Tuscany is truly as beautiful as every image you've seen. This place is home to rolling hills covered in grapevines, tall Italian Cypress trees, and countless gardens and farms. One piece of visiting Europe that always fascinates me is the history. You'll find it tucked away in every small town and restored stone building.
Siena was our home base for 3 nights in Tuscany. Having stayed in Florence before, we wanted to visit a smaller Tuscan city to have a different experience. Siena was perfect - less busy than the larger city but with plenty of restaurants and sights to see. We took a fast train from Venice to Florence and then another regional train from Florence to Siena. The taxi line at the train station was very long and it seemed no taxis were really showing up so we decided to trek into Siena's city center. I don't recommend this plan! Wait on a taxi or take a bus if you are carrying luggage. We finally made it to the entrance of the city walls, built between the 14th and 16th centuries - amazing.
It didn't take long to find the famous Piazza del Campo with it's earthy brick square and buildings. The square is surrounded by restaurants with many outdoor seating options. This large piazza was built for the people of Siena as a meeting place where everyone could gather. It also hosts Siena’s Palio, a 500+ year old horse race that draws its excitement from the 17 neighborhoods of Siena, twice a year.
Fonte Gaia - Siena's Joyous Fountain at the top of Piazza del Campo
From door decorations/knockers to beautiful wood-encased doors and windows that have endured the test of time, art is everywhere. The Pinacoteca Nazionale, nestled into the heart of the city, is home to many Sienese school paintings; some dated back to the 1200s.
Our meals ranged from the biggest and most elaborate charcuterie plate eaten streetside to dainty small bites served with drinks at happy hour. It is easy to find amazing food here.
When in Tuscany you take [at least] a day for winery visits. I love the idea of learning about a place through it's people and history. Any wine tour I've ever taken includes pieces of history and the people who keep that legacy going. This one was no different!
We began our tour in the town of Montalcino with it's stone streets, wine-centric shops and restaurants. This city was quaint and quiet during our morning visit.
Then there were the wineries!
The area we visited is famous for Brunello di Montalcino, made from the grape Sangiovese Grosso.
This is one of Montalcino's smallest wineries. It is a family affair; began by the father/grandfather of the current Prata team. We had a nice tasting of wine and olive oil. MANY wineries produce several crops including olives and their own vegetable/fruit gardens.
This one was my favorite of the day. Maaayyybeee because the winemaker fed us as well?
Turns out that a lot of the small winery owner/makers are also quite wonderful chefs as well. It only makes sense - you make incredible wine - the food should do it justice. This was another small, family-owned winery. I was so glad that our tour was focused on the smaller wineries that we might never see otherwise. These wineries are making wine that would be rare to see in the US. You might find it - but it would be a bit of a search.
One stop on our Tuscan tour was the Abbey of Sant'Antimo. On top of being a beautiful example of twelfth century architecture the site includes a monastic pharmacy filled with products "made according to the recipes of centuries-old monastic herbal tradition." I finally chose to bring home a bottle of lemon essential oil but could have stayed there all day checking out the oils, lotions, seasonings and herbal remedies. They have an online shop as well!
Our 14th century hotel was right in the city center, making it a very walkable and convenient place to stay. Palazzo Borghesi has undergone numerous renovations over the centuries but retains a sense of history. We felt like we were experiencing the city in a unique way by staying in a place with such a rich historical vibe. The staff told us that the owner actually grew up here. When he restored the property he found that ceiling frescoes from the 1800's had been painted over. His whole life, the ceilings you see below were covered in white paint! BIG PLUS - the showers/bathrooms are completely modern.
The Siena Cathedral is considered to be built in the Italian Romanesque Gothic architectural style and is one of the most iconic to me. I was ready to find this gem to enjoy allllll the stripes and gorgeous details! Built from 1196 to 1215, the structure was never completely finished due to the Black Plague. It is estimated that Siena lost somewhere between 30 to 50% of it's population during the Black Plague. That's a huge swing - but the numbers vary depending on the source of information.
Stained glass stealing attention during the day against elaborate stone and marble work.
Look high and low for artwork when you visit this cathedral. Even the floors are covered in inlaid marble, beginning outside the building.
The Piccolomini Library is a small room on one side of the cathedral filled with frescoes, tiles and historical books with BEAUTIFUL illustrations.
Artifacts, sculptures and historic books that look like they might contain Harry Potter spells or the secrets to life were in an adjacent building. Is it bad that my first thought while checking out the chalices was "Flav would like those..."??? The Medusa-esque stone sculpture is giving Versace vibes and I swear my mom had a golden tree made to look like this during the late 80's / early 90's. All this to say - we definitely take the parts of the past and perpetuate into the future. I love the fact that I can be over 5,000 miles from home and find something in common between the time and place I've expereinced.
Until next time Siena!
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