Dear
Friends,
Kit
in November with Tuscan hills in the background. |
I have just returned from a November trip to the Val
D'Orcia and southeastern Tuscany—that area south of Siena including Cetona
and San Casciano dei Bagni. All I can say is WOW! The villas we found there are
simply extraordinary. Some are owned and designed by one of Italy's most famous
interior designers; her villas are a showplace for her furniture. Another belongs
to a generous family that owns a much-loved restaurant in San Casciano dei Bagni.
The villa is a testament to the appreciation of fine food with its splendid gourmet
kitchen. Guests who love to cook will adore the kitchen (the owner will come in
to do a cooking class on request); but when they want a break, they can order
meals from her nearby restaurant. What a treat to have the choice! But
as beautiful and appealing as the new villas and people we met there were, it
was the wind-swept beauty of the landscape that was the star of the trip. Everyone
who has stayed in Tuscany recalls the beauty of the landscape, but this part of
Tuscany is heartbreakingly beautiful. And November was a special time to be there,
with misty mornings, sunny days and the enjoyment of the harvest - chestnuts,
pumpkins and green, pungent new olive oil fashioned into a variety of regional
delectables. I hope you will be able to enjoy it, too, one
day soon. Ciao, Kit |
1.
San Casciano dei Bagni is one of our favorite Italian towns. Home of the Fonteverde
Spa, the area owes much of its popularity to its 42 thermal hot springs, famous
for their therapeutic properties. Set in a pristine landscape of gently rolling
hills, its narrow, picturesque streets are lined with lovely shops, wonderful
restaurants and delightful wine and coffee bars. Although the setting is rural,
the small hill town is surprisingly sophisticated, and the surrounding countryside
is lovely for hiking, biking, strolling or wandering along back roads in your
car. 2. Southeastern Tuscany is equally beautiful in all
seasons, an ever-changing tapestry of colors, with its golden wheat fields, its
glorious riot of summer sunflowers, its burnt siena fields plowed ready for spring
and its colbalt skies of winter — everywhere a season for photographers.
3. The eerie landscape of the Crete, with its barren chalky
hills. At the center, a huge grove of tall cypresses surrounds the monastery of
Monte Oliveto Maggiore. The gatehouse is decorated with della Robbia tiles, and
the wooden choir stalls in the Abbey Church are renowned. But the main attraction
is the Great Cloister, with some of the best-preserved Renaissance fresco cycles,
depicting the life of St. Benedict. Today the Brothers of this monastery specialize
in the restoration of old books and operate a gift shop selling herbal remedies
for whatever ails you. And the road between Asciano and the abbey is one of the
most scenic drives in all of Tuscany! 4. The Val d'Orcia
offers some of the most dramatic landscapes in Tuscany. Wander back roads to discover
tiny villages where you can hear the clang of sheep bells or a Puccini opera from
a nearby trattoria. The lovely little spa town of Bagno Vignoni, so small it can
hardly be called a village, is worth a visit to admire the architecture of its
arcaded, stone-lined piscina. Bring your bathing suit and stop at nearby Bagni
S. Fillippo, where you can hike down the wooded path to a natural hot spring and
bathing pool. 5. Montalcino is famous for its Brunello
wine. The best place to taste it is in the enoteca in the old fortress, where
you can try it by the glass before splurging on a bottle. Stop to see the Sant'
Antimo Abbey, just outside of town, which has inspired poets and painters and
seems to touch just about everyone who visits. One of the finest Romanesque churches
in Tuscany, Sant' Antimo is striking for its dramatic setting, its rounded apse,
and its luminous alabaster interior. Click
here to read more... |
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