A Taste of Spoleto

Our train trip from Rome to Spoleto was complicated by a train crash last Friday.  Two trains "brushed gently" as they were entering the main Roma Termini station.  Train cancellations are common in Italy and the train derailment didn't help.  The direct express train we intended to catch at 9.37am was cancelled and there was no guarantee that the next direct train at about 11.30am would run so we opted to catch a local train from Rome to Florence, with a change at Orte.  While we waited for our train to leave at 11.13am, we bought some breakfast and drank coffee at one of the many food outlets at the station.  We also bought an Italian SIM card for Robert's phone from the TIM (Italian Telecom) outlet at the station.  We got a Special International deal for 14euros (about $A17.50) which will give us prepaid calls which we can top up and unlimited data- calls to Australia are 20 euro cents per minute plus 16 cent flag fall - Telstra take note!


We had a long walk to Platform 2 Est to catch our train - we thought we were walking to Orte.  The train was FULL.  We had to stand in the vestibule area with our luggage, with  about 8 other people, all crammed into a small space.  Well, we thought the train was full - until we got to the next station, where another trainload of people and luggage boarded.  Now it was really packed and we shared the vestibule with about 15 others and their luggage.  Luckily Orte was the first stop, about 30 minutes away, so we weren't cramped for too long.  We bought our onwards tickets and had a comfortable seat for the remaining 45 minutes to Spoleto.


We were met at Spoleto station by Joanna who delivered us to the apartment which will be our home until the 12th May.  Whilst we are in Spoleto for 2 months, we will need to change apartments a couple of times.  Our landlords, Norma and Laurie, have a number of properties here and we need to move because we couldn't get the full 2 months in one place.  Our apartment is excellent, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms etc etc... plenty of room for us to spread out and all mod cons.  We have a welcome pack of basics to get us going too.  After we settled in and had a rest we went for a walk to get our bearings and check out the town.  Spoleto closes between 1.00- 4.30pm and shops then stay open until about 8.00pm.  Restaurants open for dinner around 7.30pm.

This is a pretty walled hilltop town in Umbria.  Population is about 30,000.  The city is sort of in 2 parts, the older city within the walls and on top of the hill, and the new city at the bottom of the hill, where the station is.  There is a circular city bus which runs frequently at 1euro per ticket which lasts for 70 minutes after it has been validated.  Our apartment is near the top of the hill just outside the city walls.

 

We walked through the park across the road and into the city.  There are many lanes to wander through and piazzas to sit and drink coffee or wine and watch the world go by.  Pace seems to be fairly relaxed - unless you are in a car.  Our walk took us to the supermarket to buy some supplies and then back up the hill to the apartment (of course the supermarket is in the new city at the bottom of the hill).  We're eating in tonight so bought some panchetta and crusty bread to go with the cheese and wine in the fridge.


Thursday 3rd May is a bright sunny day.  The weather here seems similar to Canberra, just 6 months later/earlier.  Temperatures are cool in the evening with warm sunny days.  We expect it to warm up considerably while we're here as we move into summer.

 

It's coming into festival time and there are several festival over the next few months.  The big Spoleto Art and Culture Festival starts in late June and goes through to mid-August and hopefully we will be able to get tickets to some events.  There's also a Piano Festival here in May and another festival in nearby Foligno so we won't be starved of culture over the next few months.