There will be many memories of our trip to Tuscany but, for me at least, the photo above will always summarize how I felt about a visit to such a marvelous world of the old and the sort of new.
The trip, consisting of the Almonds, Kneebones, Moores, and Paces, began with our flights from Boston to Zurich, hence to Florence. We enjoyed a brief but exciting two days in Florence where he had a guided walking tour through the magnificent Uffize and Accademia Museums. Our tour also included some lovely sidewalk cafes where we indulged in some great vinos, gelatos and pastries.
From Florence, in rental cars (2 of them), and with the guidance of a Tom-Tom loaned by Frank Heald, we took an unusual scenic tour of Florence as we headed for our eventual designation in San Andrea, an area just outside the walled city of San Gimignano.
We stayed in a lovely villa that reflected the stone work of the area; 4 bedrooms with en suite facilities, huge dining living room, and a view of San Gimignano and its tower that was trulu amazing.
Naturally we spent several days just touring through San Gimignano (a note to self: remember to arrive early to find a parking space). As with many towns in Tuscany, the most immediate view of it were its towers, now greatly diminished in number through the years. The towers were essentially the Tuscan version of a castle moat; Tuscany was the scene of many medieval and Renaissance battles, especially as Florence sought hegemony over the area.
Our second actual guided tour was of Siena, the ancient rival of Florence. Siena is divided into 17 neighborhoods or contrade that were vitually self-supporting entities, having their own churchs and political organizations. Twice a year the contrades would meet in the main piazza and conduct a horse race in which each contrade was permitted a single entry. This is reenacted in the Spring in Siena. The duomo of Siena is classic Renaissance construction. One of its highlights is a library of medieval manuscripts donated by a Renaissance pope.
We managed to find an excellent restaurant in Siena where I was able to rediscover wild boar along with an excellent Chianti.
We ventured to Volterra (allegedly a place that currently has something to do with the teenage vampire series). It, too, was a walled city that once was a major Etruscan site. After a very satisfying lunch (lunch was our major meal of the day), we toured the Etruscan museum and then the city itself.
Probably our favorite location was found in the Chianti hills, the village of Radda. It is small, isolated, and not yet discovered by the tourist trade.
Our last night in the villa was highlighted by a special dinner prepared by our hostess, Barbara.
It was a great trip (even our return flight to Zurich feature great views of the Alps). More photos of the trip are available by clicking here.
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