Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012

We decided to hit a few of the “small towns” around Montepulciano that had been recommended by the owner of our apartment.  The weather started out bright and sunny but degraded a bit over the length of the day.  It was still a fun day to tour a Pope’s Palazzo, and then take a quick walk through a few towns which apparently get very little tourist traffic.  Especially in early November!

The first town is Pienza which Laura and I had actually visited many years earlier.  This was the home town of Enea Sivio Piccolomini, who in 1458 became Pope Pius II and went on a church money spending spree!  His intent was to transform the old neighborhood into the ideal Renaissance city.  One cathedral and 3 palaces later the work came to a halt but it is all well preserved in a very picturesque and beautiful setting that is well worth a visit and exploring.  Sorry but no photos allowed in the popes palace.  So book your own tickets now!  From Pienza we drove north to the villages of Castelmuzio and Montisi.  You absolutely will not find them in a tour book as they are very small but extremely well kept and authentic.  In the former we stuck out heads into an open door in a wall of brick and met 2 gentlemen who were crushing grapes to make a Vin Santo wine and explained it all in a nonstop Italian monologue.  This is a sweet desert wine which is the color of of honey and can be fantastic!!  Even without desert.  I grabbed a few photos and we promised to come back for a tour and tasting.

It is extremely difficult to make good time on the road when the country side looks this beautiful.

Pulling over again!

That is the town of Monteplulciano in the background. So far I have made it a whole 1.5 miles down the road!

Into the cathedral in Pienza. It sits on the western edge of town thus getting wonderful afternoon light coming in behind the altar.

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All dressed up and heading into town.

In the garden of the pope’s palazzo.

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If I were still buying film this trip would be ridiculously expensive!!

Urban wall gardening.

Step one. Crush grapes.

Step two. Sieve the grape juice.

Step three. Let ferment.

Come back in quattro anni…four years!

Time to head for home.

A very friendly town cat who did her best to convince us we needed her at our place.