italy
May 23 – 29 

Caves, Castles and Vines Tour
Offered by Caves and Castles
Vezere Valley, Dordogne and Bordeaux, France
May 26 – June 3 

The Luberon Experience
Offered by The Luberon Experience
Bonnieux – Provence, France
May 29 – June 5 

June

Cave Art and Castles Tour
Offered by Caves and Castles
Vezere Valley, Dordogne, France
June 15 – June 21 

Arts Sojourn in le Marche
Offered by Arts Sojourn
Ascoli Piceno – Le Marche, Italy
June 16 – 26 (registration will close soon) 

The Cotswolds Experience
Offered by European Experiences
Chipping Campden – Cotswolds, England
June 19 – 26   

July

Music and Markets in Amalfi
Offered by Music and Markets Tours
Amalfi Coast, Italy
July 2 – 8  

The Salzkammergut Experience
Offered by European Experiences
St. Gilgen – near Salzburg, Austria
July 3 – 10  

Music and Markets in Provence
Offered by Music and Markets Tours
Aix-en-Provence, France
July 24 – 31    

August

Music and Markets in Amsterdam
Offered by Music and Markets Tours
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
August 18 – 23  

September

Mixed Media Art Journal
Offered by Adventures In Italy
Orvieto, Italy
September 12 – 18  

Metal, Cloth and Paper Card Decks
Offered by Adventures In Italy
Orvieto, Italy
September 12 – 18  

Discover Orvieto
Offered by Adventures In Italy
Orvieto, Italy
September 12 – 18 

The Luberon Experience
Offered by The Luberon Experience
Bonnieux – Provence, France
September 18 – 25 (two spaces left) 

Shadow Box and Jewelry Workshop
Offered by Adventures In Italy
Orvieto, Italy
September 19 – 25 

Discover Orvieto
Offered by Adventures In Italy
Orvieto, Italy
September 19 – 25 

Surface Design and Beading Workshop
Offered by Adventures In Italy
Orvieto, Italy
September 26 – October 2 

Probing the Landscape of your Life
Offered by Adventures In Italy
Orvieto, Italy
September 26 – October 2  

Discover Orvieto
Offered by Adventures In Italy
Orvieto, Italy
September 26 – October 2 

Photography and Eco Travel in Italy
Offered by Italian Excursion
Orvieto, Italy
September 30 – October 7  

October

Painting, Drawing and Journaling Workshop
Offered by Adventures In Italy
Orvieto, Italy
October 3 – 9 

Girlfriend Getaway
Offered by Adventures In Italy
Orvieto, Italy
October 3 – 9 

Discover Orvieto
Offered by Adventures In Italy
Orvieto, Italy
October 3 – 9 

Pilates and Cooking!
Offered by Italian Excursion
Piedmont, Italy
October 11 – 18 

November

Music and Markets in Bath (Bath Mozartfest)
Offered by Music and Markets Tours
Bath, England
November 13 – 19 

December

Music and Markets New Year’s Jazz
Offered by Music and Markets Tours
Orvieto and Tuscany, Italy
December 28 – January 4

Outside Lies Magic

Posted by Matthew Daub – Arts Sojourn

John Stilgoe is an interesting character. He is a professor of landscape history at Harvard and the author of several books. Stilgoe teaches his students how to be explorers; keen observers of their surroundings. He encourages them to wander without pre-conceived notions; to head out into the world with their eyes open, to make fresh discoveries. I was introduced to Stilgoe through a curatorial project I am involved in. Recently I was reading his book, Outside Lies Magic; not expecting to find anything in it related to my travels in Italy or the notion of slow traveling, but the light bulb went off almost immediately.

“Get out now. Not just outside, but beyond the trap of the programmed electronic age so gently closing around so many people at the end of our century. Go outside, move deliberately, then relax, slow down, look around. Do not jog. Do not run. Forget about blood pressure and arthritis, cardiovascular rejuvenation and weight reduction….”

“…Flex the mind, a little at first, then a lot. Savor something special. Enjoy the best-kept secret around – the ordinary, everyday landscape that rewards any explorer, that touches any explorer with magic.”

