In the next dozen or so posts I will talk about a recent trip to the hill towns in central Italian regions of Tuscany and Umbria:
“Under the Tuscan Clouds” served as watchwords for a recent visit to Tuscan and Umbrian hill towns of central Italy. We will just have to leave it to author Frances Mayes to share the experiences of her summers as recounted in her popular book, “Under the Tuscan Sun”.
Clouds, rain and cool temperatures provided the dominant weather pattern during our early October 2010 visit. An umbrella proved a practical item most days, and a jacket or a raincoat was appreciated. The cool temperatures, however, made for some great nighttime sleeping.
Autumn finds the hill towns of Tuscany and Umbria settling into a slower pace as the cooler weather reduced the hordes of summertime tourists. And many villa rentals enter a “shoulder season” with reduced prices when compared with summer rates.
On an earlier trip my wife and I had visted the larger Italian cities of Rome, Venice, Florence and Naples; this time around we wanted to acquaint ourselves with some of the smaller hill towns that dot the landscape of central Italy. So, on this trip we visited Cortona, Arezzo, Siena, Castiglione del Lago, Montepu1ciano, Pienza and Orvieto.
Visitors gain a cultural appreciation of Italy when visiting the hill towns. The people are friendly, the food and wine rate top notch labels, and the pace is considerably slower than found in the metro cities. So, if you are looking for relaxation and immersion in rural and small-town Italian life and history, the hill towns have no equals.
(Part Two will discuss the accommodations)
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