Surrounded on the three sides, by what are generally called the Hills of Piedmont (for which Superga Hill is one), sits the town of Chieri. A town that goes back to ancient times, due to the richness of the area and the Po river valley.
Chieri – Overlook from the Church of Sant Giorgio – Looking west toward Pino Torinese
From Turin it is easy to get to Chieri. One can either take a bus or take the Sfm1 train from Porta Susa, which runs about every thirty minutes, it is about a thirty minute ride to Chieri and the last stop for this train.
Chieri – Patti at the Tandem Bar on Vittorio Emanuele II
The main pedestrian way, via Vittorio Emanuele II, is a short walk from the train station and has numerous cafes and bars, here you can purchase a coffee or other drink, before you explore this quaint little town.
Town Of A Hundred Towers
During the early middle ages, the town once had numerous towers, especially built into the town wall, which were erected (like in many other towns in Italy) as defensive structures. Most of these were destroyed by Frederick Barbarossa’s army when they laid waste to the town in 1154. However, a few still remain, one of which can be seen below.
Chieri – Overlook from the Church of Sant Giorgio – Looking south and one of the remaining towers
Chieri – Overlook from the Church of Sant Giorgio – Looking southeast
Church of Sant Giorgio
This is the highest point and from here you can get a commanding view of the town, as seen in the two photographs above and the beginning photograph.
Chieri – Church of Sant Giorgio on the hill
Chieri – Church of Sant Giorgio tunnel to overlook
Other than that, there’s not much else to do in Chieri, except perhaps amble through its quiet streets and perhaps do some shopping. Here is a short slide show of some of the other things you can see while here.
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Restaurants
With limited time we were only able to visit one restaurant while here, though several that came up on our search were not open until the evening. However, you will find the choice below to be exceptionally good, if and when you have the chance to visit this charming little town in Piedmont.
Trattoria della Erbe
Chieri – Trattoria delle Erbe
This trattoria sits on the corner of the Piazza Umberto I and via San Domenico, is fairly non-descript, but the food is authentic Sardinian and quite good.
Chieri – Trattoria delle Erbe – Caponata Siciliana
The menu changes daily and is posted on both a board outside and on the window next to the entrance. The menu is restrictive, as for most small establishments like this one, but everything we ordered was quite tasty and delicious. We started with some antipasti, a Caponata Siciliana, served with eggplant, onion, peppers, green olives and other goodies, not hot, but just warmed a bit. A slight tinge of vinegar mixed with the tomato based sauce was just right to get the taste buds to pucker for more. Our mains, or primis, came out a short time after and included the Levantine di Mare for Patti and for me, the Ravioli Sardi. Both were delicious and portioned correctly, just enough to leave a little room for dessert!
Chieri – Trattoria delle Erbe – Levantina di Mare
Chieri – Trattoria delle Erbe – Ravioli Sardi
The dessert was actually unexpectedly delicious and savory. A Sardinian Seada or Seadas, that can only be explained as a kind of dough pocket filled with assorted cheese, heated and served with honey. The sweetness of the honey and the saltiness of the cheese make for an unexpectedly tasty treat.
Chieri – Trattoria delle Erbe – Seada or Seadas
Top that off later with a caffè and Sambuca (to make caffè corretto of course) and you have the culmination of the great lunch.
All in all, Chieri makes a great day trip, if only just to walk around and soak up its quiet stillness, after being in Turin for a few weeks. If only to experience some great Sardinian food at this trattoria!
Well we took the ferry from Naxos to Santorini and as luck would have it, it was very smooth. We were kind of worried about it, because the prior days leading up to our excursion, it was very windy and the water was extremely rough. My wife had already related to me, that in rough seas, they sometimes cancel the ferries between islands; we didn’t need any of that. It was bad enough that she had contracted bronchitis and was just getting her voice back. In fact, my son-in-law also had a cold, making their holiday just a bit more annoying than usual.
We were off the ferry in no time and looking for our driver, which with all of the vehicles and people, was actually easier than I had thought it was going to be. After sitting in the car for about fifteen minutes, waiting for the long procession of cars, buses, trucks and other vehicles to make it up the cliff, the road before us had more switchbacks than teeth on a saw. But it was slow going, so motion sickness never became an issue.
Naxos to Santorini – Ferry on the Aegean Sea
Naxos to Santorini – Ferry
Naxos to Santorini – Gabi, Patti, Dana, Tristan and Ericka
Naxos to Santorini – Oia from Ferry
Once we reached the top and made it through the stop sign, we were in our Heliotopos Hotel in Imerovigli in no time. On Santorini we actually split our vacation between two different hotels, one in Imerovigli and one in Oia. And aside from the driver from the shuttle service driving past our hotel in Oia, for which we had a fairly long walk in the heat, no other problems befell us while on Santorini.
Naxos to Santorini – Imerovigli and Thira from Ferry
Another island in the Cyclades island chain, Santorini is a large caldera formed from an ancient volcano that blew its top some time around 1450 BCE. When it did, it had a major impact on the Minoan population that had settled on the chain of islands.
The Greek Evil Eye
One might say the island of Santorini now looks like a great Greek Evil Eye from the sky. A small ring of islands with a caldera of water and a center made from the remaining two active volcanoes. If of course one is superstitious like that.
Imerovigli – A Volcanic Aerie
At the highest point on the largest piece of the caldera that still remains, sits Imerovigli. It is perched on and along the cliff, as though some flock of birds had built it. Yet historically most of the initial building were for wine making and production, later repurposed for the tourist industry.
