We enjoyed our stay in Sansepolcro at the simple yet comfortable Albergo Taverna. The city was not on our list of places to see and we had no expectations - we only knew that it was at the bottom of the descent from Viamaggio. Finding treasures where we least expect them is a joy of travelling the way we do. Starting with a great bike shop (Leonardi's Designs) and then discovering the understated charms of the historic streets and a great tourist office (Maja was very helpful) which sent us to our hotel, we had a great time. We have neglected to talk about the route we are following. It is a "Dutch" route created by Hans Reitsma, Amsterdam to Rome, and we highly recommend it. Even though the route is described in Dutch, the format is so clearly laid out, that we are able to figure it out. His route follows mostly secondary roads and he also offers an alternate GPS track for road bikes. We like that as it avoids gravel where possible...and this good for a loaded tandem. We picked up the route in Ravenna and are following the eastern route through Assisi. One can also choose to go to Rome via Florence and Siena. Today's ride continued through through the rustic hills and countryside featuring farmhouses, villas and barns in Umbria. A highlight was turning in to Citti de Castelli and discovering another beautiful historic gem. The charm and picturesque elegance of these towns in Italy cannot be overstated. We were dodging bad weather and dark clouds for much of the day. We only had to take shelter once but when we reached our hotel in Umbertide the skies opened and the heavy rains started. Hotel Capponi is a faded and run down version of what it once must have been. The room had what we needed, but it has not been maintained well and feels quite dirty. Clean bedding and towels but the carpet, walls, drapes all need work. The final insult was the included breakfast was a voucher to walk to a Bar a few blocks away for a coffee and bun. We were instructed that if we wanted more coffee or juice or food, we had to pay. We were unable to find other accommodation or we would have moved on. Hotel Capponi - not recommended.
Getting warm and enjoying being out of the rain at Albergo Taverna in Sansepolcro.
We were intrigued about a large group of women who were staying at our hotel. At breakfast, the lady front left,asked us why were here. We wondered the same -they were together for a 45 year reunion and had come from all over Italy.
Entering Citti de Castello, this man and his dog were very interested in Barry and his bike/trailer. Everybody seems to take the congested, narrow streets in stride. We used to try not to stop in the middle of the road, but nobody seems to mind.
Barry cose this pastry because it was the oddest one he has seen. It was actually pretty good - two sweet buns held together with pastry cream and topped with cherries.
