Tuscany Trip Post
 

Posting my first trip ever - please be patient! My husband, Larry, Nad I traveled to Tuscany for 11 days for our 10th anniversary - many, amny thanks to all of you for your EXCELLENT advice!! <BR> <BR>Flew Lufthansa - what a great airline! They bumped us to business class and it was great! Even on economy class on the way home, the food was good, and the service was excellent. Flying over the Alps from Frankfurt to Florence, I kept imagining the music at the beginning of The Sound of Music - the Alps looked like seven-minute frosting. Crazy taxi drive form Peretola to Hotel Casci! We checked in on Good Friday (about 7pm)to a nice small room with a tiny bathroom,but it was immaculate. Took a walk by the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria & Arno and couldn't believe we were actually there! (we are HUGE Room with a View fans) <BR>Everything was much closer together than we had imagined. Chocolate gelato is to die for! Go to reply.

PLEASE forgive the typos - I know they're annoying! <BR>Saturday: <BR>Good breakfast at Casci <BR>9am reservations at the Uffizi - GET A RESERVATION - those without waited about 2 1/2 hours to get in and we walked right in (weekendafirenze.com) <BR>So many beautiful things to see - be sure to get the recorded tour and don't share - we just about killed each other! The Medici presence is very imposing everywhere - I wish I had read more about them before I left for Florence. Had lunch at CafeMingo/Bar Alighieri ( I think it's a chain - I saw a few), bought souvenirs in Piazza della Repubblica and saw beautiful chocolate creations in Gilli's windows - I wish we had eaten there. Siesta and then "simply drifted" & visited San Marco church, Piazza Santissima Annumziata, Via dei Servi, and had a fantastic meal at a small restaurant "Il Barrocio." The food was so fresh & deliciuos everywhere that since we've returned home, nothing really tastes very good - has anyone else found that to be true? <BR> <BR>

3rd Post <BR>After dinner we walked and shared another gelato and then went to the Easter vigil mass at the Duomo. It was beautiful, but FREEZING. It began at 11 and we left about 1:20. The only time we warmed up was when we knelt and our feet were off the floor. I was expecting the Duomo to be fancier inside. Ran all the way back to the hotel so we wouldn't have to wake anyone up to unlock - they close at 1:00. <BR>Easter Sunday <BR>Woke late & had breakfast with DELICIOUS Easter sweet bread with crumbly things on top. The trip alone was worth that bread! Saw the Scoppio del Carro fireworks after the 12:00 mass at the Duomo - about 20 minutes of fireworks - the cheering crowd was the best part! From the Piazza San Marco we took bus 7 to Fiesole. I jumped off too early - Larry followed me and then we had to walk about a mile uphill to the next bus stop to get back on - he was crabby! Yummy lunch at outdoor cafe and then walked around the Roman theatre & Etruscan site (GORGEOUS) & saw museum and then Romanesque church - an Easter day to remember! Waited for the bus around 5pm - surprise - no more busses! Shared a cab back with a nice German lady taking a two-week Italian language course. Rested a while - laundry in sink - & then a good meal (but indifferent service) at Trattoria da Guido near San Lorenzo.

Easter Monday <BR>Visited Battistero and then stopped in a tiny church San Giovanni Scolpi and then visited the Palazzo Medici Riccardi near our hotel. <BR>Picked up a cute Opel AStra 5-speed from Avis and drove out of town to Siena. I SHOULD HAVE practiced reading road signs instead of "How much? Where is the bathroom? Do you ship?" We didn't have trouble getting to Siena, just went in circles around it! Stayed at the Hotel Santa Caterina near the Porta Romana. It's a lovely place to stay, but we were disappointed in the long uphill walk to the Campo. We were too tired to walk anywhere else once we got there. I LOVED SIENA!!! Such a different feel than Florence - more of its own personality - less "Medici" - I would love to be there for the Palio. Visited the Battistero and the Duomo - there is no describing - you must see them! Climbed to top of the unfinished nave/rampart thing and cried. The view was gorgeous - it was the reason I saved and saved and researched this trip for so long! I could see the Tuscan countryside for miles around and thre was even a rainbow! Wonderful dinner at an enoteca "Gli Archi" and we shared a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino, had cheeses with walnuts and honey, cold meats, crostini, canelloni, and cantucci in Vin Santo - heaven! Walked back in a light rain to the hotel - I'll never forget that day!

