“Don’t worry” says my friend, Giuseppe as he deftly maneuvers the hairpin turns up the hill, ” I’m an ex-rally driver!” I suppose I had a look of trepidation on my face to evoke this remark. I was traveling with friends for the weekend in the region called Alto Lazio in the commune of Viterbo, northwest of Rome. The hilly landscape not only provides spectacular views but also some harrowing roads. Actually I was thinking how even though I obtained my International Driving Permit, you would never find me traversing these narrow roads at this stage of my life. And thankful I have friends here in Bologna that included me in this discovery of ancient hillside towns, marvelous palazzos and uniques gardens that are only accessible by car.

Shortly after my arrival in Bologna my friend Letizia mentioned that her partner Giuseppe was planning a weekend visit to see his sister who is a nun in a Trappist monastery in these hills.  He kindly invited me to meet her and to explore the region with them, rich in history from the Etruscan times.  I felt honored to be included in this trip and looked forward to seeing regions only accessible by car.  Even though I praise the ease of traveling through Europe by train, there are places that can only be appreciated by car.

The invitation was extended to several other friends as well. It quickly dawned on me that I was going to spend a weekend with eight other people who mostly spoke Italian.  As much as the adventure to see new places called me, I was also daunted by the fact that I would be immersed in multiple conversations with people not familiar to me in a language that continues to tax me.

“Road trip!” I said to myself as we started out and the drive took us through the outskirts of Firenze with views of surrounding Tuscan hillside town such as Montalcino.  Soon we were passing signs for Orvieto and I knew we were getting close and my level of anticipation rose.  I still experience the excitement I felt as a child when my family would all pile into our car to explore surrounding areas.

Visiting the monastery

We arrived at the monastery late afternoon in tandem with 2 other friends.  To my surprise Giuseppe’s mother was talking on her cell phone with Giuseppe’s sister – also on her cell phone. Life in the monastery is contemplative, one of prayer and work and celebration but it also allows in the practicalities of the modern world.

After meeting Giuseppe’s radiantly smiling sister,  we all congregated in the small chapel of the church to listen to the nuns singing in prayer.  We could not see them in the main part of the church but listening to the chorus of these beautifully pitched voices drifting through to us was truly ethereal.

Afterwards we were off to a small house owned by the monastery that would provide us with basic shelter, a bed for each and a shared bathroom.  We returned to the monastery for a simple but satisfying dinner. We were served a delightful wine made by the nuns.  I later found out that the nuns ran a farm and produced much touted marmalades that we would sample at breakfast as well as honey, liquors, and other products that were for sale in their store.

Exploring the area

With another friend swelling the ranks to six that evening, we all set off for the nearby ancient town of Viterchiano. Carved into the hills as so many towns are in Italy for natural defense against warring neighbors, it dates back to Etruscan times and it is a delight to wander the narrow stone alleys awash in the glow of the yellow lights.

A magical night in ancient Viterchiano

Villas and Palaces of the Princes of the Church

After a cold night in our little house (heat by law goes off as of April 15, regardless of the weather) and a cup of caffe to warm us, we set off for Centro Botanical Moutan, a renowned peony garden literally around the corner.  A one of its kind in the world, the garden consisted of acres of myriad varieties and colors of peonies.  It was a treat that our visit coincided with the peonies in full bloom as the garden is only open April and May

By lunch our ranks swelled to eight and with it the constant bantering to coordinate the day’s excursions.  I often was lost in all the back and forth and had no idea what we had resolved to do. Trying to follow concurrent conversations baffled me and I would just stand there and see who asked me to join them in their car as we set off for our next exploration.

This time we headed off into the hills and the narrow lanes of Bagnaia.  What looked like just another hill town turned out to be the home of the Villa Lante. With its tiered gardens and fountains that keep rising up until you are afforded a spectacular view, it also is famous for an intricate hydraulic system that allows the cascading of the water down through various fountains and grottoes. It was created in the late 1500’s by Cardinal Alessandro Peretti di Montalto, a 17 year old nephew of Pope Sixtus V.

Gardens at Villa Lante- Bagnaia

The next day we were treated to another magnificent palace, Villa Farnese in Caprarola. Also developed by Cardinal Alessandro, but this time he was the grandson of Pope Paul III who had acquired the estate when he was a Cardinal. This 16th Century palazzo, one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture, is built as a pentagon and has an inside circular courtyard and extraordinary spiral staircase. The interior rooms are vividly painted to represent different seasons.  Like Villa Lante it is perched high overlooking the town affording a commanding view for miles.

Staircase Palazzo Farnese

Language “lessons”

Interspersed throughout this trip were the many conversations that ensued over meals and our wanderings through the various towns and sights. With each person that I conversed with, I had to tune my ear to their accent and cadence- some spoke distinctly and slowly- while others were a challenge for me to understand.

Late Saturday afternoon as I relaxed outside our house, one of the other friends sat down next to me.  I said to myself- “Uh oh- I am going to struggle to converse with this very kind person Enricco)”.  As we sat there together I decided to begin the conversation with a discussion of the role of the Vatican in ruling this part of Italy for centuries. Heady topic- right?  Well to my surprise, Enricco spoke slowly and distinctly and I enjoyed a wonderful long conversation on this topic and the present day Pope Francis.  I was bursting with pride as I told my friend Letizia about this conversation and how I was able to understand so much and participate.

Though later that evening I struggled to keep track of multiple conversations over dinner amidst the din of the other diners in the restaurant. And then people wanted to discuss the presidential primaries and my opinion. It is hard enough to discuss the state of US politics amongst your friends let alone with a group of foreigners in their native language.

But the weekend was such a wonderful journey for me as I continue to try on the mantle of living in Italy.  How fortunate I am to have been invited on this trip, to experience sights I would have not on my own and in the company of friends and new acquaintances. This was truly “living” in Italy and experiencing what life has to offer here, especially in the company of friends.