L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 22 L'Italo-Americano l i k e C i v i t a a n d Vitorchiano, Pitigliano lies on top of a steep tufa hill, with breathtaking views on t h e v a l l e y b e l o w . W h a t characterizes it, however, i s t h e w a y m a n y o f i t s homes seem to rise direct- l y f r o m t h e r o c k u n d e r - neath, as if they emerged by magic. Pitigliano, which is in the Grosseto province of Tuscany, is larger than the villages we got to know before, as it counts about 4.000 residents. You can visit its Cathedral, dedi- cated to Saints Peter and P a u l , t h e m e d i e v a l Palazzo Orsini and its o l d G h e t t o , t h e r e a s o n b e h i n d t h e " L i t t l e Jerusalem" name. Sorano (Tuscany) Always in the Grosseto Province, Sorano looks l i k e a p o s t c a r d f r o m a w o r l d o f m a g i c . D r a m a t i c a l l y o v e r h u n g over the Lente river valley, its history can be traced back to the Etruscans, as it is for many other settle- ments in this part of Italy. In fact, Sorano (along with t h e a b o v e m e n t i o n e d Pitigliano) is known for the enigmatic and majestic Via delle Cave, a myste- rious network of galleries c a r v e d i n t u f a b y t h e E t r u s c a n s , t h a t r u n through the surrounding countryside. Nearby is also the Parco Archeologico Città del Tufo, the local archeological park with its E t r u s c a n n e c r o p o l i s . I n town, visit Fortezza Orsini S a n t ' A g a t a d e ' G o t i h a s incredibly ancient origins, as the earliest settlements here are dated around the time of the first Samnite War (343 BC- 341 BC). Art lovers will be happy to see t h e C a t t e d r a l e d e l l ' Assunta , the church of S a n F r a n c e s c o o f A s s i s i and the local castle. Ragusa Ibla (Sicily) F i n a l l y , w e m o v e t o Sicily to spend some time in Ragusa Ibla. Ibla is one of the two centers (the other is Ragusa Superiore) o f t h e S i c i l i a n p r o v i n c e capital of Ragusa. Ibla is special, because it brings t o g e t h e r t h e c h a r m a n d breathtaking nature of a village built on stone, and and the Masso Leopoldino. Sant'Agata de' Goti (Campania) Let's move south, to the C a m p a n i a p r o v i n c e o f B e n e v e n t o , a n d v i s i t Sant'Agata de'Goti. The i n t r i c a t e n e t w o r k o f medieval homes that char- a c t e r i z e s t h i s v i l l a g e a p p e a r t o r i s e d i r e c t l y from the harsh hill it was b u i l t u p o n , t h e h o u s e s ' foundations being directly escavated into a tuffa hill lying between two rivers. the rich, complex allure of B a r o q u e a r c h i t e c t u r e . With its alleys and church- es, drenched all year round in Sicilian sun, Ibla is a truly special place to expe- rience. A panoramic view of Vitorchiano, in Lazio (Photo: Claudio Giovanni Colombo/Dreamstime) Continued from page 20 The sun rises on Ragusa Ibla (Photo: Vadym Lavra/Dreamstime) ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES There are many locations where our ancestors, with ingenuity and persever- ance, quite literally carved their home out of the harshest of environments, often with incredibly beautiful results

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