Europe

[Visited: June 2023]

We are driving north from Lamezia Terme, and have the Ionian Sea on our right. We are taken out for dinner by a local couple, and when we drive back to our temporary home, we see an enchanting display of lights tumbling down in the darkness like a waterfall of light. We stop to take some pictures, and look forward to seeing this town by daylight. The next morning, our hosts surprise us by giving a crate of oranges, one with the lemons for which Rocca Imperiale is famous, and smaller ones with apricots and cherries. They just fit into our car and we have no idea how we can take them all home and eat them before they will expire. Then, we follow the old man in his car down the curvy road, and up to Rocca Imperiale, and like the evening before, we are surprised at the speed with which he drives.
We park halfway the road up, get into his car, and drive all the way up to the castle. At first, I am disappointed, because I had wanted to climb the steep stairs of the medieval village. The castle turns out to be closed, and I wonder if there is no way around this just like I sneaked into the Norman castle two days earlier in Nicastro. This time, there is no backdoor, so we start walking down the narrow streets. Houses have flower pots, the streets are too narrow even for the smallest Italian cars, and it doesn't take long before we start to fall in love with Rocca Imperiale. This is in part because of the poems we see on walls, which are a nice addition to the town. Some of the tiles on which the poems are written have lemons painted on them - the same lemons for which this town is famous.
We follow the streets downhill, and reach a small square right below the castle above us. We have a great view from here, and try to imagine how the view from above must be even better - much better. It is easy to see how this castle was impossible to conquer. We walk alleys that are so narrow we can touch the stones of houses on both sides. We come across churches, and then reach the main square with the Church of the Blessed Virgin of the Assumption. The interior of the church has white walls with painted details, and a rich altar behind slender candles. We walk a few more streets, and then understand why our host has made us park our car: it is close to the main street of the car-free town. We drive up the hill so the old man can fetch his car. After giving away some of the fruits, we manage to eat or drink them or make them into a jam - an overdose of yummy fruits. We give our new friends a heartfelt hug and are on our way to Matera.

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Rocca Imperiale (Italy)

Rocca Imperiale > Italy > Europe

[Visited: June 2023]

Around the World in 80 Clicks