Tag Archives: Tuscany

Tuscan Towns

Tuscan Towns

The view from our villa overlooking Sansepolcro

Tuscany like much of Italy is dotted with small, old towns. Some date back to the times of the ancient Romans. In many you will find the Centro Storico, enclosed by stonewalls. Entering the portal of these areas will take you back in time. Museums hold artifacts and famous artwork. Little shops with local crafts can be found tucked into the stone everywhere. We found one such special piece in a shop under the road!

I wanted to visit Arezzo first, because it was the location for the Academy Award winning film “Life is Beautiful.” On the day of our visit, the town was having its monthly antique market. My son-in-law noticed a church across from the café where we were having lunch and was amazed by the frescos on display. As we ended the day, he once more encouraged me to come inside and take a look. Not being a student of art, it was several days before I realized that we had been viewing the famous Renaissance artist, Piero della Francesca’s the “Legend of the True Cross.” Under ordinary circumstances, we should have paid an admission fee and been part of a group of twenty-five. Obviously I am glad that I opened that door.

Antique market in Arezzo

We are staying near Sansepolcro, the birthplace of Piero della Francesca. The Museo Civico houses an additional set of his frescos, most notable, his Resurrection. Peiro’s Madonna del parto can be found in Monterchi a twenty-minute drive away. Viewing these paintings up close is well worth the effort. Piero is recognized for his ability to use light in his work to create form and perspective.

Historic Sansepolcro, birthplace of Piero della Francesca

Above Sansepolcro, is the mountain town of Anghiari. It is a small town but not as touristy as Cortona or Sienna. We found it quite beautiful and learned the history of the region, which includes a famous battle between the soldiers of Florence, backed by the Pope and the Duke of Milan’s more experienced troops. Several artists throughout history have recorded the outcome but the first sketches of the battle belonged to Leonardo da Vinci. He used a new technique for frescos adding wax to the paint but the results were a failure and Leonardo never finished the work. The surprising thing is that those painters who did complete the work used some of the same compositions as Leonardo’s sketches even though there was no way for the artists to have seen them!

Night at the bell tower in Anghiari

Cortona has been made famous through the book and movie of the same name, “Under the Tuscan Sun.” I was amazed that it took my husband all of five minutes to locate Mayes’ house, Bramisole on Google Maps, which led us easily to the property for photo opportunities. We also went to another (for me) movie inspired town, Lucignano. The film, “Certified Copy” used Lucignano for its setting. Unfortunately I could not get a feel for the movie even though there are posters for it in the visitor’s center. A local realtor explained that the sites used have been changed since the filming and some of it was shot in Cortona. Oh well, it is an elliptical shaped medieval town that was holding an open air market the day we came, so all was not lost.

If we had the money where we would be living!

 

 

 

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Vacationing With Family

Villa Near Sansepolcro, Italy

After more than a half dozen trips to Italy, it was with great anticipation that I planned a family trip to Tuscany. Renting a three-bedroom villa, I imagined my son, daughter, their spouses, and my grandchild enjoying trekking through small mountainous towns and viewing the cultures that began in medieval times.

I learned a huge but important lesson; everyone perceives vacation in a different way and when you expect one thing but get another, you must adapt. My perceptions of what a vacation should be began with my childhood. A prolific reader, I learned of the history of Italia and became familiar with the particulars of its provinces. Frances Mayes of “Under the Tuscan Sun” fame helped to build numerous pictures in my mind. This kind of background information helped to have an appreciation for what I see.

The Coliseum is not just an old ruin; it is the site of Romans enjoying human combat as sport. As I troll down the steps of the ancient arena, I see the animals waiting below to come out and enjoy their prey, I hear the excited roar of the crowd, and can almost feel the vile pleasure that this place endured. Those feelings are a result of MY personal experiences.

But I forgot that vacation is about family. While all of our immediate family members live within five miles of each other, our busy lives prohibit long visits. Therefore dining al fresco with a view of the Tuscan Valley was one of my daughter’s favorite activities. We all pitched in, especially our chef son-in-law, to use the fresh produce of the area and a few spices to create some wonderful home made meals. My son reminded me that vacation means rest and some of us required long hours to sleep and rejuvenate for the work weeks to come. Again, as in many times since his birth in December, my grandson forced me to focus on the moment. I will remember his delight in seeing Nana first thing each morning. He was kind enough to allow us to take him for a car ride up the mountains, even becoming the center of attention for the owners of a local café. His beautiful blue eyes and inviting smile, encouraged the café owner to take him for a walk so that we could eat.

Vacations are not just sites to be visited; they are moments in a family’s journey. I forgot that and am truly sorry. My family forced me (in a kind way) to refocus and realize that I am indeed a very fortunate Mama/Nana!

P.S. The children left for home today but we are here for two more weeks. I am still looking forward to those mountainous Tuscany towns. 🙂

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