Tuscany At Last

It’s funny to look back and realize that we’ve been planning to go to Italy for over twenty years. Years ago, when our daughter, Jen, was studying in France, Emily and we joined her for three weeks at the end of her term, spending two nights in Venice along the way. We loved Italy and we vowed to go back one day, maybe for our fortieth anniversary in 2018. So, finally, after seven years of surgeries between us and COVID here we are, by God’s grace!

Flying into Florence from Heathrow was a breeze, with our lovely flight attendant freeing up a row for us so Abby could stretch out her new knee! When we arrived at the Amerigo Vespucci Airport, we carefully deplaned down stairs and were placed in a car because no wheelchairs were available. Then, John Marco ceremoniously drove us all of a few hundred feet to the entrance, a distance we could have easily walked. We were then escorted by him with great enthusiasm to the front of the customs line and then to baggage which was all within about another two hundred feet. We had no idea Florence’s airport was this small!

We grabbed some Euros from the ATM, picked up a taxi and were whisked five minutes to the Cosmopolitan Hotel where we were very warmly greeted by Anna from Romania, and Morad who checked us in. As we chatted, I happily asked Morad if he had given us “the very best cheapest room” they had. By now it was 11pm. He laughed and then with a smile said, “I have no choice. Now I must give you an upgrade!” The upgraded room was spacious and comfortable, the buffet breakfast the next morning delicious, and the Budget rental car reservations desk was quick and easy. Not a bad start to Italy!

Forty-five minutes southeast of Florence later, we arrived at our home, Casa dell’ Ambra, in Rignano sull’Arno. Francesca, our lovely hostess, welcomed us, gave us a tour of the house, then served us a delicious lunch, including sausage rolls and a cake her Mom had made for us, wine from her husband’s vineyard and olive oil from this property! What a delightful woman! The house is a beautifully and historically accurate converted stone barn with a two hundred twenty degree view across the valley to the distant hills. Her Dad, a botanist, had not only restored the barn and added 3 bedrooms and a bath upstairs but landscaped with beautiful plants and olive trees. Wow!

We have settled in nicely and have already been to Sienna because our first Saturday was sunny and beautiful and rain was on the horizon. The Duomo (cathedral) was absolutely amazing and featured, among so many other beautiful things, Michelangelo’s small sculpture of St. Paul. The Baptistery of San Giovanni (St. John) was magnificent, as well. We capped off our day with a delicious dinner on the Piazza del Campo, Siena’s town square, then an unbelievable gelato experience on the way to our car. The drive home was tough. We got turned around when we had trouble following the slightly delayed GPS leading to so many twists, turns, circles and loops that it just about drove us mad. We breathed a huge sigh of relief when we finally pulled into Casa dell’ Ambra. Next, we’ll head to Florence by train to visit the Uffizi Gallery and we can’t wait.

The views below are from our wraparound patio. Then, of course, we’ve included some photos of Siena follow. Enjoy!