Trip Report-Tuscany (+ 1 day in Rome) in May
Jun 1st, 2005, 05:34 PM
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Trip Report-Tuscany (+ 1 day in Rome) in May
wanted to spend my 50th birthday somewhere very special and decided on Tuscany. In Sept 03 we had taken a trip from Paris to Switzerland with a short detour to Varenna on Lake Como. Varenna seemed like heaven so I decided to see more of Italy this time around.
We flew from San Francisco via Boston and Munich. We were on United/Lufthansa/Augsburg and were very pleased that our flights were all on time since we had some tight connections. We arrived in Florence at 10:30am. In Florence we picked up our rental car. It was a Ford Fiesta wagon--much nicer than the Ford Fiestas in the US 20 years ago.
We drove to San Gimignano with no problems. The drive took less than one hour and the directions were easy. We parked outside the city in one of the pay lots and wheeled our luggage up the hill to our hotel. We stayed in La Cisterna. Our room was officially a suite but the front room was quite small and just had a narrow couch. We had a gorgeous view over the countryside from the bedroom. The bathroom was all carrera marble. We paid 134 euros including a generous breakfast buffet. We had really wanted a room with a countryside view so we were willing to pay more. They do have less expensive rooms. The hotel was charming--beautiful wood ceilings, terra cotta floors, gorgeous iron grillwork, etc. It was a haven from the crowds in San Gimignano.
We freshened up a bit and then went for a walk. We wanted to avoid the crowds so we walked around the perimeter on the old city walls. We had great views over the city and the countryside. At around 3:00pm the crowds started leaving so we poked around some of the shops.
We had dinner at the hotel. Their dining room has a great view over the hills and is quite attractive. The food was very good, but we were pretty exhausted from flying all night (and not sleeping much).
After a bountiful breakfast we checked out and got our car out of the lot. The day trippers were just starting to stream into the town. We had to pay 15 euros for the overnight stay. We were prepared for this so it wasn't a surprise.
We had heard so many raves about Siena that we decided to make that our major stop before moving on to Montalcino where we had reservations for the next two nights.
Thankfully T offered to do the driving if I would navigate. There wasn't much traffic, but the much commented upon lack of route signage in Italy was very annoying. It was also bothersome that the destination signs didn't appear until we were right at the exit so there wasn't much time to consult the map (an excellent Rough Guides map of Tuscany)to see if the posted destination was in the direction we were seeking.
We arrived in Siena without much trouble and parked in the Campo garage. We walked down into the city and were surprised at how the town is down in a valley rather than up on a hill. We turned a corner and were surprised to be right on the Campo. We took photos and walked around a bit before stopping for our first gelato of the day.
We had read in Rick Steve's book about the Palio movie at the Cinema Moderno which is just about 2 blocks from the campo. We found the theatre and were very pleased that there would be a showing in English in about 15 minutes. It ended up being a private screening. We loved the film. It was just about 20 minutes long but the photography and narration were excellent. We definitely felt like we were right in the middle of the Palio. We also learned more about contrada and the strong traditions associated with the Palio. We would strongly recommend it for visitors. It was also a nice quiet, cool break from the busyness of Siena.
We then walked around the city with the goal of reaching the Duomo. We found the San Giovanni Baptistry and were very impressed with the interior decoration. When we walked up the stairs to the Duomo we found out that a movie was being filmed so the Duomo was closed. Although we were disappointed, it was interesting to watch the filming and all the work that goes on behind the scenes.
We definitely enjoyed our short visit to Siena, but I was particularly looking forward to Montalcino.
The drive to Montalcino was also pretty easy--less than an hour from Siena. We loved the large sign at the entrance to Montalcino--no question about whether we had come to the right place. There was also an unofficial welcoming committee of 7 or 8 older gentlemen sitting on the wall checking out all who passed.
