Returned last night from a truly amazing and wonderful trip to Montepulciano and Montalcino. Only wonderful, positive experiences to report as everything went without a hitch including air travel on AA and BA.

How perfect our trip was dawned on me when Jane, who we met along with Ken and Casey in Montalcino, asked us what the highlight of out trip had been so far. We absolutely couldn’t come up with one, as each day’s experiences were as terrific as the day before and after. That many of the experiences of this trip were part of my ST prize just added to the “pinch me, I must be dreaming” quality of the trip.

I really do promise a trip report, rental, hotel and restaurant reviews. In the mean time, here are some of the highlights, mostly in the order in which they occurred:

Staying at the beautiful L’Ombricolo outside of Orvieto on our arrival day and meeting and having dinner with the fascinating proprietor Dawne (thanks for the recommendation Roz!)

The haunting beauty of the village of Civita Di Barnoregio, especially in the fog. I knew I had hooked my husband on much more travel to Italy when we walked into our first church in Italy there and he said, ”It doesn’t get much better than this.” It does and it did and I pretty sure I reeled him in by the end of our trip.

Meeting Nico of Sant’ Antonio and having flowers, prosecco and a bottle of wine waiting for us (courtesy of Jane) on our arrival. His generosity was overwhelming-he wouldn’t let us pay for anything!

Spectacular weather in the 70’s for all but 1 day of our trip!

No crowds anywhere except for at the festival day in Montalcino (and they were mostly Italian tourists)

Fabulous meals and wine everywhere we went.

Meeting up with Joanna (fellow Slow traveler) and seeing all the work she has done on her beautiful house in Castiglione d’Orcia

Having a wonderful afternoon with Alessandra in Cortona and maybe having the best meal of our trip with her at Osteria del Teatro. Not to mention shopping in her beautiful store where my husband bought me the most beautiful Cashmere pashmina as an early Christmas present-it takes my breath away it’s so gorgeous and feels like a cloud!

Meeting and trying to communicate with an adorable professional soccer player on the train ride to Arezzo.

The Fresco cycles of Monte Oliveto Magggiore and San Francesco in Arezzo.

The wine tour of Avignonesi with Nico. Fun and informative-I’ll never hold my wine glass the same way again!

The picture postcard countryside of Southern Tuscany where one view is more stunning than the next and the quiet beauty of each medieval hill town.

Shopping in Italy-one of my passions. I was pretty well behaved this trip (except in Alessandra’s shop) but I couldn’t resist my usual watercolors/etchings of the towns I visited, a few small pieces of jewelry, olive wood utensils, ceramics, olive oil and wine of course.

The feeling of utmost peace entering the Abbey of Sant’ Antimo outside of Montalcino with the recorded monk’s chanting in the background. If I had to pick the most spectacular setting for a church/abbey this would be it. DO NOT miss this Abbey if you are in the area-you will be transported by it’s beauty and tranquility. It was my second visit there and even without hearing the monks chant live this time, it was sublime.

Meeting Jane, Ken and Casey for the Sagra del Tordo festival in Montalcino. We had the best time together-what a special family they are. I have a big crush on the adorable and very well behaved Casey!

Being part of a festival weekend in Montalcino. I love this town and it was especially fun to see all the preparations for the festival, flags, chanting etc before the actual event. Attending a Sagra meal was great fun too and the costumes were just beautiful!

Buying a new wedding ring for my husband at a great jeweler’s in Montalcino. (I had mentioned romance on this trip before I left didn’t I?) Jim had lost his original ring years ago and we never replaced it (he’s a woodworker-it got in his way-etc.) but we thought the charming town of Montalcino would be a special place to replace it and always remember it by.

OK, I’ll stop now before there’s nothing left for a trip report. Cannot thank Pauline and the moderators enough for the ST contest that made it possible to stay at Sant’Antonio, which was the basis for this wonderful trip. Thank you so much!!

Hi Colleen,
Welcome back, and thanks for sharing the highlights of your trip with us!
Sounds like it was just what you'd hoped and planned for ... slow, romantic and relaxing.

I look forward to reading more ... and some reviews.

quote:

Originally posted by colleenk:

How perfect our trip was dawned on me when Jane, who we met along with Ken and Casey in Montalcino, asked us what the highlight of out trip had been so far. We absolutely couldn’t come up with one, as each day’s experiences were as terrific as the day before and after.

I know what you mean - I can never tell people what my "favroite" part of a trip was.
Glad you had such an amazing time!

Thanks for the report on your amazing week.
Someday I want us to spend a week in that part of Tuscany since it's a area we have not visited, just driven through on the way to somewhere else.
And I think your husband's Italian wedding ring will always be a special memory.

Marcia

Colleen, it sounds fabulous! Can't wait to read your trip report (hint, hint )

Colleen, I am so thrilled to know that you stayed at L'Ombricolo. Isn't Dawne a special person? Your trip sounds wonderful from beginning to end -- and just reading your brief notes brought back evocative memories of visiting some of the same places on past trips, plus left me wanting to hear more!

Welcome back -- I hope re-entry isn't too depressing!

- Roz

Welcome home Colleen. It sounds as though your trip was absolutely perfect. It is such a beautiful part of Italy.

I am glad you were able to 'reel' your husband in to yet more of Italy. This year we were in the area you have just visited and before we left to come home Terry said "We have to come back here". This is an incredible endorsement from a man who usually does not want to discuss the next trip until about a week before we leave!

