Road-tripping Italia I
It's no secret that I've always had a fascination with Italy, and here's why:
My dad moved to Florence at 17, where he completed his undergrad studies. When he returned home, he brought back music by artists like Lucio Battisti, Nicola Di Bari and Edoardo Bennato, among others. He also brought back recipes and the overall influence the city imprinted on him. Naturally, my brothers and I absorbed all of this, and before we knew it, we were singing and repeating many Italian songs oblivious of their meaning. Italy has always been a familiar adventure I am eager to dive into and experience firsthand. For me, Italy also represents many unfulfilled personal promises.
Fortunately, I've been able to satiate much of this feeling by driving across the country, largely thanks to the support of my wonderful family and friends that open their houses and joined me in some of the legs of the different trips. And, of course, I had great tunes for the road:
Before I continue with my story, there are three things I'd like to mention about traveling to Italy:
Make sure to plan lunch accordingly. Many restaurants close from 3pm to 7pm. Naturally, I learned this the hard way, but it was a one time event (never again, damnit!).
I strongly recommend renting a small, compact car as the streets are narrow and maneuvering a large car can be a real hassle. Additionally, do keep an eye on speeding cameras - I too learned this the hard way.
This also applies to Europe in general: Make sure to ask your bank for your credit card pin number. When buying train or bus tickets or even gas, you'll be prompted to enter your credit card pin.
My very first stop in Italy was in Tuscany, in the Fall of 2018. I was thrilled to fully savor and immerse in Italy!
San Gimignano
Upon arriving in Florence and picking up the rental car, I drove to the outskirts of San Gimignano, to the fantastic and conveniently located Hotel Sovestro. The hotel was very cozy and a perfect base camp to explore various cities in Tuscany. My room had a little terrace where I sat and enjoyed the morning, afternoon and evening views!
Walking from the hotel to San Gimignano took approximately 30 minutes, and was the perfect way to enjoy the views of the Italian countryside, as well as the city standing on the hill with its towers that were easily spotted from a distance.
Once in the city, I wandered around and explored it. I found food that brought literal tears to my eyes - I knew I'll never eat this good ever again! Tuscany also offers exceptional wines. Something I truly enjoyed was the Vernaccia from San Gimignano. Despite usually favoring red wines over white, I found Vernaccia to be an absolute pleasure to drink and enjoy. In fact, I ended up enjoying it more than the more-popular Chianti.
After walking all day, and before I headed for dinner, I stopped by an Enoteca and rewarded myself with an Aperol Spritz, an aperitif to open my appetite and later, I had the fortune to find the Trattoria Chiribiri for an unforgettable dinner. Once I finished dinner, I was in the mood for having a second dessert, so I checked Gelateria Dondoli - score!
Walls of Montalcino
Like San Gimignano, Montalcino can easily be spotted from afar. The hilltop town is surrounded by walls that date back to the 13th century and protected the city from invaders. Parking the car outside the city is both necessary and recommended. You're only able to access the city by foot through one of its six gates.
Once I was in, it was time to stroll around. The city has narrow street and is very charming, and the small stores, cafés and bars are welcoming. In case you're wondering, I did have cappuccino in Moltacino, ha!
I had the chance to enjoy the view that the Fortezza di Montalcino offers of the city and surrounding.
As I mentioned, I was blown away by the Vernaccia and that's essentially all I had on this trip. However, I do need to make an honorable mention to the Brunello di Montalcino, I actually enjoyed it more than the Chianti 🤷♂️
Siena
I don't think I can stress enough how cool it is to wander around all these cities and be in constant awe at their impressive architecture achievements.
After admiring the inside of the Duomo di Siena, I continued to wander aimlessly in the city. All of a sudden, I heard people cheering somewhere down the street, so I naturally headed that way.
After a few minutes, I bumped into some cool horseback riders:
Ok, there was definitely something going on in the city and I had no clue what was it. After more twists and turns, I reached one of the entrances to Piazza del Campo and there were a lot of people standing and watching something...
After a quick google search, I learned that the Palio (a horse race) was taking place that day (20th October, 2018). This one particular marked the centenary of the the end of the Great War. It was pretty cool that I happened to be there, even if it was by accident. I was able to catch a glimpse of the horse race around the Piazza, and got a better view of the Piazza after the Palio was over:
After some more walking and enjoying an aperitif, followed by dinner, I returned to San Gimignano to rest and prepare for the next destinations: Pisa and Florence!
Make sure to check all the pictures and videos on my instagram
Alla prossima!