Our hotel was Il Giglio and it is located on via Salvoni--the main street in town. We found it right away and stopped the car right in front. The desk clerk (one of the owners) came right outside and helped us unload our luggage before graciously parking the car for us. The lobby of Il Giglio is lovely--dark wood, fireplace, window overlooking the town. We were told we were in room 1 and directed up the stairs. The room exceeded all our expectations!! There were french-style doors opening on to a private terrace with a commanding view over the town and the countryside. It couldn't have been more magical. The room itself was also very special--not very big, but it had a stone wall and a very comfortable bed. The bathroom had limestone floor and trim. We especially loved their toiletries, too. The terrace was quite large and had a terra cotta floor. There were very healthy potted plants and a table with two chairs. I could have stayed there for a week!! The room cost just 90 euros per night.
We went out for a walk and really fell in love with Montalcino. We ended up at the Fortezza and sampled some Brunellos before having dinner at Trattoria Sciame. We had read some very favorable reviews of this restaurant and were somewhat disappointed. The owner couldn't have been more welcoming, but the food wasn't particularly special. I would give it a 5 or 6 on a 1-10 scale.
The next morning we had breakfast in the dining room (coffee, croissant, juice for 8 euros)before driving to Orvieto for a visit.
In Orvieto we were fortunate to find an excellent parking space at no charge along the main street. We knew we wanted to see the Duomo, but otherwise didn't have any particular destinations in mind. Orvieto has a marvelous Doumo that snuck up on us. We turned a corner and didn't know how close we were. I think the outside of this Duomo is even more spectacular than Siena's because the mosaics are more detailed. We also enjoyed how they had used different colored stones to make patterns in the sidewalks around the Duomo. Unfortunately they had just closed the Duomo for lunch when we arrived so we did a bit of browsing in shops and then had lunch at Mauricizio's. It was very hot and sunny in Orvieto so Mauricizio's offered a cool respite. We enjoyed our food and the quiet, cool atmosphere.
When we finished lunch the Duomo still wasn't opened so we decided to head back to Montalcino. One of the places we most wanted to visit on this trip was Sant Antimo Abbey and was just a slight detour on the road to Montalcino.
Sant Antimo did not disappoint. It would have been a special blessing to hear the monks, but otherwise it couldn't have been more special. The Abbey is in a valley surrounded by lush hills (at least in May!!). It has mystical feel and even thought there were a fair number of visitors all were respectful of the sanctity of the buildings and grounds. We strongly recommend visiting here if you are anywhere in the area.
When we arrived back in Montalcino the hotel clerk again took care of our car and we took a very short rest before we heard a drum playing outside. We had seen posters announcing the celebration of Montalcino's 450th birthday so the drumbeats alerted us that the parade was about to begin. We were enchanted to see representatives of the Siena and Montalcino contrada all wearing period costumes and carrying their colorful flags. All of the townspeople were gathered in front of City Hall for some speeches before the parade began. It felt like the quintessential Tuscan celebration and we were blessed to happen upon it. It was a special treat because it all happened on my birthday.
We had dinner that night at the hotel (Il Giglio) and it was wonderful. The food was at least 8 out of 10 and the atmosphere couldn't have been more pleasant. The tables are not right on top of one another and the service was very responsive.
The next morning we ordered our breakfast via room service so we ate on our terrace. It was warm and sunny and the songbirds were flying in swooping circles over the town. Unfortunately we had to leave fairly early because we had to get our rental car back to the Florence Airport or we would be charged for another day. We were VERY sad to leave Il Giglio.
We had no problems getting back to Florence and purchased gas before returning the car. We were very glad to have rented a car rather than trying to use buses to get around Tuscany.
I'm going to stop here and will do another installment in the next few days. The quick summary is that we went into Florence and stayed for four days. On one of those days we went to Rome for the day. It's just 90 minutes on the train so it seemed a shame to not visit since we didn't know if we would ever have the chance to visit Rome. I want to encourage people who think that it wouldn't be worth it to spend just one day in Rome. T said that our day in Rome was probably the best Tuesday he had ever had!!
