Siena is Tuscany

Strolling the streets of Siena

2010-02-28T09:11:00.005-05:00

In the fall of 2005 Susan and I lived in a small apartment in the Torre contrada just off the Pizza del Campo in Siena. While we trying to figure out what we were going to do with the rest of our lives, we spent an incredible amount of time walking the meandering side-streets of this most welcoming of Italian cities. I'd like to share a few moments of that very special time with you:

Perspectives - Siena and San Galgano

2010-01-17T15:39:00.000-05:00

San Gimignano

2010-01-09T15:38:00.000-05:00

Sanctuary-Sanctuario

2009-12-27T15:37:00.001-05:00

Torre di Mangia

2009-12-16T15:33:00.000-05:00

I see the end in the beginning. Climb the tower and feel the years blow past your face and your heart stops cold.

The Hills of Central Tuscany

2009-12-12T15:30:00.001-05:00

Timeless. Primeval. These spaces take us back to the dark beginnings of western civilization -- go and go now.

The way life is meant to be spent in Siena

2009-10-30T06:31:00.000-04:00

Aimoine's wife Moreena, enjoying lunch and life one should think:

Reasons no. 942,485 and 942,486 for visiting Siena

2009-10-19T06:28:00.002-04:00

Alessandra and la piccola Costanza outside of Aimone's "Cantina" on via Stalloreggi:

Siena Panorama

2009-09-15T07:18:00.000-04:00

Back to Siena in April of 2009

2009-04-25T13:01:00.004-04:00

My wife and I just missed the celebration for Liberation Day in Italy: April 25. Which also happens to be my birthday but that's another story. Anyway, a few updates on the city that rests more or less at the center of the known universe. (photo: view looking southward from the garden of the Hotel Santa Caterina)

Lisa is moving her English-language bookshop from Via San Pietro to inside her husband's hotel the Palazzo Rivera. The hotel closed it's (very good) restaurant and had the space available and in these trying economic times the move made sense.

Two bits of good news: both Boccon del Prete and Osteria Castelveccio are still open and still serving delicious food at good prices. Also the service is friendly and the spaces enjoyable.

Boccon del Prete
via San Pietro 17
Siena
phone: 0577 280 388

Osteria Castelvecchio
via Castelvecchio 65
Siena 53100

We stayed at the Hotel Santa Caterina, just outside of the Porta Romana, at 7 via Piccolomini. The hotel was recommended by a friend, Roberto Bechi and we can easily see why. The breakfasts (include dint he price) are perfect, with delicious caffe and pastries from nearby Peccati di Gola, one of the city's best pastry shops. The rooms have all been recently refurbished (the hotel moved up from a 2- to a 3-star rating) and the service is attentive and helpful. The garden overlooks southern Tuscany and is a perfect place to relax and get away from the bustle of the city or after an day of traversing the countryside looking for just the perfect view of Tuscany. Parking is an additional charge but worth tucking your car away for a couple of days so you can explore this wonderful city on foot.

The two lunches we had in the city were average at best and generally disappointing: Ristorante Vitti on via Montanini and Permalico on Costa Larga.

Both of us thought the gelato at our favorite spot just off the Pizza del Campo on via di Citta was somehow softer and the flavors more diffuse.

Caffe Fiorello, also on via di Citta is still serving some of the best caffe in the city center -- and say hi to Alicia, the blonde who is always there, always smiling and always pouring the best java you'll find.

Nannini's has opened a new space on Banchi di Sopra, mostly a gelato place to rake in the tourist bucks I suppose. The main Nannini's down the street just short of the Campo is still there but their antipasto (which used to be free during Happy Hour) is gone and the space seems less inviting. But the prices haven't changed (two Negroni Sbagliatis for 8 euros).

Traffic has only gotten worse, as far as we can tell. Parking is challenging for non-locals today and don't even think of driving into the city center, anytime, anyway, anyhow.

Contrary to what Rick Steves once said about how Siena is pedestrian friendly -- not true. Look the wrong way and you're history. So many locals park inside the walls now -- they are permitted to do so -- thus crowding the already small and narrow streets even more. Stay away from the main streets such as via Pantaneto and Banchi di Sopra, for example, and you'll generally be fine.

The move toward providing widespread internet connection accessibility has generally stalled in Siena -- and possibly in Italy as well for all we know. We spent three days hearing the same lame excuse from our hotelier: "Mi dispiace, but the Internet isn't functioning right now, but maybe later" and of course later came and went. Just plan on doing your online work at one of the internet "points" in the city.

Hotel Santa Caterina
Via E. S. Piccolomini 7
Siena 53100
phone: 0577 221 105
http://www.hscsiena.it

Siena wall

2009-04-21T07:32:00.000-04:00

Sien rooftops in February

2009-04-17T07:31:00.001-04:00

Siena skyline

2009-04-15T07:27:00.000-04:00

Piazza del Campo

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Only a neighborhood

2009-04-11T07:22:00.001-04:00

Montaperti - the turning point

2009-04-09T07:20:00.001-04:00

Snow on the piazza

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Moral compass

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The Guardian

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Center of life as we know it

2009-04-01T07:17:00.001-04:00

Villa Geggiano

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Piazza Mercato

2009-03-17T07:32:00.000-04:00

Clean, straight, honest

2009-03-15T07:26:00.000-04:00

Torre del Mangia

2009-03-13T07:23:00.001-04:00

Piazza Mercato

2009-03-11T07:21:00.001-04:00

Aimone

2009-03-09T07:16:00.001-04:00

Drago

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Firetrucks

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Qiuiet and dark

2009-03-03T07:14:00.001-05:00

Vicolo

2009-03-01T07:13:00.001-05:00

Watching the Watcher

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Near San Francesco

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Piazza Matteoti

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Piazza del Campo in the Rain

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Duomo detail

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Piazza del Campo

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Fontebranda

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You can just see the base of San Domenico Church at the top. St. Catherine's house is just off to the right of the photo and few meters up the hill.

