DISCOVER ITALIA!
66 ITALIA! November 2016The first of two recently inaugurated Gioconda vista-
points (more are planned for 2017) is at Pennabilli. Once
two separate villages, each with its own peak and its own
castle, Pennabilli was united in 1350, a century before Da
Vinci was born. “His portrayal of the village is so tiny that
it needed to be magnified massively,” explains Rosetta.
“But he even painted the convent, which is exactly the
same today.” Details such as these and a you-are-here arrow
on the painting make the info-boards (also in English)
fascinating, while, again, actors enliven the guided visits.
The short walk up to the second vista-point, Monte
Costagrande, rewards you with an astonishing, wide-open view across hilly countryside as far as Monte
Fumaiolo and the source of the Tiber in one direction
and the coast in another. Even now, Rosetta’s voice is full
of wonder: “Just imagine Leo [as she affectionately calls
him] up here on horseback, exactly where we are now.”SPECTACULAR SURROUNDINGS
The Montefeltro area has always been a joy to visit
for such spectacular surroundings, as well as for the
hospitality of the locals and excellent food. And though
the village at Maioletto may have been destroyed, most
of the stone-built medieval villages in Valmarecchia areIT144.ArtLandscapes.sg6.indd 66 28/09/2016 14:00pm