We flew from San Francisco via Boston and Munich. We were on United/Lufthansa/Augsburg and were very pleased that our flights were all on time since we had some tight connections. We arrived in Florence at 10:30am. In Florence we picked up our rental car. It was a Ford Fiesta wagon--much nicer than the Ford Fiestas in the US 20 years ago.
We drove to San Gimignano with no problems. The drive took less than one hour and the directions were easy. We parked outside the city in one of the pay lots and wheeled our luggage up the hill to our hotel. We stayed in La Cisterna. Our room was officially a suite but the front room was quite small and just had a narrow couch. We had a gorgeous view over the countryside from the bedroom. The bathroom was all carrera marble. We paid 134 euros including a generous breakfast buffet. We had really wanted a room with a countryside view so we were willing to pay more. They do have less expensive rooms. The hotel was charming--beautiful wood ceilings, terra cotta floors, gorgeous iron grillwork, etc. It was a haven from the crowds in San Gimignano.
We freshened up a bit and then went for a walk. We wanted to avoid the crowds so we walked around the perimeter on the old city walls. We had great views over the city and the countryside. At around 3:00pm the crowds started leaving so we poked around some of the shops.
We had dinner at the hotel. Their dining room has a great view over the hills and is quite attractive. The food was very good, but we were pretty exhausted from flying all night (and not sleeping much).
After a bountiful breakfast we checked out and got our car out of the lot. The day trippers were just starting to stream into the town. We had to pay 15 euros for the overnight stay. We were prepared for this so it wasn't a surprise.
We had heard so many raves about Siena that we decided to make that our major stop before moving on to Montalcino where we had reservations for the next two nights.
Thankfully T offered to do the driving if I would navigate. There wasn't much traffic, but the much commented upon lack of route signage in Italy was very annoying. It was also bothersome that the destination signs didn't appear until we were right at the exit so there wasn't much time to consult the map (an excellent Rough Guides map of Tuscany)to see if the posted destination was in the direction we were seeking.
We arrived in Siena without much trouble and parked in the Campo garage. We walked down into the city and were surprised at how the town is down in a valley rather than up on a hill. We turned a corner and were surprised to be right on the Campo. We took photos and walked around a bit before stopping for our first gelato of the day.
We had read in Rick Steve's book about the Palio movie at the Cinema Moderno which is just about 2 blocks from the campo. We found the theatre and were very pleased that there would be a showing in English in about 15 minutes. It ended up being a private screening. We loved the film. It was just about 20 minutes long but the photography and narration were excellent. We definitely felt like we were right in the middle of the Palio. We also learned more about contrada and the strong traditions associated with the Palio. We would strongly recommend it for visitors. It was also a nice quiet, cool break from the busyness of Siena.
We then walked around the city with the goal of reaching the Duomo. We found the San Giovanni Baptistry and were very impressed with the interior decoration. When we walked up the stairs to the Duomo we found out that a movie was being filmed so the Duomo was closed. Although we were disappointed, it was interesting to watch the filming and all the work that goes on behind the scenes.
We definitely enjoyed our short visit to Siena, but I was particularly looking forward to Montalcino.
The drive to Montalcino was also pretty easy--less than an hour from Siena. We loved the large sign at the entrance to Montalcino--no question about whether we had come to the right place. There was also an unofficial welcoming committee of 7 or 8 older gentlemen sitting on the wall checking out all who passed.
Our hotel was Il Giglio and it is located on via Salvoni--the main street in town. We found it right away and stopped the car right in front. The desk clerk (one of the owners) came right outside and helped us unload our luggage before graciously parking the car for us. The lobby of Il Giglio is lovely--dark wood, fireplace, window overlooking the town. We were told we were in room 1 and directed up the stairs. The room exceeded all our expectations!! There were french-style doors opening on to a private terrace with a commanding view over the town and the countryside. It couldn't have been more magical. The room itself was also very special--not very big, but it had a stone wall and a very comfortable bed. The bathroom had limestone floor and trim. We especially loved their toiletries, too. The terrace was quite large and had a terra cotta floor. There were very healthy potted plants and a table with two chairs. I could have stayed there for a week!! The room cost just 90 euros per night.
