Get ready for lots of photos today as we take you with us on our Best of Tuscany tour. We boarded the motorcoach at 8:30 this morning and returned at 8:30 in the evening. It was a memorable 12 hours as we took in the beautiful Tuscan countryside, Siena, San Gimignano and Pisa. We especially enjoyed the lunch at the wine estate and organic farm. We tasted four of the wines produced there along with some bruschetta, pasta, salad, salami, cheese and cantuccini cookies. The weather was beautiful and we had a great guide, Barbara. Each stop was a highlight as we got a good taste of life in Tuscany from several different perspectives. Settle in and enjoy the trip with us. More later . . . Ciao!
I HAVE SET UP A NEW PHOTOBLOG SITE FOR THE 2014 TOURS. YOU CAN STILL SEE PHOTOS FROM 2008 TO 2013 HERE. TO VIEW THE LATEST TOURS GO TO: WWW.INTUSCANYWITHPATRIZIA.BLOGSPOT.COM
"Casa Visitari" Home Visits - October 5
We started and ended our walks around Florence today by visiting the homes of the Middle Ages Palazzo Davanzati and the apartment of Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. The Davanzati house was built in the 1300's and is a wonderful museum of the lifestyle of a noble family from that period. The furnishings and wall decorations were very lovely - sorry we couldn't take photos inside, but there is one "borrowed" from the internet. We walked through Dante's neighborhood, heard nuns and monks sing at the Badia and visited the Santa Croce Leather School. Later in the afternoon some of us crossed over the river to visit the former residence of the Brownings - Casa Guidi - which can actually be rented for a stay - three bedrooms with baths, kitchen, living room and dining room. They lived in Florence for 14 years and Elizabeth died here in 1861. Another interesting day in Firenze! More later . . .Ciao!