Tuscany

The thought of Tuscany always conjured up images of vineyards, rolling hills, cyprus trees, golden light at dusk.

I have wanted to see Tuscany for a long time.  The closest I got was February 2012 when we took our daughters to Florence for their winter break.  It was too cold.  The locals said nothing was open, don’t bother.  Next time.

  
When my mom suggested that we head to Rome in early May this year to “pick-up” my daughter from her semester abroad… Tuscany bound!

We spent one night in Rome.  Drinks at the Excelsior, dinner at Etabli.

Siena bound the next day.

We took the train from Rome, changing in Chiusi on the way.

Three hours later, we were at our hotel in the hills outside of Siena.  It’s a long story, but my hotel pick was not the greatest.  Even after copious research for the perfect hillside Tuscany retreat.

   
So, we decamped into the city of Siena early the next morning after one night in the hills.  We had no reservation, nothing.  Just showed up on the doorway of a (gracious) hotel and got lucky!

Touring Siena, a day in wine country and visiting some medieval hillside towns was on our agenda.

  
We went to Moltalcino on the way to the gorgeous Santa Giulia winery.  Brunello wine country!

The Santa Giulia winery fed us a delicious Tuscan lunch with many flights of wine… pretty much the perfect day.

The hill towns of San Gimignano, Radda, Greve and Panzano are driving distance from Siena.  Worth a visit.

It was an incredible four days in Tuscany.  We packed in as much as we could.  So beautiful.

  
Time to go back to Rome.

Somehow, the train ticket I bought to Rome turned out to be a bus ticket that dumped us in a town just outside the city.  Rut row!  Another little hiccup in our trip that we somehow seamlessly weathered.

Our last night was spent at the beautiful Gran Melia hotel in Rome.

Last dinner at Roma Sparita in Trastevere.

  
Cacio e pepe pasta in a parmesan bowl.  The perfect Italian send off!

Tuscany was everything I imagined.  I will be back!

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