"Tuscany, a timeless treasure" Top 5 Page for this destination Tuscany Travelogue by deecat

Just as we were leaving Cortona, we spotted a pretty church and a graveyard. We stopped to peruse the scene, and were we glad that we did.

It gave us the opportunity to see some of the local traditions and customs. The picture shows a sample of how the graves are kept. Note the pictures in frames that have been here for decades and are preserved beautifully.

Note, too, the oil lamp which is lit in honor of the dead. I found this custom so spiritual and dignified. It gives the viewer (stranger) an opportunity to know more about the deceased

American graveyards seem so much less personal, don't you think?

A Favorite of the Birds!

I snapped this photo in Florence when I saw all these birds sitting on this statue. It made me smile.

Window Shopping in Florence

My husband Allan took this photograph of me admiring the lingerie in an Intimate Apparel Shoppe in Florence.

Frances Mayes's home

After I knew that we would be visiting Tuscany, I either bought or was given ALL of Frances Mayes's books about Tuscany.
Speaking of influences!

So, Cortona was a must for us.
In Cortona, one has to park the car in the parking lot and walk up-up-up to the town. Lots of great shops, restaurants, and outdoor markets.

We ate the best Bruchetta ever at La Villa in Cortona.

Cortona market

Here I am at the fruttissima checking out the tomatoes. The owner was such a great guy and quite humorous.

The thing about all of Italy is the custom of shopping each and every day at the local markets (indoor and out), bakeries, meat stores, etc. Everything is so good at mealtime because everything is so fresh.

Pienza countryside

This picture was taken from Pienza's wall overlooking the countryside below.

This is beautiful country. Pope Pias I had Pienza built. The Duomo is flooded with light from the huge stained glass windows that the Pope requested because he wanted "domus vitrea"-a house of glass to symbolize the spirit of intellectual enlightment of the Humanist Age..

Wisteria in Pienza

Pienza has the best of both worlds...the natural and the man-
made. The picture shows me under a gigantic Wisteria vine...you can tell from the size of the limbs that it is quite an ancient vine. Wisteria abounds in Pienza.

It has been called the "Model Renaissance city". Even though the Pope hired Bernardo Rossellino to design the whole city, only the papal palace and the cathedral were completed because Rossellino embezzled most of the funds!

Streets of San Gimignano

On Sunday, April 29 we were in San Gimignano, and it was jam-packed because it was a holiday.

Tourist were certainly in the minority on this day. We could not find a place to park so we had to walk a long distance to the hotel.
That evening, we ate outdoors at La Vecchio Mura. It was excellent and so romantic.

On the way to the restaurant, I took this picture of Allan in a narrow walkway and the picture of the two locals who were so proud to have us take their picture.