Today is a Tuscany road trip day where we will try to cover as many towns and sights as possible gleaned from Rick Steves' books and films and the awesome Travelers Helpline. We had been advised to only cover a maximum of two towns per day in order to enjoy them to their utmost. After this hectic day, I would agree. There is always something unique about each town, and one feels they must not be missed. In truth, it is just like Rick Steves says: to try and see so many is to lose all memory of any of them. They blur together. On the days where we saw only two towns, we have much better memory of them. That said, I'm glad we saw as much as we did. No regrets other than the wish to have more time and to have taken more photos of the towns we visited.
Montepulciano - After heading north on the A1, we took an exit to get us headed on the back roads to Montepulciano. Two hours later, we find a spot to park and head up a hill to town. Despite a GPS, Rick Steves' maps, and printouts of the town streets, it isn't easy to find parking. Sometimes you get stuck on a road not on the map, there's a car hot on your tail, and no place to pull over. The worst fear is getting caught going in a no-car zone. There are few street signs for guiding and it is such a relief to see a sign with a big "P" on it. Once you find parking, it isn't always apparent how to get to "centro" and you can end up "taking the scenic route" - not always a bad thing.
Eventually, we find parking and head into town. There are a couple of shoe stores and another pair of Birkenstocks are purchased from a little shop - black patent and strappy. We end up meandering along some back streets and finally locate the Piazza Grande with the Duomo with the unfinished exterior. We spot a restaurant with an outdoor table right on the square and grab it. We think we've ended up at Ai Quattro Venti, a Rick Steves' recommendation. Bob goes for sausage and beans and Kay selects a tasteless lasagna along with fizzy water and wine - whether it was the infamous vino nobile or not, we don't know. Although the town is cute enough and has lots of old buildings to see, it seems very quiet and we decide to head off to the next stop. We haven't done it justice - a downside of town hopping.
Pienza - This town seems easier to get into - or maybe we just get lucky. We easily find free parking right by a public bathroom (always a plus) and make our way into town. Pienza sits high above a valley but at the top it is flat and would be especially easy for the handicapped to negotiate. It is absolutely darling: as clean, spotless, and filled with flowers as, say, an Austrian town. We never experienced a dirty Italian town, but Pienza seems more fanatical about it. There are fabulous views around the exterior and the narrow streets are fun to wander through. We wander around soaking up the beauty - and seeing many shops selling their infamous cheese rounds aged in straw and mud - for about 90 minutes.
San Quirico d'Orcia - This is another nice small town where we easily find free parking. It is less of a tourist stop and more of an actual town where Tuscans live. We take time to visit a couple of churches, and a park, and wander down the main drag. It is a nice enough little town to wander through but not as picturesque as Pienza.
Bagno Vignoni - This is clearly a resort area with hot springs and spas (bagno means bath). It doesn't have much of a town but in the middle of what there is contains a large square with a big pool that isn't swimmable.
Vespers in the Abby - We spend a couple of hours driving around the scenic Tuscan countryside with Bob graciously pulling over whenever I spot something that looks like a good photo. We end up driving to San Antimo Abby (Abbazia di Sant'Antimo) whose beginnings came around the 12th century or earlier. A small contingent of monks (about 10) live in residence; they pray regularly throughout the day. We are in time for vespers and the monks' sonorous tones echo in the high ceiling of the church. It is a full, spiritual experience which we are grateful to have experienced.
Val d'Orcia - The sun is beginning to get lower and we want to head for the Palazzo before it gets pitch black. Up and down the winding golden hills we go. We pull into a rest stop and, before our eyes, heading up out of the dusky Val d'Orcia (valley), is the famous winding road with Plane trees lining it that one sees in countless photos and paintings about Tuscany. We had no idea we were in the right area but by this time, the light is bad and the photos are merely for memory and eventual wall display. It has been a long day, packed with many sights, and we are exceedingly grateful to get back to Soriano much too late at 10 p.m. Tomorrow will be a long day with our Secret Itineraries tour of the Vatican in Rome.
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