Free and Easy in Tuscany
The best thing about having your own four wheels is the freedom to stop, start and pick up from wherever and whenever you feel like it. The car comes in handy to store all your additional layers of warm clothing and tons of snacks for hitting the road. I drew up a rather ambitious itinerary for the week, but did not factor in the steep hilly roads, ( which made travelling much slower and longer ), the weather ( cold, windy, sometimes rainy, and gets even colder after the sun sets around 4.30pm ), and the stamina of our stoic driver, G – have to give the man a rest sometime! You’d had to have good driving skills, concentration ( at least 2 cups of cappuccino, please ) and nerves of steel to navigate their roads. Sometimes, I hold my breath, close my eyes and say a little prayer. In the end, we did some, skipped a lot, and spent a better part of the evenings back in our cosy room. The high point on most days was heading back to somewhere warm and have a good dinner.
Il Poggio ( San Casciano Dei Bagni )
Home for us for the week was at a timeshare resort at Il Poggio. It is a holiday farmhouse with a kitchen, a fireplace, a shop that sells its own produce of wine, cheese, cured meats, jams; and a restaurant on site. This is a home-away-from-home indeed. Yes, there is wi-fi, how else can city folks survive?
Tuscany is a big region with lots to explore. From Il Poggio, it could take us anything between 30 min to 2 hrs to get to the next town or city. Twas the week leading to Christmas, and there were fairs, celebrations, plenty of good cheer all around.
Montepulciano
Montepulciano is a quaint, medieval town, atop a hill in Southern Tuscany. We arrived safety after navigating a stretch of impossibly narrow and steep terrain. Most parking spaces nearer the main square are intended for residents only and it was quite a trudge from the car to the site. On the morning of Christmas Eve and there was a county fair with church bells ringing in the background. Its vineyards produce the famous red – Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Christmas Eve Bonfire in Abbadia San Salvatore
On every Christmas Eve, the tiny town of Abbadia San Salvatore transforms into an enchanting precinct of bonfires and practically the entire town ( including some tourists ) gather at the town square to set it ablaze!
This marks the festival of Fiaccole della Notte di Natale , a medieval tradition ( dating back to the early Middle Ages ). It marks the days of yore when villagers lit large fires during their vigils on the eve of the birth of Christ to celebrate the coming light during the longest nights of the year.
Towering stacks of firewood, of varying heights are prepared all across the main square. The ceremony started at 6 p.m. – a blessing was said over the central firewood ( which is the biggest and tallest – up to 7 m high ) which was eventually set alight. The fire lighter would then lead a procession, along with chanting and Christmas carols, all across the town to light up the rest of the bonfires. We were glad to be here at this time of the year to be part of this very ancient tradition and to soak in the magic of the moment.
Christmas Day
We were off to a good start attending mass ( in Italian ) at the Abby of Mount Olivieto, complete with Gregorian chants. It felt like being transported back in time and space, very surreal!
Wining and Dining
It’s chock full of wine, of course, cheese, salami, pizzas and pastas, and Italian coffee is divine! Christmas dinner was memorable we get to eat a decent meal at the restaurant at Il Poggio (which catered specially for the guests) instead of eating out of cans or boxes or fast food ( if we’re lucky ) because most eateries are closed for the season, as we’ve experienced in the past.
Siena
Siena is a charming medieval city which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is dominated by its imposing and majestic Cathedral in a black and white striped facade and its 13th Century brick town hall with tower. We did a cursory look at the Cathedral but did not enter ( too many to take it by now ) and gravitated over to the Medieval Museum of Torture instead for a good part of the trip.
Museo Delle Torture
It felt like a visit to Ripley’s Believe it or Not, but much more bizarre because they were real, cruel, twisted and very sadistic. Truly, a walk on the dark side of humankind. Let’s see – you have the spiked interrogation chair, the spiked collar, a cat’s paw ( not as innocent as it sounds ), the diving or dunking chair, the pillory, the breast ripper, the heretic’s fork, the garrote, the witch’s hook, the jock’s mare, and the ultimate – Iron Maiden of Nuremberg…The list goes on, but I should stop here.
It is the duality of human nature to be fascinated by the warped while feeling nauseated at the same time. I was repulsed yet compelled to read every detail. In spite of it all, our appetites did not seem to be affected by the blood and gore afterwards.
Another Day, another city – Perugia
Perugia is the capital of the Umbria region which is known for its defensive walls around the historic center.
The Tuscan Landscape
All across the Val d’Orcia ( a UNESCO heritage site ) – gentle, cultivated hills, cypress trees, dotted by picturesque towns and villages.
Assisi
St Francis, the patron saint of Italy, was born, worked, lived and died here. The Basilica of St Francis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is just one of the attractions in this hauntingly serene medieval town.
Elsewhere in Tuscany – Lake Trasimeno and Bagni Vignoni
Our Final Stopover – Orvieto
This city which lies midway between Rome and Florence is one of the more memorable visits during my entire stay in Tuscany. It boasts of a stunning Duomo, out-of-this-world gelatos, charming street facades and underground surprises.
St Patrick’s Well ( Pozzo Di San Patrizo )
This is a historic well built during the mid 16th Century at the behest of the residing Pope, who feared the city’s water supply would be insufficient in the event of a siege. It took 10 years to build. The central well shaft has two spiral ramps in a double helix, one going up and the other going down, accessed by two doors, which allowed for mules to carry water vessels up and down without obstruction. There are 248 steps ( not as scary as it sounds ) and 70 windows to allow light to come in.
Quirky Street Facades
And…finally, one for the road
Conclusion
All I can say is – I will be back….but not for another winter.
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