Tuscany was our next destination, and like others who have read the book Under the Tuscan Sun, I too had romanticized a visit to the land of manicured vineyards, cypress-lined drives, rustic farms, and hill towns studded with towers and medieval castles.
I was determined to stay in an agriturismo and found one in the Chianti region, just outside the village of Castellina in Chianti, where Mama Daniele warmly greeted us. Although she spoke little English she was still able to communicate how all things functioned in this charming little farmhouse. I think all four of us were looking forward to a slower pace while here, and that’s exactly what we got, some more than others, as Margee succumbed to a cold, which grabbed Terry a few days later, and then Frank to a lesser degree. It’s a wonder I avoided it while living in a sick ward so I became chief cook and bottle washer while they got their rest.
The weather gods had certainly blessed us up to this point in our travels so we knew our days were numbered before lower temps and cloudy days moved in, and they did while here. It seemed to be apt for those a bit “under the weather”. Other than one day of rain and a couple of others with drizzles, it wasn’t a wash-out. And when the infirm felt up to it, we took to the road for some exploring.
With such profuse landscape changes, from pastoral in the Crete Senesi, to the rocky Chianti region, to vineyards clinging to hillsides and winding, narrow country roads, Tuscany is a feast for the senses, and her wines and local fare are a threat to waistlines. I hear the gym calling my name. 😦
With countless hill towns to choose from, each with their own unique beauty and rich history, it was difficult to choose. Since many can trace their lineage to Etruscan times, long before ancient Rome, we knew we would be experiencing quaint villages with medieval charm, no matter which we visited. Here is what we managed to cross off of our very long list:
1) Volterra
We visited Volterra twice, with our first stop being a “wash-out”. Its name means “land that floats” and in the winter she is blanketed by heavy clouds. We saw a bit of this during our first visit, yet we were drawn back and it became one of our favorite hill towns. It has managed to escape the rush of tourists, given its out-of-the-way location, and we were drawn to its sense of purity and otherworldly charm. Twilight fans will remember that this is where the powerful Volturi vampire clan resided.
Volterra is more than 2,000 years old and is one of the most important Etruscan cities. Impressive walls encircle the town, topped with an imposing fortress. The Etruscan Arch, built of massive stone in the 4th century B.C., welcomed her 20,000 residents.
I read a story that on June 30, 1944, Nazi forces were planning to blow up the Arch to slow the Allied forces. Locals pulled down the stones, secured the gate, and managed to convince the Nazis to leave the Arch alone. The blocks were put back into place and today you can walk through the oldest standing gate.
2) Pienza
A tidy village with Renaissance-planned streets, it is where Pope Pius II was born. This little village is great to explore with a camera, then stop for wine tastings and pecorino cheese sampling.
3) Siena
This town that sits atop three hills, with her cozy squares and grand cathedral, once rivaled medieval Florence. In the 13th century Siena had a population of about 50,000 and was a major banking and trade center. Then Black Death hit, the bubonic plague, wiping out a third of her people, and Siena has never recovered.
Siena is where the famous Palio horse races are held twice each summer. Ten horse and riders, riding bareback and dressed in specific colors, represent 10 of the 17 city wards. The first race is run early in summer to honor the Madonna of Provenzano and the second in August in honor of the Assumption of Mary.
A thick layer of dirt is laid over the bricks in the Il Campo Square and the race is run three times around the piazza, lasting no more than 90 seconds. Often unmounted horses finish the race without their riders. A medieval pageant paves the way, attracting spectators from around the globe.
Siena’s 13th-century Gothic cathedral and it’s 6-story striped bell tower, unlike others, was built and paid for by the people and the republic of Siena as a tribute to the Virgin Mary.
4) San Gimignano
Some say this is Tuscany’s glamour girl, a town adorned by her remaining 14 medieval towers, of which there were once 72. San Gimignano today is best known for cinghiale (cheen-GAH-lay), wild boar and saffron, and boasts of having won the award for gelato world champion. Of course we had to taste for ourselves. It was pretty yummy, even at 10:00 in the morning. 🙂
Next Up: An Abbey and Day Trippin’ to Florence
Paint Your Landscape 
Oh so wonderful LuAnn! I love this part of Italy!
