JOHN KOROBANIK
PUGLIA REGION, ITALY — When the plans were being made for a 30-day trip through Italy this spring, one thing was agreed upon quickly — there would be no five-star or chain hotels. We would spend our nights in bed and breakfasts, apartments, trulli and castles.
Thirty nights later we left Italy with two places indelibly etched in our memories -- a 300-year-old trullo in the southeastern region of Puglia and an 800-year-old castle in Siena, north of Rome.
The first view of the Castello delle Quatro Torra, originally a military
castle built to defend the nearby town of Siena, Italy.
Sunrise as seen from the tower bedroom in the Castello delle Quatro
Torra, a castle that is now a B&B.
Going to a country as ancient as Italy and staying in modern hotels just doesn't make sense. The rich and famous may be too snobby to experience the history of Italy, but for real people, why not stay in accommodations owned and run by local people and get to sample some of the authentic culture?
Like Maria Marinotti's trullo near the town of Locorontondo. The region is where northern Italians go to holiday, but not many foreigners find their way to this mostly sleepy agricultural area, which is the world's largest producer of olives. The local wines are famous in Italy and ridiculously cheap. One can buy wine direct from the winery for as little as 1.5 euros per litre -- about C$2.35. And you pump it yourself, like gas, into recyclable five-litre containers.
Lynne Korobanik stands outside Maria Marinotti's trullo. The
thick-walled structures stay cool in summer and warm in winter.
Historic stone dwellings
The trulli, common in this region, but virtually unknown in the rest of the world, have been declared an International Human Resource by UNESCO. In Alberobello, a stunningly beautiful community, nearly 100 trulli -- some five centuries old -- line the streets, and the sight conjures up images of childhood fantasies.
Since trulli have been part of the UNESCO World Heritage since 1996, restoring and renovating them has to be done under strict regulations. The trullo we stayed in was about 300 years old and the Marinotti family had lived in it for generations.
A trullo is a traditional Puglian stone dwelling with a conical roof; kind of like a teepee made of stone perched atop a building. Maria, 36, inherited four of them and, unlike many Italians, did not sell them to Brits or Germans, but elected to restore and then rent them.
Because of the restoration regulations, the declining number of artists capable of doing the work, and the cost of the work, it took nearly four years for Marinotti's trullo to be ready for visitors.
"It took a minimum of six months to get them to start," she said of the experts. "And since my father didn't want to borrow money and the family wouldn't go into debt, we would call them when we had money and they would work until the funds were gone."
Whatever the cost, both in terms of money and time, it was well worth it. Her main trullo has two large bedrooms, a large living room/eating area, a smaller sitting area, and large modern bathroom and kitchen. Being the first Canadians to stay with her, we were welcomed by a bottle of white wine made by her father, cheese made by her mother and fresh eggs from the family farm. There were fresh eggs and bread every day.
Maria has a university degree in languages, and spent four years in Japan teaching Italian before returning home because she missed -- and loved -- her country. She now has three other trulli, including a smaller one within walking distance of the main one that features a wonderful outdoor sitting area, patio and garden.
For more information, to book or contact Marinotti go to www.travelsouthernitaly.com
Trulli were originally built without any cement or mortar. The walls are thick, keeping the building cool in hot weather and insulating against winter cold.
There are many theories behind the origin of the design, with one of the more popular being that due to high taxation on property, the people of Puglia created drywall constructions so that they could be quickly dismantled when inspectors were in the area, and then rebuilt once the tax people were gone.
In Alberobello most of the trulli's cones are painted with planetary symbols, the malochio (evil eye), the cross, a heart, a star and crescent and quite a few others.
Nearly 100 trulli line the streets of Alberobello, conjuring
up images of childhood fantasies. The unique structures
have been part of the UNESCO World Heritage since 1996.
Fit for a king
The Castello delle Quatro Torra was originally a military castle built to defend the nearby town of Siena, which it did successfully until the town fell in 1555.
The castle, with its four angular towers and battlements, originally belonged to the Cinughis, an aristocratic feudal family from Siena.
The breathtaking view from the tower room of
Castello delle Quatro Torra.
Since 1885, it has been owned, inhabited and maintained by the Ponticelli family.
The Castello delle Quatro Torra is expensive, at about 160 euros a night, but price is the furthest thing from a visitor's mind from the instant you round a bend in the road and the magnificent castle, sitting high on the edge of its tree-filled courtyard, steals your breath. It is stunningly beautiful and, as you drive through the woods and olive groves toward the castle, one can't wait to see the inside.
Now operated by Nicola Guerrin Ponticelli, the bed and breakfast offers three guest rooms, including the two-storey tower room.
The stairs to the tower room are narrow and circular, as would be expected in an ancient fortress, and while that makes carrying luggage almost impossible, the view from the room is worth every single step.
Windows on all four sides of the tower room -- only one of the four towers has been restored so far -- provide magnificent views of the surrounding Tuscany countryside.
I was up at 6 a.m. to watch the sun rise over the rolling hills with vineyards and olive groves, the occasional farmhouse and the early-morning mist that turned the sun red.
The whole scene creates an enchanting atmosphere, refined by the castle's antique furnishings, the impressive drawing room and the cathedral ceilings adorned by original wooden beams.
If that's not relaxing enough, take a stroll through the surrounding gardens with their myrtle, roses and peonies. Or just sit and enjoy the view from one of the outdoor chairs.
For more information visit quattrotorra.it.
