| Family Travels Tuscany |
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| Date Last Visited -- 2007 |
| Tuscany is gorgeous. You must rent a car to fully be able to travel and appreciate this area. BUT park outside of all towns and hike in. Roads suddenly turn into cobblestone alleys, make a wrong turn and you are on a staircase (really!). It was our most challenging driving experience in Europe. Get there and get a good driving map. It is hard to do Tuscany justice on a webpage. We visited 13 different towns and villages during our stay. Our home base was an amazing bed and breakfast in Montepulciano. Don't miss this one. The hill towns of Tuscany are romantic and fun. There is so much to see....but take time to people watch, attend a musical (most churches have them in the summer) and eat a lot of gelato. |
| The best Tuscan Bed and Breakfast Mueble il Riccio In 1080, it was a noble family's home. Then converted into a seminary in the 16th century. In 1949 it was the Italian School for Mosaics. Given it's illustrious past, it is no wonder it is now lovingly maintained and a private Bed and Breakfast Your hosts Ivana and Gio will be friendly and helpful beyond your imagination. It is the perfect place to stay. www.ilriccio.net email info@ilriccio.net tel. 0578-757-713 |
| Above: View from inner courtyard Below: Kids Room Right: Mom and Dad's |
| Montepulciano |
| Pienza Palazzo Piccolomini home of Pius II and the Piccolomini family for five hundred years. Worth a quick visit. Get the English tour |
| Cortona The perfect little Tuscan village...in fact, the movie Under the Tuscan Sun was filmed here. We shopped for ceramics...everything is decorated with sunflowers and olives |
| They don't call them Hill Towns for nothing. |
| We find a pastry shop We love meringues. |
| San Gimignano This Tuscan hill town is sprinkled with 14 medieval towers (basically fortified homes of noble families) The towers are picturesque...the town is fun to explore. |
| For good pizza and local wine Try Locanda di Sant' Agostino right across from the church |
| Volterra We found lots of fun things to see here. Under the local trash dump they discovers ancient Roman ruins which can be seen from the town walls Don't miss the Alabaster Workshops and the Etruscan Museum and follow Rick Steve's walking tour |
| Siena We arrived early evening and enjoyed a nice dinner. We did not get to any of Siena's sights...but the grand piazza is an event itself. The largest we have seen; filled with people and ringed by open air restuarants. |
| Day One in Tuscany We rented a car in Florence (our only car rental of the three week trip) and drove into the Tuscany area. Our first stop was Montepulciano to see find our hotel and check in. With helpful advice from Gio, our B&B host, off we went on a long day of exploring. We stopped in Pienza and visited the local palazzo and ate a quick picnic. We drove out to a wonderful old abbey and found a cute desserted town with ancient Roman baths and water mills. We finished the evening with a visit to Montalcino and a wonderful dinner. |
| Day Two in Tuscany We left early and drove to Cortona, a perfect Tuscan village; in fact where the movie "Under the Tuscan Sun" was filmed. We visited San Gimignano with its ancient medieval towers. Then on to Volterra for shopping, a quick look at the Roman amphitheater and its alabaster workshops. We ended the evening in Siena on the grand piazza for dinner. |
| Day Three in Tuscany Again, we left early to begin our day trip, enjoying the olive trees, grapes and sunflowers that fill the countryside Our destination was Assissi which is a pilgrimage site We returned to our home base, Montelpulciano to really spend a full afternoon exploring this wonderful Tuscan town |
| Assissi Hometown of St. Francis, Assissi is a great town to explore. Follow Rick Steves' walking tour as outlined in his book to see all the major sights. We happened to arrive at the Basilica during a Spanish teen pilgrimage and watched in wonder as the crowds grew in both size and exuberance. |
| Montepulciano Realizing that we had sadly neglected enjoying our home base of Montepulciano...we decided to spend the afternoon and evening in our hometown. In the evening, there was a wonderful music festival from an English orchestra and choir...literally feet from our bed and breakfast. |
| They don't call them Hill Towns for nothing. |
| Right in the corner of the main square is a great little restaurant (Osteria) Osteria dell'Aquacheta Everything was wonderful and we got to hear a the concert in the background |
| Don't miss Contucci Cantina for wine tasting Adamo will enthusiatically guide you through the 13th century basement of the palace that serves as the wine cellar. |
| Tuscany is filled with grapes, sunflowers and olive trees. |
| Above left: Inner courtyard Above: View from kids' room of Montelpulciano Left: Gio, our host, provides us with maps and advice |
| Another Picnic But look at our view We bought our sandwiches and cheese at a little deli off the town square. Try the pork sandwiches |