 

“The whole concatenation of wild and artificial things, the natural ecosystem as modified by people over the centuries, the built environment layered over layers, the eerie mix of sounds and smells and glimpses neither natural nor crafted – all of it is free for the taking, for the taking in. Take it, take it in, take in more every weekend, every day, and quickly it becomes the theater that intrigues, relaxes, fascinates, seduces, and above all expands any mind focused on it. Outside lies utterly ordinary space open to any casual explorer willing to find the extraordinary. Outside lies unprogrammed awareness that at times becomes directed serendipity. Outside lies magic.”

 

 

Stilgoe gets it right. As an artist I have found that painting on location opens up my senses in just the way that Stilgoe describes. The pursuit of plein air painting naturally lends itself to exploration and assimilation. It is the perfect vehicle for slow traveling. One does not have to be trained as an artist or “talented” to enjoy the benefits. Simply throw out the notion that to be successful one must produce a technically competent and sophisticated work of art; whether amateur or professional that can only lead to disappointment and frustration. Focus on the experience of observation, regardless of the finished product. The result will be memories and revelation. You will see and experience your surroundings as never before. As John Stilgoe says, Outside Lies Magic.

Matthew Daub is a professional artist and university professor with works in major public and private collections throughout the United States and Europe. He has been leading plein air painting workshops in Italy since 1994. In 1999, Matthew and his wife Barbara formed Arts Sojourn as “a vacation for artists and their friends.” The program is designed to appeal to artists of all levels as well as non-artists who enjoy the company of creative people in a slow travel format.

 Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.

The Land of Caves and Castles

Posted by Steve and Judie Burman – Caves and Castles

Welcome to the Vezere Valley and the Dordogne.

We’re Steve and Judie Burman, and we run Caves and Castles tours from our farmhouse in the Vezere Valley, part of the Dordogne. We love to share our passion for this wonderful region where early humans left their art and artefacts behind to puzzle and intrigue us.

Also, we’re the latest members of Slow Travel Tours, this informal association of like-minded Tour operators.  Between us all, we offer an incredibly wide and varied range of very special Tours where you are not just a number on the company representative’s list, but individuals. You enquire as a stranger, but we soon move on from there with helpful, practical advice and by the end of your Tour, we’ll be friends. That’s for sure, whichever Tour you pick.

We now live in the land of caves and castles.  For 36 years Steve was a teacher and practitioner of archaeology in the UK while Judie ran her own business producing vinyl graphics.  Life is different here!

The river Vezere which flows almost past our door rises to the north-east of Limoges on the Plateau des Mille Vaches (Plateau of the 1000 Cows). It meanders gently southwestwards from the Massif Central towards the Dordogne.

For at least 80,000 years it was a major migration route for tens of thousands of reindeer, horses, bison, mammoths and other animals from the icy mountains to the warmer coastal flatlands.

This was why Humans came here, pushed by the ice caps spreading over northern and central Europe, following their food. First the Neanderthals and then, about 35,000 years ago, a new species arrived….us. They liked what they saw around here.  There were plenty of shelters under the towering cliffs where they would be protected from the wintry blasts outside. After the last hunt of the autumn they would spend a few months here, building up reserves of food and tools, before moving on in the Spring. People came here in their hundreds from all over southern and western Europe, shared and swapped ideas, techniques and beliefs.  They also explored the caves, using them for ceremonies and rituals. This is where they painted and carved the cave walls with the earliest pictorial art in human culture.

Some of the most famous examples of this art in the world are found here. Master artists used at least as wide a range of techniques as we would today.  At Lascaux, five metre-long aurochs (huge wild cows now extinct) frame the principal chamber of Lascaux.  In Rouffignac, the Patriarch Mammoth welcomes you; you are more than 500 metres inside when you meet him.  The bison at Font-de-Gaume process down the cave, huge muscles bulging from the rock. Imagine seeing these great beasts by the flickering light of a reindeer grease lamp.  They would have moved as if they were alive….scary! Just round the corner at Les Combarelles, a young child’s hand was placed inside a rocky hollow and someone sprayed ochre to fix the image.  This must have been a very special moment 13,000 years ago.

