Touring Tuscany

 Well Tuscany may not have wowed us with the weather to date, but it certainly impressed us with the town of Pitigliano this morning. 

We are travelling in convoy, one car and one van, which can seat 7, if those in the back don’t want any leg room, but as there are 8 of us, we have to have the two vehicles. The driver of the van yesterday, young Matteo, gave us some cause for concern when he seemed quite sleepy and fidgety on the trip from Rome to Saturnia, and Kim, who was sitting up front with him felt obliged to try and engage in conversation in an attempt to keep him alert, but this proved difficult with his limited English. 

This morning our car arrived with a driver from Naples,  before the appointed departure time of 9:30 am, but we were delayed by the late arrival of the van. It should have been no surprise when it arrived and out stepped our friend Matteo. Fortunately it was only a short half hour hop from the Saturnia resort to our first stop at one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, Pitigliano. 

Our first glimpses of the town were of ancient buildings high on a hill, seemingly growing out of the rocky outcrop on which the town sits. Staring in awe, as we wound our way down, and then back up again, we finally reached the town square. This required some very tight manoeuvres for a vehicle the size of our van.   

Not only did we arrive late, but we were also dropped in the wrong spot, so had to retrace our route and walk to meet the tour guide, Jada. But all good, she was very accommodating and the delay in starting the tour didn’t seem to bother her. For the next two hours we wandered the streets of the old town, as she shared stories and information about the people who had populated this town for centuries. 

Every corner we turned had a story book view of a cobbled laneway with a glimpse of green beyond the cliff edge. There were steep winding stairs, artisan shops tucked away,  and doorways that invited you in. We explored the historic Jewish quarter and spoke with a local lady who popped her head out the window high above us when she heard our voices  in the old square outside her paper products shop. She explained to our guide that she hadn’t opened the shop today because it was raining! 

At the end of the tour we had literally reached the end of the city.  We looked out over the green rolling hills far below and stood for a photo under a poem commemorating women, before returning on the  other of the two ‘main’ streets to the town square. Along the way we witnessed the daily life of the old city’s residents. We stepped aside for locals in their three-wheeled ‘ape cars’ (ape means bee) as they buzzed around the steep, narrow streets. We witnessed a fully loaded truck being guided through the main street, the gap between the houses not wide enough for his load, causing much consternation for the man directing it, and great entertainment for we onlookers.  We navigated the steep steps of a wine cellar and marvelled at the chisel marks of those who had carved it from the rock. We ate in a local cafe where local men had gathered for lunch and were talking animatedly over their espressos. What an amazing glimpse of another world. 

Back in the van I had the front seat this time and the arduous task of keeping a check on Matteo. He talked a lot to himself, took both hands off the wheel often, and paid more attention to google maps on his phone, than on the road, but after 3 hours, much of it driving through heavy rain, we reached Relais Vignale in the village of Radda in Chianti. We will stay here for 4 nights to explore and absorb Tuscany. 

Our accommodation is amazing, spacious and beautiful with the quirkiness of age. Once checked in we were treated to welcome drinks in one of many lounge areas. Our Tuscan treat for the evening was meant to be a traditional meal under lights amongst the vines at Foresteria Villa Cerna, but unfortunately it was raining heavily and the only light over the vineyard was spectacular lightning. We arrived late, as our driver for the evening had been given the wrong time, so we missed the cellar tour but we were just in time for the meal and wine pairing which was all delicious, and only slightly spoilt by being in the wine shop instead of amongst the vines.  

It seems our time here will not be spent under the ‘Tuscan sun’ but I am sure we will enjoy its beauty regardless