Mindful Journeys: Walk the Ancient Roman Roads of Italy
Tuscan-Emilia, Liguria, Lombardia
For me Italy means lively streets full of passionate conversations, potted geraniums spilling out of balconies, a maze of cobblestone pathways and agrarian vistas punctuated by tall columnar cypress trees. The Italian saying "Il dolce far niente", which loosley translated to "The sweetness of doing nothing" reminds me of the message of mindfulness, maybe just add wine. But at the heart of both is the act of simply enjoying the moment. Check out this post about Daily Mindfulness Practice.
Last time we were in Italy it was just the two of us, my boyfriend and I. Now we are back, married and have brought along our two kids!! My husband studied Italian in college and the kids and I started practicing Italian using the free app. duolingo, which was very helpful. It is always a good idea to try and pick up a bit of the language spoken in the country you are traveling to. Making an effort to greet and offer some introductions to locals you meet can go a long way and helps you feel more connected to a place. There is nothing worse than a loud American in a foreign country, expecting everyone to speak English.
We arrived in Milan, Italy on a sweltering August afternoon. We flew Delta airlines and enjoyed an excellent flight. We rented a car at the airport and drove to a cute little rental run by the lovely Anna and Carlo in a great neighborhood of Casorate Sempione, just outside of Milan. After walking to a tasty little pizza restaurant a few blocks away, we stumbled back home to get some rest.
Tavernelle in the Lunigiana
The next morning, after a quick breakfast we hopped in our rental car and drove two and half hours out of the city and up into the Tuscan-Emilia Apennines region into an area called the Lunigiana. We were excited to explore this off-the-beaten-path part of Italy, just on the border of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna.
We arrived in the tiny town of Tavernelle to meet my family at a villa rental for the week. This is a TINY town, which we liked. We were able to get to know the locals more easily this way but if you are looking for a bit more action packed experience in Tuscany, I would recommend one of the bigger towns like Lucca or Sienna, two of my fave Tuscan towns. Our villa, called Palazzo del Duca, owned and managed by the sweet couple Mirella and Francesco, is a picturesque stone building with a pool in a beautiful garden setting . Mirella and Francesco are amazing cooks and you can arrange for them to create a feast to remember, for your group. Francesco is also an excellent vintner.
The villa is made up of several apartments that can be rented separately or you can rent the entire villa for a large group. A block a way is a little cafe, great for morning espresso and pastries and in the back is a low key but amazing restaurant featuring regional specialties. One thing we loved about Tavernelle was access to a enchanting creek, replete with crumbling ancient stone walls and swimming holes. We went each day to go swimming and look for frogs, butterflies and tiny lizards. We also saw a hedgehog in the garden at the village! As always, getting kids outside and into nature is a great activity no matter where you are! Check out this post.
A Mindful Moment
One afternoon, I had a moment to myself in Tavernelle and decided to wander the trails nearby. I wandered the trail down passed the Mill House, across the crumbling Roman bridge, over the River Taverone and hiked up through a woodland of Chestnut, Oak and Fig. I emerged from the trail on to a narrow road, passing an olive orchard and ending at a stone tunnel that lead into a tiny village. These are the ancient Salt trails, where 2000 years ago salt was mined and carried down to the sea. The word Salary originates from a Roman soldier's allowance to buy salt. Such an amazing place, so rich with history, I can feel it in the stone walls everywhere.
These are the ancient Salt trails, where 2000 years ago salt was mined and carried down to the sea. The word Salary originates from a Roman soldier's allowance to buy salt.
Day Trip to Ligurian coast and the Cinque Terre
One of our favorite day trips while in Tavernelle was an adventure to the sea, to find our old friend Ivo in the Cinque Terre. We drove about 45 minutes to the seaside town of Lerici, a vibrant place with a festive beach side promenade, outdoor market and plenty of cafes and gelaterias.
The marina is packed with little boats floating on turquoise water and a 12th century castle looming above town. At the marina we bought our boat tickets to Riomaggiore, in the Cinque Terre to visit an old friend.
These waters are considered the Italian Riviera and the ride was not short on gorgeous views. Last my husband and I were in Italy we befriended a local cafe owner in Riomaggiore, the first of the famous Cinque Terre villages from the south. When we visited previously, we arrived by train, our home base being Riomaggiore and then we explored all of the villages via the hiking trail, as well as the easy train rides stopping at all villages throughout the day.
This beautiful area is an Unesco World Heritage Site, and definitely worth exploring if you have more time, each town having their own unique charm and identity. Be sure to get off the main paths and wander the maze of stairways and stone walkways tucked away from the crowds. Hiking the trails between the towns is an extraordinary experience, seeing all of the cliff side dwellings, gardens and paths linking all 5 towns, not to mention the staggering views.
Riomaggiore has the feel of an old-world fishing village with a steep main street flanked by brightly colored apartment buildings and cafes. Head to Bar Centrale where Ivo serves up tasty meals and delicious beverages. The beach here is lovely, albeit rocky. My family enjoyed jumping off of the rocks and snorkeling in the bay. After a very eventful day, we headed back to Tavernelle.