And just to the left of the fountain is:

Siena and the Pilgrims of Massachusetts

2009-01-02T08:11:00.004-05:00

Siena is much talked about in tourism circles -- in fact in 2008 TripAdvisor rated it one of the most favorite tourist destinations in Europe.

But the appeal of the city has long been known to students of architecture.

In fact, landscape and architectural photographer Paul Scharff points out the connection between the ramrod straight Torre del Mangia overlooking the Piazza del Campo in Siena with the Pilgrim monument commemorating the landing of the pilgrims in Massachusetts. See for yourself. Incredible indeed!

Siena

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Chigi

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Piazza del Campo

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Piazza del Campo

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La Porta di Siena

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Piazza Mercato

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Piazza Mercato

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Piazza del Conte

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Villa Geggiano

2008-12-15T07:20:00.000-05:00

Torre del Mangia

2008-12-11T07:19:00.003-05:00

Siena Panorama

2008-12-09T07:18:00.002-05:00

Snowy rooftops in Siena

2008-12-07T07:13:00.001-05:00

This image was shot from our classroom in the Dante Alighieri language school near the fortezza-- they have since moved to Via Pendola.

Piazza Mercato

2008-12-05T07:12:00.002-05:00

From the Palazzo Pubblica:

Detail (left wall above):

Torre Contrada

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The Quiet History of Montaperti

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Duomo Guardians

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Piazza del Campo in March

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Piazza del Campo in February

2008-11-25T07:03:00.001-05:00

Aimone, il maestro dei vini

2008-11-23T07:01:00.001-05:00

Drago Contrada

2008-11-21T06:42:00.001-05:00

Vigili del Fuoco

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Vicolo degli Orefici

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Imagination at work on Via dei Rossi

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Next to Fontebranda

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Ferraris on the Piazza Matteotti

2008-11-09T06:20:00.001-05:00

Siena in motion

2008-11-07T07:04:00.002-05:00

Revisiting a few older images that remain perennial favorites of mine, but with a twist:

Cold rain on the Piazza del Campo

2008-11-07T06:18:00.001-05:00

Duomo in siena

2008-11-05T07:18:00.000-05:00

Enjoying life on the Piazza del Campo

2008-11-03T07:17:00.000-05:00

Fontebranda

2008-11-01T07:17:00.000-04:00

Contemplating death in Siena

2008-10-31T07:16:00.000-04:00

Palazzo Chigi

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Faldoni on the Piazza del Campo

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Piazza del Conte

2008-10-25T07:01:00.000-04:00

Piazza Mercato

2008-10-23T07:01:00.001-04:00

Piazza Mercato

2008-10-21T07:00:00.001-04:00

The stones are watching, always

2008-10-19T06:59:00.001-04:00

Strolling across the Piazza del Campo in the fog

2008-10-17T06:56:00.004-04:00

Italy's financial pain

2008-06-14T09:06:00.001-04:00

A recent survey in Italy found that Italian families earned an average of 2,300 euros a month in 2005, while the median was in fact much lower, under 1,900 euros a month. Italy’s inflation rate shot up in May to 3.6 percent, the highest since August 1996.

Still, that doesn't ease the pain of Americans wanting to spend quality time in one of the grandest places on earth.

Dante's citizenship to be reinstated?

2008-06-12T08:57:00.002-04:00

Well it seems that Florence is not far from reinstating Dante Alighieri's status as a Florentine. This comes more than 700 years after Dante was exiled from the city that now claims him as it's favorite son -- not for monetary reasons, oh no, but because they really, really like him.

Please note that he is still buried in Ravenna where he died in 1321.

Quick Start Guide to Independent Travel: Accommodation

2008-06-07T06:34:00.007-04:00

Transportation and accommodation go hand-in-hand. You might even say that the one determines the other. For example if you don’t want to rent or short-term lease a car, then you probably won’t be staying in the countryside. On the other hand, if you want to be flexible in your moving about the country and want the peace and quiet of a villa or home in a more rural part of the country, then you will probably want to, in fact need to rent a car. (photo above: Florence, Italy)

But for most independent travelers, the location and type of accommodation are paramount. And of course from whom you rent is always a critical factor as well.

Location. City or countryside? This is the primary question for nearly every traveler: the Quiet and solitude of the country or the energy and accessibility of the city? Why are you traveling in the first place? Is it to relax and find a less stressful place to gather your wits, to collect your thoughts, to center your karma with the universe? Then the countryside is probably where you belong.

Or are you looking to discover wonderful and exciting new things? To experience some of the best food in the world or perhaps to see some of the world’s greatest art treasures – then the city should be the focus of your attention.

Of course it is possible to combine these two elements. For example, you can live in a villa outside of Florence, Italy and still spend much of your time in the city.

Type. OK so you’ve decided on where, now the question is will you need a simple one-bedroom flat or an entire house? Is it just two adults or do you need accommodations for a family of eight? Will you need room to cook, to entertain, to spread out, are you planning on spending a week or a month?

And of course how much do you want to spend.

Generally, houses are more expensive than apartments, and rentals in cities are usually more expensive than those in the countryside. Of course the variants are based on location: renting a house in Bari, in Puglia, will probably be less expensive than renting an apartment somewhere in the Tuscan countryside.

How. Well you’ve figured out where and what type of accommodation. Now how do you go about finding your ideal space?

The Internet is of course the obvious starting point and if you’re renting for the first time you’ll probably feel most comfortable using a broker. I think the Parker Company is the only rental broker – in the US at any rate – that still publishes a catalogue of its properties, at least for rentals in Italy. We’ve rented from them in the past and can attest to both the quality of their listings and their reliable customer service. Plus the catalogue, which is free by the way, also provides some useful and handy information for renters and travelers to Italy. We have also rented from Italianvillas.com but they have gone through quite a change over the past half dozen years or so and now target only the affluent traveler.

