ITALY
WITH FRIENDS
The tour has started with a bang and everyone is having a great time. We have already had some delicious Italian food and sampled several superb wines.
October 11, 2009
The tour met on the lovely terrace of Hotel La Residenza in Florence for a welcome drink of Italian Prosecco and orientation. We then walked along the beautiful medieval streets of Florence enjoying the sights, churches and palazzos that Florence is so famous for. Afterwards our welcome dinner at Il Latini was a gastronomical experience. We were served so many different courses and types of food that no one can remember them all. Everyone truly had a wonderful time.
October 12, 2009
Today we left Florence for the beautiful Tuscan countryside. Our first stop was the San Donato farm for a lunch and wine tasting. Our buffet lunch was so tasty with all of the foods homemade using many products from the farm itself. The white Vernaccia wine was so refreshing. Everyone loved the setting and all of the plants grown on this little hamlet near San Gimignano.
We then traveled to San Gimignano, one of the most beautiful villages in Tuscany. Our hotel is located in the middle of the historical old town. It was really an adventure driving the vans into town, especially when we had to drive through a very narrow arch with a very wide van. We succeeded however, without a single scratch or dent. There was time to just enjoy the village and all of the wonderful shops lining its medieval streets. One of the couples even went to the Torture Museum. A huge thunderstorm did blow in suddenly and all of the electricity did go out in town for a few minutes, which really added to the ancient appeal of the town.
Our dinner at La Terrazza restaurant was delicious as always. The seasonal porcini mushrooms and truffles are presented on many dishes. The wild boar was really a hit, especially with the rancher from Utah. All in all it was a wonderful day in this spectacular region of Italy.
October 13, 2009
Today we started early for an exciting adventure in a tiny hill town called Lari. We were so fortunate to have Arianna of "Arianna and Friends tours" guiding us through this hamlet and its castle. The views surrounding the location were just breathtaking. We then had so much fun learning how pasta was made during a tour of the Marcelli pasta factory in Lari. Our lunch was a slow food experience of wonderful local delicacies in the Osteria Violino Rosso.
We then went from this tiny, peaceful setting to the excitement of Pisa. Everyone had a great time taking all the photos of themselves trying to hold up that tower. It was just so much fun and seeing the leaning tower is always enjoyable.
The weather has really been great so far. It is getting cooler, but we still have lots of sunshine. Tomorrow we travel into Chianti and you can bet we will be wine tasting along the way. Ciao for now. Suzan
ITALY WITH FRIENDS FALL 2009 ULTIMATE
TUSCAN VILLAGE FOOD AND WINE LOVER'S EXPERIENCE
JOURNAL OF DISCOVERY
October 14, 2009
Today we headed into the Chianti area of Tuscany. This area is of course known for it full bodied red wines. We visited the lovely Castello de Verrazzano for a tour and lunch. The setting of the ancient castle and ageing cellars is just beautiful. Our lunch was really a true Italian experience of enjoying delicious food and wine. We were served about 7 courses, each accompanied by a new Verrazzano wine. By the time we departed everyone was very full and maybe a little tipsy.
Next we traveled to Siena for our overnight. Siena is a lovely hilltown and is famous for the horse race known as the Palio. We visited Il Campo one of the most beautiful squares in Italy before our free evening to rest and enjoy Siena.
October 15, 2009
Today we started early with a tour of Siena's richly ornate Duomo. The inside is just as fabulous as the outside. The Piccolomini Library has ancient frescos that are as spectacular as the day they were painted over 500 years ago. We then went into the Duomo museum where everyone climbed the tiny staircase to the top. It was definitely worth the effort with the breathtaking views we had over Siena and the surrounding countryside. Siena is an ancient medieval city with many narrow lanes, some very steep.
We left Siena for Chianti for our overnight. Our hotel is located in the small town of Castellina in Chianti. It is a beautiful old palazzo that is now a lovely hotel. For dinner we all enjoyed a delicious pizza. Everyone ordered a whole pizza, but only a few were able to finish them.
October 16, 2009
Today was an exciting day at Badia a' Coltibuono and our cooking class. It was absolutely a wonderful experience and the meal that we all enjoyed was just delicious. It was accompanied by the estate wines. Guido Stucchi Prinetti, the chef, was marvelous and made everyone so welcome. It was very hard to leave after spending the day in such a magical place. We made a quick stop in Vertine, another tiny hamlet on our way back to Castellina. It was truly a marvelous day!
Sorry, that I have not kept the journal up to date. Sadly, my laptop crashed, so this is the first chance that I have had access to a computer.
October 17, 2009
Today was a free day for everyone to just relax or enjoy Castellina. Several went to the Etruscan museum and tombs. There was also plenty of time for shopping. It turned very cool, so one store may a haul selling gloves to everyone, including me.
