Italian heat wave lifestyles

natural air conditioning, gardens and food

It was 5:30 a.m. when a group of pellegrini equipped with backpacks and walking sticks passed silently beneath my open windows this morning. Since the ancient Pilgrims’ route was re-instituted in 1995, Vetralla has regained its status as an official stop on the Via Francigena.

The prolonged heat wave we are experiencing here in central Italy has made early risers of us all, so as soon as the shops and markets open we get our daily shopping done then retreat indoors, closing windows, shutters/persiane, inside wooden scure and pull damask curtains to create a cool penombra.

ingredients for melanzane alla parmigiana, stuffed zucchini blossoms

cool, light lunch of prosciutto e melone

Having a siesta after lunch is mandatory in order to be rested for events that enliven the summer evenings: outdoor film festivals, plays and concerts.

Since the 10th century the ancient site known as Forum Cassii with the church of S. Maria in Forcassi which sits atop a buried Roman forum, was an important stop on the Pilgrims’ route that stretches from Canterbury to Rome. Located on a hillside just outside the historic center of present-day Vetralla, the site has finally been put to good use this summer after a long and tedious 20 year battle for restoration. Italy is definitely a layer-cake of history, art and archeology!

the fresco filled church of S.Maria Forcassi now restored

evening concert at Foro Cassio - Photo Federico Caloro

The entrance of my home, where my studio and library are located, has a cooler temperature since it is partially below street level. This creates a slight current of cooler air that wafts to the upper level, similar to the cooling system used in Arab, and later Norman, architecture in Sicily.

The fountain room, La Zisa, Palermo

During a recent stop in Palermo I visited La Zisa an Arab/Norman fortress in the outskirts of this hectic city. Here I was able to admire the “ancestor” of my building’s natural air cooling system.

The ventilation shafts at La Zisa are remarkably similar to those found in the Alhambra and in Cordoba where the Arabs also settled centuries ago. After visiting the splendid museum (see previous article) in Taranto, this Palermo museum complex was a huge disappointment for the water systems and gardens were inoperative due to burst pipes.

The most important object conserved in the massive fortress/museum is a funerary stone inscribed in 4 languages (Hebrew, Latin, Byzantine Greek and Arabic) proof of the multicultural nature of medieval Palermo. It had been found in the small chapel adjacent to the Zisa. The guardian of the chapel invited us in to see where the stone had been discovered.

The Tuscia/Etruria area north of Rome abounds with similar palatial residences but also has many private gardens and corners offering respite from the heat and pleasing to our aesthetic sense.

. One of Villa Lante’s many fountains

The important papal and noble families of the Renaissance and later centuries competed with one another creating summer residences and gardens with ninfee and gurgling fountains. The owners wished to astound visitors and enjoy the magnificent ville during the hottest months of the year. One younger cardinal- GioBattista Gambara- even installed “water tricks” and a conserva della neve for storing blocks of ice transported during the winter. He wanted to have ice on hand for cold drinks at his magnificent Villa Lante in Bagnaia, just outside Viterbo. A map of local gardens and castles is included in my Etruria book which you can order by messaging me. Read reviews here.

The Secret Garden, Ruspoli Castle, Vignanello

evening concerts and dinners in the gardens below my palazzo

Hoping you can stay cool with or without air conditioning. Share this free online magazine with friends who love Italy and want more insider information.

Your comments, chats and suggestions are always welcome. For more about me and my 60 years of living and writing in Italy check out my Instagram (MaryVetralla) and my award winning website that has been around for 24 years.