You can certainly find quite a few online resources in the local language, but unless you feel comfortable reading and clicking through various dialog screens in Italian or French, I suggest you stick with a source in your own language. (photo below: Le Crete, south of Siena)
You can also link up with a broker in the country where you’ll be staying. That can be a bit more of a challenge and frankly, in our experience there are not many local brokers or agencies that function well with the non-native traveler, at least in much of Italy. However, if you are going to Italy there is one that we can vouch for: Milligan & Milligan in Florence. They specialize in short- and long-term rentals, speak English fluently, and are friendly and reasonably priced. This last point is very important: be aware that agency fees in Europe are quite high, and it is the renter who pays.

Finally, you may find private owners willing to rent to you, either online or by word of mouth. We found a wonderful small apartment near the Piazza del Campo in Siena, Italy, that we rented from the father of the friend of a friend. We also found an apartment in Siena some years ago online as well – rented directly from the owner. He arranged for someone to meet us at the train station and we spent a wonderful week in the city.

Again, it is location that seems to determine the accessibility of rentals for the traveler. In Paris there is the superb FUSAC, both online and in print, which can be a real treasure in finding a place to rent directly form the owner or landlord. It’s also a good source for classifieds in general for the Paris area. In Florence, Italy, there is the English-language newspaper The Florentine, which provides some classifieds for housing and is also a great source for things going on in and around Florence.

Buon viaggio e divertirsi moltissimo!

Cannae

2008-04-24T08:38:00.000-04:00

OK so this is about Puglia (or Apulia) rather than Siena or Tuscany for that matter. But this is one of the great battles of the world, fought right on the Italian peninsula, a battle that played an enormous role in the history of Rome and by extension Western Civilization.

In brief, the Carthaginian general Hannibal, after bringing his army across the Alps from what is now France, swept through the Roman Empire in Italy proper bringing one disaster after another to the Roman armies. First at Lake Trasimeno just outside of Cortona and then at Cannae in what is today Puglia.

It was rumored that as many as 50,000 romans were killed that day, 2 August 216 BC, the greatest loss ever suffered by Rome in a single day. In any case, it was one of the greatest tactical defeats in history and is still widely studied in the military academies around the world.

The view today of the battlefield, from the site of the ancient town of Cannae, generally to the left in this photo, shows a land of tranquility amidst a world of agriculture. It remains uncertain today whether the battle actually took place on the right or left bank of the Aufidus River.

Quick Start Guide to Independent Travel: Transportation is Important!

2008-03-30T11:04:00.009-04:00

This guide is for the independent, self-catering traveler.

It’s not for anyone traveling by bus tour or escorted group tour, and it’s not designed to tell you where to go or what to do when you get there.

It’s not complicated and it’s not long. It’s just a few words of advice from someone who has been traveling independently for years and wouldn’t have it any other way.

The thing is, I received an email recently asking for advice about an upcoming multi-week trip to Italy. Six friends had arranged to rent a villa in the Tuscan countryside for three weeks, after which they intended to spend a little time in the lakes region of northern Italy. The villa they have rented is located more than ten miles from the nearest town, and now they wanted to know whether they should rent a car.

So here’s what this group is faced with: given the remote location of their particular rental and the length of time they plan to stay there they absolutely must have a car.

But, and this is a big but, since their group consists of six adults they will most likely need two cars or at the very least a minivan. The rental cost alone will range from $3600 to more than $4000 depending upon agency and type of vehicle (they will need it for one month all together). And don’t forget that gasoline (“petrol” or “benzina”) costs $8-10 a gallon in Italy, or the additional costs of insurance!

That’s just for one vehicle. Imagine six adults spending three weeks cruising the back roads of the Italian countryside in one vehicle! Now that’s going to be an interesting journey indeed.

My point here is that while transportation isn’t nearly as appealing as poring over the glossy pages of a villa rental catalog and trying to imagine lounging by the pool overlooking the quiet Tuscan countryside, it is a very important consideration indeed.

In the example quoted above it is quite possible that the group will do just fine – that they all get along and are all fairly small people.

Frankly some of the blame must be laid at the doorstep of the landlord. In my experience most agencies, and even many private individuals, will tell you up front if you’ll need a car or not. In the case of this villa they make no mention on their website about the need for a car.
Of course, it is the ultimate responsibility of the independent traveler to ask this very simple question:

“If I rent your villa how do I get around?”

If public transportation is easily available, fine. But for nearly all rentals out in the countryside a car is virtually a necessity. In fact, I sent an email to this particular villa asking if a car is a necessity and they did reply, “yes, a car was necessary. But had I not asked. . .

If you don’t want to drive then you’ll have to think long and hard about staying in town as opposed to the country. It’s really that simple.

OK, you wisely ask, “what would you have suggested had they come to you first?”

Had they come to me before renting a villa or apartment or home I would have given them three simple rules for independent travel:

1. Decide where you want to go.
2. Decide how you want to live when you get there.
3. Decide how you want to get around.

If asked, I would have confirmed that they (a) wanted to travel as a group, (b) were committed to living in the countryside and (c) how they wanted/planned to get around.

For the length of time they plan on staying in Tuscany, unless they were willing to rent a couple of apartments in Florence or Siena, a car would probably be a necessity. In that case, I would have suggested the following: A short-term lease for either a minivan or two cars, whichever option appealed to their sensitivities and budget.

For example, they could get two Renault Scenic diesels for a total of $4400 for a month, on a short-term lease. For two A180 Mercedes from Avis for a similar period of time would cost more than $5000! And that’s without insurance coverage.

Why a lease?

If you’re renting a vehicle for longer than three weeks (and this group will need it for at least that long if not longer) then a short-term lease makes sense. You get a brand-new car, fully insured with zero deductible, NO maximum age, plus road assistance, and all for less than the cost of a typical car rental. Renault and Kemwel both offer short-term leases (we used Renault).

Deciding how one gets around a foreign country is critical for the independent traveler. In a country like Italy public transportation is widespread, generally reliable and not terribly expensive. Of course it does have the obvious limitations and, for some independent travelers it lacks that certain sense of, well, “independence” and freedom that can only come with a car.

Do you rent in the country or in the city? Will you want or need a car and if yes, for how long?

These questions must be answered together or you might find yourself spending ten hours a day, seven days a week sitting inside a tiny box with five other people wondering when it will all end.

Buon viaggio e divertirsi moltissimo!

