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Italian Tuscany Cooking Holiday Itinerary

If you want to jump directly to the itinerary, scroll down until you see the heading The Itinerary.

Some explanation

This itinerary is for a trip that we will take beginning Friday, 29 June, 2007 and returning on Sunday, 8 July, 2007. If you want to see how the trip turned out, go to A Trip to Italy in 2007.
Normally, I would not set up a trip like this for this time of year. Summer in Italy will be hot, crowded and expensive. However, this is a special situation.
Karen, my wife, started taking a culinary course at the Center for Culinary Arts here in Connecticut, USA. It is a 15 month course that covers all aspects of the culinary business. The only break she has all year that is longer than a few days is the week of the Fourth of July. She has a class on Thursday, 28 June, and is off until Monday, 9 July.
So we are taking advantage of this and getting back to Italy for the first time since our trip to Italy in 2001.

Cooking classes

I started by looking into week-long cooking vacations. I thought it would be a good tie-in with her schooling. I found a few that were not too pricey and then talked with Karen about them. She said that she liked the idea but didn't want to spend the entire week doing that because there were other things that we want to see and do. I agreed with her and started looking at shorter tours.

I found a few and one in particular caught our eye. It included four days staying at an agriturismo and included cooking classes on three days. The cost was $1075.00 per person, and this price did not include airfare. I sent them a message asking about availability and in the meantime, I did some investigation. I found out that the cooking classes took place at Agriturismo Fagiolari and are taught by Giulietta. Also, her web site included a reference to Podere (Estate) San Lorenzo which is run by her sister Marinella. I checked out the web sites of both places and sent them some emails.

It turned out that Fagiolari had a wedding going on during the time that we wanted to be there. But Podere San Lorenzo had availability for us.

The accomodation, "Room A", will cost us 85.00€ per night, and the classes will cost us 85.00€ each. So, for three nights accomodation, plus two cooking classes each, the total is 595.00€. At the current exchange rate, that will be approximately $773.50. The tour we were looking at would have cost $2150.00 for the two of us. So by dealing with the establishment directly, we saved about $1376.50! Something to think about the next time you are making travel arrangements.

Flights

So we also need to get to Italy. I looked around at a lot of options and as I expected, at that time of year, flights are expensive. I finally settled on a non-stop flight from Philadelphia to Milan. This option saves us over $400.00 over the next best option. It will just mean that we will have a four-hour drive to Philly to get to the airport.

Accomodations for the rest of the trip

The first day

I checked with Podere San Lorenzo and they do not have the cooking classes on Sunday. Since we will be arriving in Italy on Saturday morning, we will not have to drive all the way to Volterra the first day. We will check in to Podere San Lorenzo on Sunday and take the classes on Monday and Tuesday afternoons.

So we need a place to stay on Saturday night. I wanted to find a place along the coast, just to have a variety of experiences in Italy because all of the rest of the time will be spent inland in Tuscany: Volterra, Florence and Chianti. I didn't hold out much hope of finding a reasonably priced hotel along the coast at this time of year. First I found a hotel in La Spezia, using the Venere.com web site. This was a very useful web site as you will see.

But then I got some information about the area on the Aardvark Travel Forum. I was pointed to a town called Porto Venere which looked a lot more like what I was looking for. Most of my first choices of hotels were not available for that date, so I decided to splurge on this one night and booked a room at the Grand Hotel Portovenere. It will cost us around $250.00 for the one night for a double room with a sea view.

Wednesday through Friday

We will be leaving Podere San Lorenzo on Wednesday morning, heading for Florence. So I went to Venere.com and found a hotel in the center of Florence, near the Piazza del Duomo. We will be staying there for three nights.

Saturday

Finally I went to Venere.com and foound a reasonably priced hotel near the airport in Milan for Saturday night.

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The Itinerary

Day One, Friday evening, 29 June, 2007

Flight to Milan

Day one consists of getting to the airport, boarding a flight to Milan, and flying over the Atlantic Ocean.

