A holiday to remember; people and places we want to see again soon.
Three kilometres of lively driving on the narrow road that climbs up and enters the Valle and there’s Alveare. A yellow house that stands out among the woods covering the hills around Finale as far as the eye can see. Just above the house, an inviting crag.
Monica and I can imagine the trails hidden in those woods, searching for caves, Neolithic carvings, country churches and Roman ruins. During our holiday there will be time to discover other trails with a sea backdrop, just a few minutes’ drive away.
For now we are enjoying Giulia’s hospitality. She is the soul of Alveare, where she lives and works with her family. She fills it with life and warmth. She welcomes us as if we were at home.
And, as if we were part of the family, after our explorations of the area, we spend part of our afternoons chatting with her and her parents, sharing with them stories of life, hunting, of times gone by when the surrounding cliffs were terraced and cultivated; stories of hardship, floods and a stubborn will of starting over.
Eight days of physical wellbeing and emotions that made us appreciate even more the simple and spotless room, the breakfasts (which cannot be described to avoid spoiling the surprise) and the silence at night, filled with the songs of the jays and the woodpecker.
A place and people we’ll never forget and were sad to leave. We will return as soon as we can, as there are still many trails to explore, many sea views to discover and many stories to share with Giulia and her family.