Linda Falcone and Italian Voices

2008-03-07T08:25:00.008-05:00

If you're planning on an extended stay to Florence (Firenze to the locals), or even traveling through as tourist, you'll do well to get your hands on the latest copy of The Florentine, the only English-language newspaper in Florence. It comes out once every two weeks, it's free and always loaded with helpful city information as well as what's going on about town. For example, the latest issue gives you the necessary details for the upcoming food festival at the Stazione Leopolda, right near the Arno. Trust me, this is something you'll want to check out even if you're in town for a couple of days. Anyway, if you're even moderately interested in food and wine (remember you're in Italy) check out their exhaustive food and wine section.

But in addition to providing key information, the newspaper also has some pretty fascinating feature stories and of course lots of local and national news (on Florence, Tuscany and Italy naturalmente). When we were living in Florence in 2006 Linda Falcone was the newspaper's editor and for each and every issue she wrote a column entitled "Italian Voices," subtitled "A window on language and customs in Italy."

Well, whatever you call it, her writing was lucid, right from the heart and to the point, occasionally touching and often funny as she explored Italian culture through the oddities of its language. She would of course then juxtapose how concepts unique to the Italian mentalità often rubbed up against American cultural oddities as reflected in the English language. Linda often dealt with such concepts such as non fa parte della nostra mentalità, "that's not in our mentality," or bello, bellino, bellissimo. You get the point.

So if you want to try and understand Italians and Italian culture, well get as close to an understanding as is humanly possible for an American, then by all means spend a little time with Linda. (Her articles can all be accessed through the online archives at The Florentine just click here.)

And now the "Falcon" has returned. After a hiatus of nearly a year Linda Falcone writes again for the only English-language newspaper in Florence.

And where will she go next on paper?

Non lo so . . . mah . . . magari!

(Did I get that right?)

Ciao tutti!

Steve

Siena slideshow

2008-03-04T17:01:00.000-05:00

Here's a Youtube video slideshow of some of my Siena photographs, set to music:

Images of Florence

2008-03-02T11:52:00.001-05:00

OK, OK, so this is not Siena -- but given the history between the two cities I though maybe this once you'd give me a little more latitude here.

Anyway, most of these were taken while we were living in Florence (Firenze to the Italians) in 2006.

Palio 2 July 2007 Oca Wins!

2008-03-01T06:09:00.000-05:00

I know this is old news but hey, it's the Palio! And congratulations Aimone!!

Siena Google alerts

2008-02-28T08:29:00.000-05:00

Most of the alerts I get in my inbox are concerned either with football (soccer for us New Worlders) or personal blog journal notes. While I usually skip right over the sports stuff, frankly I find it fascinating to read so many other experiences on traveling in Tuscany. Here's some of the latest -- the links are added for your convenience. I certainly don't endorse or vouch for any of the sites listed. Frankly some of them are tacky and probably misinformation is rife. Still, it's a fascinating trip through cyberspace leading, usually, to central Italy.

By Daniel Thompson(Daniel Thompson) (video of photos) http://videoarchivebydanielthompson.blogspot.com/

Tosc-Mex or Tusc-Mex (Tuscany, Italy + Tex-Mex cuisine) -- By bapopik@aol.com(bapopik@aol.com)
Six Tuscan localities have been made UNESCO protected sites: the historical center of Florence (1982), the historical center of Siena (1995), the square of the Cathedral of Pisa (1987), the historical center of San Gimignano (1990), . . .
http://www.barrypopik.com/

Defining the limits of exceptionalism -- By homoeconomicusnet
In southern Europe, says Marco Ventura, a religious-law professor at the University of Siena, Catholics are now more worried about the perceived advance of Islam than about maintaining old entitlements for their faith. . . .
Homo economicus' Weblog - http://homoeconomicusnet.wordpress.com

Italy 2007 - Siena/Orvieto/Rome -- By Mark
The plan for today was to make it a leisurely drive from Siena to Rome - by way of Orvieto and Civita. Before heading on the road, we tried one last time to find breakfast in Siena. We found a cafeteria not far from our hotel that had a . . .
The T3sk3y Defenestrator - http://t3sk3y.com

Siena and San Gimignano
As a school we took a private bus to Siena to see the beuatiful duomo of their city and to get a taste of a town much smaller than our own. We were broke into groups of about 20 and were given private tours where we learned about Siena. ...
Travel Blog | Travel Journals,... - http://www.travelblog.org/

siena tower fishy myopia
This view is from the tip of the tower at Piazza del Campo - Torre del Mangia. I made a collage...
TrekEarth - Travel Photo Gallery - http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/

Matchday 24 preview, Cagliari vs. Lazio
By Kevin Walker(The Gaffer)
AS Roma - Fiorentina Atalanta - Siena Cagliari - Lazio Empoli - Catania Livorno - Napoli Sampdoria - Inter Milan Udinese - Genoa AC Milan - Palermo. Headlines from Italy last but not least headlines from Italy on Ronaldo's status ...
Serie A Talk - http://www.serieatalk.com/

Italy Hotels
By Monica Pileggi(Monica Pileggi)
Via ES Piccolomini, 35 53110 Siena, Italy Phone: 0577-283930, Fax: 0577-270009 Email: mail@oliveta.com http://www.oliveta.com http://www.emmeti.it/Welcome/Toscana/Senese/Siena/Alberghi/Oliveta/index.uk.html http://www.country-tours.com/ ...
Travels with Monica - http://monicapileggi.blogspot.com/

Amore Eterno…. Italy on Super 8mm
By Bliss*
This past September we had the great pleasure of getting a last minute call and traveling to Siena Italy to film an intimate vintage inspired wedding weekend for Danielle and Paul. What an AMAZING experience it was! ...
WedFACT.tv - Wedding Filmmakers... - http://wedfact.tv/

Siena
Three Weeks in Siena.
- http://www.travelblog.org/

Watch Basketball - Euroleague - Top 16: Montepaschi Siena v ...
By admin
Siena, Italy. Round: Euroleague (EL) 2007/2008. Venue: Palasports Mens Sana (Details). Start Date: Wed 27 Feb 20:45, (GMT 19:45). End Date: Wed 27 Feb. Siena proved it is for real by disposing of Efes Pilsen on the road. ...
- http://www.ibrahimkoknar.com/search