Tuesday <BR>Visited Monte Olivet Maggiore abbey - it's gorgeous and so peaceful. We kind of got lost in the country, but stopped by an abandoned church and were chased by a big white dog protecting his sheep! Beautiful views and a great place to buy gifts for others at home. Stppoed birefly in Buonconvento and then went on to Montalcino. Climbed fortress - husband loved it - reminded hinm of Braveheart. Gorgeous views! Ate at La Torre in Siena - crabby, impatient owner/waiter with icky teeth and he served the best food you've ever put in your mouth! He was very friendly when I mentioned Fodor's and then told us a bit about his family - it was as if a family friend had sent us! Cheapest and most delicious meal we had in Italy - $42 with wine and dessert. - Place is also recommended by Frances Mayes. It's on the first street to the left of the tower on the campo.

Carin: <BR> <BR>Least you think you are doing all this work for nothing ....I am reading it and please keep going! I will be in Florence on June 8th for four days, so I am saving all this for my trip. <BR> <BR>Best Regards and thanks ... Ger

Wednesday <BR>Sorry this is getting so long, but I alwasy enjoys others' posts and writing aabout our day every night and re-reading it to post brings back so many memories! <BR>Visited San Domenico and saw St. Catherine's head - my patron saint. Best memory of our trip was today - we sat on the campo with dozens of others and had warm salami sandwiches in the sun. Siesta. Visited San Gimignano and Torture Museum - I think Larry wanted ideas for me! Not impressed by San Gim. Hotel made reservatiosn for us at Cane e Gatto Restaurant. 8pm - we left at 11:40 - eat there! You'll never forget it! It's the food lover's equivalent of a massage and day of pampering! The only thing I didn't like (in any restaurant) was the Chiana beef - it's kind of sweet and weird-tasting. <BR>Thursday - Visited Monteriggioni - a jewel of a town and worth the drive. Then we got lost and took almost 4 hours to get to Cortona! I did not like driving there at all. It makes San Francisco look flat as a pancake. Did some shopping and had a good dinner at the snooty Preludio next to our hotel -I can't believe I forgot the name of it, but it was great (Hotel San Marco?) and we had a view that was unbelievable - we could see Lake Trasimeno and we had a 180 degree view.

Cortona was lovely, but we didn't have much time there, so the drive seemed a waste. It didn't seem as if they get many tourists - we felt as if we were on display. We did dress conservatively everywhere - skirts and slacks - mostly black and dark colors, but felt as if we were in Mayberry and the talk of the town. People in the stores were friendly, but not so much on the street. <BR>Scary as hell drive to Assisi on Friday!! Lots of tunnels and the drive through Perugia is more "hurtling through space" than driving, but Assisi was worth it. Went to Sta. MAria degli Angeli first - a huge beautiful church that seems a bit ridiculous once you step inside St. Francis' church, the Porziuncula (sp?). My frined had described the feeling there, and I though she was just being kind of "holier-than-thou" sappy, but she was right. I've never been in such a holy place. All the beauty of the big church doesn't even compare to the peace you feel in the littel humble place of St. Francis own church. It has his peace is about all I can say. We walked through the back, too, to see the rose garden, his prayer room and the gift shop - they don't take VISA :( <BR> <BR>Afterward we went to the basilica and saw the most beautiful art we saw in Italy - the Giotto & Cimabue frescoes and the sadness of all the frescoes ruined in the '87 earthquake. We went down to the crypt where he is buried, but it's not peaceful - way too many tourists and people are just not respectful. It was noisy and too crowded. The views from the front of the upper church were lovely.

Almost done! <BR>Drove back to Florence on Saturday - driving in was a nightmare I don't care to repeat and I am a pretty nerveless driver in Los Angeles! <BR>Finally checked into the hotel Continental on the Ponte Vecchio - most American-style hotel we stayed in. It w3as small, but the bathroom was nice and glory, glory - fluffy towels! We had a corner room on the 4th floor so we could see the Arno, the bridge, and the shopping area. Visited Santa Croce and went to evening mass. Ate again at Il Barrocio and had gelato. Did some shopping. <BR> <BR>Sunday <BR>Our last day! :( <BR>9am at the Accademia to see David. It was beautiful, but not worth all the hype I've read on this forum. I wouldn't go again. My husband clibed the campanile for some pictures; we visited the San Marco monastery to see Fra Angelico's frescoes - very cool. <BR>Had an overpriced, but delicious lunch at the Rivoire on the Piazza della Signoria and a hot very chocolate chocolate! An accordionist came by our table, and I burst into tears - I felt so stupid, but it was the first traditional Italian music I heard in Italy, and I was sad and happy at the same time to hear it on our last day! All we'd heard so far was 70s and 80s American music. Took a cab to Piazzale Michelangelo for the view ($25 - hubby refused to take the 85cent bus!!) We had a quick delicious dinner at La Torre (?) and then heard a concert at a littel church Santa Maria Ricci - an organist and a violinist played the Four Seasons - a beautiful way to finish our trip! We left early Monday morning.

