Now, 18 months later, we're on our way to Muricciaglia, our villa in Tuscany. After a couple of days in Umbria, we have decided to take the country roads, as opposed to the superstrada. This proves to be a slower route, but very rewarding. We get a feel for life in small-town Italy as we meander through villages and pass farmland with corn and sunflower fields on either side of the narrow roadway.
As we leave Umbria and enter Tuscany, we pass the hilled town of Cortona, which is famous from the movie Under The Tuscan Sun. That is in fact what got us interested in coming to Italy, but our villa beckons so we must remember Cortona as we saw it on film.
OLIVE GROVES
The countryside is subtly changing, with grapevines and olive groves now appearing and the road is beginning to twist and turn as we go upward into the hills. We believe we have found the zoom-zoom road from a certain car commercial and at this point I am glad I'm in the backseat enjoying the view and not behind the wheel. Fancy European cars and motorcycles whiz by us as we travel through ancient towns. We have arrived in Tuscany and just have to locate our villa.
The villa we have booked for a week's stay came highly recommended by our travel agent. Muricciaglia is ideally located just off the road from Castellina to Radda in Il Chianti. Our hosts, Mimma and Franco Ferrando, have provided excellent directions and we find it easily. As we turn off the highway and onto the gravel road to the villa, my sister and I look at each other and smile -- we're finally here!
Mimma welcome us with a glass of wine and then gives us a tour. Muricciaglia sits on 65 hectares of woodland, olive groves and a small vineyard. There have been dwellings on this property for more than 500 years. There are two villas for rent -- we are staying in the Fienile, an old hay barn. It has two bedrooms, two modern bathrooms, a loft with twin beds, a living room, a modern kitchen and laundry facilities.
There is a beautiful infinity pool all guests share. The temps this week are a bit cool and the pool is not heated, so we'll have to settle for sitting by the pool and not in the pool. Mimma is a chef that travels the world teaching the fine art of Italian cooking and offers classes to her guests. We did not book a class this time and promise ourselves to do so on our next visit.
The location of our villa is perfect for day trips to explore Tuscan towns. On our first full day in Tuscany we make the short trip to Panzano for Sunday market day.
There also happens to be a wine festival taking place, so the town is bustling. We find a parking spot on the edge of the narrow roadway and walk the short distance into town. The market place has vendors selling goods ranging from leather purses to clothing to cheese. We stop at a butcher shop and purchase a pork loin for dinner. Upon leaving Panzano we find a quaint roadside restaurant to have lunch at. We dine outdoors, enjoying fresh homemade pasta and washing it down with wine. Our view is that of a painting -- hills covered in vineyards with the dark purple grapes hanging heavy on the vines and large stone villas surrounded by tall cypresses.
The next day we decide to journey the 20 km to Siena. The medieval historic centre rises high above the rest of the city. After we park our car we travel up five escalators to take us through the ancient walls. Following the narrow streets lined with shops we eventually find ourselves at the famous Piazza del Campo. The famous sloped square is surrounded by restaurants and vendors selling postcards and souvenirs.
Twice a year, horse races take place in the piazza. Since the middle ages, representatives of the town districts have competed in the race around il Campo. Spectators fill the bowl of the piazza while the horses and riders in colourful costumes run around the perimeter three times trying to become the winner of the prestigious Palio di Siena. These events take place in July and August. I can picture the horses tearing around the piazza with the spectators cheering for their favourite.
BREATHTAKING
We tour the famous gothic cathedral, which was built between 1196 and 1215. The workmanship is unbelievable. The inlaid marble floor and marble pillars are breathtaking. Before lunch we manage to find some time to shop and purchase some leather purses and wallets. The selection is great and the prices seem quite reasonable. We dine outdoors at a small restaurant in the Piazza del Campo. We again enjoy fresh pasta and a bottle of local wine and take in the sights and sounds of the piazza.
Another day trip takes us to San Gimignano, a walled medieval town with 14 towers. At one time there were 72 of these towers, which are believed to symbolize the wealth and power of the medieval families that resided here. This is another wonderful town to explore the winding, narrow streets and go in and out of the numerous shops. The small stores offer a great selection of linens, leather goods, ceramics, cheeses and wine. We spend a few hours here sightseeing, shopping and having a delicious lunch at Hotel Bel Soggiorno, which offers a great view of the surrounding countryside.
Upon leaving San Gimignano we journey the short distance to Monteriggioni. You can see this impressive walled town in the distance long before you arrive. It was built in the 1200s and has not changed much over time. There is a church, a couple of restaurants, small shops and homes all within the stone walls. It is a marvel to see how dwellings have survived the wars and elements over time.
On our last full day in Tuscany we venture out to discover Volpaia, a tiny hamlet up in the hills behind Radda. After thinking we've taken the wrong turn we end up on the correct route -- yet another narrow, winding road to the village. Volpaia is like most towns in Tuscany, you will see your destination long before you reach it. Most towns are perched high on hills. This was done in order to protect them from rival neighbouring towns centuries ago.
Volpaia proves to be a most interesting stop. We enjoy a cappuccino in the small town square before venturing out to walk the narrow cobblestone streets. We pick up some locally made wine and vinegars before stopping for lunch at one of the two restaurants. Our view is again spectacular and the food equally good.
Most restaurants offer indoor and outdoor dining and we choose outdoor as often as we can. The food in Tuscany is everything I thought it would be. Every restaurant offers a wide selection of fresh pasta plus different meats. Pork, wild boar and rabbit appear quite often on the menus, roasted or in stews. The wine menus are extensive, highlighting the Classico Chianti, for which the region is famous. We take every opportunity to sample the local favourites either on our plates or in our glasses.
The day is still young when we depart Volpaia so we decide to try and find a castle we were told we should not miss. We head in the direction of Gaiole and a few kilometres further down the road we find ourselves at the Castello di Brolio in Chianti.
Built in 1000 A.D. the castle has a long, colourful history. The Ricasoli family have owned it since 1141 and continue to live in a portion of the enormous fortress. Nearby, the family owns a winery that produces the famous Brolio wine.
We walk around the outside of the 50-foot-high walls before entering the gate and touring inside, where a chapel houses generations of tombs of the Ricasoli family. We continue along the south terrace, where on a clear day you can see Siena in the distance. Below is a view of the gardens, olive groves and vineyards. The surrounding hills are covered in cypresses and conifers. You can almost picture the scene centuries ago as rival armies would assault the castle attempting to gain possession. This happened many times until the mid 1500s.
Our week-long stay in Tuscany is over much too soon, even though we still have two weeks in Italy, visiting Florence and then Rome. I think back on the friendly people we've met, delicious foods we ate and the unbelievable sights we saw and start thinking of a return trip to Tuscany.
