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There was a direct bus to Florence. We took our own bags today because other than the included hotel, the trip was over.
Sherpa booked us into the Hotel Adam, well-situated and extremely busy. Florence is one of those places that I would hesitate visiting in season without a reservation.
This was our third trip to Florence, but there is always something new to see and re-do.
We wandered around the Piazza del Duomo, Piazza Della Signoria, window-shopped on the Ponte Vecchio eyeballing all the jewelry shops. Almost every single shop on the Ponte Vecchio was displaying an American Flag which started both of us crying again.
A walk through the Boboli Gardens next to the Pitti Palace, and some Gelato helped, until we actually PAID for the Gelato.
Tip #3 - NEVER order Gelato (ice cream), or anything, without asking or looking for a price list on the wall. Learn from our unthinking experience - the Gelato turned out to be about $7 US per ice cream cone when every other Gelateria was 1/2 the price. Outrageous, because we stupidly didn't ask the cost.
Continue reading "Panzano-in-Chianti to Florence" »
On Day 10, we chose the Radda to Panzano route via Volpaia. There were four other ways to go but one was inadvisable because of HUNTING SEASON. (I'd hate to be mistaken for "Little Bunny Foo Foo.")
leaving Radda
The trail was waymarked with red/white and yellow/blue signs. Route-finding should be fairly straight-forward today. Through vineyards, and roads in the direction of Volpaia. Volpaia is a beautifully restored village with narrow lanes, leading from one square to another.
Notes from today: "....cross the square and go up the right of the Castello wine shop opposite. Go straight on out of the village. After 10 minutes or so you pass the last of the olive groves on the right." Explicit, yes?
We passed picnic areas, and descended to the main square of Panzano. Tonight's stop was La Piazzetta Bed & Breakfast.
Notice the flags?
Panzano sits on the ridge surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. The village has Roman origins but only a stretch of paved road remains among fields and gardens.
Continue reading "Volpaia to Panzano - Chianti Country" »
On Day 8, a taxi ride to the beginning of the walk (cost included). This was one of my favorite walking days because we were in the Chianti Classico region, and it was grape picking season. (Move over, Lucy, and we'll help stomp those grapes!)
There was vineyard after vineyard (some fenced off), and one workman insisted on giving us grapes to eat when we stopped to watch them. There were also cypress tress, pines, olive groves, and many fields to walk through.
Directions to Signora Baldini, in Radda (our stop for two nights) went something like this: "...proceed 200 metres past the Agip station, fork right, then left over the bridge and follow the main road into town. There is no sidewalk/pavement. You reach the old hilltop town centre at the Valdarno gate. Walk through the gate and straight through the town and out the other gate. Straight ahead onto the main road downhill. On the right, a block of houses with a stretch of red pavement in front. Mrs. Baldini's house is the second one."
It was a real treat staying with Mrs. Baldini. Her house has rooms for guests in a small garden (downhill a bit from the main house) overlooking the valley and hills of Radda. She spoke no English, but we managed with a few words of Italian and lots of hand signals. Mrs. Baldini's daughter spoke fluent English. We had a very lovely room, and the next morning, Mrs. Baldini trotted downhill carrying Bruschetta, tomatoes, fruit, coffee and omelets. (I had trouble with the incline to her house in hiking boots without carrying a tray loaded with enough food for four persons!) We offered to come up to the main house for breakfast to lighten the load, but she wouldn't hear of it. What a wonderful lady. It is so much more fun meeting and staying with the people, than big hotels.
Dinner was included one night, and the other we ate at the charming Pizzeria Da Michele. Really good food! Restaurant eating is tricky throughout Italy because you never know what evening one may be closed. For example, one closes on a Tuesday, another on a Thursday, etc.
Continue reading "Radda-in-Chianti" »
Day 6 had two walk options and called for three maps to navigate, but both walks ended up on a road to take a public bus into Siena. (Sherpa even tells you to carry bus tickets with you for the ride.)
Started off on way-marked tracks (waymarks means there is red paint - blazes - or route numbers on trees, etc.) through Ebbio, (trip notes: ".... keep on up past the grey marble sculpture of an angel and a butterfly. The dogs may be noisy."), Monte Morio on old mule paths, through thick forests that cover the Siena Hills, Fungaia (Sherpa said to look out for vipers here), finishing in S. Columba where we caught the bus to Siena. A red-letter day for us...didn't get lost!
The bus station was an easy walk to the Hotel Minerva, our hotel for two nights.
The next day was reserved for sight-seeing around Siena. The motto inscribed above the Camollia Gate translates to, "Siena opens its heart even wider to you." The City is set on three steep hills, and extensive walls surround it.
The black and white striped Cathedral can be seen for miles around.
Duomo
Cathedral construction was begun in the 12th century, but not completed until the 14th century, interrupted by small things like the Plague, quarrels about the design, etc. The Campanile (belltower) is the most striking part - horizontal light and dark marble which makes those unusual stripes.