Imposing castles, relics of past wars, now dominate the peaceful landscape. There are more than 1000 chateaux in the Dordogne. Just 500 metres from our home is Chateau de Losse perched on its crag over the Vezere. You get an extra-special view, drifting gently past in a canoe en route to a delicious leisurely lunch at one of the many family-run restaurants in the area.

There are many castles in the ‘unmissable’ category. Castelnaud is perhaps the finest, towering over the river. The views from its battlements are stunning; it is a magnificent example of castle building in the Dordogne.  Each is different and has its own charm and its own story.  Beynac, Commarque, Puymartin, Biron, l’Herm are some of the others; the list is seemingly endless.

Come and stay a while and explore the land of caves and castles.  We’re part of Slow Travel Tours because we share the same philosophy. Travel isn’t about ticking boxes and dashing from place to place. It’s about staying and at least temporarily becoming part of a community, making friends. Our neighbours produce the most wonderful walnut oil and love to meet new people and get a real buzz knowing their oil is gracing tables in far flung countries. But don’t be fooled.  Our Tours are leisurely, but they are also action packed.  You’ll see places you’ve dreamed of and others you didn’t even know existed. Come and find out.

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Steve and Judie Burman live in the beautiful Vezere Valley in the Dordogne region of South-West France.  Together they run Caves and Castles, specialising in prehistoric Cave Art and medieval Castles Tours.  Small groups tours (up to six people) are based at their recently converted farmhouse.  Alternatively, they offer non-residential tours for a day or longer.

Professional archaeologist, Steve and his wife Judie love to share their passion for the ‘Cradle of Humanity.’  Its history and culture are awe-inspiring.  The area is also famed for its gastronomy and wine. You won’t be disappointed!

Introducing “Caves and Castles”

We’re very pleased to introduce the newest member of Slow Travel Tours, Caves and Castles, led by Steve and Judie Burman.   Steve and Judie are Brits who relocated several years ago to the beautiful Dordogne region of southwestern France, an area known for its incredible archaeological sites and magnificent castles.  This is an ideal location for the Burmans, since Steve is a professional archaelogist and historian.   

Steve and Judie have a philosophy that fits perfectly with our group, and they have a very unique area to share. They offer a variety of trips each year, based at their renovated farmhouse near the Vezere River, just outside the village of Montignac and a few miles from the famous Lascaux cave.   Most of their tours involve a full week, but they do offer customized tours for those who have less time to spend in the area. 

The Burmans are blogging for us this weekend, so please check back to meet them and learn more.  Bienvenue Steve and Judie!

Getting to Know You

Posted by Bill Steiner – Adventures In Italy

One of the joys of travel is the new people we meet. We not only make new friends, we gain valuable perspectives on our lives, our country, the way we approach life, things we take for granted or don’t think often about. It is not that the people we meet are pointing out differences. It is just that in going about their daily lives, expressing their normal concerns, we see a different outlook that helps us understand our own.

What I like so much about staying longer in one place – what we do with our Slow Travel trips – is that these friendships, and the consequent understanding we gain from them have the necessary time to bloom and bear fruit. When we are moving, traveling from one place to the next, we are focused on that activity. We necessarily have to pay attention, particularly if you don’t know the language, to which binario (train track) you need at che ora (what time). And so, while we are being given much assistance by the natives around us, and are typically impressed with how helpful they are, we aren’t interacting in a deeper, more meaningful way.

Spending a week with us in Orvieto, our traveling friends  get to know the natives. While Orvieto has a

tremendous number of resources to hold your interest for a week, it is not a big place. You are more than likely to meet Cristian, owner of one of our favorite restaurants and with whom we try to share our first meal, as you walk by the Blue Bar in the morning. And he’ll take time to enjoy talking with you. Alberto, ceramics artist just across from our B&B, you’ll come to know as you pass by his workshop just about any time you come or go. And of course our hosts at the B&B, Giovanna, Franca, Barbara, Marie Antonella are there taking care of our needs and always available.

While all of these folks are busy, they always make time to talk with you. It is through these casual interactions that insights develop, light bulbs go off. Having the time and familiarity to do this is one of the outgrowths of slow travel.

The thing is, in one short week, these people become friends. We share with them and we learn from them. These are not huge, mind boggling revelations. They are little, subtle, rich pieces of life that make you know you are alive. It is not something you sign up on a trip for, but it is one of the nicer benefits of staying in one place and being with a small group.

