Destination: Siena, Tuscany
Having had a very busy day yesterday, I was hoping Day 7 would be a little less hectic. Certainly my itinerary for the day was not quite as crammed, with just a few lines on the spreadsheet for today. I was planning to start by driving to Villa Costanza so that I could get the tram into Florence to visit a couple more attractions. And then I would be heading deeper into Tuscany, to visit the walled city of Siena, before heading for my overnight stop.
Stop 1: Florence
I’d had a fabulous nights sleep at the lovely Camping Village Panoramico so woke early. The site is set up really well for tourers, and there had been several groups of cyclists and motorcyclists camped nearby. Despite the early start, many of them had already packed up and left before I got underway.
I was really excited as I headed back down the hill towards Florence. So much so that I’d forgotten to return my pitch tag to reception. Nightmare.
In truth, I did momentarily wonder if I could post it back. But I absolutely did not want to inconvenience the lovely campsite staff or appear ignorant, so I decided to turn round and head back up the hill. Unfortunately, by this time a set of roadworks had started. I was diverted through what appeared to be quite deserted private road that twisted and turned around the hill for miles. It was a VERY long diversion and by the time I eventually reached Villa Costanza I’d lost almost 2 hours and missed my first tour.
This was a little disappointing, as I had been due to visit the incredible Uffizi Gallery for the second of my museum tours. But then I reminded myself that my plan was always going to be the best case scenario and most of it was in no way guaranteed. And I reasoned that now I knew my way around, I could always fly back for a weekend visit anyway, so all was definitely not lost!
The Galleria dell’Accademia
Making my way into Florence, I headed for my last tour in the city, visiting Michelangelo’s David. The David is housed in the Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze which is also home to a huge amount of spectacular artwork, particularly sculpture. The Accademia is not so far from the Cathedral but is tucked away in some really narrow streets so takes a little while to find.
The tour I had booked into was really well organised so it wasn’t long before we were inside. I was super glad I had bought a ‘skip the line’ tour as the queues were very long! Also, although I’d not opted for an audio guide as part of the tour I decided to pick one up just inside the entrance, for 7€. That turned out to be a really good call as well and I would definitely recommend it.
Once inside, the deceivingly unimposing exterior gives way to some really impressive galleries containing some fabulous exhibits. There is quite a lot to see and it would be so easy to miss one of the galleries as they are all dotted around each other. This is why the audio guide is key!
There are 3 main collections in the Accademia
- Painting
- Musical Instruments
- Sculpture
The original sculpture is located just outside the Palazzo Vecchio at the Loggia dei Lanzi. I was really happy to see the model close up as i’d not been able to get near the original due to the huge crowds. Having had a really good look at the artwork from every angle, I moved onto the paintings.
Again I was really glad I had the audio guide as understanding some of the context around the paintings really brought them to life. I’ve added a few of them in here.
The next set of rooms were devoted to musical instruments through the ages. I was fascinated by the exhibits, many of which were brought to life by audio recordings. It was wonderful to see and hear instruments that I’d heard so much about but had never had the opportunity to experience in person before.
The last part of the Accademia tour is devoted to sculpture and there are many incredibly beautiful pieces exhibited here. The most spectacular item in the collection being Michelangelo’s David. Standing over 5 metres high, the stunning sculpture absolutely dominates the Tribune that was built expressly for it.
As disappointed as I had been to miss the Uffizzi, this more than made up for it. The sculpture of David is absolutely incredible, and it’s easy to see why it has been captivating people for over 140 years!
Stop 2: Siena
Feeling very blessed, I had one last wander around Florence, and then headed back to Villa Costanza. The next part of my adventure was taking me to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Siena.
The drive itself was absolutely stunning, it was a beautiful day with clear blue skies and the countryside of Tuscany was breathtaking. There are also lots of pretty little towns to see along the way, and this is definitely an area I’d like to explore more. For now though, I was very excited to get to Siena so pressed on!
