Typical Italian Towns

Three people disembarked the train at the tiny station of Villafranca-Bagnone. One person jumped into a car and motored off. Then there were two.

Late morning on a very hot summer’s day, it felt like one of those old, American wild-west movies – except that we were the mysterious strangers who’d arrived to find the town apparently deserted. We followed a faded sign pointing to a bar round the back of the station and found a young woman wiping down tables. ‘We’re after the bus to Bagnone’, we said.

‘Come back at 1:30pm,’ she replied. It had just gone 11:00.

We wandered out and spotted a pasticceria up the road that seemed to be open. ‘Hello. We’re after the bus to Bagnone.’

‘That’ll be 1:30pm at the bar behind the station,’ came the response. ‘It’s the holidays, so they don’t run very often.’

‘Is there a taxi in the village? Someone we could pay to drive us?’ The lady laughed. No taxis in Villafranca then.

‘You could walk. It’s not far.’

So the options were wait two-and-a-half hours for the bus, or walk six kilometres in the hot sun. Google Maps engaged, we set off. Fortunately Bagnone was worth it.

A few days later we were back on the train again, this time heading further north, to meet our friends Rita and Elio in their home town of Borgotaro.

Though they’re in different regions, Bagnone (Tuscany) and Borgotaro (Emilia-Romagna) are typical, small Italian towns. They haven’t made the ‘Most Beautiful’ list and they’re not on the tourist trail; they’re places where people just go about their daily lives. But, of course, it’s people who make seemingly ordinary towns special.

Bagnone

We were only a couple of kilometres into our walk to Bagnone when we came across the small fortress town of Filetto

Filetto's origins date back to the 7th century

Its small streets surround two large piazzas

We met this lovely couple whose home is in part of the original defensive walls; 'it's modest but comfortable'

When we happened along the couple was watering their plants, but they happily stopped for a chat; they wanted to hear about Australia

We continued on our way and eventually reached Bagnone

Bagnone Stream, a branch of the Magra River, runs through the town (this photo was taken from the medieval bridge that spans it)

Residents' gardens line the stream

The 14th century castle, originally the centre of the village

After our 6k walk we'd arrived hot and in need of a cold drink and a good sit down

We asked the owner of this shop for a lunch recommendation - instead of simply giving us directions, she left the shop and walked us up through the narrow streets to a small restaurant - 'here you'll eat very well,' she said

And we most certainly did

Borgotaro

Borgotaro is a lovely town, with an energetic community and a vibrant cultural life

There's history here too; Borgo Val di Taro (to give the town its proper name) dates from Roman times

It was strategically significant, located at an important crossroads for merchants, pilgrims and travellers

Wealthy families lined Borgotaro's main street with their palaces

In 1714, the Princess of Parma, Elisabetta Farnese, stopped over in Borgotaro on her way to marry the Spanish Prince Philip

Boveri Palace, where the future Spanish Queen laid her head, and the plaque that was added shortly afterwards to commemorate her visit

During WW2, Borgotaro was a key centre of the Resistance

Greg trying a few new styles in Elio's optometry shop in the main street; these narrow, high-ceilinged shops were once the palaces' stables

Rita and her sister are pharmacists; their premises just behind the main street

We met Rita and Elio at the festa in Fezzano; Elio's grandparents had lived in that village all their lives and his mother grew up there

After our tour of Borgotaro, our friends took us a bit further afield

Castello di Compiano, believed to have been built by the Lombards in the Middle Ages

Back in Borgotaro again, this is Rita and Elio's beautiful home

Rita prepared a delicious dinner for us all

The home had once belonged to a famous gelato-maker; the windows on the right were originally the gelato shopfront

The renovations took a couple of years, and the results are fantastic

 

And just to further demonstrate their amazing skills in this area, here's what they've done with Elio's grandparents' little apartment in Fezzano

 

 

We had a wonderful time with Rita and Elio and feel very fortunate to have met such funny, generous and loving friends