Day Two, Saturday, 30 June, 2007

Arrival

On the morning of day two, the plane arrives in Milan
First we will go through a passport check, and then enter the baggage claim area. Once we retrieve our luggage, we will go through the customs area, and on into the main terminal of the airport.

Money

We will be on the lookout for ATM machines as we make our way to the Hertz rental counter. We will each have an ATM card and a credit card with us. We will bring some US dollars, but will not expect to have to use them.

On the road

Once we get our car we will head out to the A1 highway. We will be staying in the seaside town of Porto Venere the first night, and according to all of the mapping websites, the best way to get there is to go down the A1 as far as Parma, then get on the A15 toward the coast. As long as we are going through Parma, we have decided to stop there, spend a couple of hours siteseeing and having lunch, and then get back on the road to Porto Venere.

Parma

What's the attraction of Parma?

Well, it is the home of Proscuitto di Parma (also known as Parma Ham) to begin with.
While we are there, these are some of the attractions that we may explore, depending on how long it takes:

• Cathedral -- Piazza del Duomo
• On the east side of the Piazza del Duomo in Parma is the cathedral, a Romanesque pillared basilica dating from the 12th century, whose wide façade forms an impressive group with the adjoining campanile (63m/208ft high) of 1284-94.
• In the dome is a huge fresco of the "Assumption of the Virgin" by Correggio (1526-30).
• In the south transept is a relief by Benedetto Antelami of the "Descent from the Cross" (1178), originally on a pulpit.
• In the crypt are some beautiful pillars and early Christian floor mosaics.
• Baptistery
• From Piazza Garibaldi in Parma, the busy Strada Cavour runs north. On the right the short Strada al Duomo leads to the Piazza del Duomo.
• Immediately on the left of this square is the Bishop's Palace, on the right the Baptistery.
• A massive octagonal marble building begun in Romanesque style by Benedetto Antelami in 1196-1216 (the doorways, with reliefs of scriptural subjects, are his work.)
• Completed in Gothic style in 1260; it contains 13th century high reliefs and frescoes.
• San Giovani Evangelista
• Behind the cathedral in Parma stands the convent church of San Giovanni Evangelista.
• A Renaissance building (1510) with a Baroque façade of 1607 and a slender tower of 1614.
• Contains fine frescoes by Correggio (in the dome; 1521-23) and his pupil Parmigianino.
• Storica Farmacia di San Giovani Evangelista
• Beside the convent is the Storica Farmacia di San Giovanni Evangelista.
• An old chemist's shop, with a Renaissance interior and ceramic containers (16th-18th centuries).
• Madonna della Steccata
• Opposite the Teatro Regio is the fine domed church of the Madonna della Steccata (1521-39.)
• Modeled on St Peter's in Rome (Greek-cross plan).
• Inside there are fine frescoes on the triumphal arch and on the dome.
• Piazza Garibaldi -- Palazzo del Governatore
• The central feature of Parma is the Piazza Garibaldi in which stands the Palazzo del Governatore, with a façade dating from 1760 and an astronomical clock.
• Nearby is the Palazzo del Municipio (Town Hall; 1627-73).
• Santissima Annunziata
• From Piazza Garibaldi, Strada Mazzini runs west over the Ponte di Mezzo (fragments of the old Roman bridge, rebuilt, in underpass) spanning the River Parma into the Oltre Torrente district or Parma Vecchio, the oldest part of Parma.
• At the near end of Strada Massimo d'Azeglio, on the left, is the church of the Santissima Annunziata, a Baroque building (1566) with an unusual ground-plan and a boldly designed dome (1626-32).

Lunch

For lunch, we will keep a lookout while we are siteseeing for places that look interesting. Also, depending on where we are when we are ready to eat, there are two places recommended on the Mario Batali web site:

• Ristorante La Greppia Via Garibaldi, 39 - 43100 Parma (PR)
• Ristorranti Cocchi Via Gramsci 16/A, 43100 Parma Italia

Porto Venere

After lunch, we'll get back on the road, the A15, heading southwest toward the coast to the town of Porto Venere. With any luck, we will be able to get there and get checked into our hotel before sunset. We expect to be able to get some good photos that afternoon and the next morning as well.

