Making Summer Memories at Bracciano

Bracciano castle's  ivy covered  tower  

 Seeing   local  places  through the eyes of foreign visitors   gives us new insight into things  we usually take for granted.

Last week  I wrote about  our visit to Bracciano   with  Sergey and Tanya  from Moscow  and  our  lake side lunch  at  an old fashioned  trattoria .  

castle ramparts 

sail boats  far below  the castle

Sergey’s  eyes and camera lens  captured  scenes that were special and unusual for  him. 

a brilliant  19th century ball gown 

These included the colors of the  lake, the family of swans  and ducks  and the colorful costumes  exhibited  in the huge castle halls.

Duomo  di Bracciano overlooking the lake 

The  memory of  lake fish, local wine, watermelon   and strong caffe will also  keep  our Russian friends company during the dark days of  the  long Russian  winter. 

Having  passed  four winters in Moscow  I can understand their fascination with the  red tiled rooftops and church steeples, so different from the gilded   churches of Russia. 

They were also  fascinated by the  street lights, the flower filled piazzas and landscapes of lake and rolling  hills .

Piazza  near the castle 

 Since  the guide who accompanied us through the castle spoke only in Italian, our Russian friends  concentrated  on the frescoed rooms furnished with period antiques and managed  to get some close ups of the magnificent costumes  which are  on view until November . 

Renaissance  costumes

a dazzling  1920s gold feathered cape 

  The colorful costumes  enrich  the  historic atmosphere of the  castle’s halls and remind us of those who once  made history here .

armored knight and   horse  in the  main hall, Bracciano 

 No wonder  the   privately  owned Odescalchi  castle

 is a steady  favorite for  weddings and film shoots.

All photos by Sergey  Soloviev