Last post! <BR> <BR>Best advice I received here: <BR>take washcloths & PACK LIGHT <BR>wear a money belt/bag <BR>take a lot of film and some balck and white film - it won't look dated later on <BR>try a lot of new foods - yum! <BR>eat a lot of gelato <BR>take bubble wrap <BR>take some old clothes to wear and leave them there - more space on return for goodies <BR>get lost in the country <BR>Use dry cleaner bags to pack - no wrinkling - honest! <BR> <BR>What I would do next time: <BR> <BR>NOT take all those dozens of precautions with bags of bandaids, Tums, travel iron, every kind of medicine I MIGHT need - they have stores there and it was a BIG waste of space! <BR>Take at least 1 fluffy towel - those linen ones are icky <BR>Buy what I want when I want it - sometimes we didn't get to "go back" and there never was a better price - I never bought what I really wanted &gt;:( <BR>Drive less & relax more <BR>Stay a lot longer in Siena & in the center <BR>Buy more leather & linens <BR>Take less pictures & buy more picture books - none of them came out very well - nothing compares to the real thing & professional photography <BR>Lose weight & walk more before the trip! <BR>Buy shoes <BR>Stay in one place longer <BR>Take that $50 carriage ride in Florence! <BR>Buy less gifts for everyone else (about 35people) and something nice for us - they didn't appreciate them & it took a lot of time & effort to pick them out and lug them home - not to mention $$$ <BR> <BR>Although I read a lot about places, I would have liked it even more if I had read more about the people (historical biographies) <BR> <BR>Okay, Okay, I'm done!!

Great post, Carin! I love all the details of your trip. We are doing Florence, Siena, Cortona and Spello ( near Assisi) in the fall and your thoughts and ideas will be helpful. Thanks for taking the time to post it.

Sorry - Assisi earthquake was in '97 and Cortona hotel was Hotel San Michele - very nice. Sorry for all the typos!!

You didn't seem to care much for San Gim. We're haven't yet decided between staying at San Gim or Siena for a trip we have planned in the fall. Any thoughts or recommendations?

Nice trip report, Carin! I also love all the details. You are excused for your typos. I noticed you were posting your report late (I believe you said you are from the L.A. area), and it's not easy to write just before bedtime w/o making a few errors No problem! <BR> <BR>What kind of linens did you wish you had purchased? Are sheets worth carting home? I would think they would be on the heavy side. Thanks <BR>

Elsa, I just bought some "made in Tuscany" 350 thread count sheets at Tuesday Morning for $179....luscious!! They are heavy and I can't imagine wanting to carry them home from Italy but I will just pretend I did.:-)

Judi, <BR> <BR>Where is Tuesday Morning located? Is that part of William Sonoma & Pottery Barn? When I was in Wm. Sonoma one time the saleslady mentioned something about a linen division of the company, but I had never heard of it. I can't remember if it is Tuesday Morning. Someone will probably start "yelling" at us for talking about U.S.linens on the forum. :-) <BR>

Carin: <BR> <BR>Great post! Thanks for sharing your Tuscany adventure. <BR> <BR>Recently spent a couple days in region. Also enjoyed a side trip to Monteriggioni --- little town set on a hill amidst Tuscan countryside. Not much going on there, just a quiet low-key pleasant place to stop & enjoy the ambience. <BR> <BR>Carol - <BR>If you're having to choose between Siena & San Gimigano, it's easy --- no question about it, opt for Siena. Both have their tourist traffic, but San Gimmy is literally choked with day trippers --- if you're a shopper, there were quite a few shops offering ceramics or leather goods. But nothing that you couldn't find elsewhere and with fewer of the tourbus crowd.

Carin, I really enjoyed your post! Trip reports like that are my favorite part of this forum! I am leaving for a similar trip in August and it was quite helpful. Happy belated anniversary!

Carin, <BR> <BR>Thank you, thank you, thank you. What a wonderful trip and what a great report. Wish we had more reports like this. Now I want to go back even more!

Thank you for all your nice comments! <BR> <BR>Carol - choose Siena!! You can drive to San Gim in 20 minutes, but there is much more to see and enjoy in Siena. The Hotel Santa Caterina is lovely, affordable, and the breakfast was good, but it's far from the center. We're not walkers and didn't like that about it. Try Gli Archi for dinner (casual) and do not miss Cane e Gatto (fancy) a 3 1/2 hour dinner, reservations are a must - about $140USD, but worth it for a special meal. Buy some of those Ricchiarelli cokies - they're yummy. <BR> <BR>As for linens, I really liked the pretty table linens they use everywhere - also gorgeous sheets and pillowcases and hankies for gifts. (Sheets are heavy) Be sure to measure your bed in centimeters before you leave. I wish I had bought more table linens. I did buy some pretty roll covers for myself and for gifts. Be sure to ask if they are made in Italy. Some of the cheaper quality things are made in China and you might as well buy them at home. Have fun!