Just a crazy couple with a plan
June 24, 2019
We said "arrivederci" to our fabulous tour guide and new friends in the morning and headed out on our solo travel adventures. While having spent 9 days touring around Italy helped us to be much more comfortable with the idea of navigating without a guide...we were not without some apprehensions about it. How do the tolls on the Autostrada work? What about our friends cautioning us that there were speed cameras and that you might just get a ticket in the mail up to a year later saying you were speeding and your fabulous vacation was now just a little more costly? What about the fact that we really didn't speak the language (even though Nancy studied Italian on the Duolingo app for a WHOLE YEAR before our trip, she proved to be too self conscious to attempt to speak more than just Buongiorno, grazie and per favore!) But we were determined and we had each other at least.
We headed out on foot to find the car rental agency. The walk proved to be a little further with our bags than we had thought. The whole process went quite smoothly. When we asked the rental agent if we should walk the car and see if there was any prior damage his reply became a now common saying for us "It doesn't matter...you have all the insurance!". We drove off in the car headed toward Siena
We said "arrivederci" to our fabulous tour guide and new friends in the morning and headed out on our solo travel adventures. While having spent 9 days touring around Italy helped us to be much more comfortable with the idea of navigating without a guide...we were not without some apprehensions about it. How do the tolls on the Autostrada work? What about our friends cautioning us that there were speed cameras and that you might just get a ticket in the mail up to a year later saying you were speeding and your fabulous vacation was now just a little more costly? What about the fact that we really didn't speak the language (even though Nancy studied Italian on the Duolingo app for a WHOLE YEAR before our trip, she proved to be too self conscious to attempt to speak more than just Buongiorno, grazie and per favore!) But we were determined and we had each other at least.
We headed out on foot to find the car rental agency. The walk proved to be a little further with our bags than we had thought. The whole process went quite smoothly. When we asked the rental agent if we should walk the car and see if there was any prior damage his reply became a now common saying for us "It doesn't matter...you have all the insurance!". We drove off in the car headed toward Siena
Look at the ride we scored at Hertz... |
Oops...sorry! Wrong picture!
Nancy insisted on a tiny car and it pretty much needed to be a Fiat. What was the point of traveling around like an fish out of water American in a big car in a country where people just don't really drive big cars? In fact, you could count on one hand the number of personal SUVs we saw on the roads. We thought this little guy would do just fine.
Then we went to plug in the power for the GPS we borrowed from a friend and it was dead. Not just dead like needed charging dead. It was dead like there was no hope of life dead. Thank goodness for Mick's international cell phone plan he has for work. It was a life saver and the only way we could have figured out where to go!
A day in Siena
Did we mention that someone meticulously made a detailed, day-by-day itinerary for all 14 days of our trip with pictures in a power point presentation? That might have been Nancy. Well...it exists. That didn't seem so important during the tour because we knew we would be directed on where to go and what time to be there. But now we were rogue travelers. We had to have a plan (complete with map with approximate driving times and sites to visit).
The She-wolf is a common site in Siena. The founders of Siena were the nephews of Remus and Romulus who according to legend were suckled by a the she-wolf. Eventually they would go on to found Rome. When the nephews fled Rome, they took a bronze statue of the twins with the she-wolf and it became a sort of mascot for Siena.
We were just a little over a week too early to catch the Palio horse race that happens on July 2 every year around the Piazza del Campo. They were setting up for the race though. There were wooden bleachers set up in front of all the stores around the square and there were large cushions being affixed to the corners of buildings along the race route in case of a stray horse. There are many sections of the town and each is represented by an animal and a colorful flag. Each section has a horse entered in the race and the competition is intense. The center of the Piazza del Campo is jammed with people cheering on their "contrade" or section. It has to be quite a spectacle!
The Sienna Cathedral (Duomo) is quite large and very ornate but as it stands it is not nearly as big as it was intended to be. A very large portion of it is completely unfinished!
Let's Eat!
Ok, so we strayed from the itinerary with our lunch choice but it was definitely worth it. This little sandwich shop was delicious. It must be pretty special because there are signs all over that say "no foto". Maybe they have a secret?