Continue reading "Visiting Siena" »
Day 3 started with a taxi transfer (included in the cost) and a choice of two walks to San Gimignano
We chose the Pignano variation, through the village of San Donato. The restaurant in San Donato lets you taste wines and, of course, sells them. The Fattoria San Donato (Fattoria means "farm") also sells wine, oil and honey. Already, the walk sounded promising. Headed towards another Fattoria di Castelvecchio, over riverbeds, up tracks to Castelvecchio. They are starting to excavate Castelvecchio, a long abandoned medieval village. From there, we walked via San Donato to San Gimignano.
Part of our written directions after San Donato: "....watch out here if a lady in curlers jumps out of the farm and asks you round to the barn next door for degustation...she will try to sell you some of her old 1993 stock of Chianti which she says is very mature and has a warming bouquet. In other words, it has gone off (turned) and probably tastes more like sherry than Chianti."
The first sight of San Gimignano is amazing. Perched on a hill with 14 grey stone towers, it looks exactly like the movie (Tea With Mussolini) that inspired my visit. Etruscan in origin, and was one of the most important trading centers in Central Tuscany. In 949, San Gimignano was incorporated as a city and the first set of city walls were built in 998. A second ring of walls was built in 1199. Quarters were always tight within the walls, and homes were built above their shops. It is a mixture of styles: Sienese Gothic, striped Pisan Romanesque and Florentine early Renaissance. (Not that I could tell you the differences between these!)
Continue reading "Moving On Toward San Gimignano" »
Another public bus from Lucca to Volterra (our two-night stay), which is where our Inn-to-Inn would start.
Volterra was a Stone Age settlement, enclosed within Etruscan and Medieval walls. It stands on a hill, and its two main industries are working of alabaster, and saltpans where table salt and soda are produced. All towns we visited were quite small, and easy to get around.
Day 1 was considered an arrival day. The bus stopped outside the arched gateway to the town and the Hotel San Lino was only a few minutes walk from there. View image Dinner was included the first night, and Sherpa recommended five different restaurants to choose from for the second night.
Day 2 - There were two options for the walk today: round trip from Bivio di Pignana and back to Volterra; and an easy walk from Volterra to Saline di Volterra with a return to Volterra by bus.
We picked the first option, an 18 km walk (goal-oriented is my middle name). Started off toward Pignano, a very small village (or hamlet) with 12th century walls. There were wonderful views of the countryside from it. Walked to Monte Voltraio for a little diversion, up past lovely old oaks. Sherpa's detailed instructions usually read something like this: "...Go left here, as the path winds past and between fallen trees. Once on the summit ridge, go left (south) for a grassy lookout point, much messed by sheep droppings." Don't say you weren't warned!
Wound through other footpaths and trails, olive fields, returning to Volterra.
Continue reading "Volterra Rambling" »
We took a public bus directly to Lucca from Florence, walked to the Information Office and asked them to help find a hotel for three nights. They found a beautiful hotel (that would ordinarily be too expensive for us) at a low rate because of all the 9/11 cancellations. The hotel, Palazzo Alexander is in the center of Lucca's historic district, inside the old walls. The hotel dates from the 12th century and the decor reflects Lucchese style with antique wood floors, marble. An elegant room, and sumptuous breakfast was included.
Thick, 16th century walls surround Lucca for a distance of (approximately) 3 km, and you can walk or bike along the top of the entire perimeter! The walls are tree-lined on the top, very wide and have great views of the old city.
trees on top of wall
The other main point of interest is the Roman Amphitheatre (Piazza dell 'Anfiteatro), built in the 1st century A.D. It was destroyed during the Barbarian invasions, and a good part of the material was used in building homes and churches bordering the Piazza.
Lucca map
Continue reading "Discovering Lucca and Viareggio" »
Treasures of Tuscany is either booked as a seven or 11-day tour with options to build in extra days or rest days. Before departure, Sherpa sends an exceptionally detailed route book with:
- Arrival and departure possibilities
- Comprehensive local train/bus schedules with approximate costs, where and how to purchase and validate tickets, etc.
- Enormous package of maps, one ( sometimes several) for each day, routes highlighted, (along with deviations if that is your preference)
- Recommended restaurants in each town
- Sights to see - museums, markets, etc.
- Hotel information for your stay with inclusions at each place (always breakfast, some dinners)
- Local contact information
Their trips also include luggage transport between hotels. All you carry is your daypack.
Continue reading "Walking (or Biking) Tuscany Details" »
When I think of Tuscany, fascinating old towns, wine growing regions and wonderful food come to mind. Recent movies have moved Tuscany to the forefront of travel wish lists by their depiction ...Tea With Mussolini...and Under the Tuscan Sun to name two. Tea With Mussolini incorporated stupendous views of San Gimignano and that was it...I had to see it for myself.
Sherpa Expeditions (based in the U.K.) had Treasures of Tuscany in their catalog - an Independent Inn-to-Inn Walking Tour. This would be self-guided, but they also have escorted walking/biking tours that visit the same areas. Request one of their brochures and see for yourself.
Continue reading "Walking Through Tuscany, Inn-to-Inn" »
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