We loved it all!
Your header photo looks like a painting! What amazing countryside! The agriturismo you stayed in is adorable:) Your bedroom view was beautiful. Sorry that a cold got most of you. Good you were tough enough to keep it away:) They did need a cook and chief bottle washer:) I’m sure it was hard to leave this once in a lifetime trip, but good to just kick back and not feel like you had to go touring. You probably haven’t gone out since returning home.
Thanks Pam! We certainly had a fast-paced trip and if I were to go back I would certainly do it a bit slower. Hard to do on limited time when it is your first visit. And yes, we have been lying low since we got back. Seems a 9-hour time difference takes a while to recover from. 🙂
That place you stayed looks like pure heaven! I’ll have to make a mental note to do something like this when we have time to stay put for a while there. Your photos are lovely and your trip sounds so relaxing yet educational.
It was great to find a little farmhouse, especially one that hadn’t been divided into apartments. This one was ours alone for the week. 🙂
That farmhouse looks so inviting!
Too bad about the others getting sick. You must be doing something right!
It was a great place to relax. As for doing something right, it was staying as far away from everyone as I could. Terry slept in another room after he got a cold and I decided to do the cooking and cleaning instead of having anyone who was sick cooking for me. I was determined. 🙂
So sorry to hear the world travelers succumbed to illness but wonderful you were there able to step up and play nurse. What beautiful scenery!
…And I thought your France photos were enticing… Volterra–Wow! such a lovely place with such deep history. And your ‘home’ looked comfortable and so quaint. Thank you for sharing your travels.
My pleasure! Volterra was pretty special.
Thanks! Your post brought back wonderful memories of our trip to Tuscany. We stayed at beautiful, historic La Foce, a few miles from Chianciano Terme. The gardens there are worth a trip, even if you don’t stay there.
Glad to provide you a trip down memory lane. I had read about the La Foce Gardens and had hoped to visit but time did not allow.
What a dream vacation. I just love it!
It was a dream trip, a 25th wedding anniversary gift to ourselves.
Tuscany is calling my name! your header looked like a painting.
When there is so much to see, do and eat on a dream vacation, some germs like to get into the act as well. Im impressed at how well you managed to enjoy the beautiful places and blog at the same time!
The hill towns of Tuscany are wonderful, the countryside, the ancient ruins, foods, and don’t forget gelato (yum) are something I think you and Steve would love.
Gorgeous photos LuAnn and Tuscany deserves all the romantic press it gets! I especially love your header photo of the house on the clay hills tucked among the rounded curves of the hills. The whole area looks timeless. And thanks for your impressions of the towns you visited – they’re on my list! Anita
They are sound wonderful Anita, which makes it difficult to decide which hill towns to visit. It’s pretty much a given that wherever you go your scenery will be stunning and food delicious.
Such beauty, such food, such art; how ancient it looks.
The art was beautiful, the food divine, and the ancient walls and towers stunning.
Your beautiful header photo reminds me of the view of the hills around Ashland that I’m looking at right now. 🙂 So sorry to hear that most of your posse got sick, but it still looks like you had a wonderful time in Tuscany. You found the most delightful places to stay in your travels—that little cottage is lovely!
I would love to see Ashland this time of year. The photos I have been seeing on FB are beautiful. Tuscany was great, even with the gray skies and my coughing compadres.
Sorry to hear that the cold bug came down on the group. Look at you remaining healthy and strong. We loved Tuscany and all of its astonishing hilltop towns. Lovely to revisit them with you!
Hubby only let it get him down for a couple of days but one of our other traveling companions had a tough time shaking it.
I always picture Tuscany as an extraordinary countryside with its green spacious hills and fields, but you showed us so much more of it.
I heard of the earthquake there in Italy. I’m glad you’re okay.
Even that restaurant scene or that lovely shop front would make a trip to Italy so worth it.
Tuscany is a special place. I would love to see it in the spring as well. I’m having a difficult time adjusting to being home. I want to go back to Italy.