GIVI Magazine - Maggio 2019

ENGLISH TEXT IN THE LAND OF THE ANCIENTS BETWEEN ART, NATURE AND GASTRONOMY Our journey starts from Arezzo and goes along a circular route, which will take us back to the starting point after three days (a long weekend). The territory is dotted with lakes, natural parks and both small and large towns rich in history. DAY ONE The motorbike we used was a BMW F850 GS, set up to face the route in two. We wanted to include a dirt stretch, with the help of a local - Pietro Bartolomei, a journalist and friend who knows the area very well. Pietro rode along with us for about 25 km, the distance between Arezzo and Anghiari and then to Sansepolcroto and finally back to a paved road. With a maxi enduro or a crossover you can replicate the off-road in detail following the guidelines in the next chapter. UNPAVED ROAD Leaving from Arezzo we went towards the hamlet of San Polo, riding under the suggestive In the heart of Italy there are timeless places, birthplaces of ancient and fascinating civilisations, where hills, mountains and valleys create a successful combination of olives and truffles. We crossed them on motorbike exclusively for the GIVI Magazine outlining an itinerary over three days between Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio, Marche and Abruzzo including art and picturesque villages and natural landscapes ... a real pleasure to both eyes and spirit. arches of the ancient local aqueduct, and then getting off the paved road to ride up to Alpe di Poti (975 m MSL). A renowned holiday destination in the immediate post-war period, this area is dotted with ghost hotels and houses, left untouched as a melancholy but fascinating testimony of a past in hospitality. Among various ruins you can still see where the “Fontemura” water was bottled (up to some ten years ago) and still the pilgrimage of many nostalgics who, armed with jerry cans, come to stock up on the precious water that still flows pure and unspoiled. From the peak, Arezzo, to the west, while eastwards the Valtiberina and the Tuscan-Romagnolo Apennines are on the horizon. After about 10 km of a winding and always unpaved descent, we cross the small village of “ Toppole ” (worth of mention is a castle of Longobard origin) and then Anghiari, an ancient village declared one the best in Italy. The “off” stretch goes on to Sansepolcro where we get back on a paved road to Città di Castello . PAVED ROADS Anghiari is worth the visit. We choose to get there from Arezzo on the SP43 trunk road or the SS73. Next will be Città di Castello, the main town of the upper Tiber valley. With its breathtaking views and a historic centre full of charm, it preserves many testimonies of a medieval past, including the double city walls and a series of churches and beautiful palaces. After a very short visit we get back on the road, heading South, where there is one of the most beautiful natural sites in this area: the Marmore waterfall. Inserted in the luxuriant Nera River Park , a few kilometers from Terni, this waterfall is one of the highest in Europe, as well as the most spectacular: the division into three segments at different levels enlivens the flow of water, giving the impression as if the falls were more than one. Surely this site deserves a thorough visit (we recommend the suggestive caves carved by water into the travertine), the Marmore Falls Park features paths, services and many outdoor activities (for info and booking admission: www.cascatadellemarmore.info ). A destination for important intellectuals and artists during the 19th century, our next stop on this ruote is Nepi , a splendid town in the province of Viterbo hidden in wild territories of the Tuscia area. After Civita Castellana we head north towards Spoleto, a former papal residence, enchanting with its majestic Rocca Albornoziana fortress and the historic centre. Surrounded by hills, olive groves and vineyards, this city has roots in the past, being inhabited since prehistoric times. Located in the heart of the Monti Sibillini National Park, as last stop on our day one, we chose Norcia , a “jewel” surrounded by mountains (some reaching 2,000 meters!). Here we find the right quiet to recharge the batteries. Also, if you are a food lover like us, Norcia is the place for you. Plenty of restaurants offering tasting menus to try the many local specialties including cold cuts, excellent cheeses and to crown it all, “Sua Maestà” (The Majesty - as it is called here) the black truffle, excellent local product. DAY TWO With an intense morning light, we head off on the road again to Marche. A few kilometres from Norcia, at almost 1,000 metres above sea level, a small and charming urban centre welcomes us - Capodacqua , located right on the border with Umbria. A bit later, we are back on an even more challenging stretch, 150 km, to get to the capital of another region - Abruzzo. 10 years have gone by since the catastrophic earthquake that destroyed l’ Aquila and, unfortunately, our mind has no “delete” button to get rid of some mental images. However, we realise the city is slowly re-emerging thanks to the reconstruction interventions and an undeniable beauty that is coming back up before everyone’s eyes. From the Abruzzo capital our itinerary includes a stop at Campo Imperatore , a spectacular plateau situated at an altitude of 1,800 m. It is a “lunar” and boundless territory, reminiscent of the most iconic American deserts (not surprisingly it was the set for western movies with Bud Spencer and Terence Hill and some music videoclips). Although we did this tour in mid-April, we had to give up this visit because, unfortunately, we found the step “closed due to snow”. Taking the road again, the journey takes us through Fonte Cerreto , and from there towards what, surprisingly, is the second largest artificial lake in Europe, Lake Campotosto . This large body of water is in fact man-made: between the 1930s and 40s three dams were used to build the basin that today feeds several hydroelectric power plants. The view is spectacular, the mountains still covered in snow and the grassy hills reflected in the bright blue waters, like the sky of this beautiful day. Riding along a stretch on the lakefront we can still enjoy the magnificent scenery a little, before resuming the path that leads to Lazio, to another city, victim of a more recent earthquake: Amatrice . The closer we get the fewer motorbikes are around - just a few cars and some vehicles transporting building material. Near the city there are more and more prefabricated villages, prefabricated shops, everything gives a sense of temporariness that really hurts: it hurts because you drive at 20km/h to closely watch as much as possible without giving the impression of being too curious. Yet, it is disheartening to see how much there is to do after all this time. The massive presence of soldiers, the rubble and the many inaccessible areas almost make Amatrice and its surrounding area look like a war zone, there is tension in the air... yet people welcome you with a smile, even if from a window of a 30sqm little house. Prohibition signs prevent us from taking pictures, but these images will undoubtedly last forever in our memory. After leaving this place behind us, with a bitter taste, we go on to Accumoli , a pretty mountain town set in the beautiful setting of the Gran Sasso National Park and then Cascia , where we spent the night. Here the choice of places to stay is wide and varied: whether you prefer a farmhouse in the countryside or a comfortable B&B in the historic centre, you will find what you are looking for. A SCENOGRAPHIC AVENUE SEASIDE IN PROXIMITY OF GUALDO TADINO MARMORE FALLS BOTTATA SQUARE, NEPI 16 Turismo