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Villa Emilia

July 11, 2003

Dear Friends and Family,

Our drive down from Cervinia in the Italian Alps was uneventful. For the first couple hours, we avoided the autostrada and drove the regular highway with our top down. I think I've concluded that driving isn't pleasant until the top goes down. We passed from mountain valleys to hills to flat plains. It was a lot like coming through California's Sierra Nevada Mountains down into the Sacramento Valley, complete with huge rice fields. However, it was also hot and humid, so it was time to put up the top and hit the high-speed roads.

Our goal was a bed and breakfast Marianne had found in an internet advertisement. The ad showed wonderful pictures (of course) and a stylized map showing easy connections to several of the places we had wanted to see. On the basis of the pictures, the map, and a reasonable rate for a room and shared bath, we had booked Villa Emilia for a week.

Anyway, we freewayed out of the rice fields and over mountains into Genoa. Then we took the A-12 Autostrada south to the A-15 back toward Parma. The stylized map said we should take the exit at Pontremoli and then head further inland toward Molinelo, then toward Casolina, and finally, to Versola where the villa would be number 4.

These last three villages were too small for our Michelin map and the roads connecting them almost too small for even our car. Casolina to Versola was one lane but only about a mile long. Traffic was light (= no other cars) but as we drove farther and farther up the hills, we did wonder what sort of place we had committed to.

We pulled up to Versola number 4 and saw the gates of Villa Emilia. Owner Fabio greeted us on the porch and immediately showed us around his 4-room B&B. It was charming. Our room looked out on farms and hills. The view from the bath was just as good. There were three balconies to choose from. It was immediately evident that the whole 80-year-old house had been tastefully restored.

During our stay, though, we learned that the two most important features were the town of Pontremoli and our host. Fabio's knowledge of and enthusiasm for the locale guided us almost every day. Each of his sightseeing or restaurant recommendations was wonderful. His regular job is as tour guide for an American company and he brings large groups to Venice (15 times per year), Florence (10 times per year), Pisa, Rome, etc. There wasn't a place in Northern Italy about which he didn't have information and useful judgments.

Pontremoli, a town on no one's tourist map, was as comfortable a stop as we could imagine. We'll devote a separate diary for our small and unfortunately too-temporary hometown.

For the rest of the touring from our Villa Emilia base, we'll divide the diaries by town and try to let pictures tell each story.

It was hard to leave Villa Emilia. We'd had eight days of solitude (helped by the fact that there were no other guests). When we left, Fabio told us we had the record for length of stay and he congratulated us for using the place as a base, the way he'd hoped people would do.

Take care and, if you ever have a chance, stay at Villa Emilia.

John and Marianne

ps: websites:

Villa Emilia: http://www.villaemilia.com

Regional tourism: http://www.lunigianaturistica

The gate into Villa Emilia. This is on the main street of Versola, but the few cars per hour traffic isn't a big problem.

Our "shared" bath. Since we were the only occupants, sharing was no problem.

The view from our room toward some of the other houses of Versola.

Across the valley, we could see the A15 autostrada. In other valleys, we saw remains of the Roman aquaducts that served as models for these modern viaducts.

The kitchen porch was a favorite place to sit and catch up on paperwork.

The sitting room held a library of tourist brochures - and old family antiques.

The main road into Versola was one-lane - but it was paved. In all our trips, we only met oncoming traffic here once. On that occasion, Marianne backed up 50 yards to one of the few wide spots where two vehicles could pass.

A bit farther on, the road was barely bigger and we did meet traffic, including heavy truck traffic bound for a nearby construction site. We always held our breath on these occasions.

Travel in Tuscany offers interesting images and colors, such as this in-room still life. By the way, the device on the left was the original "in-room toilet facility". Hotel facilities have improved since then.

Every few days we have to squeeze things back into the car. We succeed, but with little room to spare.

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	The gate into Villa Emilia. This is on the main street of Versola, but the few cars per hour traffic isn't a big problem.		Our "shared" bath. Since we were the only occupants, sharing was no problem.
The view from our room toward some of the other houses of Versola.		Across the valley, we could see the A15 autostrada. In other valleys, we saw remains of the Roman aquaducts that served as models for these modern viaducts.
	The kitchen porch was a favorite place to sit and catch up on paperwork.		The sitting room held a library of tourist brochures - and old family antiques.
The main road into Versola was one-lane - but it was paved. In all our trips, we only met oncoming traffic here once. On that occasion, Marianne backed up 50 yards to one of the few wide spots where two vehicles could pass.		A bit farther on, the road was barely bigger and we did meet traffic, including heavy truck traffic bound for a nearby construction site. We always held our breath on these occasions.
	Travel in Tuscany offers interesting images and colors, such as this in-room still life. By the way, the device on the left was the original "in-room toilet facility". Hotel facilities have improved since then.		Every few days we have to squeeze things back into the car. We succeed, but with little room to spare.