Tuscany and Florence: Two Perfect Weeks

San Miniato al Monte is one of my favorie cathedrals, as well as Santa Croce and San Lorenzo

Fiesole is a town just a few miles from the city and easily reached by bus; gorgeous views and a laid back community make it well worth the trip

Cinghiale Bianco is one of my favorite restaurants in Florence, which is saying a lot in a city that has thousands of phenomenal places to eat!

In Tuscany:

San Gimignano is a pretty touristy but beautiful, charming town that makes a nice day trip from either Florence or Siena.

Montalcino, Montepulciano and Pienza are three of my favorite towns in southern Tuscany, which is a beautiful region and of course home to fantastic wines. I highly recommend driving to each of these three towns and spending at least a few days in this region.

Monte Oliveto Maggiore is also in southern Tuscany; it's a monastery perched high on top of a hill overlooking the scenic countryside, and houses some incredible works of art.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

But if you're exploring Tuscany, definitely get a car. It's easy to drive and to find your way, and a lot of fun! Just don't forget a map :)

To save some money I got a room with an outside (shared) bathroom, and if you''re not very picky about these things, I''d recommend it - it seemed to be all mine and it was fine! The service was very good and the included breakfast was excellent.

All in all, very basic accommodations - not luxurious, but a good place to base yourself if you plan to be out a lot!

The restaurant, whose name means "The White Boar" is in the Oltrarno section of Florence, which is the "other" side of the Arno River and much more laid-back and less crowded than the Duomo side. I was introduced to it by my Florentine friend Guido, and have returned a number of times since then. The typical Tuscan food is simply phenomenal - local, hearty, rustic dishes served with a bit of a gourmet flair - including wild boar, ribollita, every kind of fresh pasta you can imagine, and of course thick Tuscan bread and delicious Chianti wines from the impressive cellar. The service is wonderful - I always end up talking to the waiters and other customers, who are mostly locals, for hours.

The atmosphere is both rustic and romantic - dark wood everywhere, with a cozy little upstairs nook for extra privacy if that's what you're looking for!

We'd read in our Rough Guide to Tuscany & Umbria about some private accommodations, which we decided to check out instead of staying at aproper hotel. I wish I could recall the name of the place we stayed; it was more like a few rooms in someone's apartment over a bakery - so I can't recall if it even had a name! But it seemed like most places to stay in Montalcino would be charming and very affordable - about $20-$40 per night total. But I'd suggest booking ahead, as there aren't many placesfrom which to choose. We called ahead from the side of the road on our way! :)

The town turned out to be a perfect base for lots of day trips, as it's centrally located between some of the most well-known and fun to visit hill towns of Tuscany, including Pienza and Montepulciano among other smaller towns, as well as nearby some wonderful sights including Monte Oliveto Maggiore and San Galgano (all written about more in this journal).

At night we'd come back to the town, freshen up and have dinner at one of the half-dozen informal, bustling little trattorias, which by day overlook the sweeping vistas of the Tuscan hills, and by night are filled with locals eating and chatting. And then we'd retire to the one main bar in the "center" of town where we'd play cards, practice our Italian with the bartender and customers, and of course drink the delicious vino rosso!

The buttery yellow of the stone houses glowing in the sun, the promenade that twists around one side of the town overlooking the countryside, the central square where there's always lots of activity going on... it all just adds up to a place I'd highly recommend checking out. In fact, I'd like to stay there a few days when I'm next in that part of the world.

The Abbey of San Galgano is ancient - dating back to the 13th century, and is glorious and romantic in its ruined state of decline. It's a massive structure that's totally hollowed out - no roof, few walls, grass and dirt for a floor, and windows empty of any glass at all. It's perched on top of a hill so with the wind whipping around you as you explore this shell of what was once a grand structure, it's really quite an experience.

A highlight of the monastery, besides just wandering around the grounds for a few hours, is the incredible fresco cycle of the life of St. Benedict which rings the huge central cloister. We spent at least an hour if not more, taking in every frame of this amazing work of art which depicts the saint's life. I only wish I'd bought the book at the gift shop which reproduces every frame of the cycle... why don't I think of these things while I'm there!? If anyone is going there soon, please let me know and I'll send you some lire to pick up the book for me!

You can either take the #7 bus which originates at Piazza San Marco, or drive - or take a precarious and loooong walk up the hill, though cars and buses will be zooming past you at breakneck spped - but the views are very cool. Once at the top, the main square is nothing special, but my favorite place to go is the Roman Amphitheater, in which you can easily spend a good hour just walking around the ruins, checking out the Etruscan relics in the museum, and just taking in the beautiful rolling hills of the Chianti region.

Most people also head up to the lookout point (I can't remember if it has a name, but it's very well-posted!) and check out the massive, sweeping view of the city. You can easily spot the Duomo and the Arno, and all the major sights of Florence.