After a few days "researching"(truly it was!) in the Chianti region, it was time to continue further south and visit the beautiful Tuscan city of Siena, home to the famous Palio horse race and a Unesco World heritage site.
Upon entering the outskirts of the old town one is greeted by hundreds of flags and elaborate streetlights indicating which of the 17 "contrade" (suburbs) one is in. "Il Palio" the horse race itself occurs twice per year and involves ten horse and riders representing the different suburbs and is three laps of the main square.
An event that is over 350 years old, the city council covers the huge shell-shaped square with dirt and barriers for the famous race which packs the spectatators in by the thousands.
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| "Contrade" (suburb) flags |
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| "Contrade" shields |
A visit to Siena should include a look into it's beautiful Cathedral but for me a highlight is to climb the Tower. With only around 30 visitors allowed up at a time and a strict (well, strict by Italian standards!) time limit for your stay, the wait can be long but definitely worthwhile!
At 88m and exactly 400 steps it doesn't seem far up but in places your shoulders are touching each side of the walls on the flights up and anyone who suffers vertigo should give this one a miss!Standing at the top literally underneath the bells I have to admit a change of underwear was almost required when the bells erupted into symphony 1m above me at precisely middday!
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| Awaiting it's next victim! |
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| Liquid gold! |
Tearing oneself away from beautiful Siena I decided to do some more umm .."research" into Italian wine. On the list was one of Italy's most famous and expensive wines - Brunello.
To find the home of this most special of Italian wines one must head about an hour south of Siena to the beautiful hilltop Tuscan town of Montalcino. One of the driest and warmest areas in all of Tuscany, one could be forgiven at times for thinking they have entered the set of a Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western and that Clint Eastwood will ride up on horseback at any minute with tumble-weeds rolling across the sweeping dusty plains. (Queue "The Good The Bad and The Ugly" whistle theme!)
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| Another GREAT Italian! |
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| Nice way to end the day.... |
A clone of the sangiovese grape, Brunello (which in local dialect means "the small dark one") wines by law consist of 100% local sangiovese grape grown exclusively in this area.
The clone of the sangiovese grape that is particular to Brunello wines was first discovered by the Biondi family in the mid 1800's. These days known as Biondi-Santi, if you're after one of the best of the best (and MOST expensive) then this is the name to go for.
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| Biondi-Santi, the original Brunello! |
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| Got to love this local's overbite! |
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| Let the "research" begin!Salute! |
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| Ahhh,what a beautiful site - a wall of Brunello! |
So after an evening that involved multiple tastings of the famed local drop in the 14C fortress, incredible local pastas in a cosy hidden trattoria and then the most amazing dusk over the Tuscan plains it was time to finally call it a day in this gorgeous part of the world. Tomorrow it was back on the road and the final leg ...Roma!!
Upon entering the outskirts of the old town one is greeted by hundreds of flags and elaborate streetlights indicating which of the 17 "contrade" (suburbs) one is in. "Il Palio" the horse race itself occurs twice per year and involves ten horse and riders representing the different suburbs and is three laps of the main square.
A visit to Siena should include a look into it's beautiful Cathedral but for me a highlight is to climb the Tower. With only around 30 visitors allowed up at a time and a strict (well, strict by Italian standards!) time limit for your stay, the wait can be long but definitely worthwhile!
Tearing oneself away from beautiful Siena I decided to do some more umm .."research" into Italian wine. On the list was one of Italy's most famous and expensive wines - Brunello.
