Thursday, June 15, 2006
Journal of Italy - Tuscany (Chianti Country)
Chianti Country - May 30, 2006
Found a lovely little tour (only 8 people on a minibus) to Chianti Country, not too far outside Firenze. It was a beautiful day, and the company was friendly: Two English women (mother and daughter)from London; two American girls from Tampa, Florida; two American women from upstate New York; and a young married couple from Galway, Ireland. Our guide was beautifully knowledgeable in Florence's history and regaled us with stories about the warring wine barons, living on their separate hills in their separate castles--just as they (the descendants) do today.
Tuscany is unbelievably beautiful, serene, and quiet. One thinks one could easily live there. Except Americans might need to be tranquillized first. I was raised a city girl. But no more. But now I see that I like a happy medium. No big cities. (I can forego Rome and Florence.) But for everyday living, Cinque Terre and Tuscany may be just a little too rural. But gorgeous, gorgeous!
We stopped in the lovely, small town of Greve where there was an Italian car rally of some kind. Every luxury car you can think of (Italian) was represented. We all drooled.
And in another little town, en route, we made a pit stop. Like every Italian town, there's a plaza, and a sidewalk cafe. This tiny town just combined the two.
Our guide took us to an ancient chapel that is not on the tourist path. Some of the artwork (and all their churches, large and small, have delicious medieval and renaissance artwork) was medieval, some more recent. But charming. And just like the huge Basilica of Sant' Paulo in Rome, this little church had its central garden and resident cat.
This was just an exterior poster for an upcoming event. I was charmed.
We proceeded to a local winery where we had the pleasure of a tasting, and were also served a little antipasto (cheese, bread and olives from the region). A young woman took us on a tour of the (surprisingly modern machinery) winery that had stood there for many centuries.
The woman above almost obscured by my thumb was our delightful tour guide, Marina.
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Found a lovely little tour (only 8 people on a minibus) to Chianti Country, not too far outside Firenze. It was a beautiful day, and the company was friendly: Two English women (mother and daughter)from London; two American girls from Tampa, Florida; two American women from upstate New York; and a young married couple from Galway, Ireland. Our guide was beautifully knowledgeable in Florence's history and regaled us with stories about the warring wine barons, living on their separate hills in their separate castles--just as they (the descendants) do today.
Tuscany is unbelievably beautiful, serene, and quiet. One thinks one could easily live there. Except Americans might need to be tranquillized first. I was raised a city girl. But no more. But now I see that I like a happy medium. No big cities. (I can forego Rome and Florence.) But for everyday living, Cinque Terre and Tuscany may be just a little too rural. But gorgeous, gorgeous!
We stopped in the lovely, small town of Greve where there was an Italian car rally of some kind. Every luxury car you can think of (Italian) was represented. We all drooled.
And in another little town, en route, we made a pit stop. Like every Italian town, there's a plaza, and a sidewalk cafe. This tiny town just combined the two.
Our guide took us to an ancient chapel that is not on the tourist path. Some of the artwork (and all their churches, large and small, have delicious medieval and renaissance artwork) was medieval, some more recent. But charming. And just like the huge Basilica of Sant' Paulo in Rome, this little church had its central garden and resident cat.
This was just an exterior poster for an upcoming event. I was charmed.
We proceeded to a local winery where we had the pleasure of a tasting, and were also served a little antipasto (cheese, bread and olives from the region). A young woman took us on a tour of the (surprisingly modern machinery) winery that had stood there for many centuries.
The woman above almost obscured by my thumb was our delightful tour guide, Marina.
##
