John & Laurel’s website

We arrived in Florence yesterday early afternoon after a train ride with so many hilltop villas, rolling green hills and in the distance snow covered peaks.  We talked nearly non-stop with a young man, David (named after Michelangelo’s David), from Venezuela.  Sounds like we must go !  The three of us were surprised by the time change (one hour later) and found out just in time to catch our train !  We were thinking to walk and were grateful for a taxi that happened to appear just when we needed him (the only taxi ride in Rome) and drove at top speed to get us there.  Our platform was very near the station entrance.  The ride was so comfortable and roomy.  We shared food with our Venezualean companion.  He hadn’t had time for breakfast and was hungry.

Our Florence B&B is a short walk from the train station and it is so centrally located we can stop in and get whatever we need so we don’t have to plan our day pack contents.  From our unique, flip-down window we have stunning views of the Duomo and tower and all the street activity.  Things quiet down at night and we slept well.  Our room is spacious, especially compared with ours in Rome – that was approx 12×10. 

We love all the giant doors with grand designs.

Yesterday we visited Michelangelo’s David and walked around Florence for several hours with a break for gelato, ofcourse !  I don’t know how the Italian women wear their high heels all day, especially on the cobblestone streets, but they do.  With all the shoe and bag displays in the windows a person would need to have a well-paying job to support the habit.  The shoes would require the fancy, patterned hose and the fashion needs continue.  Today I will get some photos of those display windows since any description cannot do them justice.

We will climb the stairs inside the Duomo this morning, enjoy the view and take more pix.  Helpful hint for anyone who travels to Italy: have two pair walking shoes so you can trade off.  Our feet are happy.

What a marvel these mammouth structures are!  A glorious day in Rome, totally sunny. We head for Florence tomorrow.  Waiting for more time to get better journaling.  May not happen until Tuscany villa.

We are presently downloading photos (John has just installed Picassa on a pc at an internet caffe in Florence) so they will be included soon.

Today we did the Vatican and it was so impressive, we were and still are awed by it all.

It has been torrential rain since we arrived and today the sun appeared when we were touring the Sistine Chapel.

Our feet and hips are beat after the climb up the dome in the Sistine Chapel, but oh so worth it because of the view and just being there, WOW.

In fact, we took so many pictures that the battery ran out.  We will post some once the batteries re-charge.  Weàre headed off to bed and will update more in the morning, time permitting.

Villa Maddalena is located on the main street of the ancient village of Montisi, with a large private garden on the south side that extends to the edge of the old city wall. It offers unrestricted views of the beautiful Tuscan countryside. The oldest part of the house lies along the main street of the village and was built prior to the 15th century. In the 1700’s an olive mill was built on the south or garden side. This mill operated well into the 1900s. The mill stone can be seen on the terrace in the herb and vegetable garden. The restoration, completed in spring 2004, was undertaken to preserve and enhance the history and character of the house. At the same time, care was taken to provide all the modern conveniences to make a vacation stay comfortable for families and groups. The house is 4,400 square feet on two floors, and can comfortably accommodate up to 18 adults. See link to the right.

The Romance of a Tuscan Hilltown

Montisi is a fortified medieval hill town in an area where settlements date from Etruscan (400 BC) times. It overlooks a valley filled with olive groves, vineyards and woodlands. The view to the south includes the village of Castelmuzio, 9th century Pieve di Santo Stefano and, in the distance, Mount Amiata. The village is home to 6 tiny churches, a full-service restaurant with grape-shaded dining terrace, a noted slow-food restaurant serving authentic ancient recipes, a prima piatti café with outdoor dining, a cinema showing both European and American films, an outdoor summer club and a classic village barino, (café/bar) – all within minutes’ walk. Montisi also has 2 alimentari, or village grocery stores and a bakery. The traveling mercato or market, together with specialty vendors visits the village each week. Within 2 miles the neighboring villages of Trequanda and Castelmuzio have additional restaurants and shops. Within a ten mile drive through the Tuscan countryside are Montepulciano and Montalcino, noted for their Vino Nobile and Brunello wines. Pienza, a jewel-like Renaissance village is just 5 miles away. Along the way is the beautiful Santa Anna monastery, where “The English Patient” was filmed.

Visiting Montisi

It is very likely that before the Romans came to the hills known as the Monti of Trequanda, their earliest inhabitants were the Etruscans, who settled between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the valleys of the Amo and the Tiber around the 8th century B.C. It has been deemed that Montisi gets its name from a temple dedicated to the goddess Isis, venerated by the Etruscans, that used to stand a couple of kilometers from the village. The earliest reliable documents date back to the 12th century, when Montisi was a castle belonging to the Counts of the Scialenga, originally from Asciano.

Yikes, time is flying and Laurel & I are getting ready to go to Italy. It will be our first trip to Europe together.