Toscana

Buon Giorno, Tutti!

WOW - can you believe we're less than a month away from departure? How quickly this Spring has flown by! Don't know what it's like in your part of the country, but it just got HOT in Texas this week . . . just in time for hanging out by a pool or at the lake . . . did you know that the highs in Siena this week are in the mid- to upper 70's, with occasional rain storms? Or so they forecast . . .

Which brings me to our middle weekend during our trip. If you'll remember, my last post was about Ostia, which we'll visit on our last day before departure (and stay in Rome our last night). Our middle weekend promises to offer culture, travel, and a little time on your own! This weekend, we take in the sights of Tuscany, and the amazing history and art which has emerged from this part of the world.

Now, don't get me wrong - Rome truly is my heartbeat, and I will always have a personal tie to Roma. However, after my first stay in Tuscany in 2004, I was HOOKED - every town is so beautifully enchanting and historically intriguing! It's no wonder this region was the epicenter of the Renaissance . . . and we get to experience all of the greatest parts of it in one weekend!

On Friday, July 2 (a month from today - SERIOUSLY), the Siennese celebrate the Palio di Provenzano, in honor of Madonna di Provenzano, who has a church in town. I'll share so much about the Palio with you during our stay there (and you'll learn more from your teachers than even I know), and, parents, you'll get all the information in this blog. Needless to say, the afternoon offers much pomp, and then we have the fun of enduring 3 hours of false starts before the actual 1.5 minute race. Thank goodness for those giant Litre water bottles!

Then, on Saturday, July 3, we venture on a day of Firenze. While we will visit the Uffizi and the Accademia (thank you, SPI, for paying for reservations!!!), we'll also have open time for you to visit other locations you'd like to see. Maybe you want to see Galileo's index finger at the Museum of Science and History? Perhaps view the frescoes in Santa Maria Novella? I always make my stop by the Farmacia di SMN (located right behind the church) to pick up their amazing perfumed soaps -and other elixirs - for family gifts. Or perhaps you want to visit one of the other grand churches in town? Santa Croce and the Duomo, with its Baptistry, are both beautiful in their own right (even if I think Siena's Duomo is grander). Then, of course, there's the leather market out near San Lorenzo (yet another historical and amazing church), and one always must fulfill their search for the best gelato by visiting some of the stars: Vivoli, Carabe, Festival del Gelato . . .. Needless to say, there's so much to do in such a brief day! Fortunately, since buses leave every hour for Siena, we can stay as long as we want that day (as long as we've told our homestays in advance that we'll be not eating at home that night)!

After such an intense touring day, you might be tempted to sit around your homestay on Sunday (July 4), but I will encourage you to discover other parts of Tuscany! In fact, you'll receive a brochure (one of many - I make them for every non-Siena excursion we have) on your many options for your free day. Want to head to the beach? Maybe visit Assisi? Perhaps you didn't get enough of Florence? Or do you want to stand next to the Leaning Tower in Pisa? I've even seen a few Twilight fans make a "pilgrimage" to Volterra, and a few history buffs head out to see the Roman Amphitheatre in Arezzo, or go down to Chiusi to see the Etruscan Tombs. SO many options! If you've been encouraged to visit San Gimignano, I'll suggest you wait on that one - we're going to do an afternoon optional excursion to San Gimignano during our second week in Siena.

What great opportunities abound during our time in Italy! Let me know what you're most excited about seeing!

a piu tarde,
Laura