Motorhome Treks in Tuscany
We love many parts of Italy , the romance of Venice , the shear history of Rome , the authenticity and theatre of Verona , the beauty of the lakes and the dynamism of the Dolomites , but surely Tuscany is the soul of Italy . Full of culture , food , wine , dance , dreamy road trips and cities with amazing architecture. We came to Tuscany to visit Florence and Sienna primarily but we left with part of us forever anchored in Tuscany as a region. Siena especially got into our heads and the more we learnt about the Palio di Siena we just loved the place. We have unfinished business here , and that business is to see Palio di Siena for ourselves.
Norcenni Girasole Village
Tuscany was the last leg of our Caravan and Motorhome Club led Tour of Italy . We joined the tour three weeks previously on Lake Garda and with other motorhomers and caravaners, set off on a tour that took us from Lake Garda , to Venice , San Marino , Rome and now to Tuscany where we were to visit Florence and Siena , hold a final farewell party and then make our way separately back to England. Some were taking the direct route back , although we were heading for the Dolomites, Austria , Germany , Holland and onto a ferry in Rotterdam making for Harwich, with the last leg taking over another three weeks duration. But before I get a head of myself, let’s return to Tuscany.
We stayed on a site called Norcenni Girasole Village - https://norcenni.humancompany.com/ which proved to be an excellent location within reach of both Siena and Florence , but also located in the beautiful Tuscan countryside , with great biking , walking and running options. I have an enduring memory of running on a road which reminded me of a scene from Gladiator. The local vineyards , including one owned by Sting (The Palagio ), all provided great food with their tasting sessions.
It was also an excellent final venue for a tour meal and for us all to say our good byes. Thankfully everyone is still in contact, the advantages of Whatsapp groups, which is lovely.
Florence
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore -Construction started 9th September 1296
Florence
Florence was a centre of medieval European trade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of its time. It is considered to have been the birthplace of the Renaissance but its turbulent history includes periods of rule by the powerful Medici family and numerous religious and republican revolutions. From 1865 to 1871 the city served as the capital of the Kingdom of Italy , established in 1861. The Florentine dialect forms the base of standard Italian and it became the language of culture throughout Italy due to the prestige of the masterpieces by Dante Alighieri, Petrarch, Giovanni Boccaccio, Niccolò Machiavelli and Francesco Guicciardini.
History dealt with , when you walk through the streets of Florence, and peer up at the imposing dramatic skyline you get a sense of walking through a finely balanced world of romance , art and theatre. The Cathedral suddenly comes into view in the centre of the City and has a visual style that we found unique. A similar style and feel is evident in its regional competitor Sienna , but until that visit later, the impact of the Cathedral stood out for its difference . We loved walking through the streets, with many artists , all very protective of their work and shouting grumpily in Italian at any tourist taking photographs that captured their work. I have never been to Milan , which is claimed to be the style capital of Italy, but this place must be a close second. It has drama and style in abundance and we could have walked around all day.
No visit would be complete of course without a walk over the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge which spans the River Arno at its narrowest point. It is believed that a bridge was first built in Roman times, piers were of stone, the superstructure of wood. The bridge first appears in a document of 996 but was destroyed by a flood in 1117 , not for the only time but was soundly rebuilt in 1345. There is a row of shops on the bridge and its narrow access road make for an interesting stroll.
After a hearty Italian lunch, a glass of Tuscan red wine we strolled some more until it was time to leave - a truly magnificent day.
Siena
Piazza del Campo
In musical terms if Florence is an Aria , then Siena is a Cadenza , a dramatic instrumental soloist reaching for your attention in the most dramatic way. We had visited so many cities in the three weeks in Italy , it was easy to be fatigued at this point of the tour and its true that Florence had dominated our thinking until this point , but any thoughts mentally of an easy day were soon put to rest, standby here comes Siena . A dramatic City, which is still living it’s historical and cultural heritage. It may not have been the Capital of Old Italy or launched the Renaissance , it doesn’t need to it has The Palio di Siena , a horse race that is held twice each year, on 2 July and 16 August, and that’s enough.
The Palio was not taking place sadly when we visited but its history is everywhere. You feel it in walls of the buildings , in the faces of its people, in its art and it is inseparable from Siena Culture.
We found ourselves sat in the square in the central area , Piazza del Campo , around which the horses would race and you could almost sense the noise, the heat , the crowd and the panting of racing horses. Were we overdosing on Italy ? , very probably but there was no escaping it.
The race has its routes in medieval times and its competed between the city’s seventeen Contrade, or districts. Each district has its own flag, evident as you pass through the city leaving no doubt which Contrade you were currently in. The Palio is a horse race without rules , but there is no doubting its value and affection to the people of Sienna.
The Palio di Siena is however, more than a simple horse race. It is the culmination of ongoing rivalry and competition between the contrade which has been in place for generations . Formal and informal rituals take place as the day proceeds, navigating a strategy of horsemanship, alliances and animosities.
There are the final clandestine meetings among the heads of the Contrade and then between them and the jockeys. There is the two-hour pageant called the Corteo Storico where the historical costumes are paraded, and then all this is crowned by the race, which takes only about 75 seconds to complete.
Piazza del Campo is the main public space of the historic centre of Siena, and is regarded as one of Europe's greatest medieval squares. It is renowned worldwide for its beauty and architectural integrity. The City is equally in our option as striking as Florence and a truly wonderful place.
Duomo di Siena , the Cathedral is in our view more beautiful than the cathedral in Florence , both inside an out , with competition clearly evident between the design and build of both buildings with the bragging writes in our view held by Siena.
We left Siena with a warm glow , a real sense of history and an insight in the souls of a very passionate people.
This marked the end of the Caravan and Motorhome Club Tour of Italy , before we parted committed to remain in contact the group settled once more around the meal table enjoy the Italian cuisine. We are often asked about the option of taking up a Tour with the Caravan and Motorhome Club , mostly by people who are experienced travellers in Europe surprisingly. This is not to question the quality or value for money , it is an excellent tour in any case , but as to why when they are comfortable making their own arrangements they should undertake such a tour. We feel constrained to only answer within the confines of our experience, when visiting multiple cities the combined advantages of secure camping, transport , access to local guides and the social setting make this in our view a real success. Not that we see ourselves routinely using tours, but when we feel it the best option to immerse ourselves in the cultural history of a complex nation we would choose to do so again.
We hope you enjoyed this blog.
ArrivederciHelen and Martin