Imerovigli, Santorini – Heliotopos Hotel
It is actually amazing, how after such a catastrophe, that individuals would continue to build on such notorious ground. Though one can imagine, that after a few hundred years with the volcano’s silence, they probably could not resist planting in the rich volcanic soil.
The Heliotopos Hotel
We stayed at the Heliotopos Hotel in Imerovigli, which is strategically located on the footpath to Thira, for those wishing that early morning walk, or just access to the island path that actually goes from Thira all the way to Oia.
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Skaros Rock
A short twenty minute hike from hotel was Skaros Rock. A broken piece of caldera that looks more like a mesa than anything belonging to a volcano.
Thira, Santorini – Skaros Rock
Though thoroughly signed as dangerous, there is nothing preventing anyone from hiking the path around the rocky projection. Read all the signs carefully and make your own decision.
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I would caution, the north side is a bit challenging for anyone with balance or other issues, one misstep and one could fall pretty far, perhaps leading to death or serious injury.
Oia – Caldera Cutie
A Greek jewel clad in white wash and white marble is essentially what Oia is to those who visit its tourist filled streets and alleys. Make no mistake, if you visit Oia, there will be crowds; all trying to get that perfect social media photograph. This is especially the case in the evening, when they are all out trying to get their sunset pictures.
Oia, Santorini – The Three Blue Domes
There is not a lot of real estate in Oia, so some will find it very confining. But it is worth a visit, though I would not spend more than a few days here. Boredom being defined here as a slow Oia drip. If I had to do it over again I would probably just visit it for the day and perhaps have one evening dinner there, the rest is just too touristy for me.
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The Atrina Cavana 1894 Hotel
We stayed at the Atrina Cavana 1894 in the Atrina Villa for our anniversary. It was very spacious and has all the amenities one should need, it even has a kitchenette for those who wish to cook in on occasion.
Oia, Santorini – Atrina Canava 1894 – Entrance
Oia, Santorini – Atrina Canava Villa – Patti
Oia, Santorini – Atrina Canava Villa
Since real estate is at a premium, not all hotels in Oia have pools, our hotel was probably an exception. Not only did we have access to a pool, but we also had a hot tub with our villa that all of us took advantage. The pool was actually a bit cold and the surface was very slippery. We had fun anyway.
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Restaurants
There are many good restaurants in Santorini, probably only during tourist season, since many do not open until late May or early June. Many cruise ships also visit the island starting in June and ferry passengers near Thira, so it is best to make reservations, at least if you are staying on the island and know your itinerary.
Imerovigli, Santorini – Sunset from Avocado Restaurant
Finding a place in Thira, Imerovigli or Oia, at least one that has both a sunset view and exceptional food, may be challenging, but not impossible. We actually were able to do both, here are a few that we visited for either lunch or dinner.
Avocado
Situated in Imerovigli and not necessarily one of the best places to view a sunset, the Avocado restaurant has good food and a pretty good wine list. We chose it, because it was very close to our hotel and we were all a bit tired.
Avocado Restaurant – Group Photograph
The service was as expected and since we sat outside, we were able to enjoy the sunset and had a very nice evening eating and talking.
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Kastro Restaurant
The Kastro restaurant in Oia is known for its amazing sunset venue. Book at table during the summer for around 7:30 and you will have it long enough to the enjoy a beautiful sunset in Oia. The view of the caldera is just fantastic and the food is not bad either. Personally, I didn’t take any sunset photographs here, since I think the sunsets from Imerovigli are better.
Needing a break from all of the Greek food we found an Italian restaurant called DaVinci’s in Thira. They make traditional Italian food and pizza, as well as the expected Greek gyro or souvlaki. We stopped here for lunch and had a very good meal, at very reasonable prices.
Imerovigli, Santorini – Da Vinci Restaurant
Alexios
A quick change in our plans during our last evening on Santorini led us to Alexios in Oia. Closer to our hotel, it too has a very good outside patio on which to view the sunset. The food was traditional Greek and okay, but at this point I had already seen enough Greek food, which honestly is a bit too meat-centric for my taste.
Alexios Restaurant – Patti and Ericka
Alexios Restaurant – Patti, Ericka and Tristan
Alexios Restaurant – Sailing Ships
Alexios Restaurant – Main Pedestrian Way
Pitogyros Traditional Grill House
I will be honest, I am not sure what a traditional grill house is in Greece or on Santorini. But, if the number of people trying to get into this place at any given time is any indication, they seem to have named the place right at least. At Pitogyros in Oia, the food is mostly traditional meat gyros and souvlaki served in a pita or a platter, as well as other dishes. Most dishes are served with french fries, with the exception of their salads. A very inexpensive place to eat, if you can get a place to sit. We waited for thirty minutes before our party of six were seated, which honestly probably was not that bad, considering it was around two o’clock in the afternoon.
Pitogyros Traditional Grill House – Front
Pitogyros Traditional Grill House – Our Table
Pitogyros Traditional Grill House – Pita Gyros with Fries
Wines
We drank the following wines while on Santorini, along with a few others. But, we feel the following deserve mention.
We finally left Santorini and dropped our sons off at the airport for their flight back to the United States. Of course, the weather had been beautiful for two weeks and we were not complaining. But as Greece would have it, it threw one last punch at us before they left. While we were sitting having lunch in Athens with Ericka and Gabi, thunderstorms had moved in and it poured, subsequently delaying their flight from the airport. Though the delay was over an hour, it luckily did not impact their connecting flight and they made it home perhaps just a little later than expected. After all of the other travel horror stories we have been hearing about, we considered ourselves lucky, even after everything that had happened.
