The pool was a bit cold but it was great perched on the hilltop. Later in the afternoon, Lenny thought we’d take a ride locally. Volterra was the decided destination. Danny, our resident sparrow and Chris, remained behind, wanting to revel in “niente da fare”.
We took the road less traveled from the villa, and this took us to directly to Volterra.
The Fodor’s description was not very pretty, but we were pleasantly surprised. The tree-lined avenue entrance to the town was park-like with a promenade overlooking the mountain side. The series of gullied hills and valleys to the west that were formed by irregular erosion, is called Le Balze. The walls, gates and fortress of this little hill town are a mighty sight to behold.
The town is known for its alabaster which has been mined since Etruscan times. It can be found all over town in the form of ornaments and souvenirs. There are a few small museums with some unique collections of Etruscan artifacts. However, since it was late in the day, we just enjoyed ambling through the narrow alleys and streets. We did stop at a palace/town hall of sorts. The frescoes were still visible and it’s still used today.
Most of the shops were warm and welcoming with merchandise beautifully displayed. I was surprised to see so many “tourists” enjoying their strolls. For such a little town, tourism was a draw. We found a great place for coffee that seemed to be carved right out of the mountain! Then, it began to rain. We hurried back to where we started, and decided to have an ice cream – DEEElicious!!
Dinner tonight was arranged for in San Gimignano. The restaurant – Mangiatoia – turned out to be a jewel of a find. Our host spoke some English and we drank his homemade wine. It was fabulous. Entrees included, boar (chingalia), cod, baby lamb chops, osso buoco and of course pasta of all types, pici not withstanding!
Cobbled streets, rising moon, scent of blossoming flowers…what can be better than this?
1 comment:
molto romantico!!! Cosmo, La Luna!!
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