Now to find our Home away from Home in San Savino
After a fairly productive first day of solo touristing we decided to head on to our accommodations in San Savino. Now this place is special and we knew that even before we arrived. Through the magic of Facebook Nancy had "reconnected" with many people over the years including many that she went to school with back in Illinois. Well, one of her former schoolmate Facebook friends had posted about this beautiful home for rent in Italy a few years back. We drooled over the pictures and hoped that maybe someday we could make that anniversary trip to Italy. You this friend's brother owns the place. This brother who also went to the same schools Nancy went to just at a slightly different time. This brother who bought a place in San Savino in Umbria and almost single handedly remodeled it from top to bottom. It was clear that we had made the right choice to stay in this tiny town just because of this place.
Three levels, spiral staircase, two balconies, a full kitchen and a patio outside, washer and dryer (a much needed amenity!), a rain shower...and much more! This place was immaculate and was situated in the small town of San Savino right on Lake Trasimeno. The beautiful sunset every night was so relaxing. We met our local neighbor Giulia who spoke no English but had a very cute dog. We always greeted her and gave the dog a pat on the head. By the end of our stay she was finally smiling at us!
Exploring Umbria
June 25, 2019
We were off to Assisi early to beat the crowds this morning. Our driver (Mick) was nervous about the toll situation on the Autostrada so we wound up taking alternate routes, not just this day but everyday we drove in Italy. Honestly, it may have taken us a little longer to get to our destinations but it was worth it in the end because we drove through some truly beautiful areas that we might have missed being on a highway! The plan for the day was to spend most of our time in Assisi and then head on to Spello. We still used our Rick Steves book and followed walking tours that were recommended.
We were off to Assisi early to beat the crowds this morning. Our driver (Mick) was nervous about the toll situation on the Autostrada so we wound up taking alternate routes, not just this day but everyday we drove in Italy. Honestly, it may have taken us a little longer to get to our destinations but it was worth it in the end because we drove through some truly beautiful areas that we might have missed being on a highway! The plan for the day was to spend most of our time in Assisi and then head on to Spello. We still used our Rick Steves book and followed walking tours that were recommended.
Assisi
Stop 3 on the walking tour is the Cathedral of San Rufino. It houses a baptismal font where both
St. Francis and St Clare were baptized. There are also two marble statues of St. Francis and St. Clare.
St. Francis and St Clare were baptized. There are also two marble statues of St. Francis and St. Clare.
The Basilica of St. Clare was the next stop. It had a beautiful round stained glass window.
We also saw various actual garments that St. Clare had worn in the late 1100s.
We also saw various actual garments that St. Clare had worn in the late 1100s.
It was just as interesting to see the tiny Church of Santo Stefano, as to see the bigger basilicas. It looked as though a wedding had been recently held here.
The final stop on the walking tour of Assisi was the Basilica of St. Francis. The story of St. Francis is told on the frescoed walls and in all of the artwork hanging throughout this church. He is the patron saint of Assisi and likely the patron Saint of the hospital that employs Nancy so she paid attention for this one!
Interesting sites around Assisi...
We didn't try the pot beer but it is curious... could someone have partaken of it when they made this directional sign? That is just a lot of information there!
Rocca Maggiore- an medieval fortress outside that looms over Assisi.
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Spello
Spello was next on our list of places to see. It was just a few miles from Assisi. Only days before we arrived (once again we were "a day late and a dollar short" as mom would say) was the Infiorate di Spello when the streets are literally filled with colorful flowers. Artwork on the streets completely comprised of flowers. Surely it is quite a site. But we were still in Florence on the last days of the festival either ogling over David or getting Stendhal Syndrome at the Pitti Palace.
So this is what we saw of the Infiorate...
So this is what we saw of the Infiorate...
The Chiesa di San Severino was the first thing we actually saw as we entered Spello.
Spello was very quiet but a feast for the eyes. Plants, flowers and special little gems to photograph. This old convertible Fiat fit in perfectly. It was impossible to resist taking a picture of the street sign Via Maddalena because of our daughter Madeline. So now both kids were represented on signs in Italy. They were just reminding us that they were waiting back home for us!
Back in the States, we consider ourselves beer snobs. We go out of our way to try good craft beers. Of course there was research to see if there were any craft breweries in the areas we would be visiting and wouldn't you know it Dieci Nove popped up. It was a definite stop for us. We were sad to see that it was closed when we first arrived (it was during lunch time). But we walked around for a bit and went back and someone was unlocking the door. This young man did not speak a lick of English but we communicated just fine with him using google translate. We tried a beer which was quite good and got a bottle or two to go for later!