Post Script
If you have any heard horror stories about traveling as of late, they are not fiction, they are probably TRUE. Traveling, due to latent affects of combating Covid, the war in Ukraine and other things, has turned traveling into a true hell.
If you have the ability to wait, I would do so, at least until certain things like airline staffing have been reconciled.
If you cannot wait and have connections, I would suggest booking any initial flights to your destination for a day early. This may cause extra expense and staying overnight in a hotel, but it might save you the headache of missing an important connection, especially on long haul flights that have multiple connections or even a international cruise.
Do NOT trust anything your airline or train service will tell you, it only takes one thunderstorm or some last minute strike to start a massive backlog these days. Good luck!
This blog article is split into three separate acts. Not necessarily in homage to the Greek tradition of plays, but more that our trip turned out to be more of a Greek tragedy. A milder version of one of course, but one nonetheless.
We do not know if it’s the land of bad karma, bad juju or what, but for the first time in our long lineage of trips, almost everything that could go wrong did. That is not to say, there is something wrong with Greece as a whole, it could just be us (and probably is), or we just may happened to have had a bad sequence of events occur. However, always being guided by the premise that bad luck runs in threes, we are now beginning to think that is just an arbitrary number, it appears it can also be all sixes and sevens.
To add some preamble here, there were six of us traveling from three different parts of the globe. My wife and I from Italy, Ericka and Gabriel (Gabi) from Germany and our two sons, Dana and Tristan, from the United States.
Flight from Milan Malpensa to Athens
The first sign there would be any trouble was a line of storms that developed the day of travel and stalled along the east coast. Since they were flying into JFK, both of my sons had their flights canceled. They were able to get booked again for the next day, after having wasted their entire Friday sitting in an airport or on an airplane. Luckily, the new logistics worked and they made it to Athens a day late and one vacation day less, but with all of their luggage.
Once altogether, we learned that our son Dana and our son-in-law Gabi had both gotten colds, so right away we were thinking of the possibility of Covid. Luckily, that was not the case either, they were just feeling the effects of common colds brought on by loosening restrictions.
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In any event, we pressed on with our vacation. The next day, upon trying to enter a museum, we quickly discovered that I had purchased a five day pass for everyone, which of course did not start until our last full day in Athens. Not sure how I did that, but I just chalked it up to old age and moved on. Luckily, nothing else happened to us the next few day in Athens.
Athens – The City
The modern part of Athens is typical city for a city of central Europe, containing a core with upscale shopping surrounded by environs of more modest means and services. In some places it looks like it is in desperate need of planning and repairs. But for the most part things appear to work quite well by Greek standards.
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No visit to Athens complete without seeing the changing of the guard at the National Memorial of the Unknown Soldier.
Lycabettus Hill
Located northeast of the city center is the hill of Lycabettus, atop which sits the Church of Saint George. About a thirty minute walk from the Monument of the Unknown Soldier you can reach the cable car at Lykavittós and for a modest sum, a ride to the top.
Athens Panorama
The views are pretty good from this vantage point, so you will want to pick a clear day. It is a very good place for a panoramic photograph of Athens.
Athens – Lycabettus Hill – Church and Observation Patio
Athens – Lycabettus Hill – Church of Saint George – Group Photograph
You can also visit the church and then have a relaxing drink at one of the many bars on this hilltop.
The Acropolis
The Acropolis is a historic site with few equals. Perched atop a hill overlooking the rest of Athens, this great structure must have been magnificent in its day. Entering through the Beulé Gate, you ascend the Propylaea with the Temple of Athena Nike to your right.
The Acropolis – Parthenon – From Lower Athens
Temple of Athena Nike
The temple stands to the right of the entrance, almost as a sentinel to this very religious place. Situated to the right of the Propylaea, it is the most fully iconic temple in the Acropolis. Unfortunately what we see today is a reconstruction of what it must have looked like before the Turks destroyed the temple in 1686.
The Acropolis – Temple of Athena Nike
The Acropolis – From the Propylaea or Gatehouse – Temple of Athena Nike
The Parthenon
Under a constant state of preservation, repairs and reconstruction the Parthenon is well signed and for the most part well protected from the tourists. It is an impressive structure, when placed behind the backdrop of history, being built more than 2500 years ago.
The Acropolis – Parthenon
The Acropolis – Parthenon
The Parthenon
There are a few additional points of interest below the Acropolis, but no less important.
Sanctuary of Dionysos Eleuthereus
The Acropolis Museum – Area of the Dörpfeld Excavations
The Acropolis Museum – Area of the Dörpfeld Excavations
The Acropolis Museum – Large Statue
The Acropolis Museum – Large Statue
The Erechtheion
My favorite is the Erechtheion and the Porch of the Maidens, also know as the Caryatid Porch. It is one of the only, if not few, buildings in the Acropolis that does not have a symmetrical architecture. It is theorized this either had to do with the numerous cults that built the structure, or the uneven ground it was built on, making a classic Greek structure impossible.
The Erechtheion and Porch of Maidens
The Acropolis – The Erechtheion – Porch of Maidens
The Erechtheion and Porch of Maidens
The Erechtheion and Porch of Maidens
The Erechtheion and Porch of Maidens
The Erechtheion and Porch of Maidens
From the southeast side the asymmetry is easily seen, with the Porch of the Maidens displaying its most iconic feature.
