While staying at a lovely hotel near Roccastrada in Tuscany, my friend Nadine, manager of the inn, suggested an itinerary for each day of my long weekend to see the charming, historic towns scattered around the hillsides. This post is a continuation of Tuscany Day1, in 2007, as I drove to each romantic village and walked its ancient narrow streets.
the beautiful frescos in the Abbey of Mt. Oliveto Maggiore
the larger medieval city of Montepulciano perched on a mountain top, including a wine tasting
the natural springs and old village of Bagno Vignoni with an open air, thermal bath in the center
Although my sense of direction is usually lacking, I only got seriously turned around and headed in the wrong direction twice that day—once by car after the Abbey and once on foot, coming down from Montepulciano’s height the wrong side of the mountain and having to walk around it to find my car. Of course, now that I had learned these roads, I would be off in a totally different direction the next morning.
Dinners at the villa, served around 9pm, were in the classic Italian style: appetizer, pasta course, meat course or variation, and a sumptuous dessert. I had to try the popular local dish, wild boar, served with carrots and olives. (I was not yet a committed vegetarian/pescatarian.) My favorite desert was the peach tiramisu, a delightful light tasting surprise.
I had learned enough Italian phrases to get around in my travels. But these evenings were all in French, and my Français was rusty, although I had studied for five years in my younger days. I could keep up with some of the conversation but inevitably dropped out after a few glasses of an excellent, mellow red wine from a local vineyard, and took a walk before turning in to say goodnight to the horses and assuage my guilt a bit for eating too much.
More to come…
Tuscany: Day1, Day1 part 2, Day2, Day2 Siena, Day3
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Ruth Rosenfeld 
Gosh, Tuscany is the dream! ❤️ So much beauty in the vast vineyards and rustic doors! Like you, I don’t have a great sense of direction, but kudos to you for making it through! 😆
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There’s a picturesque view round every corner in these towns! This was before we all had gps on our phones.
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A great section of Italy. Come to think of it, I suppose that just about every section of Italy is great.
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It is a beautiful country, with these lovely historic towns and great scenery.
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I’ve been in and around Tuscany a few times and enjoyed it each time. These specific locations don’t look familiar to me. I guess it’s time to go back because they look fabulous.
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There are so many picturesque little towns I’d never heard of. The next day (next Saturday’s post) will have some more recognizeable stops. Thanks for your visit and comment, Joel!
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It’s so pretty!
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Thanks for your comment, MrsW!
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Lovely places! Which reminds me of some verses, probably from an old book:
“Italy is the garden of Europe
Tuscany is the garden of Italy
Florence is the flower of Tuscany”
Christie
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True… thanks for sharing. I didn’t get to Florence on this trip, but did another time (and I’m having trouble finding those photos!).
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Just looking at the photos and reading of lengthy meals with great wine brings back lovely memories of Tuscany. Beautiful area.
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So memorable, one of the loveliest places.
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Such a wonderful collection of travel photos from Tuscany -I especially enjoyed your door photos! In my humble opinion Tuscany in Italy is not only one of the most famous regions of the country, but it is also certainly one of the most beautiful travel destinations in Europe. Fascinating hilly landscapes, green vineyards and golden yellow fields, picturesque villages with magnificent Renaissance buildings and the immeasurable wealth of art treasures are only a few of the attractions that turn a visit to Tuscany into an unforgettable experience! Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Thank you, Aiva! And thanks for sharing your lovely description, so unforgettable.
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The photographs are stunning. I am particularly fascinated by the doors. The contrast between the small child and the humongous door is especially good.
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Thank you! The boy by the huge door is one of my favorites.
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What a great suggestion to visit the smaller towns located in the quiet countryside. It all looks so peaceful and idyllic. I don’t think I could have waited until 9pm for dinner. That’s typically when I start to get ready for bed, even while on vacation!
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These are places I would never have found without my friend’s help planning each day. When in Rome, as they say… If you aren’t obsessed with looking at a clock, as most Americans are, you can adjust your time to start a bit later and stay up later.
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The late dinner hour was an adjustment, I remember. The midday siesta would allow the evening meal to be pushed back, and then bedtime was later than we Americans were accustomed to. Regardless, the pace and rhythm of a day in Italy completely agreed with us. Some of the most welcoming people on the planet too.
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If you’re traveling from the states, you have to adjust your body clock anyway. If you start a little later and stay up late, it’s doable. I have found southern Europeans in general much more outgoing.
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I can see why people flock to Tuscany. The masonry and sandstone are very soothing and pleasing to the eye. Beautiful frescos.
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It’s a charming landscape at every turn. And the smaller towns are not as crowded with tourists.
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This post holds much that I love about Italy – the landscapes, the villages, the food and wine! I love that fresco with the cat and dog snarling at each other, your photo in Montepulciano of the small boy and very big door, the sound of the wine tasting there and of dinners at the villa 😀
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That’s one of my favorites as well, the little boy by the enormous door. Thanks, Sarah.
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Wow it’s just so beautiful – those vineyards are definitely something special 🙂
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And so is the wine that comes from those vineyards!
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Great shots of a gorgeous region.
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Thanks, my friend. It’s hard not to take a good picture there!
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Lovely photos Ruth. Your time there sounds quite wonderful – packed days and mellow evenings.
It’s such a beautiful part of the world.
Alison
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That it is! I wish I could have had more time to explore each place. Thank you!
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What a great time your having in Tuscany Ruth! On this post I love that old archway picture the most 😊 Maggie
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Thanks, Maggie! There is a picture around every corner. I was there in 2007, so this is a reprise of an early travel from my original website years ago.
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