Rolling through the Tuscan Hill Towns

La Dolce Vita....

Crusing through Ferrara on route to Radda in Chianti, I couldn't help but be ashamed we were sporting the smallest Fiat in the fleet that has probably 5% of the horsepower of its Italian counterpart, named after the city we were passing through. Not to worry though, Ted (as we called him, Theodore if he acted up) would get us from A to B, backwards during this amazing adventure through Toscana. On the way we stopped in a little suburb of Bologna, and found what we would run into multiple times during our journey, the Coop. Wow I wish every coop had what was offered at this place; meats, cheeses and breads that no grocery in Dublin or Minny would even consider importing as it is too good! We brought our lunch to a park overlooking a valley with amazing views. But alas onto Tuscany, we'll pass on the Emilia-Romagna region this trip.

An hour and change later, we arrived at Badia a Coltibuono, the pics on the web and below don't do it justice....this place was perched on a high hill overlooking the tuscan valley, literally a gateway to cullinary and wine heaven! The Abbey, built in the 1000's, was complete with italian gardens, fountains, a beautiful little chapel, an amazing granery, which was our apartment for 4 nights (and probably 14 times the size of our apartment):

That night we had dinner at the restaurant, one of the best in Tuscany according to food and wine and other publications (Badia houses the most prominent cooking school in the region as well). James and I did the 5 course tasting menu which had a glass of wine with each course. Between the 4 of us we had 7 different animals; as Ricardo, the male crush of the girls during the trip would say, we are true Tuscans (eating all that meat).

The next morning we were out the door and in the roller coaster hill roads to San Gimignano, an amazing town that literally stalled its development in the middle-ages. It is known as the Manhatten of Italy as there are 14 towers that define the city's skyline. The towers symbolized wealth in those days, as well as protected the families from invaders (damn Florentines). We went to the top of the highest tower and had some of the most amazing views of our lives.

We next went to Volterra, which is a more out of the way and more historical town. It was the heart of the Etruscan kingsom around 400 BC. The town was perched really high up and it took some serious leg work to ascend. The views were also incredible. One of the cool attractions was the gate from 400BC, which was barely spared by the Nazi's trying to halt the allied advance only because the townspeople dug up the stones from the cobblestone streets and plugged the wall to show the Nazi's they need not blow up the gate. Another highlight is the roman theatre...450 years older than the gate, but still an impressive 1950 years old....doodeedoo.

After Volterra we drove through amazing valley's, through fields, vineyards, olive groves, small villages, the one below called Monteriggioni, which is a perfectly preserved fortified village.

And then onto Siena.....