A secondary beauty of this is that after a week with us you are ready to continue doing the same, and you know how to do it. I always love it when one of our travelers comes to us toward the end of the week and says, “We are reconsidering our next week here in Italy. Could you help us with an itinerary that will be slower and allow us to connect and experience more?” This is about as rich a reward as I can receive!

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Kristi and Bill Steiner began leading “learning vacations”  to Orvieto, Italy in 2003. Through Adventures in Italy they provide a cultural immersion experience. Many trips include the pursuit of some kind of creative work that complements and reinforces exploration of Italy’s culture. Relationships built over the years enable Kristi and Bill to provide experiences that a typical visitor to Orvieto never gets. Trips are held in May and September/October every year. Their Discover Orvieto and Girlfriend Getaway trips are available to groups any time of the year. Learn more about Kristi and Bill’s trips.

Stay abreast of Adventures in Italy developments, and follow Bill’s musings about travel and Italy on his blog Make Haste Slowly.

Travel Tips: Making Personal Connections

Posted by Kathy Wood – European Experiences / The Luberon Experience

Charley and I have been traveling in Europe for almost 20 years, most of our trips with our daughter Kelly, who’s now 16. Some of our very best memories have involved simple, unexpected experiences we didn’t plan, especially interactions with local people.

Once in the Cotswolds, we were admiring a stately home and the owner came outside with her dog. Five minutes into the conversation, she invited us in to show us the house… a tour that ended up lasting two hours. On Lake Como on our second day in Italy, we met two grandparents out for lunch with their granddaughter (left). We spoke no Italian and they spoke no English, but they took us to the pizzeria they owned in a nearby town to meet the rest of their family. In June 2008 we hiked for two weeks in the Cevennes mountains in a very isolated part of France. We met so many friendly people along the trail, almost all of them French. We especially remember one night when about 25 of us stayed at the same small inn, enjoying a wonderful dinner served family-style at two long tables. I could share many more examples of personal connections that have added so much to our travel experiences.

Perhaps you’re like us, looking for a deeper European experience beyond sightseeing.  How can you increase the likelihood of such unexpected moments? How do you get to know local people when you’re traveling?  Here are our suggestions:

• Travel more slowly and stay longer in fewer places.  Settle in and become a temporary member of the community.
• Spend time in smaller towns and villages—not just busy cities and popular sites that attract most tourists.  Experience the rhythms of daily life.
• Stay in authentic, locally-owned accommodations—small hotels, B&Bs or rentals—where you can develop relationships with the owner, staff and neighbors.
• Reach out to meet others.  Visit the same cafe, grocery store, or bakery every day and get to know the waiter, owner or regular patrons.  Relax on a park bench, enjoy a sporting event, go on a hike, attend a church service or musical event. Go places and pursue activities that will bring you in contact with non-tourists. 
• Be flexible. Don’t fill your days with sightseeing. Allow for spontaneity and simple pleasures. 
• Savor local cuisine and eat where locals eat.  Order the “daily special” and enjoy the local wine.  Shop at outdoor markets and small food shops.  Visit wineries, olive mills or farms, and buy their products.
• Learn some of the language and use it, even when people can speak English, especially the key terms of politeness.  Use sign language and a smile.
• Learn about local history, culture and customs before your trip.  Ask locals questions to learn more about the history and tradition of their area. 
• Dress and behave thoughtfully based on cultural norms and expectations.  Always show respect, courtesy and appreciation. 

Small-group trips like our European Experiences weeks and trips hosted by other members of Slow Travel Tours provide excellent opportunities to make personal connections in local communities.  Because we base in areas we know well, our trips feel very much like traveling with friends… not what some people think when they hear the word “tour.” We stay in one place for a week, usually a small town or village, where our local friends welcome our groups enthusiastically. Our trips are slow and our groups are small, so we can be flexible with plenty of unstructured time for personal discoveries.

Whether you travel independently or with a small group, I encourage you to enrich your trip by reaching out to get to know local people.  I’m sure these unplanned personal connections will be the most memorable experiences of your travels too.