The Erechtheion – Porch of Maidens – Southeast View
The Agora
Not far from the slopes of the Acropolis is the Agora, or the central meeting place for all ancient Athenians. Primarily of religious significance, but also used for business, politics and artisans. The main street was called the Panathenaic Way, which ran through the Agora to the main gate of Athens.
Grounds of the Agora, Looking at the Temple of Hephaestus
Grounds of the Agora
Looking at the Agora and Stoa of Attalos
Stoa of Attalos
The Stoa of Attalos was central to the Agora and primarily used as a place to conduct business. Stoae are buildings constructed with a portico, as a defense against the sun and weather. It was reconstructed in the 1950s, using many of the original pieces, especially on the north side of the building, but reinforced in the basement area in order to be properly repurposed the building as a museum. Here is where the trades people, artisans and shop keepers could sell their wares and conduct business.
The Stoa of Attalos – The Facade
The portico serves as an outdoor museum, while the upstairs serves that same purpose, but provides that more indoor feeling. Many of the pieces are statues and busts of high ranking individuals in ancient Greek society.
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The Temple of Hephaestus
Probably the most well preserved structure on the grounds of the Agora, even parts of the roof are still intact, is the Temple of Hephaestus. Considering its age and that fact that it was never destroyed during a war or plundered for building materials, it stands nimbly on the grounds of the Agora as a testament to Greek architecture.
Grounds of the Agora – The Temple of Hephaestus
Walking around the structure one can easily take photographs of its interior and columns.
The Temple of Hephaestus
The Temple of Hephaestus – Columns and Inside Details
The Temple of Hephaestus – Ceiling
The Temple of Hephaestus – Columns
The Odeon of Agrippa
Unfortunately not much of the Odeon of Agrippa structure still exists, with the exception of its magnificent columns. Built in relief, the four columns depicted giants and tritons, all of which are heavily damaged. Initially designed and built as a hall to hold performances in, its structure was not designed like other buildings to endure the ages. It fell into ruin fairly quickly and was rebuilt at some point in the second century and repurposed later as a lecture hall, only to be destroyed by a Herulian raid in 267 CE.
Statues at the entrance to the Odeon and Agrippa
Restaurants
As with any large European city restaurants abound in Athens and it offers a wide range of cuisines and options for anyone’s appetite. With some proper planning and reservations you should have no problem enjoying Greek dining during your vacation. Failure to do so will in most cases result in long wait times and exploring other options.
The Arcadia
We ate lunch at the Arcadia and enjoyed a very nice meal after a morning of exploring Athens.
The Arcadia Restaurant – Greek Salad
The Arcadia Restaurant – Gabi, Dana and Erick
The Arcadia Restaurant – Patti, Tristan and Ericka
The Arcadia Restaurant – Soup
Maiandros
Reservations are a must for this restaurant. The Maiandros Restaurant gets high marks for excellent traditional Greek cuisine and price. If you want to take advantage of its fine cooking and still have money left in your pocket, look no further than this restaurant. I would suggest ordering the Stifado, if you are meat lover (which I am not, but how could I resist), you will not be disappointed.
The Maiandros Restaurant – Store Front
The Maiandros Restaurant – Menu
The Maiandros Restaurant – Stifado
The Maiandros Restaurant – Stifado pic
The Maiandros Restaurant – Greek Salad
The Maiandros Restaurant – Stifado
PalioTetradio
Perched atop a long staircase on the slopes of the Acropolis sits the Palio Tetradio. This little alley and staircase is packed with restaurants and is more of a tourist attraction and known for its ambiance, than its food and service.
The Palio Tetradio Restaurant
The Palio Tetradio Restaurant – Vegetable Soup
The Palio Tetradio Restaurant – Pork Souvlaki
View From Out Table – The Palio Tetradio Restaurant
However, they do have live music and since several of the other restaurants have their own musicians, it can feel like dueling musical talents as some points during your dinner.
The Palio Tetradio Restaurant – Musicians
Wines
The following wines we enjoyed while dining in Athens. You don’t necessarily have to purchase a very expensive wine, most house wine is completely drinkable and satisfying.
Wines – Einomaypo Reserve 2018 – Front Label
Wines – Einomaypo Reserve 2018 – Back Label
Wines – ΜOΣXOΦIΛEPO ZAXAPIA – Moschofilero Zacharia 2021 – White – Front Label
Wines – ΜOΣXOΦIΛEPO ZAXAPIA – Moschofilero Zacharia 2021 – White – Back Label
Wines – Kτήμα ΓΕΡΟΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΥ – GEROVASILEIOU Estate 2019 – Red – Front Label
Wines – Kτήμα ΓΕΡΟΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΥ – GEROVASILEIOU Estate 2019 – Red – Back Label
A short drive, just outside Torre Pellice, is the small commune of Angrogna. Situated high up on the hill. Overlooking Torre Pellice, Angrogna commands a very nice view of the valley floor and hides a local secret in the form of a tiny underground chapel by a mostly unknown religious sect.
The Waldensians
The Waldensians were and are a pre-reformation sect that was extremely persecuted by the Roman Catholic Church as heretical. Therefore, they had to take their religious practices in many places underground, in order to escape discrimination, capture, torture and in many cases death. In Angrogna you will find one such hide out, a small cave on a mountainside used as a chapel. Here members would secretly meet in order to carry out their many religious practices without the notice of the church or local onlookers.