Later that evening...
We stopped of at the local Coop that was nearest to San Savino on the way back and picked up some bread, meats, cheese etc and made our own little charcuterie and bruschetta for dinner. It was delicious. We ate while we watched that amazing sunset again and drank our Italian craft beer!This was honestly one of the best meals of the trip. Nothing too fancy or too heavy or too loud or too late. Just the two of us together at the end of a fabulous day. It really doesn't get much better!
Sunset pictures just never get old!
A day in Tuscany
June 26, 2019
This day would prove to be our most ambitious driving day. We had meant to follow Rick Steves' Heart of Tuscany Drive but we wound up modifying it quite a bit! We skipped La Foce Gardens and Spedaletto Castle. We started at Montepulciano then headed to Poggio Grande which is a fabulous local winery, then Bagno Vignoni (because why not visit a hot spring on one of the hottest days of our trip!), Pienza and then we stopped in Castiglione Del Lago on our way back to San Savino.
This day would prove to be our most ambitious driving day. We had meant to follow Rick Steves' Heart of Tuscany Drive but we wound up modifying it quite a bit! We skipped La Foce Gardens and Spedaletto Castle. We started at Montepulciano then headed to Poggio Grande which is a fabulous local winery, then Bagno Vignoni (because why not visit a hot spring on one of the hottest days of our trip!), Pienza and then we stopped in Castiglione Del Lago on our way back to San Savino.
Our actual driving route (below) looks a little different than originally planned (above)
Ciao for now San Savino!
There was a tiny local park just up the street from our villa. Every day the local village protectors would all sit in the park just staring out at the lake...well, that is, when they weren't staring at the strange Americans coming and going! This morning we had a chance to get to the park before the locals and we saw what they were staring at. This frame makes their view the actual art work!
Montepulciano
We arrived in Montepulciano in the morning. We struggled a little trying to manage parking and wound up at a timed meter. We put only enough for 2 hours in the meter which was a mistake on our part. We needed MUCH more time in this town but we did get to see the highlights...
This GIANT horse was the first thing we saw in Montepulciano. It was made in the vision of
Leonardo DaVinci's Gran Cavallo which he never saw finished. Our car was parked almost right
in front of this horse...so it was the first thing we officially saw!
Leonardo DaVinci's Gran Cavallo which he never saw finished. Our car was parked almost right
in front of this horse...so it was the first thing we officially saw!
Chiesa del Gesu was very simple on the outside but quite ornate inside.
On our way back to the car it was hard not to notice this interesting use of shoes as planters. It was pretty perfect!
Off to a winery in the Tuscan countryside...
Our good friends had travelled to Italy a year before us and found a fabulous little winery in the countryside. They had a case of wine shipped back to the States and we were lucky that they shared some with us. They loved the winery and the owner so we knew we had to make the trip. It was quite a bit off the beaten path down a very narrow gravel road but it's all about the adventure!
These are the images artists try to capture when sketching or painting Tuscany and it made riding in the car so much more enjoyable when the scenery is so breathtaking!
Poggio Grande- A little piece of heaven in the Val d'Orcia
We made it to the winery and we were met by the owner's daughter Guilitta who luckily spoke English fluently (though she would say her English was "not so good"...it was waaaaay better than our Italian!) She told us all about the winery and it's location in the Val D'Orcia. She pointed out to us that off in the distance you could see wineries that were in the Brunello region. We learned that the Armenians make the best pecorino cheese. We sampled some really great wines and had bruschetta and cheese. We told Guilitta that we came to the winery on the recommendation of our friends. She had not been there the day they visited but she found Luca, the owner, and we showed him a picture of them and he was so happy that we had come. He did NOT speak English but Guilitta helped him understand us but his expressions were enough to let us know how he felt.
Bagno Vignoni
Our next stop was to Bagno Vignoni which was a very (population is only about 36 people) small town on a hill above the Val d'Orcia. It is famous for it's hot springs. Honestly we don't know how the springs felt, but for sure it was hot. Every day we were in Italy was hotter than the day before and this day was definitely no exception. It was at least 95 degrees and not really much of a breeze. It was H.O.T. But how often do you get to visit such and amazing place. So you drink water, try to find some shade and try not to move too fast.
