Autumn Song

The July sun was brilliant as Dan and I inched our way higher along the winding, narrow road leading constantly upward toward the ancient buildings that lined the horizon at the top. There are scores of medieval hilltop cities in Tuscany and Umbria– most of them hundreds and some even thousands of years old– built by the Etruscans for fortification high up at the tops of these ancient hills. They sit regally like crowns on royal heads. Depending on the composition of the hills themselves, a few of the cities have been eroding over many years, the outer edges literally having fallen into the canyons below, cutting away at the size of the towns. Others, on more secure foundations have stood firm for centuries.

Invariably, these cities overlook lush green valley landscapes far below and from the top, you can see for miles. Sometimes neither words nor photos can adequately convey the beauty of a place, and the landscape around Citta della Pieve is one of those places. The beauty is stunning. Photos I’ve sent to my kids just can’t do it justice, missing that vital third dimension. It has to be seen in real life. “Breathtaking” doesn’t even come close to describing it. It’s hard to imagine that heaven could be better than this.

We parked our little rental car in a tiny slot close to the narrow street we were looking for– and stood with our mouths agap, completely mesmerized by the beauty of the place. The ancient brick buildings, accented with scores of lush green potted plants, hugged a narrow street that was studded with flags, the remnants of the town’s recent annual medieval festival. Our house, it turns out, is located in the historic “nobility” section of the town built more than a thousand years ago.

Life always has risks, and at this point in our lives –in our 70’s– risks seem to be rather common and even sometimes necessary occurrences. Not that this was the first time we’d purchased a house sight unseen, but when our Italian agent had contacted us with information of the amazing place that had just appeared on the market and assured us we’d absolutely love the town, we knew we had to jump.

Most houses on the market in Italy are totally empty, and many of the ancient structures need considerable renovation requiring intense work. Appliances are rarely included, and in fact sometimes even the kitchen cupboards are removed for the sale. Through a reputable agency– Engel & Volkers– we had tagged a couple of completely empty houses that were on the market in Tuscany in hilltop cities we’d never heard of before, then booked our flights to see them. Yet providentially, just days before we set out, our agent contacted us with photos and information about a completely renovated 4 floor, fully furnished and equipped house with 4 bedrooms and 3 1/2 bathrooms, a wine cellar, and a small garage including washer and dryer– and it was (miraculously) right within our price range! So of course, we jumped on it. We submitted an offer sight unseen, and the seller immediately accepted it. We were committed! And then we were on a plane flying over the Atlantic.

Arriving in the town called Citta della Pieve (meaning, “City of the Parishes” because there are multiple Catholic churches in the town and one small protestant one), we had absolutely no idea what to expect, and yet as it turned out, in every possible way it was more than what we could have hoped for– peaceful, authentically Italian, with ancient history tucked into every corner, street, and building. This is not a tourist town, though we frequently find tourists (they’re the ones wandering the streets with backpacks, cameras, and a starry, incredulous gaze… usually speaking in English.) The city was clean, beautifully preserved, and oh-so-incredibly real.

Our agent very quickly became a good friend, and together we introduced ourselves to the seller who showed us through the house. She had furnished it neatly with antiques, and she somehow knew that we would take good care of the place. When we moved into it, we only had to personalize it with our own artwork, linens, some vases of dried flowers, a bunch of cushions, some throw rugs… the seller had even left a set of dishes for us, silverware, glasses, some pots and pans, kitchen utensils, and even left some pillows and sheets for us to use that first night. We’d never seen anything like it!

We successfully applied for and acquired our “Codice Fiscale“– that is, our official bureaucratic permission to buy, sell, live, or die in Italy– and then our real estate agent, Krisztina, drove us to the closing in Perugia, about 40 minutes away. Together, we entered the notary’s office to find quite a little crowd– the seller, her agent, her lovely English-speaking daughter, her Italian interpreter, our agent, our English interpreter, and the notary, along with Dan and me– all within a very relaxed and celebratory atmosphere, talking (several people at the same time), laughing, taking pictures of each other… “It’s like a party!” I whispered to Dan. Nothing was missing but the Prosecco.

One of my biggest surprises was how well the Italian people accepted us, and in fact welcomed us into the community! In the busy days that followed, we set up an Italian bank account, and during that first month, we familiarized ourselves with the town, frequenting the many shops, cafes, restaurants, markets, gelato shops, and pharmacy. Almost exclusively, our purchases were local and in the process, we made many new friends. We spoke very little Italian, and many of the shopkeepers spoke no English, but we managed to communicate with them. They greet us now with a hospitable, “Buon giorno! Come stai?” and we respond, “Molto bene, grazie!” Sometimes they even hug us with the Italian greeting of kissing each side of the face. We are stunned at how warm and welcoming the Italian people are here!

Because we are not permanent residents, we are limited to staying in Italy for a total of two 90 day periods per year, separated by a 90 day break. After setting up our house and getting to know the town and its people, it was time to return to Tennessee and grandkids. Deeply melancholic, we savored our last evening in Citta della Pieve while Dan characteristically struck up a conversation with an English speaking couple sitting at a nearby table in the lovely restaurant just doors away from our house. Clearly, they were tourists in the town, completely enthralled by it. We could tell by that dreamy, starry look in their eyes. We learned that he was a pastor from Texas. Dan gave him our contact information and the next morning he turned up at our door with his father in law, also a pastor from Texas. Dan gave them a tour of our house before we headed off to catch our train to the airport in Rome, when suddenly his father in law said, “I know you won’t mind if I do this…” and he began to spontaneously pray for God to bless our house with peace. He prayed that all who came in and all who went out from it would be blessed with peace.

It was a most welcome benediction. And honestly, that’s become the mark of this place in Umbria. The house, the beautiful ancient hilltop city that it’s in, the landscape, and the warmth of the people who live there have been a refuge… a place of peace… a retreat for us and others. Our many guests continue to come and go as they savor the quiet beauty of this place– the olive orchards and the umbrella trees, the frescoes and the paintings (the renowned artist Pietro Perugina was born in Citta della Pieve), the tolling church bells and the lush vineyards. As though traveling back in time, it’s a quiet, slow, peaceful return to a place where we can ponder, read, write, study, walk, and rest. And honestly, we could never have hoped for anything more.