THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 19, 1996 TAG: 9605180033
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E4 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 124 lines
Information please: The best Internet site for information about
Umbria that I found was on the Web at
http://www.initaly.com/initaly/ regions/umbria/umbria.htm
There, you can find articles, maps, advice on places to see,
festivals, pageants, cultural sites, etc.
Where to stay: I can't recommend Romagnella enough. The
Mackenzies were wonderful hosts, guides and advisers. They offer
either a spacious two-bedroom apartment or a studio apartment, both
equipped with modern bathroom, kitchen, private outdoor sitting and
eating areas. The two apartments can be booked together and opened
into one unit for larger groups. They can stock the fridge daily
with all sorts of breakfast items, which my mother and I often used
for our light suppers. On request, they can also provide wine and
gourmet dinners (Diane's a fabulous cook).
Cost for self-catering: Large apartment, $500 a week; studio
apartment, $350 a week. For bed and breakfast and maid service: $95
a day, but if you're there more than two days, subtract 20 percent.
Info: MacKenzie, 06060 Pietrafitta, Umbria (PG), ITALY; call/fax
(01-39-075) 839-436; after October 1996, their new number will be
(75) 835-0396.
Getting along: I had a language advantage, having learned Italian
previously. But because that was 27 years ago, I brushed up by
listening to Italian language tapes that I bought or borrowed from
the public library. I advise anyone planning to drive to learn the
basics, including how to ask for directions(!) and words for
directions you may get (i.e., left, right, straight ahead, turn back
- I got that one a lot). In towns and cities, you'll run into many
folks who speak some basic English. It's when you're lost on some
teensy country road and want to ask a farmer in his field where you
are that you'll need the Italian.
Getting around: I rented a car from Europcar. All arrangements
were made by my travel agent about two months before my trip. I got
a four-passenger, two-door Fiat Punto with standard transmission
for 10 days and unlimited mileage, and it cost $375. I picked it up
in Perugia and had the choice of either returning it there or
driving it to the Rome airport and dropping it there at no extra
charge.
Driving tips: It is most advisable, when driving in Umbria, to
either be a good navigator or to have one beside you in the
passenger seat. The roads can be very confusing, or they were to me,
and I never quite figured them out. Plus, I had a special talent for
choosing the wrong way at the hundreds of intersections. However, we
always got to our destinations after pulling over to either consult
maps or ask the very friendly, helpful locals. And, of course,
there's nothing wrong with taking a detour and discovering yet
another wonderful little hill town; they're everywhere in Umbria.
Food: I can honestly say that we never had a bad meal in Umbria.
When in doubt, ask a shop owner to recommend some place, but look
for signs that say trattoria or ristorante and take a chance. We had
no meal that wasn't fresh, delicious and inexpensive. And the wines
. . . for the equivalent of about $1.50, a quarter-liter (about two
glasses) of the house red or white (which was always good) is the
best bargain in Italy.
I read that because a pope long ago imposed a salt tax on the
stubborn Umbrians, the bread in Umbria is made without salt, leaving
it relatively bland. But one of the tastiest specialties in the
region is called bruschetta (grilled bread rubbed with garlic and
soaked in the local golden-green olive oil or topped with olive or
truffle paste). You can find it listed on the antipasto menu.
Umbria's also well-known for its mushrooms. Order anything with
porcini or tartufo (black truffles) in or on it . . . fantastic.
Money: Just about everything is expensive in Italy, except maybe
the things in the markets and the wine. In Umbria, particularly in
those wonderful smaller towns, don't expect to be able to use
traveler's checks or credit cards. It's best to have plenty of lire
during your travels. Gas stations will ONLY take cash for benzina.
Restaurants will often take cards, but not always - the same is true
of shops. Keep in mind that Umbria is an extremely safe region, so
you can feel comfortable carrying a big roll of bills.
There's no tipping in restaurants; everything's included in your
final tab. During our stay, the dollar suffered in exchange, thanks
to the national elections. When we left, it took 1,460 lire to make
a dollar.
Three offbeat tourist tips:
The Italian Traveler (editor Howard Isaacs) is an eight-page
newsletter published 11 times a year. Since 1988, it has been
reviewing hotels and restaurants, suggesting itineraries and
providing shopping and travel tips. All information is obtained
first-hand by staffers. A yearly subscription costs $59. Samples are
sent free of charge to online users (editor's choice, no specific
requests). To order, call or fax your mailing address to the New
Jersey office: (201) 535-6572 or fax (201) 994-3847. Snail mail:
P.O. Box 32, Livingston, NJ 07039.
For those little churches off the beaten track, a small
flashlight and a pair of opera glasses would come in handy - often
the paintings, sculpture, frescoes and decorated ceilings are hard
to see in the poorly lit buildings.
Remember that only 6 percent of Umbria is on level ground. The
often very steep hills make for some interesting driving and
occasionally strenuous walking. (No wonder the women have such great
legs.)
Most memorable: It was siesta time in Orvieto, and after lunch
and a stroll, my mother and I stopped at a cafe for an ice cream and
a coffee. While we sat at our outdoor table, I took out my little
watercolor tablet and paint set and began a picture of the buildings
opposite us. While I was immersed in my painting, a group of
adolescent school kids walked by. One of them became interested in
what I was up to, and she came up behind me. She beckoned to a
friend, and in about 5 minutes, I was surrounded by a rapt, silent
audience of kids. They made a couple of polite, complimentary
comments to me and each other, and about 5 minutes later, their
teacher called them away. And they were gone.
- Peggy Earle
by CNB