School for Biotech Industrial Innovation Management 2008 is on
By Andrea Monti
The School is an initiative of the University of Siena, Italy, funded by the Fondazione Monte dei Paschi di Siena in the framework of the Siena biotech pole. Last year I have been invited to give a speech on “Copyright and ...
Digital Thought - http://blog.andreamonti.eu

Antonio Fabbri.
Montelifre, Siena -Italy.
Pixelpost - http://cloudappreciationsociety.org/gallery/

vacations for cheap
By JESS
ITALIAN MOSAIC ESCORTED TOUR $1160 This fully escorted nine-night tour of Italy visits Orvieto, Siena, San Gimignano, Greve, Pisa, Assisi and more! A professional Tour Director will accompany you while touring and you'll enjoy the ...
US - http://forums.myspace.com/93.aspx?fuseaction=forums.viewforum

Weekend Travels - Siena, Italy
Siena, Italy This weekend the 50 of us embarked on our first excursion our destinations for the day were Siena and San Gimignano. The thought of two cities in one day was a little daunting, all the walking in one and then back on the ...
TravelPod.com Recent Updates - http://www.travelpod.com

Spring closer to being “sprung”!
By John Ockey
The trip went exceptionally well and I think really gave the students insight regarding another facet of Italy - very different from Siena. Since then, students have been busily getting into classes and into their social lives - meeting ...
IES-Ablog Siena - http://blogs.iesabroad.org/Siena

Top 10 Places to See Before You Die
Florence, Lucca, Pisa, Prato and Siena, offer more cultural highlights than some countries as a whole. The way of living does the rest to attract every year millions of visitors. Elba, the island of Napoleans first exile, is only one of ...
Trifter - http://www.trifter.com

Euroleague-Montepaschi Siena=84-Panathinaikos=75
By admin
The breakthrough season of Montepaschi took a strong step higher on Wednesday with a no-doubt-about-it 84-75 home win over defending champion Panathinaikos in their Group D showdown in Siena, Italy. Siena raised its first-place record ...
Basketboltr.NET - http://basketboltr.net/

Taste of Italy. First installment.
By Tsai Sisters(Tsai Sisters)
Pici pasta with a pesto and meat ragu. In the back, handmade gnocchi filled with cheese! First dinner in Siena, Italy! Beef carpaccio with a light orange sauce. Lots of wine EVERY SINGLE night. Posted by Picasa.
This is how we roll - http://tsaisisters.blogspot.com/

Cantina e chiuso!

2008-02-27T11:56:00.000-05:00

Il cantina è chiuso e vendono soltanto all'ingrosso!

Cantina in Piazza, just a few meters from the Piazza del Campo on Casato di Sotto, is closed. Our friend Aimone Piazzi now sells his wine only all'ingrosso (wholesale) out of their office on Via Pescaia.

We're sorry to hear this -- we've known it was going to happen someday, and that this has been coming on for some time now. We can only hope that his next venture will be even more exciting than the last one. And frankly, we can't wait to sit around a table of good food, with two or three bottles of vino passing up and down, and hear Aimone talk about the thing he loves so much: good and great wine.

It seems just like yesterday that we walked into the cantina for the first time with a class form Dante Alighieri to hear a lecture on Italian wine given in Italian by an Italian in Italy. How truly wonderful! And we quickly discovered, like so many others over the years, that we had also found a home -- quiet, hushed conversations, so much food to snack on, so many wines by the glass, and thousands of bottles to buy. Think Cheers but in Italian and serving wine instead of beer and you've got the idea.

And always, always, there was Aimone and Alessandra helping the rest of us find our way toward enjoying the fruits of life.

Now Alessandra is a mama (and what a carina bambina Costanza is!) and Aimone is plotting his next move.

We can't wait.

Ciao tutti!

Self-catering Apartments in Italy

2008-02-22T06:20:00.001-05:00

If you're like me you're always looking for the best value in self-catering flats in Italy. There simply is no better way to experience a new place than to live as close as you can to ground level, so to speak.

And if you're like me you probably get quite a few Google Alerts coming in to your inbox every day, bringing you news and adverts, listings and the latest blog notes on what to do, what to see, where to eat and where to stay in Italy.

Well lately I've received several "alerts" about accommodations listed on a website called RealAdventures.com and thought I would check it out.

The particular link was listed as Tuscany 13th century villa selfcatering apartments (Italy).

So I clicked on the link and it brought up the following page:

Note the price: "starting at US $630 per week." Well, if you click on the "Rates" tab, as I did it brings up a new page which shows the actual rate card:

Note that here the price spread is quoted as "$959 to $1.875." Hmmmmmm. I think maybe I'd keep looking.

Buon viaggio e divertirsi moltissimo!

Siena to Bellagio, June 1994

2008-02-16T08:03:00.000-05:00

In June of 1994 Susan and I went to Italy for the very first time. We had no inkling at the time, or even for some time afterward, that we would return again and again, spending increasingly more time in a land that, to us at any rate, came to typify the very best of Europe. After saying good bye to Dick and Dorothy in Siena -- the four of us had rented a small villa just north of Siena for two weeks -- they headed south to Rome by train and we headed north to Lake Como and Bellgaio by car.

Romano talks with Roberto Bechi

2008-02-05T11:02:00.001-05:00

In February of 2005, during an extended trip to Siena, local guide and Siena expert Roberto Bechi and I began videotaping a series of interviews of Tuscans talking about living and working in Tuscany. This is, I believe, the very first one we did. Roberto's good friend "Romano" operates the last bottega in Florence, the Casa di Tessuti, or "house of treasures," a store where they sell absolutely incredible fabrics. And of course, Florence began her life as a source for some of the world's grandest fabrics.

Drago contrada

2008-01-13T08:20:00.000-05:00

The Drago alfieri, or "flag-wavers," practicing on Piazza Matteoti in front of the contrada's headquarters.