The Geology Close To The Waldensian Chapel – Craggy And Full Of Boulders
The Waldensian Chapel
The cave is a poor collection of boulders left by the ice age that apparently produced a cave structure suitable enough for such practices. It is difficult to find, if they were not signs and an entrance stairway to its opening. Even then, the entrance is wet, a very tight fit for most present individuals, and thus requires a degree climbing to actually reach the inner chamber.
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The inner chamber is a small, wet and very dark room about five by ten meters. It includes a small makeshift altar, but nothing else. In its day, it must have been something to experience during a mass.
The School Of Odin-Bertot
Very close by and less than a few hundred meter walk from the hidden chapel, is the School of Odin-Bertot.
Museum The School Of Odin-Bertot – Outside View of the School Room Entrance
Reminiscent of one room school houses in many other rural areas, this one specifically served the mountain people of the area. Since the above link explains all, a few more photographs of the interior and the museum are all that’s in order at this point.
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How To Get There
There are several ways to get there, either via the School of Odin, or by the parking area further away. Since maps are worth a thousands words, here are two that you will find once there, but they also show the overall area so you can use this with what ever map, app or device you have to cross reference your way there.
Map For The Waldensian Church And School Of Odin
Local Map Of Historic Sites
Directions
Between Torre Pellice and Luserna San Giovanni you should find road 161. At the traffic circle, take the road towards Angrogna. You should also see signs for the Guieiza d’la Tana, the Chabas and the Vaccera. Keep following road to the main town square, then continue for about two kilometers and you will arrive in the hamlet of Serre. Turn right, you should see the beginning of the path and the signs “Chanforan” and “Odin”. Walk the path, following the sign for Ghieisa D’La Tana. You will eventually come to a wooden railing with the words Entrata on it, walk down the steps, you have arrived at the temple.
Festival T-Shirt – La Fira ‘d la Pouià – Bobbio Pellice – 2022
This weekend turned out to be extra special, in that a special festival occurred in the valley known as the “La Fira ‘d la Pouià“, or the fair for the transfer of livestock to their seasonal feeding grounds, also known as transhumance.
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The small town of Bobbio Pellice hosts this event twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. Participation by any farm family is voluntary, but many do so, since they have representative booths within the festival grounds. This provides them an opportunity to sell products they make during the year from their farms and animals, like meat, cheeses and other delicacies.
Marching Band Arriving – La Fira ‘d la Pouià – Bobbio Pellice – 2022
It starts with a small marching band that processes up the main street, announcing the arrival of the animals.
Then the children lead a procession down the street, after which one can begin to hear the sound of cow bells.
They remain in the town square for some time playing music until all of the animals, along with their families, have passed.
Cows Arriving – La Fira ‘d la Pouià – Bobbio Pellice – 2022
The animals are outfitted with celebration bells, many containing award ribbons that each animal may have won during past fairs, or just fitted with a simpler bell fitting for the occasion.
After they are pastured nearby and judged, these are replaced by smaller and more utilitarian bells which will be worn for the rest of the trip and while they are in their mountain pastures for the summer.
Cows Sporting Their Bells – La Fira ‘d la Pouià – Bobbio Pellice – 2022
When the animals finally come, the parade starts with the larger animals, the cows and later quietly proceeds down to the smaller ones, when the sheep and the goats arrive.
The sheep are customarily under the vigilant eye of a number of dogs, which are trained to watch over them day and night. These animals are not aggressive, but they are very territorial and it is wise to stay away from them and the flock they guard. Rumors have it, they are known to have even killed humans who trespass.
Clouds over Bobbio Pellice
If you are looking for that kind of one off experience and a lover of animals, a trip to Bobbio Pellice to watch this festival is definitely worth it. Many are day trippers who drive to the town, but parking space is extremely limited, so get there early. Since the area offers amazing hiking opportunities, we preferred the slow travel approach and took the train to Pinerolo, then transferred to our Bed and Breadfast here for the week. A short walk down the street would have brought us here, but instead our hosts were going to attend and kindly offered us a lift, which we gladly obliged.
For some time, my wife Patti has been wanting for us to visit her friends in Malpertus. Thankfully with Covid restrictions waning, hopefully along with the virus itself, we finally committed to visiting them this week. In order to get there, we had to take the train from Turin’s Porta Susa terminal, instead of our customary train station, Porta Nuovo. Once on the train, the trip length was about forty-five minutes, which included about eight stops along the way.
Pinerolo appeared to be fairly quiet and we had noticed most people were preoccupied with the Saturday market place, that was taking place in the main square from the train station. We took little notice of this and continued directly down the main street, via Del Duomo, until we found a suitable place to eat.
Restaurants
Trattobar Kreuzberg
We initially stopped at a pizza place, but they apparently only took orders inside. So, after a quick reconnaissance further up the street we found a trattoria called Trattobar Kreuzberg.
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Though the food was very good and for a fair price, the service, even for Italian standards, was very slow. It took us all of three hours to complete our lunch, and we could tell several other clients sitting at tables next to use were not happy either, and they were Italian. So if you are in a hurry, either get seating inside or by the entrance (of course in the hope they will see and not forget you) and not out in the umbrella piazza annex, where we were seated.
Borgata Malpertus
Our hosts live in a very small hamlet called a Borgata. It’s actually just a string of small stone houses collected neatly on the hillside of the Pellice River Valley.
