September 2020 Circeo Abbazia di Fossanova

The forecast is poor for the next day but we set off anyway to Abbazia di Fossanova, one of the most beautiful examples of Gothic-Cistercian art in Italy. Built on the ruins of a Roman villa, it was first a Benedictine monastery and is also welll-known because it's the place where San Tommaso d’Aquino died in 1274. The church itself is splendid in its undecorated and perfect simplicity, just a few mosaics on the facade.

The cloister is also exceptionally beautiful, 

especially the south side with the sculpted columns and small covered area with fountain in front of the refectory, which is also open. Other areas include the Sala Capitolare where the community met to take decisions and Saint Thomas' chapel. As usual there are few people around so we also wander a little outside, round the back a herb garden is being created and there are some fine monumental olive trees, probably from the nursery we saw on the way in because the whole area looks very new. By now it has started to spit with rain so we stop at the small shop to buy some fig jam as a contribution, since entry to the whole structure is free, and get back to the car just before a deluge.

On the way back we stop at Cantina Sant'Andrea to get some local Moscato Secco for Andrea and Sabaudia where parking is characteristically impossible so we just peer from the car before stopping at a Conad for some shopping.

Surprisingly, given the forecast, the sun comes out in the afternoon so we go for a walk along the beach, probably our favourite activity, although here the terrace is a close competitor......