Wednesday, June 19th - our last full day in Tuscany before heading to Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast.
Before driving to Cortona, we stopped at the Chianciano Museum to learn of the Etruscan occupation of this area approximately 600 B.C.E.. After viewing many artifacts of numerous excavations and having our guide Paolo narrate what has been interpreted from these findings, we then boarded our bus once again for our exploration of the town of Cortona, made famous by Francis Mayes book "Under the Tuscan Sun". The old town perched high on a hillside, teeming with tourists, provided our daily workout negotiating the very steep streets. While there we witnessed a wedding and then purchased sandwiches, olives, ripe tomatoes, watermelon and wine for a group picnic at the top of the town in the shadow of the Sanctuary of Santa
Margherita.
Our last night in Chinciano and Tuscany we drove outside town to an Agroturismo, Palazzo Bandino, for a typical Tuscan meal. Aside from consuming the obligatory copious amounts of wine, we started with a delicious salad, ribollita soup, ribs and sausage, and biscotti dipped in vin santo, a sweet wine. Never have so many, consumed so much food and wine, while frivolity reigned supreme.
Before driving to Cortona, we stopped at the Chianciano Museum to learn of the Etruscan occupation of this area approximately 600 B.C.E.. After viewing many artifacts of numerous excavations and having our guide Paolo narrate what has been interpreted from these findings, we then boarded our bus once again for our exploration of the town of Cortona, made famous by Francis Mayes book "Under the Tuscan Sun". The old town perched high on a hillside, teeming with tourists, provided our daily workout negotiating the very steep streets. While there we witnessed a wedding and then purchased sandwiches, olives, ripe tomatoes, watermelon and wine for a group picnic at the top of the town in the shadow of the Sanctuary of Santa
Margherita.
Our last night in Chinciano and Tuscany we drove outside town to an Agroturismo, Palazzo Bandino, for a typical Tuscan meal. Aside from consuming the obligatory copious amounts of wine, we started with a delicious salad, ribollita soup, ribs and sausage, and biscotti dipped in vin santo, a sweet wine. Never have so many, consumed so much food and wine, while frivolity reigned supreme.
The following morning, Thurday, June 20th, we departed for Sorrento, stopping along the way to visit the Umbrian town of Orvieto, originally settled by the Etruscans 900 B.C.E.. Walking up several stairs, then the furnicular, then a bus, we finally reached the town square and walked the many narrow streets filled with shops for the crowd of tourists. The town is centered around the Duomo where I found art students sketching many of the sculptures that adorn the facade.
Leaving Orvieto, we than drove South, past Rome and Naples to our hotel in Sorrento, our home for the next week.