Volterra means “world that floats,” referring to the winter fog
that often fills the surrounding valleys, but today the weather was clear. Volterra has existed for 2000 years,
built by Etruscans, influenced by Greeks, absorbed by the Roman Empire and embattled
with rival Florence, which eventually bested it. But Volterra has stood fast against the pressures of
tourism. Today it is a town where
real Italians lead real lives, where shops sell clothing, wine, salami and
veggies, not T-shirts and souvenirs.
San Gimignano, on the other hand, is a tourist trap, a charming
one to be sure, and a World Heritage site to boot. It was a pleasure to stroll through on a clear winter
morning but I am not sure it would be much fun on a summer day packed with
tourists. Parking in hill towns is
always an issue where even residents must park outside the city walls and everything
always seems to be uphill.
Most visitors to Montalcino come for the wine, especially the
Brunello (brunette) di Montalcino first made by the Bondi Santi family in the
19th Century. We
decided to spend the night and naturally we had to sample a few. Yes, it is tastey – and
expensive. A bottle of Bondi Santi
1995 Brunello sells for 485 euro, way out of our league.