Dinner

There are several interesting restaurants listed on the Porto Venere web site including one at the hotel. The plan is to be eating dinner outside with a sea view as the sun is setting. We'll see how that works out.

Day Three, Sunday, 1 July, 2007

Explore Porto Venere, then on to Carrara and Volterra

Breakfast

We will eat breakfast on the terrace at the hotel. Then we will spend some time exploring Porto Venere. The drive to Volterra is only about three hours, so we will take some time in Porto Venere before hitting the road.

Siteseeing

Here are some of the things to be seen in Porto Venere:

1. Entrance in the Village
• Over the roman gateway, through the main walls built in 1160 AD., there are clear signs of where the archway has been reduced twice in succession. When entering, above the gateway stands the inscription "Colonia Ianu-ensis 1113". To the left, low down, can be seen three marble basins of uncertain origin used to measure respectively fixed quantities of grain and wine. On the wall overhead Porto Venere's original emblem, three symmetrical towers on a rocky cliff, still used today as the town symbol.
2. Tower Capitolare
• Stands to the left of the entrance to via Capellini. Its walls are faced with ashlar-work, each dressed stone is slightly blunted. Openings to the first few floors are enriched by mullioned windows and windows with tree lights.


Fresco of the Madonna Bianca
3. Fresco of 1494
• Above the inside of the gateway is a 15 century fresco of the Madonna Bianca (White Virgin), patron of the village, enclosed in a large niche. This fresco was discovered in 1896 and has been restored several times since 1929.
4. Carugio o via G.Capellini
• Main street to the village, represents a typical left over from the past. With monumental features which should to be observed in their integrity.
5. Perrons
• To the right entering the carugio starts the "mount to the castle". Further up the Carugio, on the right hand side other three flights of steps lead to the top part of the village (called "da dauto" in the local dialect).
6. I Capitoli
• On the left hand side following the carugio are two arched flights of steps, called I and II Capitolo. In the past these flights of steps were the only access to the rocks that surrounded the Fortified-houses. Whereas today they lead down to the "Calata" where most of the fishing and tourist activities are held.
7. Square P. Centinaro
• Half way up the Carugio is a pretty little square named after P. Centinaro, a local benefactor. The fountain placed over the public well was built by the Genoese to collect rainwater off the nearby roofs.
8. Square Spallanzani
• Centre of the early-roman establishment of the "castrum Vetus". The square is at present named after the biologist and naturalist L. Spallanzani (1729 - 1799), who spent a long time in Porto Venere in 1783. During his stay he carefully examined and furthered his studies on the formation of strata in the local territory.


Church of S. Pietro
9. Church S. Pietro
• The church of S. Pietro: According to some archaeologists, during pagan times the site used to be a temple to Venus Erycina (From which the name Portus Veneris derives). The temple was then transformed during the first years of Christianity into a Christian temple. In 1256 ad. The Genoese built the church of S. Pietro over the early Christian temple, to thank the inhabitants of Porto Venere for their help in taking Lerici castle. They followed a new style known as gothic-genoese.
10. Church S. Lorenzo
• Its Romanesque facade was built by the famous Magistri Antelami between 1116 and 1130. Over 868 years after its opening, the church has maintained its ancestral structure of a nave and two aisles. The round archways are supported by columns in black stone, some of which were substituted in 1582 by columns in white Carrara marble.
11. The Castle
• Of early-genoese origin, was built by the genoese in 1161. The main body of the upper castle, with its monumental gateway that leads to the surrounding ramparts and the grand "ipostila" hall built to a rectangular plan, belong to the period of reconstruction in 1458.

Carrara

Whenever we are ready, we will get on the road and start heading toward Volterra.