Siena airport, maybe or maybe not

2007-12-12T06:59:00.002-05:00

"SIENA, Italy - Plans to bring this city into the jet age with the expansion of its small airport are being contested by an embattled group of citizens who say that Siena is doing fine, just as it is."

This story was widely reported in early December of 2007 (through the New York Times news network). The fact that Siena even has an airport probably comes as a big shock to many casual tourists to Tuscany, since most international flights drop their passengers in Pisa, Florence or Rome or Milan.

Having had the good fortune to travel many times to that particular part of the world, I can say that an airport is certainly not needed, at least from where I sit. And apparently I'm not alone:

"The last thing these locals want are an additional half-million odd tourists that the backers of the airport predict would be landing in Siena by 2020. Tourism is already thriving, the naysayers contend, with more than a million visitors coming by land each year, many drawn to the action of Siena's colorful horse race, il Palio."

Of course, the folks who operate the airport, called Ampugnano, claim that they must either grow to accommodate larger airplanes, or face "extinction."

I say what's wrong with some species becoming extinct? Frankly I wouldn't relish the idea of having to share the parks with some of the larger creatures that walked the earth 70 or 80 millions years ago, and I can certainly do without another airport.

To see the full article online, click here!

2007-12-12T06:59:00.001-05:00

One billion dollar tramway for Florence?

2007-10-03T01:26:00.000-04:00

The Guardian (UK) reported recently the following story of interest for anyone who has ever visited Florence.

John Hooper in Rome
Tuesday October 2, 2007
The Guardian

Florence, the city that houses a large part of Italy's - and Europe's - cultural heritage, is bitterly divided over plans for new tram lines that would slice through its famous Piazza del Duomo, the cathedral square. The first rails are to be laid next week as part of a €700m (£500m) scheme that would give Florence three lines, running for a total of about 12 miles. The second line would run from the airport through the cathedral square, the Piazza del Duomo.

Paolo Bonaiuti, a Florentine and Silvio Berlusconi's spokesman, who is to run for mayor, said it was "madness to think of putting up poles and overhead cables in one of the world's most beautiful squares". Fears have also been expressed over the vibration that would be caused by the 32 metre-long super-trams as they trundled past Renaissance palazzi and museums housing fragile art works.

But the city council insists every possible step has been taken to limit the effects by "equipping the project with state-of-the-art technology".

The rightwing opposition on the council is collecting signatures for a referendum demanding a consultation exercise before the second line is allowed to go ahead. Some 13,000 people have already put their names to a similar petition aimed at blocking line three. This, like line two, would run from the outskirts of Florence into the centre.

Giorgio Bonsanti, professor of art restoration at Florence university, claimed the issue was being exploited by the conservatives on the council for electoral purposes. He said: "Currently, 2,000 buses a day pass by the cathedral. I believe the present state of affairs causes far more damage."

"36 Hours in Bologna"

2007-09-25T01:18:00.000-04:00

If you've never thought of going to Bologna or if you've thought of going there but couldn't find the reasons to actually do it, check out this from the New York Times travel section, dateline 23 Setpember, 2007:

By PAVIA ROSATI

IF Emilia Romagna is the geographic and gastronomic belly of Italy, then Bologna, the region's capital, is its navel — a little hidden and often overlooked. But travelers shouldn't skip Bologna, because it's a microcosm of everything that's right about Italy: friendly residents, walkable sites, beautiful architecture and amazing food. And for all its beloved medieval charm — the feudal towers that dot the skyline, a university that was founded in 1088, porticos that stretch for miles — Bologna has more than a few unexpected and contemporary surprises up its sleeve.

Friday

5 p.m.
1) HIDDEN CANALS

Few visitors realize that underneath the city's cobblestone streets lies a medieval network of canals originally used for trade and transport. Most have been paved over, but for an excellent look at what lies beneath, go to 16-18 Via Piella, where a small window peers over a gushing stream. Get an even better view a block away at Caffè Opera e Tulipani (Via Alessandrini, 7; 39-051-245-122) where the back room overlooks a rushing waterfall. Bologna? Venice? Where are you? For a dramatic tour of the canals, check out a new Friday-night play, “Tra-Ghetto, L'Inferno di Bologna” (www.societaperazioni.com/tra-ghetto.html), which takes place underground along the Aposa channel. It costs 10 euros, or $14 at $1.40 to the euro.

8:30 p.m.
2) BUON APPETITO

Bologna gave the world tortellini, mortadella and ragù — and there's no reason to stop feasting on these delights. At the moment, the in-crowd is eating at Drogheria della Rosa (Via Cartoleria, 10; 39-051-222-529; www.drogheriadellarosa.it), a small and crowded trattoria in a former pharmacy where the affable owner, Emanuele Addone, makes everyone feel like a regular. A typical meal there includes culatello, the prized cured ham (12 euros), tortelli stuffed with zucchini blossoms and stracchino and squaquerone cheeses (10 euros), pheasant with honey (18 euros) and some Valpolicella.

11 p.m.
3) BOHEMIAN BOLOGNA

This may be a bourgeois city, but an alternative scene thrives in the seedy but cool taverns near the intersection of Via del Pratello and Via Pietralata. Monastero (Via del Pratello, 66/a; 39-051-557-172; www.monasteropub.com) is a modern bar with minimalist gothic arches and martini-inspired cocktails. Next door is Barazzo (Via del Pratello, 66/b), a grungy bar with a trendy clientele. To rub elbows with Bologna's beautiful people, head to Nu Lounge Bar (Via dei Musei, 6; 39-051-222-532; www.nu-lounge.com), where a boisterous and stylish crowd holds court on the outdoor tables.

