From Pellegrino to Pellicano

On the last Sunday in August the church of San Michele Archangelo in Panicale honours San Pellegrino, Roman martyr, whose relic arrived in Panicale in 1764. The chapel hosts a painting of the saint by Tommaso Conca from 1798, as well as the reliquary.

This afternoon we went to Castiglione del Lago to get train tickets for tomorrow. Fortunately you buy the tickets at the gelateria!

A little Sunday drive took us through farm land west of C d L where the fields are looking fresh from ploughing and the recent rain.

Along the Vaiano road we came across the Hellenistic Paradiso Tomb, an Etruscan tomb from the 2nd century B.C. It was discovered in 1908 and at the time included two burial urns with Etruscan characters engraved on the fronts and two amphorae. The structure is built from sandstone and includes a travertine hinged door and a barrel vaulted ceiling.

 Looking down the stairs from the locked entrance to the tomb. 
The key was available for us to open the door. The burial urns were originally on the two stone blocks and the amphorae were on the floor.

Looking inside the actual tomb from the passage way and showing the heavy travertine door.

The tomb was restored and given a protective roof in the 1990's.

An information board showed what the tomb looked like inside when it was first discovered.

The sun had come out at the right time, after a cloudy, wet and cold day.

It is not often that you can see Panicale and Paciano in the same view. Paciano is the settlement on the right and Panicale is on the left protruding above the mountain range.

This little borgo (above) is one of my favourite views.

There are great views everywhere but the WOW factor is still from the Belvedere in Panicale.

We finished off the day at every-one's favourite pizzeria Pellicano at Pineta with Lyn and Anna. Great pizzas and  it was good to talk to some-one other than Kelly after eight weeks.