How We Found Authentic Italy in the Rieti Valley
Chip Stites shares how he and Shonna traded the tourist trail for slow living and real neighbors in central Italy.
When we wake up, we rise to the sound of birds, the whistle of the wind, a train in the distance, or the buzz of a small airplane flying through the valley below us.
As the mist clears on a winter's day, a patchwork quilt of farms, fields, and crops emerge below... and the mountains that make up the other side of the valley poke their tree-lined tops out of the mist as the sun rises.
With coffee in hand, we might walk out to the terrace and watch the sun rise to reveal another day in the beautiful Rieti Valley.
The valley lies in central Italy in the Apennine Mountains, halfway between the Adriatic and the Mediterranean Seas—an hour and forty minutes northeast of Rome.
Central Italy has have four distinct seasons, a mild climate, and a long growing season. We live in one of the breadbaskets of Italy. Fruit, olives, an astounding array of vegetables, grapes, and animals on the hoof are just some of the fresh products we get to sample daily. No preservatives needed, thank you!
How We Moved to Italy
My wife Shonna and I relocated here seven years ago from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
We love to travel and knew the cost of living in the US would prohibit that. We also wanted to create a more pleasurable existence outside what we felt was a rat race. We liked the idea of living overseas, as I had been an ILsubscriber for over a decade, and we had both traveled to Europe when we were young.
After attending an IL Conference, we reduced our destinations to four countries, and after traveling to Italy, we were hooked.
We decided on Italy and the town of Rieti during the same incredible three-week trip. We purposefully stayed out of tourist destinations (except for Venice).
For instance, we visited Marostica, Fallonara, Rieti, Masa Lubrense, Paestum, Conversano, Alberobello, and Bari. Most of these towns don't feature an anyone's list of vacation destinations—just how we wanted it. We wanted to look at real estate, get a flavor for the price and pace of life, the food, the folks, and the wine.
The Rieti Valley, the history, and lifestyle matched us to a tee. Initially, we rented a small condominium for $400 a month near the center of Rieti town. Two years later, we moved to a 2200 sq. ft. house overlooking "our valley." It costs $700 a month.
In ancient times, the Rieti valley was a swamp, first drained and cultivated by the Romans. It's been written about by Cicero, visited by Popes, and was brought into the 20th Century by Mussolini.
How many places can boast two palaces of Roman Emperors, four monasteries along the path of St Francis (two still operating), a UNESCO World Heritage site (the village of Greccio), and one of the highest mountains in the Apennine range, all within 20 minutes of the town center?
The Joy of Italian Food
Good restaurants are easy to find here, and Reatino slow-cooked food is cherished by locals. One of our favorites, Il Nido del Corvo (The Crow's Nest), is in Greccio. Greccio overlooks the Rieti Valley and is famous for its monastery of St. Frances of Assisi.
Il Nido del Corvo has an expansive view of the entire valley. The menu varies depending on the what was available in the market that day. The pasta is always incredible, and the meat—often lamb—is tender, tasty, and comes with a squeeze of lemon. The delicious house wine makes buying a more expensive bottle unnecessary.
One local delicacy is an appetizer consisting of a thin layer of pork fat drizzled with olive oil, lightly salted, and spread on a small piece of warm, rosemary-scented focaccia bread.
Don't be surprised if the vegetables are served cold in the middle of your third course. This is common everywhere we've been in Italy, but it doesn't detract from the flavor and the change in temperature seems to diminish the amount of food you feel you've eaten.
If you get all four courses (including dessert, coffee, and a digestif), plan to spend two to three hours and pay about $30 dollars a person. That's it. Drop one course, and the bill is closer to $20 a person. Plus, the ambiance, company, and views are worth every penny.
One reason we love this area is that we don't get many tourists. Even the locals ask us why we settled in Rieti. The simple answer: It's about as authentically Italian as you can get. Our Italian friends often smile and admit there is something special about the Rieti Valley.
— Chip Stites, IL’s Italy Correspondent
Editor’s Note: If you enjoyed Chip’s slice of real Italy, here are a few more stories to inspire your own Italian escape…