Pienza |
Next stop was Pienza. Honestly, the memories of Pienza are lacking. It is likely we saw some beautiful churches and a lot of postcard worthy scenes but even looking at the pictures it's not clearly one thing that drew us there specifically. Not to say we didn't love it. We loved every minute of our trip and would do every minute over again if given the chance. It was hot and we were tired but we were in Italy for goodness sake! Why complain!
This picture of the Tuscan countryside framed by the old wall in Pienza and the bird flying in to say "hello" is simply perfect. You can feel the heat of the Italian summer, hear the swallows screeching in the air and taste the gelato we bought to help cool off while we sat in the shade. Just looking at it is like going back to that moment. So it's hard not to sit here and stare a minute longer....
"Where are we going...what are we doing" We referenced Rick Steves Italy 2019 book regularly to try to figure out what we needed to make sure to see in each town we visited. We knew we could not go wrong with Rick giving us guidance.
Castiglione del Lago
We knew it would be best to start making the trek back toward San Savino sooner than later as we both were tired from the heat and traveling. Based on the directions that the GPS was taking us though, it looked like we would be passing Castiglione del Lago which was a town on the other side of Lake Trasimeno from where we were staying. Knowing that Castiglione meant castle so we all in for checking out one more town.
So this is the castiglione del lago (castle on the lake). It was pretty interesting.
We especially liked the idea of coming to the castle and sitting outside to watch a film
We especially liked the idea of coming to the castle and sitting outside to watch a film
A most interesting dinner experience!
We decided we would try to find someplace to stop on the way back to San Savino when we left Castiglione del Lago. Easier said than done. There are no McDonalds or really any fast food places anywhere much less on the small roads that led us back. No convenience foods. Not that that is a bad thing! We had a LOT of great food in Italy. Everything homemade, fresh and tasty. With a little research we found a place right off the road on the way back. We found Da Faliero E La Maria had great reviews so we thought we would try it out. We wound up realizing this was a place we could see from our balcony all lit up at night and music playing loudly. We arrived and it was not too busy. We found it was a cafeteria style restaurant with many people gathered around a central counter shouting out their orders to the workers behind the counter. There was such good looking food behind the glass and one large printed (Italian) menu. We wanted pasta so we turned on google translate and let it help us figure out what we wanted. We pulled a number (54 if I am remembering correctly) and waited. Nancy knew numbers pretty well so could tell when they yelled out our number. Mick had put our entire order into google translate and showed the girl behind the counter. Clearly this was a local place. She directed us to another spot to wait and we got our order (gnocchi and ravioli and fried olives). It was loud and uncomfortable for Nancy, definitely not within her usual comfort zone it was all about the experience...and the food was great!
I repeat...never too many sunset pictures!
Day trip to Orvieto
June 27, 2019
We planned a whole day for just visiting Orvieto. We knew there were some extra places we wanted to make sure to visit there so wanted to allot enough time to get a real feel for the town. Of course, we didn't plan on finding out about another must see for us. So in the end we spent a good amount of time in Orvieto but did bypass some of what we planned but the pay off was definitely worth it. Stay tuned for more on our added stop. But first, ORVIETO!
We planned a whole day for just visiting Orvieto. We knew there were some extra places we wanted to make sure to visit there so wanted to allot enough time to get a real feel for the town. Of course, we didn't plan on finding out about another must see for us. So in the end we spent a good amount of time in Orvieto but did bypass some of what we planned but the pay off was definitely worth it. Stay tuned for more on our added stop. But first, ORVIETO!
We found the easiest way figure out how to get back to the car in all of these hill towns with walls was to take pictures of maps and entry points so we could find our way back when it was time to leave. Sometimes this plan worked better than others!
This cathedral is quite a site. Absolutely beautiful on the outside. Look at all the stone statues which represent the 12 apostles and 12 prophets from the Old Testament. Around the rose window are carvings of the 52 heads and in the center of the rose window is a carving of Jesus' head. And then there is the gold and mosaics. It was jaw dropping. Pictures do not even come close to capturing this one. The pictures below show a little more up close detail. It's hard to even imagine how many man hours went into creating this cathedral.
