Where gardens are very rare in medieval hilltop towns and villages in Italy, the only way you can dry your washing is by hanging them from your window by various pulley methods. In summer, they dry quickly especially if your window gets some sun but many houses do not get the sun, the buildings being so close to each other but the washing eventually gets dry. But come the cold winter, washing must takes days to dry. In Liguria they put plastic sheets over the washing to stop the rain but never seen this method in Barga. On the French Riviera very little washing is hung out - maybe they think it doesn’t look good but I like the washing out. At least you know someone is alive and living behind those closed shutters!
Today I had the opportunity of visiting Pruneta di Sopra, www.pruneta.com just outside Castelnuovo. Run by Allessandro Guaspari and his family, the location of this country villa, surrounded by open parkland and woods is magnificent and a swimming pool makes it a perfect place to stay and relax.
