We spent three amazing weeks exploring all the little corners of Chianti, Tuscany, and Umbria in Italy. While we had been to this part of Italy twice before, that was 12-15 years ago. Before retiring and moving overseas, all of our European trips were rushed. We could only afford to be away from work and family a short time so we always tried to cram in too much. This time, we decided to take more time and dive in deeper. We slowed down. A little. The time flew by and left us wishing we could have stayed much longer. We love the natural beauty, quaint hilltop villages, history, and excellent wines. We flew in and out of Bologna since we had never been there before.
Bologna:
We saw and did a lot in one very long day that included a guided food tour. We stayed in the center of the old city.
The Chianti Region.
We have come to love this region so much more so than we expected to. We developed a new appreciation for their wines and did tastings at both big and small wineries. It was harvest time with many vines hanging heavy with grapes. During our visit there was a huge bicycle event called L’Eroica which had 8000 participants in all age groups doing long rides on the scenic roads of Chianti and Tuscany. From our base in Gaiole in Chianti, we visited many villages including: Siena, Monteriggioni, Greve in Chianti, Radda in Chianti, Panzano, Castellina in Chianti, San Gimignano, Certaldo Alto, and Volterra. We also did a day trip by train into Florence (Firenze) in a downpour. Fortunately, we had been there before and the museums are a great place to be in the rain.
Tuscany:
The charm of the Tuscany region lives up to all the notoriety. We felt like we could return to this region every couple of years and never tire of it. The scenery, especially on misty mornings, is stunning. We enjoyed many good wines and so much fabulous hand-made pasta! From our base near the adorable tiny town of Montisi, we visited many villages including: Pienza, Montepulciano, Montalcino, San Quirico d’Orcia, Buonocovento, and Sinalunga.
Umbria:
We learned that there is a lot more to the region of Umbria than the big towns we saw on previous trips from the highway. We enjoyed wandering through the countryside and up into the mountains just taking it all in. From our base outside of Spoletto we also saw: Castiglione del Lago, Assisi, Montefalco, Bevagna, Spello, Orsano di Sellano and Rasiglia. We drove many unnamed (and unpaved) roads.
