Author: Janke
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SPQR – Senatus Populusque Romanus
The Senate and People of Rome. From where we are spending a couple of nights it’s a 3 euro & 20 minute train ride to the center of Rome. On the one hand it would be a shame to be 20 minutes from Rome and not visit the collosseum and forum. On the other hand,…
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Capalbio, Castle on the Hill
We spent an afternoon at the nearby borgo of Capalbio, just north of our agriturismo. A typical hilltop city complete with a XXII century castle, a church with nice frescos, narrow cobblestone streets, and a great view of the countryside – and of course shops, resturants and gelateria. Unfortunately many shops and restaurants were closed,…
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Vulci – Etruscan and Roman Ruins
We spent a day hiking around in the ruins of Vulci, originally an Etruscan city (VI century BCE), later (II century CE) the site Roman villa. Bits and pieces of the Etrurian temple and city walls remain, enough that archeologists have a fair idea of the extents of the city. The Roman villa was relatively…
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Civita di Bagnoregio. Population Eleven
Near Orvieto is the borgo of Civita di Bagnoregio. The oldest part (Civita) sits perched on a pinnacle in the middle of a canyon. A near-perfect example of a hilltop city. Access to the city was originally via a donkey path along the saddle connecting Civita to Bagnoregio. Today the saddle has eroded away and…
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Borgo, Borghi & Necropoli
We’re still hitting random villages in the Tarquina/Tuscana/Viterbo area. A couple of days ago we drove up to Vitorchiano – a hilltop borgo (village) just off a main highway near Viterbo. It’s very characteristic of the borgo in this area – narrow, winding streets, houses perched at the edge of steep cliffs of volcanic tufo.…
Michael Janke 