First we'll stop at the marble quarry in Carrara. I just want to take a few photos of the place. I have seen how quarries work before, so I don't need a tour of the place.

Which way to Podere San Lorenzo?

The first option is to take the A12 as far as Pisa, and take the Strada Grande Comunicazione Firenze-Pisa-Livorno for about 30 miles, and then SS439 as far as San Giovanni, bearing left onto SS439dir which will take us into Volterra. Then we'll hook up with SR68 west until we see a sign that says "S. Lorenzo", where we will take a left and follow the signs to "Agritursimo Podere San Lorenzo."

The other option is to take the A12 all the way to Cecina and then follow SR68 all the way through Volterra until we see the "S. Lorenzo" sign.

I'm hoping that we will see lots of things along the way to stop and check out, or at least photograph.

If we take option one, we will pass through or near these towns:

• San Pietro a Piano
• Ponsacco
• Camugliano
• Capannoli
• Santissima Annunziata
• Capavoli
• San Pietro Belvedere
• Flume Era (water park)
• Selvatelle
• Casanova
• Peccioli
• La Sterza
• San Giovani
• Montaperti
• Prato d'Era

If we take option two, we will pass through or near these towns:

• Fagiolaia
• San Martino
• Riparbella
• Casino di Terra
• Ponteginori
• Flume Cecina (water park)
• Saline
• La Chiostra

Lunch

When we were in Italy in 2001, we took a bus tour and sometimes we would stop at rest areas on the highways for lunch. These were always at rest areas run by Autogrill. These were much different than what we are used to in the US, so I want to stop at one either on Saturday or Sunday so I can get some photos. So we may have lunch at an Autogrill today.

Dinner

Somewhere along the way, we will find a place for dinner. We probably could just get dinner at Podere San Lorenzo, but since we will be eating there on Monday and Tuesday nights, we want to find somewhere else for our Sunday dinner.

Day Four, Monday, 2 July, 2007

Monteriggioni? San Gimignano?

This morning, after having breakfast at Podere San Lorenzo, we have lots of options. The two main options are going to either Monteriggioni (photo on the left) or San Gimignano (on the right.) These are two ancient Italian hill towns with lots of history.

Lunch

I am leaning toward going to Monteriggioni and having lunch at a restaurant there called Il Pozzo.

Dinner

We will be back to the Podere San Lorenzo in time for the cooking classes. Then, we will eat the dinner we prepared and then relax for evening.

Day Five, Tuesday, 3 July, 2007

Market day in Saline

After breakfast we will drive to the nearby town of Saline di Volterra because Tuesday is their market day. We will see what there is to see there and then drive back to the town of Volterra.

Volterra is another ancient Italian hill town, first settled by the Etruscans.

Lunch

We will spend some time wandering through Volterra until it is time to return for the cooking classes. There are several restaurants and cafes where we can get some lunch.

Some things to see in Volterra:

