ABRUZZO!!! cont'd
Fortezza di Civitella del Tronto
The Fortezza di Civitella del Tronto is a huge fortress, measuring 500 meters in length and encompassing a total of 25 hectares (more than 60 acres). The fortress dates to ancient times, since this promontory controlled all trade throughout the surrounding valleys, and was expanded to its present size under orders of Phillip II of Spain in the XVI-c. Civitella del Tronto represents the northernmost border of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies where it once bordered the Papal States. Nowadays this same boundary is the northern edge of Abruzzo and overlooks the town of Ascoli Piceno in the adjoining Marche region.
The Fortezza enjoys a spectacular setting with extraordinary views, and has a lovely town clustered at the base. As a historical footnote, in the Italian battle for independence (1860-61) this was the last hold-out of loyalists to the King of Naples. A hundred or more of this garrison ended up, through a circuitous route, fighting as mercenaries for the Confederacy in the Western Campaign of the US Civil War in the Army of Tennessee. Believe it or not, the last two survivors of these loyalist Italian troops were killed at the Battle of Little Big Horn under Gen. Custer’s command in 1876!
Vino Rosso, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
To avoid confusion, there is a town in Southern Tuscany called Montepulciano. This is where the Rosso di Montepulciano, a Tuscan Red is produced, primarily from San Giovese grapes. Oddly, the Montepulciano grape does not grow near this town nor anywhere at all in Tuscany! Modern vintners have tried, but without success. One theory is that the grape variety originated in Tuscany and was introduced to Abruzzo in medieval times. Here it flourished, but nobody knows for sure the origin of the name!
Finding the Family Tree
engage someone locally to give assistance ‘on the ground’. Just last month, clients of ours visited rural Sicily, where they were thrilled to have seen the house where
a thrill, even without distinct genealogical links. For some family bonding and heritage, let us know, because with just a few clues we can help guide you to the local courthouse or church for documentation anywhere in Italy!
The Lanciano Miracle
Just to give you a sense of the diversity of Abruzzo, the town of Lanciano, in the province of Chieti, is the site of a major shrine to the Eucharistic Miracle of Lanciano, when in the VIII-c a host turned into human flesh and blood as it was being consecrated. The basilica in the center of the town features the host, which is miraculously preserved to this day and on display in the basilica. In September, Lanciano is home to an annual medieval festival, featuring flag throwers, parades, a competition and revival of traditional food recipes! Great town! Ask us about the first week of September!
Caldora and Vini Pepe. Vini Pepe offers a totally organic, or in Italian, biologico wine method and Emidio, the founder, is still active in the business, which is being passed on not only to the second but to the third generation, represented by his totally charming 16-year old granddaughter, who has undertaken the marketing of the Emidio Pepe brand with elan! As a double-bonus, the Pepe’s can host visitors at their small agriturismo and you won’t lack for interesting excursions, since the impressive Fortezza di Civitella del Tronto and lovely Ascoli Piceno are not far away!
We enjoyed sampling Montepulciano d’Abruzzo at several wineries including Cataldi Madonna,
FOREX NEWS
German PMI (Purchasing Managers’ Index) in August, the Euro has strengthened dramatically, and is now at a 12-month high against the US Dollar. Expect to pay US$1.55 or more for one Euro!
Obviously, this creates price pressure on Americans when travelling in Europe! We’ll help you to plan smart and the best way to compensate is by adjusting your hotel mix - shift your stay to the countryside and consider B&B accommodations, a smaller rental car, etc. There are lots of ways to have a top-quality trip and still make your budget stick! Rest assured that the pro’s at Bethesda Travel are well-versed in these strategies! We’d love to help you out!