A morning stroll around Orvieto...
Il Mago di Oz is a cute little shop that is filled top to bottom with some of the most amazing toys and art. We followed the owners rules and didn't take any pictures in the store. The owner's name is Guiseppe because why would it not be? He has amassed a mindboggling assortment of items. It is a definite must see in Orvieto.
A pause to plan the day...
A quick stop at a café for a cappuccino and a little planning with Rick Steves.
This guy was just hanging around...being a boar
Oh look, a clocktower...what should we do?
It seems like we could never resist the inclination to go up and of course the Torre del Moro was no exception. We were making our way around Orvieto and saw that it was possible to climb this one so...of course we did! The views atop these towers are worth every hot and sweaty step. We pretty much had this tower to ourselves too!
Market at Piazza del Popolo
On Thursday's there is an open air market in Piazza del Popolo. Walking through this busy market gives you a sense of what it is really like to be a local. So many items for sale. Fresh fruits and vegetables, clothing, home goods. It seems like this market is the areas Walmart.
The Palazzo del Popolo and the many swallows that flew around every town we were in during this trip
Pozzo della Cava
Orvieto has a lot going on underground. There is St. Patrick's Well, Orvieto Underground and the Pozzo della Cava. This particular location has some parts that date back to the Etruscans in the 5th and 6th century BC. It was closed up for over 300 years and then rediscovered in 1984 when a shop owner decided to make some renovations. Over several years it was cleared and then opened to the public. It was a welcome quiet and cool retreat from the hot Italian sun!
This is what happens when you don't follow your plan...
Remember how there was a plan for every day complete with ideas of places to eat that were painstakingly researched for months prior to our departure. Well, we were pretty good at ditching a lot of those ideas for eating and coming up with alternate arrangements. EXCEPT for this day. He wanted pizza, a salad and a glass of chianti classico. Simple enough right? NOPE we walked the entirety of Orvieto multiple times looking for just the right place for over an hour...you want to make sure you have all your options. His rule was "look at the cost of the bruschetta...if it is over €6 the place is too pricy for lunch". He was relentless in his search and the view was mostly of his back as he search to try to find just the right spot! We eventually had to settle on a place which was OK at best but at that point anything would have tasted good at that point...but the wine was delicious!
One place we didn't eat...
This was one establishment we bypassed. It was clear that they were not interested in tourists (there were signs on the windows that said "no trip advisor
reviews" then as we walked toward the entrance of the restaurant we saw this...Doesn't seem like they were too excited for English speaking tourists here.
We walked on by this place...
reviews" then as we walked toward the entrance of the restaurant we saw this...Doesn't seem like they were too excited for English speaking tourists here.
We walked on by this place...
Our last hill town... Civita di Bagnoregio
Having spent a good portion of our day in Orvieto we were fairly tired but we had to see one more hill town on the trip. Civita di Bagnoregio (also known as the Dead City) is the ultimate "hill" town as it sits high above the surrounding landscape. This is an ancient town founded by the Etruscans 2,500 years ago and with being so old it has had some issues over the years. Constant erosion from mudslides, earthquakes and deforestation in the area has rendered the town unsafe for permanent residency. It is only accessible by foot bridge. No one really lives there anymore though there are a few accommodations there through Airbnb. There are a handful of restaurants and small shops. The one thing that Bagnoregio has a lot of is CATS! There are feral cats all over the town. This was a very quite town but definitely worth the trip.
This was the hottest day of the entire trip. It was close to 100 degrees. This walk was a challenge up hill, no shade and the wind was blowing like a giant blowdryer as we walked up that bridge. Some brave souls tried to block the sun with umbrellas and it was surprising they weren't carried off like Mary Poppins!
Cats...
There were amazing views everywhere you looked. We didn't even have to climb a clocktower to find them. Only had to just turn and their they were!
CIAO BAGNOREGIO! Time to take that long walk back to the car. At least this time it was downhill!
Saved the best for last!
We headed back to San Savino. We ate what was left in the fridge from dinner the night before as well as the meat and cheese and bread and of course drank wine while we watched our last Italian sunset and it was as perfect as it could be! There was no better way to spend our last evening in Italy than together, drinking wine, listening to some music and soaking in all the beauty of that sunset.