San Gimignano

Disclaimer: I am slightly behind in updating the blog. I have been gone, Evan has been gone, and our camera takes great pictures but they take an unusually long time to load and have to be done 1-by-1.

August 28, 2009

We drove to San Gimignano in the Tuscany region this weekend. We stayed at an agriturismo (bed and breakfast type) East of the city in the hills. Why we took 360 degree pics of the place and not one of the actual place...this I cannot explain. But you'll get the idea.

Podere Magione is situated along a winding road among vineyards and countless other agriturismos. Agriturismos are usually cheaper than a hotel and offer a variety of services such as, wine/oil/honey tastings, have lavish vegetable gardens guests can take advantage of, offer a full kitchen (at least ours did), some have pools (ours did not), and have a much more personal feel than city life for a few days.

Evan had Friday off so we drove down early to get a full 3-day weekend. This pic we are standing in the driveway looking down the road upon our arrival. The family's estate starts on the left with the farmhouse-type building and dirt road. Their vineyards are on the left and right surrounding us. The daughter greeted us and helped us get situated. Her father spent Saturday and Sunday morning cultivating, watering, and tending to the veggie garden.
This is from the second floor looking down the same road. Our version of aerial view.

Looking down the rows of vineyards. We drove into San Gimignano. This medieval town makes for a perfect daytrip. Looking down the street filled with shops and gelato.

There were originally 72 towers in this Etruscan town and today only 15 are still standing.

One of the piazzas with a well in the center.

Evan's panoramic photo-op at an overlook.

The outside of this church does not do the inside justice. After Spain, we feel like we have been in our share of churches, temples, and mosques. This church ranks right up there on the inside.

Another piazza--we sat on the steps of this church.

Ahhh, home sweet home. The owner gave us some of their red and white wine along with some of their olive oil and some apricot jam. We stopped at a grocery store on the way home to grab some cheese, bread, and salad to go with our recently purchased wild boar sausage and watched the sunset in the yard with our wine.

Here is our little covered patio. Have I mentioned yet that we lucked out and had the entire place to ourselves? Well, we did.

Sunset Friday night--going. Going.

Gone. What a perfect day.

So here is where we spent our night. Under the stars, with a cool breeze, listening to Texas music, drinking both bottles of wine.