It wasn’t that far a drive, and an hour later I was pulling into the city through Porta San Marco vehicular gate. As it seemed the parking I’d been hoping to use was inside the ZTL, I was glad I’d given myself plenty of time to find another spot close to the Porta Laterina.
I was very keen to explore the old city, so headed for the Arco delle Due Porte, one of the original gates into the oldest part of the city, Castelvecchio.
It was a scorching hot day, so I was really glad of the shade in the pretty narrow streets of the old town, but it wasn’t long before I was very lost. I was hoping to see a few of the historic buildings during my visit, and it was quite a challenge finding them in the maze of passageways!
I was quite happy meandering around though. The city is rich in history, and full of all kinds of curisoities and art, ancient and modern. It is a patchwork of quaint and interesting shops and buildings criss crossing along the narrow alleyways, and I was content to be soaking it all in. Eventually I reached my first major point of interest, and it was definitely worth all the wandering. Turning a corner, the narrow street opened out into the comparatively huge Piazza del Duomo and the magnificent Duomo di Siena.
As well as the cathedral, the square also contains the museum Opera della Metropolitana, the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, several shops and cafes, and a small market. Most striking though was the sound of beautiful music coming from somewhere close to the cathedral. So I went to investigate.
I’ve since discovered that there is pretty much always a street musician playing a Ukranian instrument, the ‘tsymbaly’, beside the cathedral. I’d never heard one played in person, and I was absolutely captivated, so much so that I immediately bought the musicians cd. So haunting and magical, it became the background music to all my travels through Italy, particularly this version of Yiruma’s ‘River Flows in You’.
I could have listened all day, but I did want to explore a bit more of Siena so did eventually drag myself reluctantly away. Time for another wander round the ancient streets, I headed off in the direction of the Piazza del Campo.
The piazza is a huge open space in the centre of Siena, in front of the Palazzo Pubblico (town hall). It really is something to behold and a great place to sit and chill for a while and there are plenty of cafes and bars with outside seating. Alternatively, in the centre at the back, the recently restored ‘Fonte Gaia’ burbles away quietly and provides the perfect spot for some mindful relaxation.
By this time, I was quite overwhelmed by everything I’d seen and done. It was time for me to find my campsite and enjoy some warm Tuscan sun. Heading back to the car, it was time to take one last look from inside the city walls,
I’d had an incredible day, now all that was left was to find my campsite and enjoy the rest of the sun. Or so I thought!
I headed for my overnight stop at Camping Soline just outside the small village of Murlo. It was another great campsite, clean and well provisioned facilities and lovely terraced pitches in the heart of the countryside. I had a really warm welcome from the campsite manager. We chatted for a good long while, and he kindly recommended a taverna in the village as the site restaurant wasn’t open. It was such a beautiful day I could happily have sat all evening with the breeze on my face, listening to the chirrup of the cicadas. But the lure of genuine Tuscan pasta was just too great. A quick shower and change, and I made my way into the village.
I’m so glad I went! The Taverna di Casciano was wonderful. It was in a lovely old stone building that has been very tastefully renovated in a farmhouse style. There was a really laid back ambiance and a mix of diners. I recognised several fellow campers at the other tables, as well as the campsite manager. Although I’d not booked, I was immediately welcomed to a table as soon as I mentioned where I was staying.
And the food …. it was amazing! Although I had a ‘simple’ tomato and garlic pasta, I now completely understand the saying ‘like mamma used to make’. It was beyond delicious. I have tried sooooo hard to recreate the taste and never got it quite right. Another visit needed I think!
Absolutely the perfect end to a perfect day, I had a nice stroll back to the campsite to walk off all that pasta, then settled in for the night. Unbelievably, I had just completed my first week of travels.
The next day would see me hit one of the major highlights of my trip… I’d be heading for the Italian capital city and I had so much planned!
Join me for Day 8 and my arrival in Rome!!!