October 18, 2009
Today we had a very interesting tour of Castello Brolio. This castle is owned by the Ricasoli family and is just spectacular. The views from the terrace are breathtaking. We could see all the way to Siena. We were then given a tour of the Brolio winery and had a wine tasting. We then made a stop in tiny San Gusme before continuing on to Cortona. We spent some time shopping and enjoying the chocolate from Cocoa, one of my favorite shops. It was interesting to hear the different opinions on Cortona. Some seem to love it and others find it a bit touristy.
Our overnight destination of San Quirico, did not disappoint. Everyone held their breath as I drove through the ancient gate (arch) into town in our very wide van. I literally had about 1 inch on either side and did not put a scratch on the van. I think I will not do that again. The hotel was just lovely. Many of the rooms had canopy beds. The Palazzo del Capitano is truly a very special hotel.
Our dinner was at the hotel's restaurant. Every course was so delicious and we topped it off with a special birthday cake for Jan-Michael and Christine, who were fortunate enough to celebrate their birthdays on the tour.
October 19, 2009
Most of today was spent enjoying the beautiful Val D' Orcia area of Tuscany. The views are never-ending here. We stopped in lovely little Pienza and just enjoyed walking around this picturesque village. Next stop was Bagno Vignoni, another tiny village that is known for it unusual square that is filled with water to form a pool. The Medici family harnessed the natural springs in the area to do this in the 14th century.
After some time back in San Quirico we headed to Montalcino, home of the famous Brunello wine. We all stopped into one of the oldest cafes in town to have hot chocolate since it turned very cold. I know the town and area is not known for its hot chocolate, but it sure tasted good. We also stopped at the monastery of St. Antimo. This isolated abbey was part of a string of Benedictine abbeys throughout Italy. The setting is just beautiful and the light was perfect for pictures. You will have to wait until I get home to see those on the website.
We then made our way to the Castello Banfi for our dinner. Everyone visited the glass museum first and found plenty to enjoy at the enoteca. Our dinner was truly memorable. We had over 6 courses and each one was presented beautifully. I do believe that everyone felt this was one of our best meals, which is saying a lot. We also had a new wine with each course. All in all this was one of our best days even with the cold and our ride back to San Quirico in the dark.
October 20, 2009
We left the Tuscan countryside today and headed back to Florence. On the way back we stopped at the American Military Cemetery that is located just outside Florence. Most people do not even realize this exists, which is very sad. We were so fortunate to have the superintendent available to speak to us about the site. It was so interesting and moving, and we all felt that we had been blessed to have the experience.
Our next stop was Piazzalle Michelangelo which overlooks Florence. The panoramic view of the city is just spectacular. We did get a great group photo that I will have to post later. We then made our way back to hotel La Residenza. We had time to visit inside the Duomo and the Duomo Museum. Our dinner was out of the main tourist track in the area around San Ambrogio. La Campane is one of my favorite places to eat pizza. They make the Margarita pizza Napoli style with fresh Buffalo mozzarella and cherry tomatoes. It was delicious as always and everyone enjoyed their meals. We did have a bit of a walk back to the hotel, but it was worth it and welcome after all of the food we had eaten on the trip.
October 21, 2009
Today we woke to a rainy day in Florence. We really could not complain however, since most of the weather had been great. It did not deter us from our excursion to the Mercato Centrale. This market has been the main shopping mecca for meat, cheese, and vegetables in Florence for centuries. Today it is also known for the huge variety of local products from olive oil to pasta. Several hours and Euros were spent by our small group today. Right next to the Central Market is the San Lorenzo market selling leather goods, scarfs and much more. It is a great place to find those last minute gifts.
The rest of the day was spent enjoying Florence. Several folks visited the Santa Maria Novella church, Santa Croce Church with the tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo, and the Uffizi Gallery. Florence is truly a remarkable city and one will never see all of its treasures on one visit.
Our farewell dinner at La Martinicca was delicious as well. I am always amazed how everyone is so happy to eat Italian food for every meal. I just could not stand it if someone decided to go to McDonalds instead of enjoying that plate of pasta. We certainly took full advantage of all the delicious choices available on the menu tonight. It was an exceptional meal, but made even more special since it was shared by a new group of friends. Everyone agreed that the trip was one for their record books which certainly made me very pleased. I will be posting new testimonials soon.
Tomorrow everyone will be headed home or to other spots in Italy. One couple is staying another week to enjoy the Italian Riviera and another is off to Venice for a few days. I know that I have been blessed to guide such a wonderful group of travelers. It will be hard to top this group. Do check back from time to time and I will be posting more photos of this remarkable group on our remarkable adventure.
Ciao, Suzan
