Bagno di Romagna Terme, city trip to Arezzo and Cesena

It has become a tradition to flee Marradi for a few days around the birthday of our friend Bruno. He prefers to celebrate every new year of his life away from the daily rigmarole. For the 3rd time we will visit Bagno di Romagna, one of the many Terme or Spas in the Appenines. Not without a break for lunch during the 2 1/2 hour trip in San Piero in Bagno at Ristorante Alto Savio, where the food is to die for! Everything home made and 0 km. With three days of 'dolce far niente' in front of us we hope digestion will happen while floating around in the thermal baths.
I must admit that after the first day of floating, massages and again....good food, I miss my daily walks. Lex and I decide to explore the hill behind the hotel and find what looks like a small steep trail going up the mountain. It leads up to a bronze sculpture of Madonna delle Roccaccia, while passing some abandoned farmhouses and religious depictions along the way. The view from above is beautiful. We slowly search our way down through a narrow valley into Bagno. The evenings are spent relaxing at the fireplace or playing a game of pool, to return home after three nights all scrubbed, creamed in, soaked in sulfur and above all relaxed.

Celebration of womenhood takes place regularly at this statue. 

serious business

While in de Terme, we make a visit to Arezzo. I love these little side tracks while you are at it. Even though we have spent many summers in this country, we don't know much more yet then the direct surroundings of Marradi. Slowly we are expanding our horizon. Arezzo impresses immediately with its grand sandstone cathedral, its centre square and the little treasures everywhere. Topped off with a 'pranzo' accompanied by a beautiful ruby organic Chianti and a walk through the 'loggie' (the covered galleries in front of buildings) we return satisfied in many ways to Bagno for a last night of pool.

Newly opened market hall with fresh organic products and a small restaurant  

On the last day we are being introduced to the Biblioteca Maletestiana in Cesena, built from 1447 to 1452 in early Renaissance style and was named after the aritstocrat Malatesta Novello. It is the first civic library in Europe and is kept and maintained in its original state, i.e. no electric illumination, no heating. The light comes through 44 Venetian windows, purposely designed to provide ideal reading light. It is said that the collection of over 400,000 books has survived all those ages because of the 'climate' in the building. There is so much to see and know, it deserves another visit. Nice anecdotal story is that the Biblioteca holds beautiful handwritten and handpainted books with Gregorian music, all done by a Dutchman by the name of 'Enrico di Amsterdam'.