May 8th - Day trip to Sienna

So we plan a day in Sienna - with a side trip to Montalcino on the way back. We use yellow backroads for a few klicks past Montepulciano, then the main red road north to Sienna. This takes us through La Crete - primo Chianti country. It is green now, but will be yellow-brown in the summer heat.

Of course we got lost getting into Sienna (no problem with all the zigs and zags before that; maybe improving?), but then, as happened so often, we turned a corner and found the parking area we wanted. I see why these people are so religious - miracles abound.





Sienna is a wonderful place. The big tower is at one side of the main square. The pictures do not prepare you for the slope of the square. Nor the breadth and depth of the museums, churches and such. We need 'way more than a day. May have to return.

Spent most of the day just wandering around, having lunch and such. Penny got caught in a cloud burst while searching for post cards. I stayed under this sheltering arch.







Back on the road, we took a short side trip through Lucignano d'Arbia, another hilltop town, but very small. The gate (tower) is relatively new, but the church dates back to around 1200. This is not a tourist stop, there are no shops and people live here. Penny admired an old lady's flowers and got a complete explanation of what they were and what grew best with each other - all in Italian.


















Then on to Montaclino where they make the wonderful Brunello. We didn't buy any, they are as expensive in Italy as they are at home. But we did taste some at the enoteca (wine store) at the castle. Quite a famous place it turns out, and they have an amazing selection of wines. For 13 euros, we got to taste 3 Brunellos. The final one was exquisite and cost 90 euros a bottle. So I bought something very nice and cheap to go with my souvenir corkscrew - a double-jointed model that works rather well.

So, OK, I have a confession here. The navigator got us here and back, but I lost the car in Montalcino. Yup, we spent about 2 hours trying to find exactly which little narrow winding street I had parked in illegally. Early on, about 15 minutes into the search, we were within 50 metres of the little Fiat, but turned the wrong way.









Once the car was located, we went back to Montepulciano through the Tuscan countryside and then to the villa. A grand day!