This will be my 6th trip to Italy. People ask why we keep going back and the simple reason is that you can never see it all - this country has more than 25% of the world's cultural heritage locked up in a gorgeous landscape. Then there is the shopping, the food, the wine . . .
The trip is in honour of my 50th birthday later in the year and we're travelling with two of our favourite people - our friends Nancy and Joanne. Traveling with others always makes things a titch more complex - Paul and I are in such sync when we travel. You're not always sure what other people want to do. Happily both Nancy and Joanne have a mind of their own and are more than happy to do their own thing if there is something that they wish to do but we do not.
We'll be travelling together for 11 days and then they head back to Canada.
We fly into Florence where we'll be staying at our favourite B and B in the city: Tourist House Ghiberti.
We have the following things booked for Florence:
Some of the things I hope to do while we're there is to climb the Campanile, head across the Arno to Piazzalle Michangelo for the amazing views of the city, tour Santa Croce, tour the Palazzo Vecchio, and explore the new level of the market.
We have one dinner reservation - a return visit to La Cucina del Garga.
After a much too short visit we'll cab to the airport on Sunday where we'll pick up our cars for the upcoming week of exploring the Val D'orcia.
On the drive south we shall pop into Cortona.
I was able to score a lunch reservation at Osteria del Teatro in Cortona. Many of my friends rave about the place so it will be great to experience it myself.
After lunch we continue south to Montisi where I have rented a house outside of the wee town for a week - Villa Santa Anna.
Our friends Sandi and Gail will be staying in Montisi while we are there (although I expect Gail will be busy in her partner's restaurant much of the time!) so I expect that one or both of them will be joining in on our fun while we are there.
We do not have a ton planned for this portion of the trip.
So far I have one restaurant reservation:
I also have two winery reservations:
I have also arranged for a full-day tour of Siena with Antonella Piredda.
Other than that things are flexible so we will take the week as it comes.
At the end of the week in the Val D'orica we head north again, Nancy and Joanne to the airport, Paul and I to Verona.
We have never been to Verona before and Paul really wanted to go. The plan is to drop the car off at the airport and cab into our hotel: Hotel Giulietta e Romeo.
I've left this portion of the trip in Paul's hands. He has a list of restaurants he'd like to try and things he'd like to experience. I shall go with the flow!!
After a few days we will hop the train to Venice. I can't believe that this will be my fifth visit to this amazing city. We're booked into our favourite hotel the Hotel Abbazia.
Once again we have no plans at all.
One one day we will meet our SlowTravel friend Jan and her husband Ken for lunch.
On another day we'd like to head out into the lagoon and explore the island of Burano.
Other than that we will just wander . . .
Sadly at the end of all of this wonderfulness we have to come home.
:-(
Have a fantastic time! Can't wait to hear all about it. Kisses to Venice from me. Cheers!
Posted by: Annie | May 29, 2014 at 05:27 AM
It all sounds fabulous and I am looking forward to following along! Buon Viaggio!
Posted by: Susie L | May 29, 2014 at 12:53 PM
I'm farsick.... I've been to most of those places and I really, really need to go back. Hope you are having a wonderful time!
Posted by: Katie | May 31, 2014 at 02:03 PM
I'll be sure to give your love to Venice Annie!
Thanks Susie - we are really looking forward to this one.
Funny Katie - we've been talking about how we need to visit France now after 6 or 7 trips to Italy.
Posted by: JDeQ | June 03, 2014 at 01:47 AM