La Bella Tosciana
By Art Sbarsky
*originally published in Cruise and Travel Lifestyles Spring/Summer 2011
Tuscany: the climate-blessed region of Italy that has taken on near-mythic status among travelers the world over. Historically, they say, all roads led to Rome. Today, it seems as if all of the roads lead to Siena, at the center of Tuscany, and easily reachable from Florence, Rome and Bologna.
Maybe it was the book, ‘Under the Tuscan Sun’ by Frances Mayes, and then the movie that started the modern-day awareness of the area as the place to visit. But Tuscany has been around for a long time. Siena, a relatively small city now, was involved in a centuries-long dispute with Florence for territorial rights. Its rolling hills, filled with incredibly flavorful grapes grown under that famous Tuscan sun, have been the source of wonderful wines for hundreds of years. Churches and hill towns and stone towers dot the countryside as roads meander their way from town to town.
On a recent trip to Italy, I used Siena as the focal point for traveling around the region. I also got to see Il Palio, the famous horse race run in the center of that city. In the United States, the Kentucky Derby is our oldest continuously run sporting event and 2011 is the 137th running. The Palio has been run since the 14th century – just a slight difference – but more on this later.
Siena is an amazing city to visit. The façade of its duomo is unbelievably beautiful with frescoes and statues and gargoyles and more. Inside, it’s an eclectic mix of stone and marble and stained glass; oh yes, just tucked away on one side are statues by Michelangelo. Del Campo, the town’s center piazza, is shell-shaped with a huge open area surrounded by city hall, museums and wonderful bars and cafes. For great people watching, sit and enjoy the traditionally Italian thin crust pizza with a Peroni or Moretti (the great Italian beers) at La Costa.
The charm of Siena is best taken in by simply wandering around, poking one’s head into various churches, side streets, cafes and art galleries. Tuscan cuisine is, of course, featured including unusual pasta called pici and it’s a serious delight to enjoy pasta ragu (that’s meat sauce often made with wild boar – yum!). There are so many restaurants but one of the best entrees I have had anywhere in the world was at Trattoria da Gano; the steak made with a balsamic vinegar sauce is just amazing.
Siena doesn’t allow non-local cars to stay in the heart of the city without special permits so it’s probably best to stay right outside the city. One convenient place is the Hotel Santa Caterina (www.hscsiena.it). It’s better than its three-star rating, you can walk right through the Porta Roma gates into the city and, while parking can be tough, it’s not insurmountable. Suggestion: ask for a room with a view of the hills.
Il Palio is run twice a year, July 2 and August 16. Tons of dirt are brought in to make the entire center of del Campo into a race track. The race is contested by the 17 contradas (sub-divisions) of Siena and the horses run around the track three times for heart-stopping, pulse-surging action.
Politics, intrigue and tremendous rivalries are involved. And, strangely enough there’s no public wagering. It’s the second most exciting live sporting event I’ve ever been to and it’s worth seeing once in a lifetime. If you go, make sure you get bleacher or terrace seating somewhere around the outside of the track; DO NOT under any circumstances get caught up in the crush of some 45,000 people on the inner portion. And, absolutely, go to one of the Contrada Dinners the night before the race.
Three towns should be on everyone’s must-see list. First has to be San Gimignano, famous for its stone towers that many compare to Manhattan’s skyscrapers. I think it should be the other way around since these towers have been around for 500 years. It offers incredible views, restaurants, shops, wine tasting, churches and everything one could want from an Italian hill town. Naturally it attracts huge masses of people. If you are driving, head for the parking lots at the top entrance to the town. It’s a shorter and more level walk; it’s a good idea to go after 3 pm when most of the tour buses have begun to pull out.
For wine aficionados, and who wouldn’t be one surrounded by the great wines of Tuscany (Sangiovese I hear you calling!), Castellina in Chianti, Montalcino and Montepulciano are wonderful. The towns themselves are quaint and filled with great restaurants and wine shops. Many of them are run by the surrounding vineyards so you can turn a meal or shopping stop into a wine-tasting feast. Places such as Tre Porte in Castellina and Vineria Le Potazzine in Montalcino are family owned and operated and they take great pride in introducing guests to their wines.
The headquarters of world-famous Banfi are in Montalcino (hence their famous Brunello di Montalcino) and a tour of the winery is fun, as is simply stopping off at any vineyard along the roads that says ‘Retail Shop and Tasting’. Not far from Montalcino is the little gem Sant’ Antimo, an old abbey; liturgical prayers with chanting happens several times a day in acoustically-perfect surroundings (open to the public; info at www.antimo.it).
Driving around Tuscany, and even venturing a little further to Umbria (on the way to Rome) there are so many great places to stop. My philosophy: if I see a hilltop town in the distance, I’m inclined to head for it. For example, just east of Montepulciano is the less visited Pienza. Perfect for a few hours, it has the requisite cafes, churches and shops.
On the road from Siena to Rome, or vice versa, is an incredible place to stay overnight: Orvieto. Built on a high-up outcropping of rock, it’s a vibrant com¬munity and the home of famous Orvieto white wine; it can be deliciously sampled and purchased at the Barberani shop right in the main square near the church.
Final thoughts: get off the main highway as quickly as you can in this region ¬– it’s best seen via the local roads, including the Chianti ‘Highway’ which, in one place makes a 90-degree turn right in the middle of a town; get off the commercialized main streets in any town and walk the places where people still live – except for the occasionally charming curmudgeon, everyone is friendly. Enjoy the local cuisines, try things you would never eat at home. And, best of all, let all of your senses enjoy this spectacular region.