Borgata Malpertus – Pellice River Valley
Borgata Malpertus – Pellice River Valley
15 Borgata Malpertus – Pellice River Valley
15 Borgata Malpertus – Pellice River Valley
15 Borgata Malpertus – Pellice River Valley
15 Borgata Malpertus – Pellice River Valley
The rest of the Borgata is contained within a few roads or alleys, through which anyone can amble at their leisure. There are few residents here and some of the structures are in dire need of repair and restoration.
Borgata Malpertus – Pellice River Valley
Repairs needed – Borgata Malpertus – Pellice River Valley
Borgata Malpertus – Pellice River Valley
Our host, hostess and their son are great and they have done an amazing job of renovating their own place.
Lisa and Sam Chiodo – Renovating Italy at Borgata Malpertus – Malpertus
Their son Luca – Renovating Italy at Borgata Malpertus – Malpertus
Venturing Out A Bit
Taking a short walk from the Borgata and a stone’s throw away is Napolean’s Bridge. Of course, Napolean did not build, nor even cross the Pellice River using this bridge. It was built at least a hundred years before he was even born and it is believed that his army never ventured down the valley that far, if in this valley at all.
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However, it is a nice walk and an improbable feature of the valley, since it appears to have been built near no know important structure, castle or fortress, yet obviously took a tremendous amount of work to complete.
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Along the way there are an amazing assortment of flowers and as with other parts of Italy, the fields and pastures are abuzz with this sound of bees and the chirping calls of crickets. So if you are looking for a place for some peace of mind, this might be an appropriate place for you.
For those wanting and willing to see the Sacra di San Michele and experience this great church and its views, one must hike the three or so kilometers and one kilometer ascent in order to really enjoy what the builders had accomplished here. Not only is it a feat of Middle-Ages engineering and stubbornness, its shear existence defies rationality, and so may I add hiking up to it. Well maybe not exactly, but you should be prepared. We saw many individuals when we were descending wearing the wrong type of shoes, etc. More on that later.
Sant’ Ambrogio – Getting There
A thirty three minute train ride from Turin’s train station Porta Nuova will get you to Sant’ Ambrogio and the beginning of your climb. Let me add, before we begin, that you may drive up to the church; but then you would be among the majority of people there and just mere tourists.
The train station – San Ambrogio
The train station is spartan and leaves you off on track one to enter this small town or hamlet directly. Returning you will have to find the stairwell to the right of the train station and walk under the tracks.
First sight of Sacra di San Michele from train station – Sant Ambrogio
Welcome Sign – Sant Ambrogio
Hiking Trail Signs – Sant Ambrogio
Sacra di San Michele from inside the town – Sant Ambrogio
A sleepy town on Pasquetta (day after Easter) – Sant Ambrogio
A view from the Church of Saint Giovanni Vincenzo – Sant Ambrogio
The trail starts and the Church of Saint Roch – Sant Ambrogio
Follow the signs for two hours – Sant Ambrogio
We arrived the day after Easter Sunday, or as the remembrance in Italy has it for Roman Catholics, Pasquetta [1]Also called, Lunedì dell’ Angelo, which is meant to remember the women of the sepulcher, including Mary Magdalene, who were comforted by an angel when they returned to Jesus’ tomb and found it … Continue reading The town was more or less empty, so our ideas about a quick climb up and back and an early lunch soon vanished.
On the way up, the rooftops of the town – Sant Ambrogio
The walk through the town was short and without incident, in fact, we were mostly accompanied by the individuals who left the train with us, residents of the town having already left for the long weekend or enjoying amenities inside and their extra day off.
Parco Naturale Orsiera – Sentiero Trail 502
Using the Sentiero Trail 502, or TOS 502, we quickly left the town and started our ascent up the most north-eastern mountain or hill of the Parco Naturale Orsiera. An almost one kilometer ascent for three kilometers with slopes ranging in steepness of three to twenty percent, and I would conjecture most were in the double digits.
This 3 km rises 1000 meters and takes about 1 and a half to 2 hours to hike – Trail Map
The trail was for the most part cobbled with round and larger stones, some which have a remarkable green color, are shiny and very slippery. Proper shoes are important, though it is possible to navigate the trail with tennis shoes or sneakers.
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Upon exiting the trail at a collection of houses, and an interim point in the hike, you will find a large commemorative stone.
Commemoration Wheel 2000 – Sentiero Trail 502
Then you will make a hairpin turn and look up, only to see that your hike up is STILL NOT OVER!
Still a long way up to go – Sentiero Trail 502
Checking the signs indicate approximately another kilometer to hike, which took us about twenty minutes.
Trail Sign, another .8 km to go – Sentiero Trail 502
After the last more modest climb you will walk onto a road, where all the other tourists are walking into from the parking lot. The attraction has a large sign explaining the layout of the church and its grounds.
Sign at entry to Sacra di San Michele
Sacra di San Michele
Once near the church of Sacra di San Michele, the magnificent views are apparent. With its perch high on a rocky crag, the church has a commanding view of the valley below.
Panorama before church at end of trail
Walking up to the church you will find a small building to the right that sells postcards, other tourist paraphernalia and entrance tickets. Once purchased, a turnstile to the left has a QR code reader that will let you enter, then you must start climbing stairs, an unwelcome sign after our long journey.
