Umbria: in the South

From Spoleto we said that we can pass by very beautiful landscapes that convey relax, quiet and peace...

Terni is a big city, not so big Like Milan or Rome but in comparison with such beautiful villages, suburbs here around, it's the so called big city. It's famous all over the world because of the presence of the Thyssenkrupp steel mills and probably it's much better to have a stop here for the spots around than for the city itself, even if the centre is really very pretty. But Terni itself is the homeland of Saint Valentine that is known all over the world as the protector of the lovers and, here, every year on the week end of 14th February, great festivities are held. Since it was acknowledged as an indipendent district, beautiful and important buildings were built: Palazzo Spada, the Bank of Italy, the Government Palais. Because of the presence of the steel mills, here and there you can find a lot of steel monuments, as for example, The Press in front of the train station or the Light lance that was designed by Arnaldo Pomodoro and rapresents on one hand the technological achievements and on the other hand the warnings towards them.

The city skyline is really very high and massive characterized by very high buildings that were built to host the workers of the near factories.

So Terni is completly different from the Northern part of this region and takes the shape of the biggest cities of the border region.

But this district comprehends also beautiful natural spots: the valley along the Nera river, Piediluco Lake, Carsulae and San Gemini that are all noteworthy.
If you want to spend a nice morning and maybe going picnic somewhere follow the directions to Carsulae, an ancient archaelogical site that dates back to 300BC even if its development was dued to the building of Via Flaminia that passed nearby and Carsulae became a rest stop and watering place for travelers, traders and soldiers. During the age of Augustus, it became an ancient municipium and major works were built such as the amphitheatre, most of the forum and the marble arch of Trajan. During its golden age Carsulae, supported by agricultural activity in the surroundings, was prosperous and wealthy and because of its bucolic setting it became destination of the Roman middle class. Not far from here you can visit San Gemini, that is in the list of one of the most beautiful Italian villages. It was an important linking point to the city of Rome and it became an important artistical, cultural and religious centre. As a matter of fact you can find some noteworthy churches and buildings. San Gemini is also well known for its water springs and you can spend a relaxing afternoon in the Park of the thermal mineral water surrounded by the Mediterranean spot where there is a health spa. 

Next stop: a place you must see if you are in this part of the region, quite unknown but something so single that is a must! See you then....

Rome is Vatican Museums and not only

Every last sunday of the month the entrance is free so the queue is much longer, please take note of this and try to get there as soon as possible in the morning because the last admission to the Sistin Chapel is at 1.30p.m. and if you don't get there on time, you run the risk not to see it and it is not allowable.

We booked the guided tour with a cultural association that was really very satisfactory.

Vatican Museum means a circuit that is 7km long and that requires at least 2 or 3 hours for visiting.
After security controls, we reach the main entrance where white marble is the dominant material that surrounds us. We start our visit with the picture gallery: all the pictures that are preserved here were taken from the rooms of the Pope buildings and are proposed in a chronological way. There are a lot of holy pictures of some of the most important artists of the past Giotto, Raphael, Tiziano, Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio...
One of the biggest room contains huge tapestries of Raphael that had to be put in the Sistin Chapel. 
From the windows and all around we can admire the accuracy of the gardens, the austerity of the buildings. We reach the so called "Courtyard of the pine cone", that dues its name to the presence, in the middle, of a bronze  fountain with the shape of a pine cone that was taken from the Pigna district. In front of this idle fountain, on the opposite site, there is a sculpture of Arnaldo Pomodoro called "Sphere in the Sphere".

 The visit will take you in some of the most important rooms, hallways and galleries of the building where you will have the possibility of admiring such a plenty of art of works that you will be amazed of:

- Gallery of tapestries and geographical maps;
- Raphael's rooms;
- Borgias' apartment;
... to emerge in the Sistin Chapel, where the elections of the Pope take place and where you can look at some of the most important masterpieces of Italian art.

After having observed all these works in its grandeur, we decide to leave this part of the Vatican city to try to go up to the dome of the Saint Peter Cathedral, painted by Michelangelo. It is one of the biggest example of masonry covering ever built and it conveys to the whole church the height of 130 meters. It was built in correspondence of the intersection of the main nave and the transept. Under this, in the inner part of the Cathedral, Bernini's baldachin stands. The interiors of the church are so big, so majestic and full of surprises that the whole visit could take you some hours. One of the most impressive sculpture still preserved, is "The pity" by Michelangelo that you can admire, just entered the Church, on the right.
It's getting late and our stomachs are asking for pity, so we decide to reach Trastevere, full of nice restaurants and bars. There is such a wide choice even if you have to pay attention not to be captured by traps for tourists and the choice is hard!!!
It's really very nice to walk here around, to observe street artists painting, making bubbles, playing instruments and all this conveys an idea of..magic.
We sit for lunch and we order

PASTA ALLA CARBONARA
Ingredients:
350g spaghetti
4 red eggs
100g pecorino cheese
150g bacon
salt
pepper

Dice bacon and pour it in a pan and cook it for a while until its fat has melted. In a bowl apart, beat eggs and add cheese and pepper and finally the bacon.
In the meantime boil pasta in hot salted  (don't use too much salt because the dressing is already very tasty) water for the cooking time indicated on the box. Drain it and pour it in the bowl. Mix everything up and enjoiy it. May you prefer, you can add other cheese.
Soon after lunch we pass the Tevere and we stop on the bridge to observe the Tiberina island and we reach Piazza Argentina: in Rome wherever you go, you can run across ruins from the past and also this square extends itself around ancient ones. 
From here, you can reach both the Altar of the Homeland or, as we prefer, the Pantheon.  This monument dates back to the II century A.D. thanks to Emperor Adriano and it was built as a temple dedicated to the Gods of Olympus. The structure of this monument is really trustworthy: both the interiors and the outer part were decorated in a very precise way. On the side of the Pantheon you can taste a delicious ice cream at Cremeria Monteforte and savor it while walking around and reaching Piazza Navona....
This is Rome: a plenty of wonderful places where to taste the past at every single step.