Deep from my holiday memories comes a journey to what must be one of the most beautiful parts of Italy. Having my idea of Italy shaped on the basis of stereotypes and school trips for quite some time, I'm not really sure what got me into visiting at all - it must have been the prospect of Italian cuisine and the little villages that would prevail over what I remembered as being a country of loud, chaotic, and dirty cities.
Unfortunately, the latter proved to be true still, with piles of garbage alongside the motorway, but once we'd near our first major stop of the day, things got prettier at last. Approaching the neo-medieval village of Grazzano Visconti, one would immediately feel like traveling way back into the 14th century, when the counts of Visconti have established their summer residence in the region.
What can be seen today is the result of re-building the old settlement at the beginning of the 20th century on behalf of duke Guiseppe Visconti di Modrone, but the amount of child-eating (or spitting?) dragon-snakes doesn't seem to have decreased since.
The combination of tiny old-looking houses with extensive decorations on their facades and lots of greenery all around sure creates a fairytale-like atmosphere...
... however, the streets and squares of the fairytale village were more or less abandoned.
On the one hand, this, of course, meant there wasn't much one could do. On the bright side, however, it also meant no tourist-crowds on every corner, and an overall relaxed, sleepy atmosphere.
And while the first souvenir shops were opening up...
... we decided to have a stroll through the 150.000 m2 huge park with its numerous exotic trees, statues, and fountains.
Needless to say, it's an area rich in flora and fauna...
... that secludes the castle complex alongside with its most famous inhabitant: ghost Aloisia, the protector of all women who are looking for the perfect husband.
And how about a tiny children's playhouse in the middle of a fairytale-like seclusion, with everything you picture your dream house to have, except in XXS?
Nevertheless, it was time to continue our journey southwards, away from the fairy town...
Next stop: Castell'Arquato, an equally lovely village at the bottom of the cloud-covered Apennines.
And even if the streets here seemed to be empty as well, we soon met the most beautiful cat of all that looked like it had just walked out of a Sheba cat food commercial...
... as well as signs of very talented gardeners. Aren't they gorgeous?
Once we reached the main square, we'd see the town's most prominent buildings...
... and sneak into the Romanesque church of St. Mary, a respectable old building with probably the most psychedelic floors I've ever seen covering one of its side chapels.
Its most famous side chapel, however, completely meets the expectations of a beautifully painted holy place.
Time to continue the trip - a short walk towards the bottom of the hill with more views of lovely facades...
... and off to our stop for the night. No time for spa treatments though, just a quick dinner and off to bed, as the day ahead promised to bring new adventures - and maybe even a bit of sunshine and blue skies.
~ to be continued ~
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