Whew! It’s hard to believe but last Spring the talking heads on TV were talking about a $1.15 Euro by year’s end. As you may know, they were very wrong! Helped by a strong showing in the
For those interested in more formal genealogy research or in documenting family history. Here are some web sites to get you started:
http://www.dearmyrtle.com/
http://www.genealogy.com/index_n.html
http://www.ellisislandrecords.org/
Many Americans have Italian heritage and nothing beats the thrill of seeing the town where your bis-bis-nonna grew up, and perhaps getting a copy of a birth record or marriage license to prove it! We frequently get requests from clients to help track down family records in Italy; and we can usually point them in the right direction. Sometimes we
the wife’s grandmother grew up and obtained photocopies of her baptismal certificate. Another set of travelers had fewer clues about their antenati from the L’Aquila region of Abruzzo, but they were able to explore the towns and walk the same stones of the terra dei nonni which provided
Always on the prowl for new and interesting destinations, Guido was just in Italy exploring Abruzzo with some clients! Located directly East of Rome, Abruzzo features a beautiful Adriatic coastline and an exceptional variety of mountains, countryside, foods & wines! This variety is exactly what makes Abruzzo such a desirable destination!
ABRUZZO!!!
Abruzzo is best known to Italians as the home of Parco Nazionale d'Abruzzo, a 150,000 acre national park that contains the Gran Sasso, which at 2,914 meters (just shy of 10,000 feet) is the highest of the Apennines. To the South of Gran Sasso is the Maremma, another high mountain peak, dotted with wineries and medieval towns. In winter, the mountains offer fabulous skiing, and in Summer the park’s biking and walking trails offer beautiful vistas and the chance to view some spectacular natura. More about the park at this site . The region is dotted with charming towns displaying its rich history. The town of Capestrano, on the slopes of the Gran Sasso, was the birthplace of San Giovanni da Capestrano, better known in the states by his Spanish appellation, San Juan de Capestrano! Nearby Ofena is a fabulous town with the Cataldi Madonna winery, featuring, of course, the famous red wine called Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.
AFI Latin American Film Festival
Brush up on your Spanish or Portuguese at the Latin American Film Festival featuring Spain and Portugal! The festival is currently being hosted at the AFI Theater and Cultural Center in downton Silver Spring, MD. It runs until October 12 with a fascinating line-up of films from Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, Uruguay, Argentina and more. So don’t miss it!!
“Drink Local” Wine Tasting Event
three wineries each from Virginia and Maryland. Each winery will be pouring a red and a white variety,and there will be two 45 minute educational sessions covering terroir in our region and the politics of wine in Virginia and Maryland. Guido and MaryAnne will be there and we’d love to see some of our clients come out to help support these efforts to legalize direct wine shipping and of course have a little fun in the process!!!
The event is from 18-21h at Whittemore House (near Dupont Circle) in DC.
Here’s a chance to taste some delicious local wine and support a good cause!
Drink Local: A MD & VA Wine Seminar & Tasting. An educational event and fundraiser for Marylanders for Better Beer and Wine Laws (MBBWL ) is on Thursday, 08 October featuring
OPERA UPDATE
A Chance to see Tosca at a local theater with The Met: Live in HD series! For venues and schedules see here!
and featuring sandy beaches and lush resorts. Just to the north is the pretty town of Silvi, and to the south is Ortona, home of Cantina Caldora, a wonderful winery well worth a visit. The town of Vasto, just south of Ortona features an Aragonese Castello and bustling daily food market. Heading inland, you will find La Ventricina, an organic farm run by the DiLello family, known for a unique local salami called La Ventricina Vastese. Lunch at La Ventricina is a real treat, and a stay at the B&B allows visitors to learn about how free-range pork is raised and the curing process for the salame.
Looking for fine dining? Da Franco in Pescara’s modern harbor is tops for seafood and if you’re looking for a wonderfully elegant dinner, La Bandiera in Civitella Casanova might be the best in the region. La Bandiera offers a handful of nicely appointed B&B style rooms along with a swimming pool and be sure to ask Marcello, the affable owner, for a room with a view of the Appenines. This’d be a great place to stage out from when exploring the central part of Abruzzo.
Just ask us about the possibility of being hosted for 2-3 nights each at the comfortable rooms at Pepe in Torano Nuovo, La Ventircina near Vasto, and La Bandiera in Civitella Casanova,,, You will eat very well and you will be charmed by this non-commercialized look at Abruzzo, a wonderful part of Italy! We’d love to help you set up an unduplicatable itinerary! (BTW is “unduplicatable” a word??
In this Issue
ABRUZZO!!!
Finding the Family Tree
Vino Rosso, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
Opera Update
Fortezza di Civitella del Tronto
Forex News
AFI Latin American Film Festival