We arrived home late to a festive affair! Another delightful thing about Tavernelle is how lively it gets in the evening. Come 9pm, music is playing, the community is hanging around the cafe and the local kids are playing soccer (futbol) in the field, beside the restaurant. My son had great fun joining in the local soccer scene and we enjoyed chatting with community members.
Lake Como
After a magical adventure in and around Tavernelle, we bid farewell to Francesco and Mirella and drove our rental car back to Milan. From the rental drop off at the airport in Milan, it was easy to catch a train to our next destination, Lake Como. We chose the town of Varenna, for it's easy accessibility (did not have to rent a car) and proximity to other towns, not to mention its charm. It was a 5 minute walk from the train station in Varenna to our dreamy little airbnb flat, overlooking the lake. Our apartment was small but worked just fine for us, with a stunning view over the lake from our balcony. We were able to walk to everything, including the ferry for fun rides around the lake to visit other towns.
We arrived around lunch time and decided to check out the Lido. Lido is the Italian word for beach or a place to swim. In Varenna there was a small fee to get in to this fenced in gravelly area with lakeside lounge chairs. Snacks and beverages were ordered at the counter inside and then brought out to us. There was a fun dock for plunging into the water and a nice swimming area we all enjoyed. That evening we found a festive outdoor cafe on the main piazza where plenty of kids were running about. Naturally, our kids jumped at the chance to runabout with other kids....giving the grown ups a chance to sit back and watched the sun go down over the sparkling water. Before our meal arrived the kids were able to find a geocache on the far side of the piazza. Check out this post for traveling with kids and you will learn more about what geocaching is and how we love to do it when we travel. It is a fun way to help us explore new places, while getting the kids involved. We finished the evening off with a gelato of course, and a stroll along Varenna's waterfront promenade.
As you may have guessed, the food was unbelievable, pasta carbonara, any and all of the pizza, and bruschetta were some of our favorites. If it is not indicated on the menu, inquire with your server about any regional dishes. It is really amazing to learn about the differences in pasta shapes, how each region takes great pride in their specialty and how each different kind of pasta serves as a vessel for a particular kind of sauce.
The next few days were full of exploration around town and nearby. One warm afternoon we enjoyed yet another waterfront meal and then wandered down to a little stone beach, where we were all able to wade out into the lake for a swim.
Another day we decided to trek up the steep cobblestone path to the castle on the hill. Castillo di Vezio is a smaller castle, great for kids to explore.
The hike up is quite steep, took us about 20 minutes but you are rewarded with 11th century castle ruins, complete with a falconry show and a draw bridge. The castle also has these ghostly plaster sculptures perched all around which can be pretty foreboding.
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Falconry at the Castle. Yes, I took this photo! -
Castillo di Vezio -
View from our flat
Later that day after a rest back at our apartment, we took the ferry over to Bellagio and Mennagio for lunch and some more geocaching. Both towns were quite busy, full of beautiful art galleries, cafes, churches, gardens and vividly painted buildings. Perfect for meandering around, looking for hidden treasures.
We ended our time in Italy with an early rise, an espresso and pastries at the train station in Varenna. From there, we hopped on and off trains, making our way to our next adventure: Switzerland, which you can read more about here.
Italy stole our hearts long ago and we will surely return. For family travel, Italy is full of beautiful and historic places to explore, easy and comfortable train rides with spectacular views and mouth watering food and..of course...gelato!! Mille Grazie Italia!!!
If interested in more tips on travel in Italy, we are big fans of Rick Steve's travel guides, as well as the Lonely Planet. Check out this book and this book.
Be a Mindful Traveler
What does it mean to be a mindful traveler? The practice ofmindfulness is all about being present, really living in the moment andsoaking in what is in front of you. Perhaps listening deeply to anotherin a conversation, observing how a place or a life style is bothdifferent and/or the same as your own, connecting to people and placesin a way that fills us with joy and illuminates the realization that weare all in this together. Truly at the core of all things is the pursuitof happiness.
At My Peaceful Wild we strive to share our adventures in a way thatencourages others to go out into the world and participate in a style oftravel that is mindful and connects to a place with kindness andcompassion. Of course many have a “bucket list” of travel destinations,myself included. It is a big beautiful world after all! Along with goingplaces to see beautiful landscapes, cities, architecture, let’s worktogether to spread a message of hope, kindness, environmentalstewardship, supporting and celebrating local communities and cultures.Let’s get out there and experience a place as a citizen of the earth on amission to connect to a sense of place. What does it mean to be anOregonian, a Hawaiian, an Italian, a Mexican or a Kenyan? The world isso full of beauty, mystery, language, food, traditions, history, joy andsorrow. As you get out there and experience it, do it mindfully andwith compassion. Now go!
Be well, be kind and make time to get outside and explore!
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