Firenze....July 7th

Florence (Italian: Firenze) lies on the River Arno. It is known for its history and its importance in the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance, especially for its art and architecture and, more generally, for its cultural heritage.
Florence is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance.

                                                        Palazzo Vecchio

                                                   The River Arno

                                                 
the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge), whose most striking feature is the multitude of shops built upon its edges, held up by stilts.  It is the only bridge in the city to have survived World War II intact.

                                      looking at fabric in one of the Florence markets

Fontana del Porcellino ("fountain of the piglet"), actually a copy of a bronze wild boar by Pietro Tacca from the sixteenth century. Popular tradition has it that rubbing the nose brings fortune, so over time, the statue has acquired a certain shine in that spot.

 The best-known site of Florence is the domed cathedral of the city,

 Santa Maria del Fiore known as the Duomo

In addition to the art and history, the street markets and high fashion shops

 Florence also has more than its fair share of the strange and quirky:

Lilliano Wine Cellar Tour and Dinner Evening...July 6th

Each week Lilliano hosts a wine cellar tour and dinner evening, bringing together the guests staying at the various farmhouses of Tenuta di Lilliano agriturismo.

                            One of the first bottles of Chianti producedby the current ownership. The bottling and sale of wines was begun in 1958 by princess Eleonora Ruspoli Berlingieri , whose family bought the estate in 1920. Giulio and Pietro Ruspoli are the current owners.

The first records of Borgo di Lilliano date back to the middle ages. At that time it was a fortified complex.  An impressive construction of the farmhouse dominates the village.While retaining the medieval formation which can be seen in the topography, the cellars and enclosure walls, the architecture developed gradually through a series of styles to assume its current eighteenth century appearance.

aerial photo from the Lilliano website:

Lilliano's U-Tube promotional video:

 

Montalcino ! ..... July 6th

                                         enroute to Montalcino

    Montalcino is a medieval hilltown in Tuscany. It is famous for its Brunello di Montalcino red wine.

Fattoria dei Barbi, just outside town on the hillside.

                                                                  chestnuts....

                                                       Brunello di Montalcino

Eighteen ! ... Siena, July 5th, 2011

The shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, the town square, which houses the Palazzo Pubblico and the Torre del Mangia.

The flags of the seventeen Contrade, or city wards. The flags are symbolic of the medieval bareback horse race known as the Palio di Siena.

                                    this flag represents the contrade Bruco (the caterpillar)

courtyard inside the Palazzo Pubblico

                                  view from part way up the Torre del Mangia (city hall tower)

                              shell-shaped Piazza del Campo.............

                                  Basilica of San Domenico. Built in 1226..........

                       Duomo di Siena. The Cathedral of Siena....construction began in 1215

                                             the Duomo....

                      we celebrated Aline's eighteenth at il Bandierino on the Piazza del Campo.