Tuscany

If there is one place I could suggest for someone to visit in Italy, Tuscany would definitely be on the short list. It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. It was winter time and a lot of the scenery was a crisp, clean white. The views we saw while there were absolutely breathtaking. I can only imagine the beauty in the summer, when the symbol of Tuscany blooms, il girasole- the sunflower.

We visited several places while we were there: Arezzo, Siena, and Pienza. We also visited Orvieto, which is in the region of Umbria. Each was resplendent in its own way.

Most of our time was spent visiting famous churches, museums, and walking around quaint, storybook towns. The buildings were appropriately aged, but not rundown and the hilly, winding streets could easily replace one's elliptical machine. I enjoyed rounding a corner and peering through one of the many keyhole type passageways that led down yet another one of the endless narrow streets.

Siena was strikingly medieval, and the Duomo of Siena was speechlessly beautiful. It commands visitors attention as they enter the piazza where it is located. Its architecture is crisp, clean, and intricate. The cathedral follows the style of medieval architecture. This is especially evident in the tower structure. I have to say, the architecture was one of my favorite parts of Tuscany. The only word I can use to try and appropriately describe the Duomo of Siena is magnificent. Any attempt I try to make at a description will not do it justice. It is something that must be personally experienced, enjoyed and marveled at.

While in Arezzo we saw the frescoes, or wall paintings, of Piero della Francesca in the church of St. Francis. I thoroughly enjoyed this part of the trip because I was excited to see first hand frescoes that I had previously studied in my art history classes back at Loyola. Seeing them in person meant much more than studying them from an image projector in a darkened classroom for the allotted hour and fifteen minute class. I find that my appreciation for even the smallest painting or sculpture has increased significantly since I have been in Italy.

I have to say one of my favorite activities of the Tuscany trip was our wine tasting at the Castel del Trebbio. Picture yourself in a 900 year old wine cellar. Modern day wine barrels surround you as you stand in the bowels of the castle. This is where the wine sleeps before it reaches the sunlight and its cork is popped for what ever occasion it has been rescued for. We walked through passageways and rooms filled with dust covered aging wine, following our guide to our final destination. If you have ever been on a wine tasting than you know there is a proper way to drink the wine to have the full experience. I enjoyed letting the full bodied flavors of the wine glide over my palate. Each wine was strategically paired with a food so as to bring out the best flavors. After the tasting we were presented with an exquisite meal, which wrapped up our evening. We re-entered the buses warm with wine and satisfied with good food and conversation.









I fell in love with Tuscany on this trip and I cannot wait until I return again, in the summer this time, to the land of the sunflowers...

http://www.paradoxplace.com/Perspectives/Italian%20Images/Montages/Tuscancountry/Sunflowers.htm