Isola Maggiore

"A Culinary Journey Through Tuscany and Florence" was nearing its end, Chapter One of our trip to Italy, and on our final full day we had perhaps one of our most enjoyable experiences so far.  We boarded the coach and drove to Isola Maggiore, the second largest island on Lake Trasimeno, which is a 50-square-mile lake in Central Italy.  It is the only inhabited island on the lake with a permanent population of only 35, and its season had come to an end.  On the way, we stopped at a little market for a restroom break and a snack, and we were able to see olives being harvested in a field next door.  Nets are spread out under the trees this time of year, and the trees are raked by hand.

We took a ferry from Tuoro Navaccia, itself a gorgeous lakeside village, over to the island on another beautiful day.  As I have mentioned before, we had been told to expect rainy and cold weather, but it had not rained a drop so far on our trip.  The lake was calm, and we arrived at the island in no time.

We had time to explore the island before the restaurant (called L’Oro) opened.  It was a beautiful place, deserted except for our group, but we could imagine that it would have been a thriving resort during the summer months.

Lunch was out of doors on a patio, with seagulls soaring overhead – a delicious meal featuring fish caught that morning in the lake and prepared three different ways.  And of course, wine!  We had come to know our travel companions well by this point, and the mix of fresh air, fresh seafood, and camaraderie was something we will never forget.

After lunch, we did a bit of hiking, the kind of hiking we are used to in Highlands, not the city streets we had been walking thus far.  I had only had the opportunity to run once so far, that first day in Florence, although by the end of the trip I estimated we walked 60 or 70 miles.  So it was nice to be able to stretch our legs, walking along the shore of the lake and then climbing to the top of the mountain in the middle of the island.

St. Francis of Assisi had lived on the island for 40 days, and the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel was constructed about the same time in the 12^th century.  The church was being repaired and we could not enter, but the view out over the lake from the top of the mountain was spectacular.

We took the ferry back to the Borgo di Cortafreda, our final night at this beautiful hotel, and gathered in the dining room for a farewell dinner, featuring Florentine steak.  Bistecca Alla Fiorentina is a huge three-pound steak served very simply – and very rare – seasoned with salt, brushed with olive oil, and grilled.  We do not eat steak very much these days (preferring the kind of seafood we had earlier in the day) but I tried a piece or two, the end pieces which were at least medium rare, and it was indeed delicious.   

The dinner and the wine and the friends were a fitting end to this chapter of our trip!