Tickets for Two – Sacra di San Michele – Sant Ambrogio
Stairs inside – Sacra di San Michele
More stairs – Sacra di San Michele
Erick with Covid mask on ascending more stairs – Sacra di San Michele
Again more stairs – Sacra di San Michele
The remainder of our visit consisted of just enjoying the church and the beautiful views. My wife chose this day because the weather promised to be wonderful, we were not disappointed, it was sunny and in the low 60°s Fahrenheit, perfect for hiking.
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Leaving we took our last look up at the great church and descended along the more difficult trail, due to its increase in steepness, it promised to cut some time off our descent, which it did.
Going down is a bit more treacherous and only 2.5 km, but still takes about 1 and a half hours to hike – Trail Map
However, the first part of this trail is VERY steep and not for anyone ill-prepared or wearing the wrong hiking apparel, so caution! We were actually having second thoughts until we realized it was more difficult to go back up, then to press on and continue downward.
A view of the church descending – Sacra di San Michele
We arrived back in Sant’ Ambrogio almost five hours later, hungry and fairly tired from our experience. Once on the train, we relaxed and started to compare which part of our legs hurt more. However, we were both happy we were able to meet our sacred vertical pilgrimage with a great sense of accomplishment. It was our first big hike of the season, hopefully not our last and if anyone is thinking of doing this or a similar hike, keep the following in mind, we will next time.
Prepare for your hike, research the route and understand how technical it is
Bring a water bottle, the trail has two or three places to refill, this is especially important
Bring lunch or something to eat, there is nothing above except some vending by the ticket counter, but do not count on that
Wear the correct clothing (light and layered) and shoes, hiking shoes would be preferred but thick soled tennis shoes or sneakers will do
Pace yourself, unless you are young be mindful of your body and do not over-exert, you do not want to get into medical trouble on that trail, it will take some time for them to get to you
Go in good weather, unless it’s your intent as an experienced hikers not to
And last but not least.., enjoy yourself, there are amazing things to see and hear on the trail, the flowers and birds are in abundance.
Also called, Lunedì dell’ Angelo, which is meant to remember the women of the sepulcher, including Mary Magdalene, who were comforted by an angel when they returned to Jesus’ tomb and found it empty.
Tucked along the eastern bank of the River Po and within the confines of the Metropolitan City of Turin sits Moncalieri. No more than a fifteen minute bike ride for me down the Corso Moncalieri from our apartment in Turin, it took us a twenty minute walk to the train station, followed by a twenty-five minute train ride, with a change in Lingotto. Of course, there are other options, but none that we could take conveniently from where we live in Turin.
Tickets for Two – Moncalieri – Turin
Moncalieri – The Town
A quick hop off the train and you may bump into the weekly market, if you travel there on the weekend. This is the traditional market that most places in Italy entertain at least once a week, so that locals can buy everything from household goods, cheap everyday things like sponges, to more exotica like gold coins and older things, some would like to call antiques.
Train station – Moncalieri, Turin
Once you have left the train station and navigated the small Borgo Navile, where the market is held, you will find the center of town by walking the via San Martino.
Municipal Building – Moncalieri, Turin
Via S. Martino – Moncalieri – Turin
Church overpass of street – Moncalieri, Turin
Piazza VIttorio Emanuele II – Moncalieri Center – Turin
At the end of this short journey you will find the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II[1]Named after the King of the same name, the castle of Moncalieri was his favorite summer retreat, the town’s main fountain and the Comune Building for Moncalieri. The significance of the Roman God Neptune is unclear, other than he was the Roman God of Fresh Water and the Sea, and that the fountain was most likely the main source of water before indoor plumbing for the town’s people.
Neptune Statue – Comune Building in Moncalieri Center – Turin
Castello Reale di Moncalieri
A must see when visiting here is the large and private Castle Real of Moncalieri. For a modest fee you can enter the castle, which experienced a fire in 2008[2]The fire destroyed several rooms on the upper floor and was contained, but most of the damaged was just contained and never renovated., and take the guided tour, which is only in Italian. Fear not, there are enough references in the story for most people to follow and our tour guide did speak english and filled us in while walking on the more important points.
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Restaurants
Osteria e Gastronomia
Tucked between the UniCredit Bank and an apartment building off the beginning of Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II is a very good restaurant, the Osteria e Gastronomia. It was already lunch time, so we grabbed a small two person table right in the alleyway and were immediately greated by our hosts. A quick view of the menu and we were ready for some delicious Piemontese food.
Osteria e Gastronomia – Moncalieri,Turin
I ordered the Agnolotti del plin tradizionali con sugo d’arrosto, a typical Piedmont dish of very tiny ravioli stuffed with meat in a meat sauce, very tasty! It doesn’t look like much, but is actually very filling. Along with some bread, a glass of Nebbiollo alla spina, and water, how can you go wrong for lunch?
Agnolotti del plin tradizionali con sugo d’arrosto
Patti ordered the Agnolotti con salsiccia di Bra e porri con crema di parmigiano e guanciale croccante, which are larger ravioli made with sausage from Bra and leeks, topped with Bacon. A little Parmesan and you have a great lunch.
Agnolotti con salsiccia di Bra e porri con crema di parmigiano e guanciale croccante
Well, we hope you enjoyed our adventure to Moncalieri, because we did and were actually surprised. Though it took longer to get there than we had originally hoped, it wasn’t all that bad and definitely worth the trip, if only for the food!
