L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2018 www.italoamericano.org 16 L'Italo-Americano MARIELLA RADAELLI I t is an unusual, pleasant micro-invasion: well-to-do people, most of them Eng- lis h-s peaking, arrive as couples and families, and spend money in Irsina. They become residents. There's more than one reason why it has happened in a remote town in the southern region of Basilicata over the past 10 years. The appeal of this village of around 5,000 souls bites deep. To foreigners it is a dream place, a memory that stays in their mind after their first visit. Soon the idea of possessing a romantic retreat there absorbs them. Perched nearly 548m above s ea level overlooking the Bradano Valley, Irsina is incred- ibly atmospheric, still wedded to traditional ways of life. Stunning Matera is only 20 minutes away. Irsina's houses climb a rocky hill, offering breathtaking panoramas over vas t s unlit uplands. A place of fragrance and calm, with undulating woods and green wheat fields that yield to the change assigned: they will explode into gold in the next few months. But the immense agricultural land is not Irsina's only trump card. The enchanting town also has a remarkable past, its medieval defens ive w alls s till largely intact. R e m a i n s o f G r e e k a n d Roman settlements were found in Montepeloso -- Irsina's name until 1895.   A f o r m e r b i s h o p r i c t o w n , Irsina is a labyrinth of cobble- stone alleys and streets winding along, then opening up onto lit- tle piazzas. Like most Italian towns, it has its miraculous statue, this one depicting Saint Euphemia, which was created by the Early R e n a i s s a n c e m a s t e r A n d r e a Mantegna. Made with Vicenza stone, it stands behind a glass panel on a high ledge in the beautiful cathedral. The Saint Euphemia sculp- ture has a fierce, yet sweet face. T h e p a t r o n s a i n t o f I r s i n a , Euphemia was a young aristo- crat from modern-day Turkey who was thrown to wild beasts in an arena at Chalcedon about 303 AD, after she refused to make a pagan sacrifice. T h e I r s i n a f e s t i v a l i n h e r honor takes place from Sept. 14 to 17 when Irsinesi migrants return to their old homes. "Rooted in a glorious past, t h e r e c a n o n l y b e a b r i g h t future: this is the city's commit- ment," says Mayor Nicola Mas- simo Morea. A thousand Irsinesi migrated to the US between 1880 and 1 9 1 0 . A m o n g t h o s e , f u t u r e Chicago mobster Johnny Torrio. "But we are not proud of that," Morea notes. " T h e n i n t h e 1 9 6 0 s a n d 1970s the population declined from about 12,000 to a little more than 4,000, with many locals heading to northern Italy in search for factory jobs." Irsina is at the heart of Mat- era region, "the new Tuscany" that attracts sophisticated for- eigners. "They find serenity, amazing landscapes, good food and good n e i g h b o r h o o d s . H e r e t h e y embrace a slower pace of life that is impossible in their coun- tries of origin," says Morea. "They all are enthusiastic resi- dents. Their contributions to our community are exemplary." It's a simpler way of life, and that is precisely the attrac- t i o n . T h e y w a n t a s e n s e o f place. New Zealanders have now j o i n e d t h e S o u t h A f r i c a n s , Americans, Swedes, Dutch, Bel- gians and British, buying prop- erties in the historic center with stunning views of the valley. The locale has great potential at a decent price. "They renovate their homes using ancient construction tech- niques and materials. They are respectful of our traditions. T h e r e a r e a l o t o f l o c a l experts on hand to assist," says Morea. Living in Irsina has changed S a n d y B l a n s e t t W e b s t e r , a n American from San Diego, Cali- fornia who lived her adult life in L o n d o n w o r k i n g f o r T r i n i t y Mirror as finance director for their digital classifieds. She is a permanent resident. " L i v i n g i n I r s i n a h a s improved our health, fitness and general well-being," she says. After Sandy and her husband decided they wanted to retire to I t a l y , t h e y " t h e n n e e d e d t o decide where in Italy," she says. They wanted to be not far from an airport and Irsina is 50 miles from Bari's air hub. She found her dream place in a small palazzo at the historic center. "We have outdoor space, large rooms, high ceilings, won- derful historical features and lots of space (unlike London)," she says. "You have everything you need here. There are restaurants, bars, and a market. The weather is gorgeous most of the year. My husband is Scottish and he even enjoys the occasional winter snow," she says. "This is a beautiful place to relax, to soak up the Italian sun, b u t a l s o s o r i c h i n h i s t o r y , " Sandy notes. The Church of the Friary of Saint Francis, built on the castle o f F r e d e r i c k I I , c a n ' t f a i l t o impress. Its magnificent crypt has 14th century frescos of the Umbrian-Sienese school. "Irsina has the characteristic Bottini (medieval underground water system) built by monks and still supplying several beau- tiful fountains," she says proud- ly. Sandy considers herself for- tunate to have fiber optic broad- band.  "We have superfast Wi- Fi. So we both start the day on our computers," she says. "We read newspapers and listen to American news and the BBC." In the warm months they eat on the terrace, all year long they take long walks three times a week. "Our usual route is a 10k loop through the countryside." "We enjoy life in Irsina. We will spend the rest of our lives here," she says. Irsina is charming and has the beauty of old school countryside Italy. Photo: Giacomo Silvano Says Sandy Blastett Webster, an expat from San Diego: "living in Irsina has improved our health, fitness and general well-being. "Photo: Giacomo Silvano Irsina, a beautiful characteristic village in Basilicata has been attracting the attention of many British and Americans. Photo: Giacomo Silvano ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES Burgeoning expat enclave at Basilicata's enchanting Irsina The church of the Friary of Saint Francis was buitl on the castle of Frederick II. Photo: Giacomo Silvano

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