Rossi Alabasti
• Via del Mandorlo Oldest alabaster workshop in Volterra
Arco Etrusco
• From the center of Volterra a stepped lane, Via Porta all'Arco (many alabaster workshops), runs southwest to the Arco Etrusco (Etruscan Arch), a gate in the ancient circuit of walls. The dressed stones flanking the gateway and the three much-weathered heads on the arch date from the fourth-third centuries B.C. The arch itself was rebuilt in Roman times, and the masonry on either side of the gate is medieval. A similar gateway is depicted on an Etruscan ash-chest of the first century B.C. (No. 371) in the Museo Etrusco Guarnacci. A commemorative tablet records that during the Second World War the people of Volterra prevented the gate from being blown up by German troops.
Cathedral
• Behind the Palazzo del Popolo in Volterra is the Duomo Santa Maria Assunta (consecrated 1120), which was enlarged in Pisan style in 1254. The campanile, which commands extensive views, was rebuilt in 1493 after its collapse, but later, for greater stability, had the top story removed. The interior of the church, which is aisled, was remodeled in the 16th century, and in its present aspect is predominantly Renaissance. Notable among the works of art it contains are, on the inside of the entrance wall, a beautiful antependium (altar frontal) with eight panels from the Romanesque altar; in the first chapel in the right transept the Reliquary of Sant'Ottaviano by Raffaele Cioli (1522); n the choir, flanking the altar, two Angels bearing candelabra and, on the altar, a splendid marble ciborium, for reservation of the Eucharist, by Mino da Fiesole (15th century); between the seventh and eighth columns on the left an impresssive pulpit made in the 17th century from fragments of varying origin (12th century reliefs of Old and New Testament scenes); and in the Cappella dell'Addolorata (in the left-hand aisle) a colored terracotta group of Mary and Joseph with the Infant Jesus, in front of a background fresco by Benozzo Gozzoli depicting the arrival of the three kings, and opposite it is a polychrome terracotta group of the Adoration of the Kings. Annunciation
Battistero
• Opposite the facade of the cathedral in Volterra is the baptistery, a two story building on an octoganal plan erected in the 13th century but subsequently much altered. The side facing the cathedral is clad with bands of white and green marble and has a Romanesque doorway with figural decoration. The interior, roofed with an early 16th century dome, is plain. There is a beautiful font by Andrea Sansovino (1502) carved with reliefs.
Citadel
• On the highest point of the hill is the massive fortezza, one of the mightiest Renaissance strongholds in Italy (now a penal establishment; not open to the public). The Rocca Vecchia (Old Castle) at the east end was built in the 14th century, the Rocca Nuova (New Castle) in 1472-75 for Lorenzo de' Medici. The central round tower of the New Castle (built 1472 onwards) is known as the Maschio (Male), the semi-elliptical tower of the Old Castle as the Femmina (Female).
Museo Etrusco Guarnacci
• In Volterra and the surrounding area rich finds of Etruscan material have been made, and the Guarnacci Etruscan Museum has a remarkable collection of this material. It owes its existence to a local prelate, Mario Guarnacci (1701-85), who bequeathed his collection to the town; together with a collection of Etruscan urns assembled by another ecclesiastic, Canon Franceschini, in the years before 1732, formed the basic stock of the museum, which also contains prehistoric and Roman material. The Etruscan section of the museum gives an excellent view of the life and culture of this people about whom so little is known. It contains more than 600 cinerary urns of tufa, alabaster or terracotta, mostly dating from the fourth to first centuries B.C. Of particular interest are two urns with reliefs depicting the Siege of Thebes, on one of which (No. 371) is an arched gateway resembling the Arco Etrusco. Other items include a crater (mixing vessel) from Attica, funerary stelae, jewelry, coins, etc.
Palazzo Pretorio
• Opposite the Palazzo dei Priori in Volterra is the 13th century Palazzo Pretorio, which until 1511 was the seat of the capitano del Popolo. It incorporated a number of earlier buildings, and is dominated by the battlemented Torre del Podesta. On top of the tower is the figure of an animal, popularly known as Porcellino (Piglet).
Parco Archeologico
• At the west end of the Citadel in Volterra extends the Archeological Park. In 1926 the remains of an ancient acropolis with the foundations of two temples (second century B.C.) and a cistern have been excavated here.
Roman Theater; Teatro Romano
• From the Porta San Francesco in Volterra we follow the Via Volterrana and in 100m/110yd turn right into Viale Francesco Ferrucci, which runs along the north side of the town walls to the Roman Theater (Teatro Romano) dating from the A.D. first century, which has been excavated from 1951 onwards.
Palazzo dei Priori
• In the Piazza dei Priori in Volterra, the central square of the medieval town, stands the Palazzo dei Priori (1208-54), now the Town Hall - the oldest in Tuscany. It was the official residence of the podesta and later of the Florentine priori and commissari, as the coats of arms on the facade bear witness. The front of the palazzo is relieved only by a few irregularly disposed windows and narrow horizontal cornices. At either end of the facade are columns bearing the heraldic lion of Florence, the Marzocco. The Council Chamber, identifiable from the outside by a series of windows on the first floor set closer to each other than on the rest of the facade, is decorated with frescoes, most of which are in the "Historical" style of the 19th century.
Diocesan Museum; Museo Diocesano d'Arte Sacra
• The Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art is housed in part of the cloister to the northwest of the cathedral. It contains ecclesiastical and liturgical objects from the diocese of Volterra, including a glazed terracotta bust of St Linus (first successor of St Peter) by Andrea della Robbia; a Reliquary of Sant'Ottaviano, of beaten silver by Antonio del Pollaiuolo (15th century), and a Reliquary of St Victor, of enameled silver (Sienese workmanship, 14th century); a wooden tabernacle decorated with miniatures (Umbrian school, 15th century); a gilt-bronze Crucifix by Giambologna (16th century); and valuable priestly vestments of the 16th to 18th centuries.
Casa-Torre Buonparenti
• To the north of the cathedral, at the intersection of Via Roma and Via Ricciarelli, is the 13th century Casa-Torre Buonparenti. There are other characteristic medieval tower houses to be seen in the vicinity - Torre Martinoli (13th century), Casa Nannatti e Miranceli, Torre Buonnaguidi (12th century). In Via Ricciarelli are the Palazzetto della Sbarba (No. 24) and the Casa Ricciarelli (Nos. 34-36; note the small windows for children below the main windows).
Palazzo Minucci-Solaini / Pinacoteca e Museo Civico
• Near the Piazza dei Priori stands the Palazzo Minucci-Solaini, which houses the Pinacoteca (picture collection), with works by Ghirlandaio, Signorelli and other painters. The same palace contains the Municipal Museum (Museo Civico).

