Tag Archives: Tuscany

Sant’ Antimo Abbey

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Leaving Asciano, we weaved our way through the beautiful Tuscan countryside to Sant’ Antimo Abbey, not far from Montalcino.

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The Benedictine monastery dates back to the Middle Ages and the abbey was completed in 1260.

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I love the solitary cypress next to the bell tower.

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The landscape of olive trees, vineyards, fields and cypress was an artist’s dream

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and the town of Castelnuovo Dell’ Abate stood guard over the abbey.

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We wandered around the grounds of the monastery

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before entering the abbey to observe the prayers and chanting of the monks.

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We were awed by the light streaming in, accentuating the 13th century wooden crucifix behind the altar.

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The interior was stunning, the alabaster walls reflected the light

and there was so much detail wherever we looked.

The capitals had intricate carvings,

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the most impressive depicted Daniel in the Lions’ Den.

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The abbey was known for its Gregorian chanting and the monks started at exactly the scheduled time of 12.45pm. Words can’t describe our ethereal experience, surrounded by those exquisite voices with the Tuscan countryside offering a tranquil portrait in the window frame.

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Returning to reality, we spent some time admiring the architecture of the exterior

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and found more intricate carvings of animals and humans.

One last look at the spectacular surroundings

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and we headed for our next destination, Montalcino.

Asciano

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On a perfect spring morning, we set off for a day of exploring the Tuscan countryside and some of the towns along the way. Our first stop was Asciano, an Etruscan hill town in the province of Sienna. We parked our trusty Fiat

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and wandered through the quiet streets.

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From a high point in the town, the 13th century campanile of the Church of Saint Agatha complemented the surrounding verdancy.

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We indulged in coffee and chocolate croissants

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before meandering back to the car. An Australian cycling team were taking a break, they were probably in the area for the Giro d’Italia.

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The clocktower was topped with a beautiful decorative feature.

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The 11th century Basilica of Saint Agatha looked quite different from this angle.

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I couldn’t write an Italian post without including at least a couple of doors.

As the cyclists left town,

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it was time to continue on our way, too. We didn’t get far before stopping to admire the breathtaking panorama.

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I think I found my dream home.

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Cortona

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I have wanted to visit Cortona for as long as I can remember, even before “Under the Tuscan Sun” made it popular. An ancient Etruscan city, dating back to 600BC it was every bit as magical as I expected. Only a 10 minute drive from Il Castagno, we parked outside the city walls and strolled through the beautiful narrow streets

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lined with every shop imaginable.

Michael even bought a pair of shoes!

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Somewhere along the way, we caught a glimpse of the cloister of Santo Agostino convent.

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Our wandering led to Piazza Garibaldi with an obelisk dedicated to Guiseppe Garibaldi and a commemorative monument to Leonardo di Vinci.

We were lured to lunch at Ristorante Tonino by the breathtaking view.

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Unfortunately, the menu catered for tourists rather than those wishing to experience a traditional Tuscan meal.

After lunch, we walked through the Parterre Gardens, past the Monument to the Dead of World War I,

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a beautiful fountain,

and what appeared to be an amphitheatre.

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There is a marble sculpture, the Dove of Peace, by John D Kehoe who, in 1970, founded an international art study program in Cortona.

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Just past the magnificent San Domenico Campanile

we found ourselves on a tranquil tree-lined path.

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We attempted to find Bramasole, the villa renovated by Frances Mayes in “Under the Tuscan Sun”. We either didn’t walk far enough or we took the wrong turn, sadly, we never found it. Instead, we headed for the highest point in Cortona.

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It was a very hot spring day and after a heavy lunch and a vino or two, it was a bit of a challenge.

Stopping to catch our breath now and then, the sights were rewarding.

The further we got, the more determined we were to make it

and finally, we reached Fortezza di Girifalco.

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We took our time exploring the well preserved ruins of the 16th century fortress.

The panorama over the rooftop of the 14th century Convent of Santa Margherita

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across the Val di Chiana and Lake Trasimeno was spectacular.

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There would be some fascinating stories in the old walled cemetery.

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The Basilica Santa Margherita was built following the death of the patron saint of Cortona in 1297.

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The return walk to town was an easy stroll, I couldn’t resist the intriguing doorways once again.

After a short visit to the Chiesa di San Francesco, built in 1245,

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we enjoyed well earned gelati before returning to our gorgeous villa to sit with a vino and reflect on our wonderful day.

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Il Castagno

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When looking for a place to stay for the week after the guitar course, I found a 700 year old farmhouse near Cortona. Seeing it on the internet I thought there was no way it could possibly be as good as it appeared. I was right. It was even better!

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The owners live in Colorado and bought the villa to restore in 1999. It was absolutely perfect and, as it was their part time home, it felt very welcoming. The living room,

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main bedroom

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and bathroom

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were upstairs and the natural beauty of the house was complemented by tasteful furnishings.

Some fine meals were created in the ground floor kitchen

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which opened on to the sunny courtyard.

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The original features outside had been retained

and the small front garden was colourful.

We enjoyed relaxing in the shade with a beverage after long days exploring,

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admiring the view

of Cortona, only a 10 minute drive away.

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The shafts of sunlight on this stormy evening lent a spectacular display.

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On other nights, the sinking sun set the sky on fire.

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We knew from the moment we arrived, it was going to be very hard to leave.

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Chianti

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After saying our goodbyes, we left Benabbio for a day of leisurely driving to our next destination near Cortona. By lunch time we were surrounded by the stunning scenery of the Chianti Valley and were lured by the trusty knife & fork symbol at Castello di Gabbiano.

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Unfortunately, they didn’t serve lunch but we stayed a while to admire the magnificent 12th century castle, now a very inviting B&B.

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The castle has an interesting history

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and is home to one of the oldest and best known wineries in the Chianti Classico region. The views over acres of vines, olives and woods were breathtaking.

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We continued to Greve in Chianti where we finally had some lunch. The drive slowed down as we ogled the scenery through the heart of old Tuscany.

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There seemed no end to the green rolling hills dotted with peaceful stone villas.

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We eventually left Chianti behind and found Camucia and our accommodation, relatively easily thanks to the detailed directions from the owner. After locating the caretaker, Isolina, ‘up the road and round the corner’, we poured a vino and settled in.