Tuscany · Chianti & Pienza
As we bid farewell to Hotel Bowmann in Paris that morning, we eagerly boarded a plane headed for Florence. With mixed reviews about Vueling, I decided to keep an open mind. Thankfully, the entire flying experience turned out to be quite pleasant, with no hiccups during the flight or while retrieving our luggage.
Upon arrival, I had reserved a Fiat, but to my surprise, it wasn't available. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise because I hadn't realized it was a fully manual car, something I had never driven before. Instead, we opted for a slightly pricier, but more spacious car that comfortably accommodated both of us and our three suitcases. I was especially grateful for the air conditioning, as the sun was beaming down on us when we arrived.
We embarked on a scenic drive along the Tuscany highway, venturing into the picturesque fields. Not only did we need the car to reach the hotel I had booked, but I also wanted to explore a few stunning locations along the way.
The Tuscany roads are simply breathtaking! They say my hometown, Kelowna, is a "little Italy," but Tuscany takes it to a whole new level with its vast green fields. It's like stepping into the iconic Windows 2000 wallpaper, except these are the actual Tuscany fields with their vibrant, saturated colors.
As we continued our drive along the enchanting Tuscany roads, the weather treated us to a mix of sunshine, clouds, and light rain. This destination was high on my must-visit list, even though I hadn't done much research beforehand. Unfortunately, we missed out on many of the other spots I had initially planned to see. Nevertheless, we did manage to explore Pienza!
PIENZA · A Beautiful Tuscany Town
I indulged in my very first ice cream at a delightful gelateria called Fredo Pasticceria Gelateria Artigianale. It was absolutely scrumptious! With each heavenly bite, I savored the flavor of ice cream that had been absent from my life for months. It was pure bliss!
To satisfy our hunger, we decided to grab a slice of authentic Italian pizza from a local pizzeria. As much as I was craving pasta, we, unfortunately, arrived 30 minutes past their pasta serving cutoff time at 3pm sharp. Nevertheless, the pizza turned out to be fantastic, and I relished every bite, especially since we hadn't had lunch yet. It hit the spot perfectly!
We took a leisurely stroll through the charming little town, which exuded a quaint and cozy atmosphere. Despite its small size, it was surprising to see all the parking spaces occupied, indicating the hidden gems this place had to offer. We explored numerous small town stores adorned with the works of talented local artists. As the temperature dropped, I realized I had dressed a bit too lightly. With our time limited, we didn't linger for long and soon made our way towards our hotel, eagerly anticipating the next chapter of our adventure.
