Olevano Romano

Photo by Giorgio Clementi

lovely Julia on the terrace in Olevano

Between the rainy days this week, I drove to Olevano Romano to visit Elena and her family, who are here from Sweden. The drive east from Zagarolo takes about 40 minutes, on winding roads that travel up and down the hills of the Castelli Romani, passing through the hill towns of Palestrina and Cave along the way. Elena's family have a home at the very top of Olevano, with a majestic panoramic view from their terrace of the valley below, a view that extends 180 degrees.

A view from the terrace

I was invited for lunch, and was treated to a delicious feast of appetizers, grilled lamb and pork chops, salad, and roasted potatoes. For dessert, there were strawberries, red wine and ciambelle (cookies to dip in the wine), and caffè. We were lucky to have a few hours of sun before the clouds moved in and rain threatened again.

Ulf at the grill

 Torre della Rocca dei Colonna, built in the 700's

Medieval houses dating from the 13th century

A medieval street near the tower

After our lunch, we walked up to the tower, then down to the centro storico, where we had some gelato. One of the flavors I tried was walnut and fig, which was magnificent. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with these new friends, who already seem like old friends. The conversation, the food, the company, and the setting made a rich feast of my visit to Olevano.

Elena, Julia and Ulf