Saturday

10 a.m.
4) MORTADELLA TO GO

Shop like a local at the city's venerable food market (along Vias Clavature, Drapperie, Pescherie and Caprarie), where small shops brim with elaborate displays of breads, fish, meats, cheeses and sweets. Bottega del Caffè (Via Orefici, 6; 39-051-236-720; www.caffe14luglio.it) has an exquisite assortment of chocolate, coffee and candy. By far the most mouth-watering shop is A. F. Tamburini (Via Caprarie, 1; 39-051-234-726; www.tamburini.com), the legendary deli with towering stacks of salumi, Parmesan and pastas. Stop at the sit-down restaurant in the back for a quick pasta or salad, and stock up on mortadella and other foodie souvenirs upfront. Remember: anything vacuum-sealed is safe for customs.

Noon
5) DRESS THE PART

Feel underdressed in this fashion-forward city? Do something about it at L'Inde le Palais (Via de' Musei, 6; 39-051-648-6587; www.lindelepalais.com), a cool and gorgeous concept boutique that sells contemporary designers like Viktor & Rolf, Biba and Missoni for men and women. Dramatic and delicate embroidered silk dresses by Amen are especially stunning (from 1,000 euros). For a more traditional Italian look, have a well-tailored shirt made at Zinelli (Piazza Mercanzia, 5; 39-051-225-934), which has been making custom suits and shirts since 1937 (from 900 euros for a suit; 150 euros for a shirt). And for natty housewares, stop by Stefani (Via Clavature, 7; 39-051-221-810) for ornate silver and gold candlesticks, tableware and other handmade artisanal objets, like a small rectangular frame with aventurina stones (from 516 euros).

2 p.m.
6) THE PERFECT PIAZZA

Is everything in Bologna beautiful, artistic and imbued with great history? Pretty much. A handful of the city's most striking sites are situated around Piazza Galvani, a small jewel of a square directly south of the massive Piazza Maggiore. The Municipal Library is a seemingly nondescript building between the two piazzas, but tucked away on the first floor is Archiginnasio (Piazza Galvani, 1; 39-051-276-811; www.archiginnasio.it), a magnificently carved, wood-paneled anatomical theater from the 1600s filled with medically precise wooden sculptures. A few steps away, across from Piazza Galvani on Via Farnini, cherubs and animals frolic in frescos decorating the city's most beautiful porticos. Reflect on the wonders at Zanarini (Piazza Galvani, 1; 39-051-275-0041), the grand cafe where everyone meets for coffee, snacks, and aperitivi.

5 p.m.
7) MODERN MASTERS

Don't let the 15th-century churches, 16th-century fountains and 17th-century frescoes distract you from Bologna's modern art scene. Museo d'Arte Moderna di Bologna, more familiarly known as Mambo (Via Don Minzoni, 14; 39-051-649-6611; www.mambo-bologna.org), is a massive modern art museum that opened in May near the Manifattura delle Arti arts complex. Its inaugural exhibit, “Vertigo” (on view until Nov. 4) is a who's who of modern art, from Magritte and Burri to Vik Muniz and Vanessa Beecroft. For emerging art, go across town to Galleria de' Foscherari (via Castiglione, 2/b; 39-051-221-308; www.defoscherari.com), a gallery that features contemporary Italian artists.

7 p.m.
8) THE LEANING TOWERS

Bologna's skyline was once filled with soaring towers built by proud (and arrogant) noble families, and two of the most famous, Garisenda and Asinelli, are iconic — not to mention tourist-filled. For a quieter taste of the towers, visit La Torre dei Prendiparte (Via Sant' Alò, 7; 39-051-589-023; www.prendiparte.it), a one-room bed-and-breakfast that opens its rooftop for tours and chamber music concerts. Be forewarned, it's not for the faint of heart: the 11-story climb is vertigo-inducing. The payoff, however, is extraordinary.

9 p.m.
9) LA CUCINA MODERNA

Sample the future of Italian gastronomy at Marco Fadiga Bistrot (Via Rialto, 23/c; 39-051-220-118; www.marcofadigabistrot.it), a casual restaurant decorated with a graffiti-covered wall, framed Tintin pictures and discarded Champagne crates. Mr. Fadiga, one of Bologna's most buzzed-about young chefs, specializes in inventive dishes with unusual flavor combinations. The chalkboard menu recently included antipasti like salmon marinated in coffee (4 euros), and foie gras terrine with dates (8 euros), as well as main courses like bass tartare with mango, hazelnuts and ginger (13 euros). Don't come without a reservation unless you're happy to sit at the bar and eat oysters all night.

Sunday

11 a.m.
10) CATHOLIC COURSE

It's Italy, so you may as well go to church — seven times, to be precise. That's the number of churches and religious buildings that comprise the 1,000-year-old complex of Santo Stefano (Piazzola di Santo Stefano). The churches, which were built over time, offer a crash course in Roman Catholicism, from the eighth-century marble bowl in Pilate's Courtyard, to the Church of the Trinity, which was rebuilt in the 20th century.

2 p.m.
11) A SWEET ENDING

Your Bolognese madeleine awaits at La Sorbetteria Castiglione (Via Castiglione, 44; 39-051-233-257; www.lasorbetteria.it), a classic gelato shop where there's always a line but never a wait. The mouth-watering flavors include cremino ludovico, with hazelnut and cocoa butter; dolce contagio, with pine nuts and carmelized walnuts; and dolce emma, with ricotta and figs carmelized with honey (2 euros a scoop). By the time you come back, they will have invented new flavors.

VISITOR INFORMATION

Eurofly (www.euroflyusa.com) flies direct from Kennedy Airport to Guglielmo Marconi, Bologna's main airport, leaving Tuesdays and Saturdays, and returning on Wednesdays and Sundays. Fares for travel next month start at around $729, according to the Eurofly Web site. The 20-minute Aerobus trip to the city center costs 5 euros. Bologna is compact and most attractions are within easy walking distance.

Bologna Art Hotels (www.bolognarthotels.it) has four stately hotels around the city. Hotel Commercianti (Via de' Pignattari, 11; 39-051-745-7511) is the most central one, just south of Piazza Maggiore, with comfortable, elegant rooms starting at 225 euros (hearty breakfast included), $315 at $1.40 to the euro. A room with a balcony is 250 euros.

Una Hotel Bologna (Viale Pietramellara, 41/43; 39-051-608-01; www.unahotels.it) is stylish and boutique-y, awash in red leather and frosted glass. The hotel is a bit remote, near the train station at the northwest end of town, but rooms start at just 114 euros.

