the chagrin of her local fans. Given the village's beauty, I wonder why.

With more ground to cover, we got back on the road, skirting the capital city of L'Aquila. Devastated by the 5.9-magnitude earthquake that hit the region in 2009, the city bore the evidence of extensive damage. Leonardo commented that while Prime Minister Silvo Berlusconi is often the target of harsh criticism, especially from the Italian left, it's his opinion that no Italian politician could have mustered assistance as quickly. We saw evidence of this in the form of recently constructed temporary housing throughout the region.

Our day's travels next took us to Santo Stefano di Sessanio and its restored medieval village. At the southern boundary of the Gran Sasso National Park, it is situated adjacent to the high plains of the Campo Imperatore.

What makes Santo Stefano di Sessanio noteworthy is the care being taken with its restoration and its hotel, Sextantio Albergo Diffuso,