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Kathy and Charley Wood lead The Luberon Experience, a week-long “slow tour” in the most beautiful area of Provence, France. Their popular trips are offered five weeks a year, in May and September. They also now lead two or three trips a year to other special places in Europe. In 2010 they’re leading European Experiences trips in the Salzkammergut area of Austria and the Cotswolds in England.

Kathy and Charley have been traveling in Europe for almost 20 years and love sharing their special places in Europe with others travelers. Read more about Kathy and Charley here.

Our Tuscan Shopping List

posted by Anne & Kirk Woodyard
Music and Markets Tours

Our luggage is getting heavier and heavier after each trip, loaded with goodies. Not just terra cotta from Impruneta, leather purses and shoes from Florence, or chic accessories from the Prada outlet, but wonderful tastes of Italy that bring home the delights of our visits with each mouthful.

An embarrassing number of our Italian discoveries and enjoyments happen to be food-related! Perhaps a visit to a nearby olive oil frantoio (mill), to watch the final product develop from its initial stage as a tub of olives, leaves and all, is dumped onto an old conveyor belt heading for the press. Minutes later, in a pressing room brimming with fragrant olive essence, the liquid green-gold flows into a vat, from which the owner draws a bottle of oil just for us. What a memory to enjoy as we drizzle the oil over a salad or pasta at home! Each area insists that their oil is absolutely the best – from the fruity mild oil of Lucca, to the piquant gold of Sicily, to our favorite, the peppery fresh spring-green of Chianti.

The wineries of Italy are eager as well to share their bounty with interested travelers. Tucked into Chianti’s rolling hills lined with regiments of vineyards, rambling stone palazzos are home to the world-famous wines of Montepulciano (whose Vino Nobile was a favorite of Thomas Jefferson) Montalcino (for Brunello), and Chianti, the “big three” traditional wines of Tuscany.

Local winemakers often proudly offer a tasting of their favored vintage, with opportunity to buy a case, or a few bottles to tuck in your luggage. We like geography with our wine, and love picturing the very hills and vines that nurtured a favored bottle.

2004 Brunello, released in the fall of 2009, is a stellar vintage, and we recently picked up a few bottles to save for a special occasion. A good wine shop, or enoteca is a valuable find in Italy, worth returning to for friendly education and good buys. In Siena, we always look forward to stopping at Enoteca Palazzo Piccolomini on Via Rinaldini, a side street radiating from the lovely central piazza, the Campo. A few weeks ago, armed with Financial Times wine writer Jancis Robinson’s article recommending a few classic Brunellos, we enjoyed an enlightening chat with the knowledgeable and helpful owner, leaving with some well-priced bottles, and anticipating our next visit.

For some of us, visiting food markets is an important part of any itinerary, right up there with museums, palaces, and churches. Market touring, as we brush and bump our way through the sea of color and sounds, is one of the few ways a stranger can see real life in action and join the “regulars” as they select their dinner ingredients.

The sights, sounds and smells of markets provide an entrée to local culture, and nourishment for all the senses as well. The gold of rough-hewn rocks of Parmigiano, hams, salamis, and smooth mortadella swinging above, vast and beautiful still lifes of sensuous purple figs and gray-green artichokes, pyramids of sunny oranges, glistening fish snuggled in beds of ice, plump ravioli flecked with garden herbs… I much prefer seeing it all in person – fragrance, and often a taste, included – to an oil painting in a museum.

Surrounded by outdoor stalls stuffed with leather goods, Florentine papers, and David aprons, Florence’s temple to the tastebud, the majestic Mercato Centrale, holds a treasure house of goodies. The nineteenth century cast-iron building is one of the largest covered markets in Europe. Each time we’re in Florence, we stop by welcoming Giovanni Benevieri’s stall, near the back entry to the Mercato, to stock up on nutty golden Parmigiano Reggiano.  He vacuum-packs chunks for us, and we bring them home and savor the flavor ‘til our next trip.

Another don’t-miss stop in the Mercato is the Conti family’s stall, glistening with an array of jewel-like candied fruits, marmalades, vats, and jars. Judy Witt, of Divina Cucina in Florence, introduced us to their truffled salt during a marvelous day-long cooking class last winter. The salt, infused with truffle flakes (just open the jar and be blown away!), carries a more authentic and lasting flavor than the often-artificially-flavored truffle oils on the market.