Dinner

Agan we will be back to the Podere San Lorenzo in time for the cooking classes, have dinner and relax for evening.

Day Six, Wednesday, 4 July, 2007

On to Florence

On Wednesday morning, after breakfast, we will say goodbye to the Podere San Lorenzo and head toward Florence. Along the way are some castles in Poggibonsi and Linari that we may stop to photograph. Also as we approach Florence, we will be passing through the Piazzale Michelangelo and will stop there for more photos.
Our hotel is a block away from the Piazza del Duomo, and most of our activities on Wednesday in Florence will center around this area. We will attempt to see and do the following:

• Museo dell'Opera del Duomo
• Santa Maria del Fiore - The Duomo
• Baptistery of St. John
• Climb Giotto's Campanile (bell tower)
• Climb Brunelleschi's Cupola (dome)
• Orsanmichele, Donatello statues of St. George and St. Mark
• Piazza della Republica, La Ranascente department store
• Piazzale Donatello, the Protestant or "English" Cemetery.

Day Seven, Thursday, 5 July, 2007

Driving through Chianti

On Thursday, we will take a drive through Chianti, the region of Tuscany where they are famous for the wine of the same name.

We will begin by driving to Greti to visit Il Castello di Verrazzano. The castle was an Etruscan then a Roman settlement before becoming the property of the Verrazzano family in the VIIth century. We have a reservation for the tour and wine tasting at 10:00, but I want to be there by 09:00 so we can have some time to explore the place first.

The tour and wine tasting is supposed to take an hour and a half, and then we will be on the road again. We hope to be able to visit some of the following places, but our itinerary may change depending on what we see as we go.

• Greve in Chianti
• Verrazzano Statue
• Antica Macelleria Falorni
• Le Cantine di Greve in Chianti
• Panzano in Chianti
• Antica Macelleria Checchini
• Podere Poggio Scalette
• Castellina
• Fortress of Castellina in Chianti
• Rocca delle Macie Winery
• Fattoria Nittardi
• Radda
• Albola Castle
• Gaoile
• lo Sfizio for dinner?

Lunch

The snacks that will be included with the wine tasting should be enough to take care of lunch.

