Siena

Sunday, May 19^th: Borrowing from Huell Howser ( my California friends will understand the reference), today was “spectacular”!  The landscape of Tuscany was truly beautiful and “amazing”! Our driver picked us up at 9:30 and drove us to Siena where we spent the day. It is only an hour’s drive from Cortona.  Along the way we saw scenery that was right out of picture books on Tuscany. At every turn we were saying, “ Oh, look at that” or “truly beautiful”! On each side of the road were lush, green rolling hills covered with vineyards and olive groves and lovely old, brick homes that probably dated back centuries. All of this was set against a beautiful blue skyline.

 

Siena is a beautiful walled city dating back to the Middle Ages. It is amazing how intact it is and seemingly spared by WWII.   The Black Plague hit in the 1400”s ( I think – will have to check on that) and never recovered. Prior to the plague, it was a prosperous town, rich in culture and rivaling Florence. The major attraction of the town is the absolutely stunning and gorgeous cathedral, Il Duomo. We spent hours viewing it and were just in awe of its vastness and beauty. One could stay there all day just looking at the floor!  We visited the Museum of the Duomo in the morning and then shopped, visited the massive Piazza del Campo which actually holds a famous horse race in the summer, and lunched.  In the afternoon we visited the Duomo and its crypt and baptistery. Before returning to our hotel, we indulged in yet another gelato. We are becoming quite the gelato aficionados.

 

In the evening we dined at La Grotto in old town Cortona. It was a delicious meal and so much cheaper than our very pricey (but good) restaurant at our hotel.

 

After two days in Cortona, we are so glad we decided to ditch the rental car. We would have been so lost and Buddy (our designated driver) would have been very frustrated. It is not so easy to find some of the places we have visited and our hotel  is way out of town in the countryside with very dark and narrow roads. We would never have found our hotel on the first day, let alone on subsequent days.