If we aren’t able to stop at an olive oil mill, this is the place we load up with olive oil as well. They offer tastings of both olive oil and balsamic vinegar – the best way to determine exactly which vintage of vinegar or locality of oil you prefer.

A final stop at Alessandro Nannini on Borgo Lorenzo for a fierce espresso and a bag or two of deep roasted beans, and we’re ready to pack.

The bottles and jars are wrapped in socks, bubble wrap, or t-shirts, then cuddled into individual or three-pack boxes and wrapped some more to make it safely home. Now that we can’t carry on our hoard of bottles, we wrap well, so that our suitcase of wine, balsamic, and olive oil doesn’t end up as a stellar salad dressing!

Buon Appetito!

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The best way to describe us (Kirk and Anne Woodyard) is that we’re interested in the stories that make the places we visit come alive.
We’ve visited Europe more times than we can count, learned some entertaining stories there, and met some warm and helpful people who also enjoy the wonders of music and life in Europe.

Between our music-related travels, we split our time between our homes near Washington DC and the Languedoc in the south of France. We look forward to sharing these stories and friends and experiences with our Music and Markets guests.

While both of us have experience in organizing travel and music groups Kirk’s background is in project management and competitive writing, and Anne is an accomplished pianist with over thirty years of teaching experience, and a travel and food writer specializing in France and Italy.

A Pastel Jewel

Posted by Valerie Schneider, Panorama Italy

Ascoli Piceno is a monumental city, made that way first by the Romans and then by the “captains of the people,” the power brokers who ruled the province during the Middle Ages and Renaissance period.  Public buildings were constructed to impress and to display the city’s prominence.  Private palaces and churches were also designed to be imposing.  The entire city center was built using stately travertine quarried from nearby hills, furthering the impression of noble importance.

 The use of cream-colored travertine gives Ascoli Piceno an air of solidity and classic splendor.  The marble-like stone is carved into decorative embellishments while immense blocks of it are used for the public structures.  

With such grand, commanding edifices around town, it is refreshing to set eyes upon the graceful Caffe Meletti.  The inviting rose-hued building with delicate-looking tables and arched porch helps bring the city back down to a human scale.

Situated on Ascoli Piceno’s much beloved Piazza del Popolo, the Caffe Meletti is the grand dame of the city’s meeting places – a place to linger over drinks or throw back a quick cappuccino.  The historic hang-out has been featured in a number of films and has played a starring role in the daily life of the Ascolani for a century.

The pink Neoclassic building boasts a frescoed portico, elegant arches, and pastel seating on the piazza, giving it a front-row seat to the people parade and daily activity of the town.  Inside it is marked by marble-topped tables, warm woods, towering mirrors and a graceful spiral staircase, all original fixtures. The entire place oozes charm and speaks of sophistication.  The Meletti has been designated on the roster as one of Italy’s 150 historic caffes.

Built in 1884 to house the post office, it was transformed into a cafè and distillery by Silvio Meletti, who began producing his now-famous anisette. It was immediately heralded as rich and refined, and quickly become the town’s favorite meeting point, watering hole, and elegant indulgence- a place where even a simple coffee seems special.

In the morning, the draw is the pasticceria, where buttery croissants and fruit-filled pastries are washed down with well-crafted cappuccini.  At lunchtime, daily specials are served piazza-side.  Pre-dinner drinks are served with flourish and a nice sampling of nibbles.  For the after-dinner crowd, decadent anisette-infused desserts are offered. 

One century after its debut, it is still serving the illustrious, the infamous, and the average joes, and giving a pastel personal touch to a monumental town.

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Valerie Schneider is a travel professional turned freelance writer and tour guide who moved to Ascoli Piceno in the beautiful region of Le Marche in 2006. She and her husband Bryan operate Panorama Italy, planning personalized journeys so travelers can experience the colors and flavors of a little known corner of Italy. Walking tours, winery visits, and genealogy trips are just a few of their offerings. Visit Panorama Italy for more information on this beautiful place and how Valerie and Bryan can help you experience it personally