Today (Monday) we got underway at 0900h for a road trip to Siena. Despite spending 10 euros on a detailed map of Tuscany, we still had difficulty navigating to Siena. I have concluded that our problem stems from the inconsistent use or road numbers and the Italian reliance solely on destination directional signs. Luckily the road signs are pretty good and we managed to find the city center where we thought the old city was located.
This city was founded in the first century BC but didn't flourish until the 13th century when all of the significant structures were built.
Our first stop was the site of the world's oldest bank, Monte dei Paschi di Siena.
Our second stop was the Piazza del Campo, a large clam shaped square which includes the current government offices, and an 88 meter tall tower. They run a horse race in the square every year.
We declined the two hour wait to climb the 500 steps of the tower and explored the streets leading to Il Dumo, the Siena Cathedral.
The tour through the buildings was fantastic considering all of this was constructed in the 13th to 16th centuries. This is the interior of the cathedral...
The library covered in frescos.....
The baptismal....
And here is that nasty Eve...
We were able to climb 140 circular stairs and get these views of the city....
We wandered the streets and saw some more interesting shops and streets.
At mid-afternoon, we returned to the car and started to make our way back to the villa. We took a secondary road that took us through the Chianti wine region.
We stopped at a small town to do some exploring and ended up visiting a winery. The owner invited us for a tour of the cellar.
We restocked our wine supply and finished our trip back to the villa in time for a swim before going for supper at 2000h.
A lot of the restaurants close on Monday but we were able to find Trattoria Dell'Ignorante which specializes in authentic locally sourced Tuscan food. An excellent meal at a reasonable price.
Check the price of the very palatable house wine!
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