This is the second post in my Taste of Tuscany series.
When my husband and I were
in Italy for our honeymoon, we refused to overextend ourselves and avoided packing our schedule with strings of sightseeing tours. Apart from the occasional dinner reservation and winery tour, we didn't schedule much of anything.
We were on our first real vacation in years and recognized that
allowing time to simply relax was just as meaningful as exploring every corner of the Tuscan countryside.
After our arrival in Pisa, we spent the majority of our first day in Italy driving to and getting settled in
our B&B. We slept in the following morning and then enjoyed a lovely breakfast in the main house before getting back in our rental car and taking some time taking in what Tuscany had to offer us.
First day trip destination?
The
Renaissance hill town of Montepulciano in the province of Siena. Seriously, we couldn't have picked a better place to start. The
main thoroughfare stretches for 1.5 kilometers from the Porta al Prato to the Piazza Grande. The
carefree nature of the city and of its inhabitants instantly put us at ease, and we didn't rush as we made our way to the top of the hill.
For some reason,
I was obsessed with the doors and the archways that were incorporated into the architecture and design of the buildings. Our leisurely pace made it that much easier for me to stop every three feet to take pictures.
And when I found an arched doorway that was "Michelle-sized" (i.e. just over five feet tall), I had no choice but to flash my best
Ciao, bella! smile and have Stephen take a picture of me.
Who knew that photo would turn out to be one of my favorites from the entire trip?
When we reached the Piazza Grande, we sat for a bit and watched people as they came around the bend. Everything was peaceful and still, and it was refreshing to sit and have nothing to occupy our minds except our own thoughts. And then, our stomachs started growling.
Rather than make our way back down the hill to the cafe we discovered after parking the car (I had to get change for the meter), we grabbed a table outside at
Osteria del Borgo.
Osteria del Borgo is an apartment complex offering
pet-friendly units for rent, some of which are designed to
accommodate families. The facility also provides its guests access to a
jacuzzi and
free Wi-Fi, as well as
a restaurant and on-site wine bar.
Stephen and I kept things simple, ordering two glasses of the
Nobile di Montepulciano D.O.G. and two plates of the
Bruschette di Pomodoro. The tomatoes were ripe and juicy and seasoned delicately with just a hint of salt and pepper and pieces of torn basil. That's all we needed for a perfect light lunch.
While we ate, I helped Stephen practice his Italian and coached him through the process of signalling for our server and asking for the check. To this day, I can't be sure whether the check arrived because she actually understood what he was attempting to say or because she managed to decipher the meaning behind his hand gestures.
Osteria del Borgo
Via Ricci 7
53045 Montepulciano in Province of Siena, Italy
