19 June 2016
Ciao bella e bello (hello beautiful and handsome)! I’ll admit, I have been neglecting this blog for the past several weeks. But I have the best excuse. Hubby and I have been immersed in the beauty of nature, in all its grandeur and glory. From the Italian deep blue glacial Lago di Como (Lake Como), to the UNESCO heritage rolling green hills and meadows, interspersed with orange hues of summer, and medieval towns of the awe inspiring Toscana (Tuscany). The weather could have been better, but it did little to dampen our enjoyment of this heaven for food, wine and nature lovers.
A special thanks to hubby for chauffeuring us around throughout our adventures, as we visited many beautiful and historical Etruscan and Roman towns accessible only through heart-stoppingly narrow and winding country roads, and got lost in remote locations that even GPS and Google maps struggled to locate.
We covered much ground in two weeks, taking in the sights, wines and culinary specialities of Milan, Lago di Como, Lucca, Siena, San Quirico, Pienza, Montepulciano, San Gimignano, Pontedera, Pistoia, Agliana and Prato. We also managed to fit in some cycling and plenty of walking, to balance off the indulgences. If I had to name a favourite destination, it would have to be Lucca, ahead of the more popular Siena.
Lucca boasts a monumental fortress that encircles the centro storico (old town), built around the 16th and 17th centuries, and remains intact till this present day. Standing twelve metres high and 4.2km long, the ramparts are lined with matured trees and a central path for walkers, runners and cyclists, looking down onto the centro storico and up to the Apuane Alps in the distance. The town is also the birth home of the operatic maestro, Giacomo Puccini.
The town itself is fairly flat, with cobbled streets, beautiful piazzas and a mix of Romanesque and Renaissance architectural constructs. An added plus is the restricted traffic access within the centro storico, making it pleasantly walkable and accessible to bicycles. Despite the intermittently wet weather, we spent the day cycling through the cobbled streets, discovering the history, architectural wonders and culinary delights that Lucca had to offer – a feast for all senses!
And what about the chocolates, you may ask? Of course, they weren’t forgotten. We braved the unknown to discover the Tuscan Chocolate Valley. Located between Pisa and Prato to the east, and Pontedera to the south, this Valley boasts some of Italy’s best known chocolate makers. These locations were a challenge to find – situated outside of main towns along narrow, meandering country roads that even the GPS and Google maps struggled with. However, with hubby’s patience and skilled driving, and the combined navigational input from yours truly, we triumphantly found our way to Amedei, Torrefazione Trinci, Slitti Cioccolato e Caffe and Roberto Catinari. You’ll have to wait with bated breath to find out about my Tuscan chocolate adventures:)
From top to bottom: The UNESCO heritage listed Val D’ Orcia (Valley of the River), in the heart of Toscana; The picture perfect, Etruscan-built medieval hilltop city of Siena; One aspect of Lucca’s imposing Renaissance fortress; Lucca’s Piazza Anfiteatro, named after the Roman amphitheatre that it was built on; A teaser of my Tuscan chocolate adventures; The majestic Lago di Como, dotted with idyllic lakeside towns.