Dinner

The plan is to be in Gaoile at dinner time and go to Lo Sfizio di Bianchi for dinner. However, we will find somewhere to have dinner wherever we happen to be when we are ready for it.

The route

Here is a map of the places on the list. The Italian name for the town of Florence is Firenze.

Day Eight, Friday, 6 July, 2006

Walking through Firenze

There is a lot to see in Florence, and we won't be able to see all that we want to in one day. The following is a list of places I'd like to see on Friday, but we know that we will probably not have enough time (or energy) to see all of them. It's not as bad as it looks at first because many of these places we will just walk past and take some photos. But we will probably have to drop some of them and put them on the list for next time.

• Santa Maria Novella
• Brunelleschi's crucifix
• San Lorenzo
• Brunelleschi
• Donatello/Filippo Lippi
• Medici Chapels: Michelangelo
• Medici -- Riccardi Palace
• Lorenzo the Magnificent
• TI -- Tourist Information, bookstore
• free map -- center insert
• museum hours listing
• Musem of San Marco
• Savonarola's cell
• Santissima Annunziata
• Hospital of the Innocents: Brunelleschi
• Rotonda del Brunelleschi / Rotonda di Santa Maria degli Agnoli or Angeli
• Casa Buonarroti
• Madonna of the Stairs
• Battle of the Centaurs
• Model for the facade of San Lorenzo


Donatello's Crucifix in Santa Croce
• Santa Croce
• Brunelleschi's Pazzi chapel
• Donatello's crucifix
• Bargello Museum
• Donatello's David
• Brunelleschi/Michelangelo/Ghiberti
• Palazzo Vecchio/Piazza della Signoria
• Michelangelo's Victory
• Donatello's Judith & Holofernes
• Loggia dei Lanzi
• Cellini's Perseus
• Piazza della Signoria
• Plaque in front of fountain where Savonarola was burned
• Straw Market -- Mercato Nuovo
• Ponte Vecchio
• Statue of Cellini
• View of Arno & Ponte Veccio near Hotel Lungarno -- ruined medieval tower
• Santo Spirito
• Brunelleschi - interior
• Michelangelo crucifix
• Market 09:00-14:00 Piazza Santo Spirito
• Olio & Convivium, Via Santo Spirito 4r, 250 types of wine and dozens of varieties of olive oil for tasting
• Porta San Frediano
• Florence Town Walls

Lunch

As we walk around we will be on the lookout for a place to stop for lunch. Whenever we feel the need, we will have a bite at some little place along the way.

Dinner

I'm hoping that we will make it across the river, and have dinner at a restaurant somewhere along the Via Santo Spirito in the Oltrarno section of Florence.

The route

Here is a map of the places on the list. It looks like a lot of walking (and it will be) but Florence is a small city so it is not quite as bad as it looks.

Day Nine, Saturday, 7 July, 2007

Back to Milan

There are several stops we want to make on our way back to Milan.

Prato

We may make Prato our first stop, so that we can see the Emperor's Castle of Prato and the Cassero Medievale di Prato.

Pistoia

From there we will go on to Pistoia to see the silver Altar of San Jacopo in the Cathedral of San Zeno. The two prophets on the left on the silver altar are the first documented works of Filippo Brunelleschi.
Also there is the Ospedale del Ceppo which was designed by Brunelleschi, similar to the Hospital of the Innocents he designed in Florence.

Borgo Capanne

Then we will drive to Borgo Capanne where Mario Batali spent three years of intense culinary training. He worked for no wages, just room and board to learn the secrets of Italian cuisine.

Modena

Since Modena is along our route back to Milan, we will stop in the place where most of the balsamic vinegar comes from.

Milan

Then it's back to Milan, to the Malpensa Inn Hotel & Motel - Tornavento Lonate Pozzolo. We'll get some dinner and relax and reflect on our trip on our last night in Italy.

Day Ten, Sunday, 8 July, 2007

Fly home

On Sunday morning we will get up, have some breakfast, fly back to Philadelphia and drive home.

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