Corte della Maestà

i’m still hesitant to share this one. the property sits at the center of a medieval citadel, accessible only by drawbridge. we stayed for two nights in early april, when spring had arrived but the crowds hadn’t yet. we were the only guests, and the effortlessly chic caretaker let us choose from any of the six rooms. two labradors wandered the grounds carrying small wicker baskets in their mouths. breakfast each morning was simple and beautiful, taken slowly, with light pouring through tall stone windows. beyond the walls, the town was nearly empty. shutters stayed closed. streets were quiet in a way that feels increasingly rare. it’s hard to reconcile with the version that exists later in the summer. but for those few days, it felt suspended in time, like we had arrived just before anyone else remembered it was there.