Albergo delle Drapperie (Via delle Drapperie, 5; 39-051-223-955; www.albergodrapperie.com) is in a building that has been used as a traditional guest house since 1800. Rooms are small but have charming touches like painted ceilings. The largest rooms are on the third floor, with rates starting below 100 euros a night, even in high season.

Michael Moore praises Italy's health care system

2007-08-29T08:29:00.000-04:00

On 27 August italymag.co.uk reported:

Cult US documentary-maker Michael Moore told Italians on Friday not to take their universal health care system for granted and took fire at former premier Silvio Berlusconi for allegedly undermining it during his five years in power.

In Rome to present his latest film Sicko, Moore told a packed press conference that “you (Italians) can’t complain, even though there are obviously some cracks in the system”.

“Whether the government is Right or Left, you have a national health system which gives you the right to see a doctor. We don’t have that right in the United States, and it’s a disgrace,” said the Oscar-winning filmmaker.

Sicko, which opens across Italy on Friday night, explores the defects of the profit-driven American medical care system, which Moore argues favours the pharmaceutical and insurance companies rather than the patient.

It compares the system to the free, universal health care, termed ’socialised medicine’, available in countries like Canada, France, Britain and Cuba.

The movie opens with an uninsured carpenter with two severed finger tips who must decide if he wants his ring finger to be reattached for $12,000 or his middle finger for $60,000. Unable to afford the more expensive operation, the uninsured worker opts for his ring finger.

Another sequence in the film shows poor hospital patients being dumped on skid row in Los Angeles.

Sicko notes that some 50 million Americans lack health insurance.

But it also goes on to show that many people who think they are covered by their insurance find themselves denied the medical care they need.

Moore told Italian reporters on Friday: “In the US, we have 50 million people who can’t afford to go to the doctor, and the same goes for lots of people who are covered by insurance. It’s a real crime.

“Many Americans have lost their homes in curing themselves. Show me one Italian who has lost his or her home because of medical costs”.

The 53-year-old director pointed out that the World Health Organisation had ranked Italy second among major countries in terms of the quality of its overall health care, with France claiming the No.1 spot.

Moore quipped that the Italians could probably overtake the French if they substituted brown pasta for white.

MOORE RAPS BERLUSCONI.

The director went on to attack centre-right opposition chief Berlusconi, who was in power from 2001-2006.

Moore accused Berlusconi of “trying to cut the welfare network by reducing spending”, saying the billionaire media mogul was “somebody who admired America and tried to copy it”.

He urged the current centre-left government headed by Premier Romano Prodi to “repair the damage caused by Berlusconi”.

At the end of the press conference, which was attended by Health Minister Livia Turco, Moore wrapped up with a Biblical reference, commenting immediately afterwards: “Berlusconi won’t be entering the Kingdom of Heaven, that’s for sure”.

Turco said afterwards that she hoped Italians would go to see Sicko.

“It’s an important film. Above all, it reminds us that illness and frailty are part of the human condition and at such times, it is necessary for someone to take care of those who fall sick,” she said.

“I hope that Italians who see the picture will appreciate our own health care system more. We often complain about it but it really should be treasured,” the minister said.

Moore’s previous film, the anti-Bush documentary Fahrenheit 9/11, clinched the top prize at Cannes in 2004.

The director won the best documentary Oscar in 2003 for Bowling for Columbine, a film denouncing America’s gun culture.

Subprime crisis affects Italy's GDP

2007-08-27T08:25:00.000-04:00

On 25 August italymag.co.uk reported the following story:

The crisis on international markets caused by the subprime credit crunch in the United States will reduce Italy’s projected GDP growth from about 2% to 1.7% and cost each Italian family 300 euros in 2007, according to a report from the Eurispes think-tank.

Although the subprime crisis only marginally affected Italy directly, its aftermath will be costly because of the country’s massive public debt, Eurispes said.

According to the research institute, it will result in a decline in consumer spending which in turn will cause a drop of some 3.3 billion euros in family revenue.

The subprime crisis broke out in the US when investment funds extending higher-interest mortages to high-risk borrowers, those not eligible for the prime rates charged by banks, were found to be over-extended and risked collapse.

Leocorno wins the 16 August Palio!

2007-08-25T06:18:00.000-04:00

That's right folks, Leocorno, "the Unicorn" contrada won the Palio dell'Assunta, run every 16 August. For more details check out the official Palio website.

Ciao,

Steve

James Bond in Siena

2007-08-22T06:58:00.001-04:00

Well OK it's not the real James Bond -- whoever he is. It's Daniel Craig and a crew of six or seven thousand worker bees putting together the 22nd installment of 007 License to Fleece your Pocket. Hey I'm just as guilty as the rest of you -- I admit I liked Casino Royale. And frankly now that I have learned that Big Jim is going to be doing some serious villain whacking within the hallowed walls of my favorite city I'll be watching the next one as well. And not only is it inside the walls but the movie uses the Palio as the backdrop for some of the concluding action sequences (so I read online at any rate).

Check out the story online at Italymag.co.uk.

"Antinori buys Stags Leap in Napa Valley"

2007-08-07T08:19:00.000-04:00

On 6 August Italymag.co.uk reported the following story:

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, one of Napa’s most celebrated estates, has been sold to a partnership of Tuscan winemaking icon Marchese Piero Antinori and Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, the largest wine company in Washington State.

The sale includes the brand, the cellars and 60 hectares of vineyards in the Napa Valley. The former owners, the Winiarski family, will maintain ownership of the celebrated Arcadia vineyard, while the SLV and Fay vineyards go to the new owners.

The deal stipulates that oenologist Warren Winiarski will stay on as a consultant for three years.

“Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars perfectly fits our shared vision of producing wines from historic vineyard sites, and is a terrific complement to our estate wineries in Washington, Oregon and California,” said Ted Baseler, president of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates.

“There are few places in the world this ideal for the production of wine”, said Piero Antinori about his recently acquired vineyards.