You made to some spots we missed so I am dying to read your trip report and restaurant reviews! No pressure!

Welcome home Colleen ! Ohhh, you sound as if you are still floating in that little dream-world called Italy !! I can never understand how anyone can come up with their favorite part of the trip. I always start with one thing and before I know it the list is a mile long and each experience or place that I have seen becomes the favorite !! I am very happy for you that you were able to have this experience.

Oh, Colleen, I know there is a trip report to come, but your summary brought a tear to my eyes. I was the first of the bunch to take my Slow Travel prize trip this year, and every time I read about another one, I get all misty. I am so happy that both you and Roz had such special trips...

colleen,

I am so glad your trip was all you had hoped it would be!

A serious question:
How did you feel going for such a short visit?

We are thinking of going next fall for 10-12 days ( that is all I can get off work and we feel a shorter time is essentially less expensive than longer). But I am concerned that I will be sobbing on leaving, not having had enough. Well, I guess it's never enough of Italk. But , what did you think?

Thanks so much and I await your reviews

jan

That's a good question Jan. I think if you stay in one area and don't try to do too much, it's fine. When you go into a trip knowing you have a limited time, I think you adjust your expectations. I did exactly what I had set out to do on this trip, explore/revisit only the very near hill towns and countryside and spend 3 nights in Montalcino, fully absorbing the Sagra del Tordo without any daytrips. So I had 10 full days and 2 travel days.

I do feel that the older I get, it takes a little more time for my body to fully adjust to the time change, so I think this is the minimum amount of time I could go to Europe for. I always wish I could stay longer in Bella Italia but I was really happy that I experienced what I had planned on for this trip. So I would say go for it!

Welcome home Colleen!

I loved reading your mini-report...a teaser of sorts, of what's to come in your trip report! I'm thrilled that you and Jim had such a wonderful time together and that you've "reeled him in" for many future Italy trips! I most definitely will visit the Abbey of Sant’ Antimo when I'm there next Oct. (yee hee, less that one year away)

**wink wink** glad you two lovebirds had such a romantic get away!

Hope to see you soon. I want to touch your pashmina and see your latest watercolor aquisitions...is there enough wall space in your Italy room?

Ciao, meow,
Mindy

Mindy,
I'm supposed to wrap up the pashmina for Christmas(it was from your favorite spot Cashmere in Chianti by the way that Alessandra now carries in her shop), so no touching it before then! But you must come see my almost full wall of travel watercolors in my Tuscan room soon. I do exaggerate about Jim and enticing him to Italy. He does love Italy, he just enjoys other vacations too (windsurfing in NC, lazing at the beach in Plymouth) and can only take off so much time. I, on the other hand could spend all my vaction time in Italy and die a happy woman!
Three other great things that happened on this trip-I didn't gain any weight despite the great meals , I actually seemed to pack the right mix of clothes for the weather (packing being one of my most dreaded aspects of travel) and we took an alternative route to FCO (avoiding the ring road) that worked out great! I will post about that route in another thread tonight.

Welcome back!!!

quote:

I want to touch your pashmina

Pokey you crack me up!

Welcome home Colleen!

Welcome home Colleen! I am so glad that you got the Italy "hooks" into Jim! What a perfectly romantic place to get a new ring too. The Italy room will soon be expanding, I get the feeling...Glad to know you had such a special trip.

Colleen,
How wonderful for you to have such a fantastic time in your beloved Italia! I wanna get a pashima from Alessandra...d'you think she'd send one to me, if I asked her nicely? Cashmere, even...lovely!

“Remember when you used to watch TV in the Sixties and you'd see Perry Como in a cashmere sweater? That's what rock'n'roll is becoming. It's your parents' music.” ~ Neil Young
Brenda

Ah, Colleen
I was "out" of Slow Travel for a couple of weeks and I did not realize you were coming to Italy! I am so happy for you that the whole trip was "perfetto"
Its' good I know that you had little time, othewise I would have pestered you with an invitation to meet (and surely to eat).
Next time, soon, I hope.

Hey Colleen.

Long time.... Reading your mini-report was just what I needed - a does of the Val d'Orcia and Crete Senese.

Glad you had a great time. Welcome back!

Thanks for all your kind comments (Hi David-nice to see you on the board!) Now that I have been home for four days, my trip almost seems like a dream. I'll have to discipline myself to write it up so I can hold on to the great memories.
Letiza, I soo wanted to include stopping by your lovely spot to see you again but I promised myself that I would keep our driving/daytrips to a minimium and Assisi was out of our cocentric circle! Another trip for sure. I think my first task will be writing up the Sagra del Tordo in Montalcino, it really was a special experience.

Thank you, Colleen, for the teasers and promise of a trip report about your trip to Val d'Orcia and other parts! It is my current favorite area of Italy.

I am curious about your ST prize. I am fairly new to ST and do not know about such things. Can you tell me more about it? What it included? How did you win it? Thanks.

Dog Mother,
Here is a page on the details of the 2006 ST contest, rules, submissions and prizes. It was a lot of fun and tons of work for the moderators. I won the Sant' Antonio prize for most restaurant reviews and 2 nights at Diana's B&B in Piemonte for a travel postcard. The next contest will be in 2008.
I agree, I love this part of Italy and would go back in a heartbeat, but first there's Piemonte and Liguria next September.

Thanks for the link, Colleen!