L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 20 L'Italo-Americano M a t e r a i s likely the most well k n o w n and visit- ed of Italy's cities carved into stone, but it's far from b e i n g t h e o n l y o n e . T h e Basilicata beauty has expe- rienced a cultural Renais- sance in recent years, also thanks to its role of Euro- pean Capital of Culture in 2019, and it is today a pop- ular tourist destination, movie set and artistic hub. T h e r e a r e o t h e r s y o u m a y k n o w : I s c h i a , perched on top of a rocky c l i f f , M a n a r o l a a n d Positano, that developed on the steep slopes of sea- side hills, and of course A m a l f i , a n c i e n t Reppublica Marinara b u i l t a s a n e m b r a c e around a cliff that domi- nates the Tyrrhenian. H o w e v e r , t h e r e a r e m a n y m o r e l o c a t i o n s where our ancestors, with i n g e n u i t y a n d p e r s e v e r - ance, quite literally carved t h e i r h o m e o u t o f t h e harshest of environments, often with incredibly beau- tiful results. Set in stone, perched on top of the highest of cliffs and stony peaks, these are only some among the most beautiful of Italy's "cities of stone." Tellaro (Liguria) Tellaro is a little ham- l e t n e a r L e r i c i , i n t h e Spezia province of Liguria. I f y o u a r e f a m i l i a r w i t h C i n q u e T e r r e a n d t h e G o l f o d e i P o e t i , t h a t ' s exactly where we are. The village developed along a c l i f f , j u s t l i k e a n o t h e r f a m o u s l o c a t i o n i n t h e area, Manarola, one of the Cinque Terre. Here, you can visit the castle, Palazzo Doria and the small port. I f y o u a r e a r o u n d f o r C h r i s t m a s , a n a t i v i t y i s prepared – and can be vis- ited – under water! Civita di Bagnoregio (Lazio) It is known as "the dying town" (città che muore) because its foundations, laid entirely on tufa, have been eroded by water since i t s b i r t h , a n d s t i l l a r e today. Located in the beau- tiful Viterbo province of Lazio, Civita is a popular t o u r i s t s p o t , f i l l e d w i t h a r t i s t s ' a t e l i e r s , s t o n e houses and little, sun-filled s q u a r e s . T h e v i e w f r o m here is also worth the trip, as you can embrace with your eyes the whole valley below. Vitorchiano (Lazio) A l w a y s i n t h e V i t e r b o p r o v i n c e , w e ' l l f i n d V i t o r c h i a n o , a n o t h e r small but charming "city of stone." Perched on top of a v o l c a n i c r o c k p e a k , t h i s quaint village has a well- preserved center that dates back to the Middle Ages. H o w e v e r , a r c h e o l o g i c a l findings, which are open to the public, show that the area was inhabited already FRANCESCA BEZZONE i n E t r u s c a n t i m e s . T h e l o c a t i o n p r o v i d e s o p e n views on the valley below and offers quite a level of s e c u r i t y b e c a u s e o f i t s h e i g h t , a n d m u s t h a v e been considered quite safe i n t i m e s w h e n e n e m y attacks and war were an almost daily occurrence. Pitigliano (Tuscany) M o s t o f y o u p r o b a b l y a r e f a m i l i a r w i t h Pitigliano, also known as the "Little Jerusalem," or Piccola Gerusalemme, as we'd say in Italian. Just Continued to page 22 Beautiful Tellaro, Liguria, at sunset (Photo: Stevanzz/Dreamstime) Italy's cities of stone ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES

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