We had our own mini-bus and driver to take us on an afternoon jaunt through the Chianti countryside. Our first stop was at the WWII American Cemetery where we paid respects to the over 4,000 soldiers buried there. The setting is beautiful with the typical Tuscan landscape and the well-maintained cemetery. Following that visit we stopped in the little town of Greve - the "capital of Chianti" - to have lunch and browse in the shops. Back aboard our bus, we climbed the hills to Castello Verrazzano which is perfectly set among vineyards, olive groves and winding roads lined with the lovely "flame cyprus" and "umbrella pine" trees. Our guide, Marcello, showed us around the grounds of the estate and into the wine cellars. They also produce olive oil and balsamic vinegar here. This is the birthplace of Giovanni Verrazzano who first discovered the mouth of the Cape Fear River (at Southport) in 1524 so many of us felt a real connection! The wine tasting was fun on the lovely terrace with perfect weather. The weather has been great for the entire month - unusally warm with only one or two rain showers. You will see how lovely the Chianti area is in our photos today. 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
"Villaggi in Riva al Mare" Villages by the Sea - Oct. 12
Nine of us traveled by train the Cinque Terre today and five stayed behind in Florence. We enjoyed a beautiful day along the Ligurian Sea's coastline as we visited the villages clinging to the cliffs. Words and even photographs do not convey the special feeling of actually being in the Cinque Terre! Seeing the everyday life of the people who live there as they deal with the thousands of tourists who now want to see their special corner of the world is a unique experience. Due to time constraints and delayed trains we were only able to visit three of the famed five villages but it was a real treat nevertheless. We had about an hour to kill at the train station in La Spezia before our trip home so some of us took a little walk around the city. The only discomfort was the loud and bumpy ride back to Florence in the evening on a train that needs to go to its last station! Enjoy our photos and think about seeing this place for yourself someday! More later . . . Ciao!