La zona, oltretutto, abitata da piccoli nuclei di popoli disarmati, è stata fin dalla notte dei tempi presa d’assalto con facilità da barbari, pirati, corsari. Fasi di incursioni, saccheggi, distruzione, rapimenti, uccisioni in massa, si sono alternate a periodi di relativa pace, sotto la protezione dell’Impero, del Papato o dei ducati di Gaeta e Fondi, e comunque con una forte intromissione da parte dei reggenti esterni, nella vita di una piccola e umile comunità locale.
Le tracce di quali popoli troveremmo nel suo sangue?
Gli antenati di Leone lavorano tutto l’anno per mantenere le residenze sempre pronte ad accogliere un’improvvisata del padrone e dei suoi amici. Ed è con alta probabilità che possiamo ipotizzare che il seme dei “romani” si sia mischiato con quello delle lontane parenti di Leone.
Il sangue di Leone è anche decisamente mediorientale!
Gli uomini della Terra del Nord, la Normandia, sono chiamati dal Papa per espellere gli islamici. Il sangue normanno si aggiunge a quello saraceno e i nuovi arrivati prendono potere sul Ducato di Fondi.
E possiamo immaginare come in questo clima si siano fusi con la gente del posto.
Lo scenario si ripete 90 anni dopo. Nel villaggio non restano che una trentina di persone. La famiglia di Leone, com’è ovvio, sopravvive.
Nel 1640 una flotta francese diretta a Napoli si blocca e occupa Sperlonga per 7 anni, con largo tempo a disposizione per produrre prole.
Un bel cocktail, eh?
Ganimede Residence
(Top choice apartments).
Hotel Mayor
(Short walk from the sea, family-run, clean, excellent breakfast)
Hotel Grotta di Tiberio
(4 Stars, pool with jacuzzi, gourmet restaurant, excellent view and location)
Hotel Amyclae
(an elegant 3 star-hotel located on the beach)
I had a great tour of beautiful Sperlonga with Irene and got to sample some delicious local wine and food! The town has a rich history and Irene is an... read more expert. Highly recommended to all visitors!
We had a great day with Irene and her friend. First she gave us a tour around the village and told us some history and legends of Sperlonga. On the... read more drive to the wineyard her friend continued to tell us about the surroundings of Sperlonga,...More
The vineyard tour which included tasting wine and foods was a really good experience. Service, communication, the prize and the actual wine: all were to our liking. We booked through... read more Irene, and she was very helpful and informative. We met first for a tour of Sperlonga, which was very informative and beautiful in the nice weather. Then we were brought to the vineyard, and we were shown around before we tasted the delicious wines, all in a splendid scenery. Afterwards, Irene even helped us to book a boat trip the next day!
Great experience, great tour and story in Sperlonga, nice wine yard with perfect service, food and really good wine. Irene is also a fantastic host. Thank you very much, this... read more tour is highly recommended.
Great combination! Me and my fiancée went for the Ancient Roman tour and it was perfect! First a nice historical walk through the old parts in the city of Sperlonga.... read more Then we went to the wineyard, got to learn more about the history of roman wine, different grapes and the process of wine making. And to finish off; a lovely wine tasting with some Italian treats! …
Irene was a great guide to Sperlonga - it’s history over such a long period of time
The trip to the vineyard was great with some special wine to... read more sample and some delicious food
This experience in Sperlonga is not to be missed. The Sperlonga Experience and Wine Tour with Irene was exceptional. We toured the passageways of this historical city. We were... read more thrilled to be tasting wine (delicious) from such an ancient varietal. The cheeses and meats paired so well with the wine I forgot to take pictures. The views from the winery are breathtaking. Thank you, Irene for sharing your vast knowledge and giving us such a memorable tour.
This experience in Sperlonga is not to be missed. The Sperlonga Experience and Wine Tour with Irene was exceptional. We toured the passageways of this historical city. We were... read more thrilled to be tasting wine (delicious) from such an ancient varietal. The cheeses and meats paired so well with the wine I forgot to take pictures. The views from the winery are breathtaking. Thank you, Irene for sharing your vast knowledge and giving us such a memorable tour.
Fascinating overview on the history of Sperlonga, followed by a tour of the winery and a tasting of three delicious wines accompanied by an exquisite selection of local products. Irene... read more was the best guide - thank you!