We took our first taxi ride from the rail station to our B & B in the old walled town of Siena. That should have been our first indication of who truly "ownes" the road when it comes to pedesterians or drivers, as we clutched the edge of our seats. Not a sidewalk one, not a blade of grass (not much fun being a dog in this town) however there is a charm that is deserving of all the accolaides written, when it comes to Siena.
Perched on a hilltop, overlooking the wild Tuscany countryside (it must look SO very beautiful when all those sun flowers are in full bloom. .... what we saw, were giant heads drooping under the weight of their seeds for next years flowers).
The old town itself, is very walkable, and just crammed full of side streets with bright, cheerful shops spilling out onto the walkway - some as tiny as a closet - cafes/restaurants, laundry hanging from high balconies and geraniums surviving in meager spots of soil.
More often than not, the restaurants seemed to have outside seating sufficient only for a half dozen folk....with tables and chairs designed so as not to slip down the really steep inclines (think little Lombard Street in San Francisco, only really old and rustic). Everywhere, people are drinking coffee, or beer, eating pizza or the famous gellatos (best ice cream ever!) the place is just a hubub of activity.
But then we had our quiet peaceful 17th century B & B to retreat to ...... probably the most charming of all our accomodations, it was an old converted villa with lace curtins, marble floors and elaborately decorated ceilings. Our bedrom windows overlooked the courtyard, with it's many birds constantly singing, and beyond that, farms and countryside off in the distance ...it was a little oasis, a far cry from the metros we had become acustomed to.
Oh yes we will definitely be returning to Tuscany.
Location:Tuscany
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