If you are an archaeological nut and ever have enough time to spend in Naples, you must visit the National Archaeological Museum. It houses an impressive collection from ancient Naples, from its ancient Greek roots through its Roman and Sicilian Empire phases, to the present. It also has a fabulous collection of artifacts from Pompeii and the Roman Period. It is found on the interesection of Piazza Cavour and Via Enrico Pessina. At the time of this writing, it can no longer be gotten to by the Museum Metro Stop, which has been closed for some time, but rather from the Piazza Cavour Metro Stop and then a short walk along that street.
National Archaeological Museum – Main Entrance
The Ground or First Floor – Main Gallery
The main gallery on the ground floor has a unique and amazing collection of statues, mostly from the Roman Period, but there are also more ancient sculptures as well. It features in the back of the hall the Farnese Bull from Roman times.
National Archaeological Museum – Statue Hall – Bull – Farnese Collection – Largest Sculpture from Antiquity
There are also a few other examples from the Farnese Collection, including Hercules and others. This section is definitely worth a quiet, long walk through with plenty of reading and afterthought. Examination of any one of these magnificent works reveal detail that someone in today’s day and age would think otherwise superfluous, and yet it would not be the work it is today without that fine attention to detail.
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Leaving the main gallery and proceeding upstairs you pass the two dominant representations of Ocean or Oceanus, the god the ultimate river – the oceans. It is still not none precisely the etymology of this word and therefore it may not have any antecendents. However, one look at these two figures and you can tell that whomever this god represented, he was a very serious fellow, he had to be the dominate force for all water.
National Archaeological Museum – Statue Hall – Large Statue of Ocean holding a cornucopia – Entrance to Upstairs
National Archaeological Museum – Statue Hall – Entrance to Upstairs
National Archaeological Museum – Statue Hall – Large Statue of Ocean holding an Oar and a Sea Dragon – Entrance to Upstairs
The First Floor – The Mosaic Gallery
Here one can find all sorts of ancient mosaics, however most are from Pompeii. Made of paste and ceramic all are equisitely done in the form of a story to tell the onlooker.
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The Third Floor – The Glass Gallery
Has a small, succinct, but very important collection of ancient glass made during the Pompeiien and Roman periods. Some have handwork and detail that cannot be rivaled today.
National Archaeological Museum – Glass Gallery
National Archaeological Museum – Glass Gallery
The Gallery of Pompeiien Erotica
No visit would be complete without a visit to the erotic gallery, where all manner of erotica are on display from the dead city of Pompeii. The Quakers and the Puritans would have had a field day in this city at its peak. Not only was prostitution flaunted as an everday fact in everyone’s face, but the public had personal art created for display and enjoyment in their own houses. Without much else to say the following is shown as a slideshow, feel free to opt-out if you are not up to the intellectual and spiritual challenge.
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The Basement Floor – The Maritime Archaeological Gallery
All things maritime are located in the basement floor. A wide collection of maritime artifacts and archaeological specific display can be found in this section. There are also displays from the escavations of Pompeii having to do with the city itself, including is ancient public plumbing.
National Archaeological Museum – Maritime Hall – Old Signs
National Archaeological Museum – Maritime Hall – Ancient Trading Ports and Important Cities
National Archaeological Museum – Maritime Hall – Archaeological Map of Parthenope
National Archaeological Museum – Maritime Hall – Large Anchor
National Archaeological Museum – Maritime Hall – Old Lead Pipe
National Archaeological Museum – Maritime Hall – Reproduction of an Ancient Bark from Campania
Restaurants
Ristorante Demeter Ristotrattoria
A short fifteen minute walk away from the museum, down the Via Santa Maria di Costantinopoli, Via San Sebastiano and Via Santa Chiara (all the same street mind you), you will find Ristorante Demeter Ristotrattoria. Another exceptional place with homemade creations to tempt most palettes. We entered this restaurant just before it started raining and were not disappointed, a fine place to visit with nice staff that is definitely NOT a tourist trap.
Naples, San Guiseppe – Ristorante Demeter Ristotrattoria – Inside
Naples, San Guiseppe – Ristorante Demeter Ristotrattoria – Inside
Naples, San Guiseppe – Ristorante Demeter Ristotrattoria – Fried Eggplant in a tomato reduction with pesto
Naples, San Guiseppe – Ristorante Demeter Ristotrattoria – Lacryma Red
Naples, San Guiseppe – Ristorante Demeter Ristotrattoria – Pasta Norman
Naples, San Guiseppe – Ristorante Demeter Ristotrattoria – Pasta with Peppers and Taralli
Naples, San Guiseppe – Ristorante Demeter Ristotrattoria – Tart with Pecans
Naples, San Guiseppe – Ristorante Demeter Ristotrattoria – Chocolate Cake with powdered sugar
In the back of Piazza San Gaetano, alongside the tower, you will find the entry point to a very interesting treat, and a very historically important place for understanding Naples as a city, especially its age. Here you will find the La Neapolis Sotterrate, or the ancient underground marketplace.
La Neapolis Sotterrata – Internal Palazzo with well
The Ancient Neapolis was founded back in the fifth century BCE by the Greeks. Many of the artifacts and architecture of this place date back to this time. The market, or Macellum, was a two story structure that ran along underneath the current structure of the convent which now stands over top of it. Many of the streets in this area start with Vico and not Via, indicating the ancient Greek origins (all streets that start with this have a corresponding ancient road structure beneath them).
The entry fee is minimal and they have guided tours available in English. We found the tour very informative and important in trying to appreciate the age of city of Naples. Here is a slide show with what you will see if you have time to consider this historical adventure.
