The Perfect Tuscan Getaway
Sometimes, taking a couple’s getaway is exactly what you need. We planned the perfect Tuscan getaway to the towns of Siena and San Gimignano. Since we brought our Husky, Maya, with us, we booked a room at Hotel Sovestro, a pet-friendly establishment in San Gimignano. Maya traveled well with us, but we’re on the hunt for a reputable boarding facility (no easy feat here) or pet sitter!
Visiting Siena, Italy
We began our Saturday morning with a 30 minute drive to Siena. A cute, quaint town, Siena has that old European feel, with narrow cobblestone streets and tall, stone buildings.
Piazza del Campo is the main area where you can sit and watch the world go by. Also, this is where they hold the city’s horse races in the summer.
While in Siena, we climbed the Torre del Mangia, a tower that was built in 1338-1348. You can see this tower from all points in Siena. It consists of tiny, narrow steps going up in a circular fashion. They were challenging to climb! But, we persisted and reached the top after 10 minutes or so. There, breathtaking views welcomed us. We could see the city and well beyond it.
Afterwards, we walked around for a while and stopped in a pizzeria off of the main area to have lunch and much needed water!
Food and Wine in San Gimignano
We also visited the small town of San Gimignano, about five minutes from our hotel. This is a walled medieval hill town, best known for its architecture, especially its towers. Here, we had two excellent meals.
This authentic Tuscan cuisine was very different than the Neapolitan cuisine we’ve been eating. The food in Naples focuses on seafood with light sauces, but Tuscan food is more hearty, meaty, and cheesy. For example, some of our favorite Tuscan dishes included wild boar, prosciutto with figs, rabbit, and gnocchi with truffles. Yum!
Of course, the perfect Tuscan getaway has to include a day of wine tasting. Jon reserved a private wine tasting at Tenuta Torciano, about 15 minutes north of San Gimignano. This family-owned winery consists of 13 generations of wine producers!
We sat at a huge table set for two. Ten wine glasses stood in front of each plate. Included in our tasting was a three course lunch. Our ten tastings complemented the food. As Pierluigi, our wine connoisseur, poured each glass, he explained the proper wine tasting technique and gave a description of the grapes used and the aging process.
The huge goblets were filled almost halfway for us to taste. It took us the whole two hours to finish it all! At the end, Pierluigi even said, “Take your time and pour yourselves more of the wine if you want.”
Needless to say, Jon and I were a little giddy when we left. At least we had the food to help offset some of the alcohol. The food was spectacular – like spoonfuls of heaven! Pierluigi’s sister made all of the dishes for us, using their grandmother’s recipes. We especially loved the ribollita and lasagna!
All in all, we ended up buying 11 bottles of wine, one balsamic vinegar, and one white truffle olive oil. But, the delicious wine and food, was only part of the overall experience. We felt a wonderful sense of hospitality here, making this an experience we will never forget. We felt like visitors in their home and it was just perfect.
Our Tuscan getaway is just what we needed!
An Unforgettable Getaway
Sometimes, we just need to get away. Living in Italy gives us the perfect place to do just that, and we feel so fortunate to have this experience! Who could ask for more? Food, wine, culture, and beautiful views!