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After landing in Rome and getting through passport control (which was mostly contact-free), I picked up my bags and headed to the car rental garage. On my way there I had a brief conversation in the elevator with two Syrian brothers, one of which spoke very good Spanish (he’s now living in Spain). Meeting them made me reflect on how many people are displaced from their homes due to instability and war and how stressful it can be to integrate into a new culture. When they learned I was Cuban living in New York, they smiled. “Cubana! Muy bien!” I have discovered in my travels that everyone has an opinion on both Cuba and New York. And luckily those perceptions are mostly positive.

At the Hertz counter, I managed mostly with Italian until the deductible conversation began. I had purchased separate collision insurance, but the representative was adamant this wouldn’t work. He wanted an additional 650€ for full coverage. I declined. As for $176 I had purchased $10K of coverage through RentalCover.com.

The Renault Clio Hatchback is Adorable

The Clio is a hybrid car that charges its batteries when you take your foot off the gas pedal. It’s a small two-door hatchback with a trunk large enough to fit a full-sized suitcase. The interior is comfortable and the dashboard has a huge control panel equipped with a great GPS system. The car also comes with sensors that will warn you if you get too close to obstacles–a very handy feature in Italy where the saying goes, “an inch is as good as a mile.” The sound system is great and the turbo is timely when you merge or tackle hills. What’s more, the car’s GPS alerts you to all those pesky Controllo de Velocita cameras and evil orange Dalek-looking boxes that will ticket you! How awesome is that? Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better car for the duration of my stay.

On to Caprarola

I punched directions for Caprarola, a town famous for its pentagonal palace built by the Farnese, and drove north toward Viterbo. As the city faded into the countryside, I smiled. I felt grateful and light-hearted. The sun was shining and I felt utterly comfortable on the autostrada. Awesome!

I passed acres and acres of chestnut plantations blanketed by lawn daisies and freshly sprouted crocuses. As I crested the hills, I caught glimpses of little towns and farms in the distance. Here and there an impatient driver would hustle me, but I wasn’t bothered. Italians make their way around you when they’re not happy with your speed.

Speed…let’s talk about that. The speed signs in Italy are completely erratic and will drive you mad if you let them. Those round circles with numbers inside them change within meters of each other for no apparent reason. You’ll find yourself in a 90 zone and a moment later it will drop down to 50, only to go back up to 130 or back down to 30. Back in the states, we have highway speeds of 55-65, and city limits of 25-35. Here, it’s bonkers. Highway speeds change constantly from 30-130. Slamming the breaks is ill-advised and you should do what most Italians do–ignore all of it. The rules of the Italian road are “anything goes” with the exception of using the left lane to pass. If you are driving somewhere in the range of the speed limit, stick to the right. Also, keep in mind that many of the traffic cameras are fake. The locals know which ones work and which ones don’t so don’t be surprised to see them slow down for some, and blow past others. Apps like Wazy record the location of the working cameras–very handy.

The parking garage in Caprarola tested all of my car’s sensors. Imagine the tightest one-way corkscrew ramp you can imagine and now shrink it by a foot. If you’re not turning that wheel exactly right on the way down, you will lose a mirror. Fun! In level -1 I met an elderly gentleman and struck up a conversation as we walked up to the street. He asked me where I was from and I was delighted to hear that he loved both Cuba and New York, and traveled widely in his youth. He then went on to tell me about the wonders of Tuscia and all the places I should visit. After saying goodbye, I started my upwards trek toward the palace. This building is architecture on a truly grand scale. The Farnese palace is out of proportion with the rest of the town–a purposeful decision by its Renaissance builders. The whole Villa Farnese complex in Caprarola was designed by the architect Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola, under commission from Cardinal Alessandro Farnese. Alessandro wanted this residence to exude magnificence and power and he certainly succeeded. Wow!

I climbed a lot of stairs before I made it to the front door. Once inside, they checked my vaccine status before allowing me entry. The ticket to the house and gardens cost 5€.

The courtyard is the heart of the building and is characterized by a round shape which is rare during this period. The court is surrounded by porticoes on two levels. On the ground, twenty twin pillars are alternated with ten arches creating a rhythm echoed in the loggia of the piano nobile. The grotesque mask in the center of the court which functions as a sewer grate was my favorite feature.

The tour of the villa begins downstairs and guides the visitor up the frescoed royal stair to the piano nobile. Seriously, this place is a fairytale. There is so much detail in these painted rooms that it’s hard to focus. Tritons, fauns, and mythical figures vie for attention alongside religious subjects. The sacred and the profane are somehow in harmony in these chambers. I took my time, relishing the beautiful light streaming through the windows, the colors, and the sublime serenity that masterfully applied paint can bring to austere stone.

The villa is one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture. Ornament is used sparingly to achieve proportion and harmony. Thus while the villa dominates the surroundings, its severe design also complements the site. This particular style, known today as Mannerism, was a reaction to the ornate earlier High Renaissance designs of twenty years earlier.

As an avid gardener, I was eager to explore the villa’s formal gardens. In his show, Gardens of Italy, gardening guru Monte Don explored Villa Farnese’s grounds so I knew a little about their history.

Two facades of the pentagonal building face the gardens cut into the hill. Each garden is accessed across the moat by a drawbridge from the apartments on the piano nobile and each is a parterre of box topiary with fountains. A walk through the chestnut woods beyond, leads to the Giardino Segreto, or secret garden, with its well-known Casina del Piacere.

At Caprarola, Cardinal Farnese chose to hide the main section of the gardens inside a wood of chestnut trees, very similar to those which covered the environs of Caprarola. The cardinal’s guests were expected to discover these gardens while walking in the forest. The surprise effect desired by Cardinal Farnese is diminished today in part by the 1950s replacement of chestnut trees with larches and by the opening of a straight path. The fountain on the steps leading to the pleasure house is similar to the Fontana Degli Appennini at Villa Lante in Bagnaia, also designed by Vignola.

Though it was chilly out, the sun was shining and the birds were singing. Beautiful pink and white camellias were in full bloom and I had the place practically to myself.

My favorite part of the garden was of course the grotto with its many figures of pan melding into the rocks. I sat there for a bit and counted my blessings. Just wonderful.

Afterward, I wandered the town and stopped at a local alimentari, and bought some groceries. For 13€ I bought sliced prosciutto and pecorino, tomatoes, salt, pepper, pasta, baguettes, and cookies. I was so tired at this point that I purchased white wine vinegar instead of olive oil! Jet lag…it’s a thing. Today I will buy some proper groceries…assuming stores open Sunday.

Turns out, it’s artichoke season in Italy so I’ll endeavor to have some fried ones this evening.

Driving from Caprarola to Soriano Nel Cimino took me through the stunning beech forests known as La Faggeta. Soriano Nel Cimino proved tricky to navigate with alley-like winding streets. There were no spaces at the free parking lot (another tough parking site), so I parked at the piazza. Took me a whopping 20 minutes to figure out the parking machine, but with the help of a local, I made it happen. You have to enter the plate number, followed by the CC button, followed by the time you want to park in military time. The parking meters are only required till 7-8 pm and Sundays there is no charge.

The funniest part of today was lugging my 50lb bag of luggage up a 45º ramp that doubles as a street called something like Monte Cavallo and I can see why, this thing was made for mules, not people. LOL.

Still, it was worth it. The view from my apartment is to die for.

Alright, it’s noon on Sunday and the Farnese castle awaits…are you seeing a theme here? It’s good to be Pope!

Ciao for now!