We went out for a walk and really fell in love with Montalcino. We ended up at the Fortezza and sampled some Brunellos before having dinner at Trattoria Sciame. We had read some very favorable reviews of this restaurant and were somewhat disappointed. The owner couldn't have been more welcoming, but the food wasn't particularly special. I would give it a 5 or 6 on a 1-10 scale.
The next morning we had breakfast in the dining room (coffee, croissant, juice for 8 euros)before driving to Orvieto for a visit.
In Orvieto we were fortunate to find an excellent parking space at no charge along the main street. We knew we wanted to see the Duomo, but otherwise didn't have any particular destinations in mind. Orvieto has a marvelous Doumo that snuck up on us. We turned a corner and didn't know how close we were. I think the outside of this Duomo is even more spectacular than Siena's because the mosaics are more detailed. We also enjoyed how they had used different colored stones to make patterns in the sidewalks around the Duomo. Unfortunately they had just closed the Duomo for lunch when we arrived so we did a bit of browsing in shops and then had lunch at Mauricizio's. It was very hot and sunny in Orvieto so Mauricizio's offered a cool respite. We enjoyed our food and the quiet, cool atmosphere.
When we finished lunch the Duomo still wasn't opened so we decided to head back to Montalcino. One of the places we most wanted to visit on this trip was Sant Antimo Abbey and was just a slight detour on the road to Montalcino.
Sant Antimo did not disappoint. It would have been a special blessing to hear the monks, but otherwise it couldn't have been more special. The Abbey is in a valley surrounded by lush hills (at least in May!!). It has mystical feel and even thought there were a fair number of visitors all were respectful of the sanctity of the buildings and grounds. We strongly recommend visiting here if you are anywhere in the area.
When we arrived back in Montalcino the hotel clerk again took care of our car and we took a very short rest before we heard a drum playing outside. We had seen posters announcing the celebration of Montalcino's 450th birthday so the drumbeats alerted us that the parade was about to begin. We were enchanted to see representatives of the Siena and Montalcino contrada all wearing period costumes and carrying their colorful flags. All of the townspeople were gathered in front of City Hall for some speeches before the parade began. It felt like the quintessential Tuscan celebration and we were blessed to happen upon it. It was a special treat because it all happened on my birthday.
We had dinner that night at the hotel (Il Giglio) and it was wonderful. The food was at least 8 out of 10 and the atmosphere couldn't have been more pleasant. The tables are not right on top of one another and the service was very responsive.
The next morning we ordered our breakfast via room service so we ate on our terrace. It was warm and sunny and the songbirds were flying in swooping circles over the town. Unfortunately we had to leave fairly early because we had to get our rental car back to the Florence Airport or we would be charged for another day. We were VERY sad to leave Il Giglio.
We had no problems getting back to Florence and purchased gas before returning the car. We were very glad to have rented a car rather than trying to use buses to get around Tuscany.
I'm going to stop here and will do another installment in the next few days. The quick summary is that we went into Florence and stayed for four days. On one of those days we went to Rome for the day. It's just 90 minutes on the train so it seemed a shame to not visit since we didn't know if we would ever have the chance to visit Rome. I want to encourage people who think that it wouldn't be worth it to spend just one day in Rome. T said that our day in Rome was probably the best Tuesday he had ever had!!
Jun 2nd, 2005, 05:34 AM
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thanks so much for your report-we were in Montelcino in April, and it was the coldest day of our trip-actually rain turned to hailstones as we walked from car park up to the Fortress. So, we did not stay long and savor the ambience. We did wine tasting and buying at the Fortezza and walked thru the town to have cappuccino at one of the shops, but we were so cold we left too soon. We will return in the future and will definitely try to stay at Il Giglio. What was the date of your birthday parade?
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