Volterra: It doesn't get much better than this -- June 26, 2016
Ah, Tuscany! Our next stop was in Volterra, a gem in the crown of this iconic hillside region of Italy. Columns of cypress, olive groves, vineyards and sunflower fields compete for attention. We were treated to some of this area's bounty as dinner guests at a quaint restaurant run by a mother-daughter duo. After many courses of delicious (and photogenic) dishes, the humble chef and her waitress daughter appeared from the kitchen to a round of applause from our group.
Exploring this beautiful Tuscan town -- June 27, 2016
Annie, a transplanted American and now longtime resident of Volterra, was our next guide. It was fascinating to hear her tell stories of medieval times, when the archway gate to the city played an important role in the protection of Volterra's citizens. For example, the myth of hot oil being dumped on marauding invaders is just that -- a myth. What the villagers DID do, however, was create as many open wounds on intruders as possible; and then dump human waste on them to infect the wounds and cause eventual death. They had no idea what bacteria was or the role it played, but they knew it was a cheap and effective (albeit slow and painful!) way to destroy their enemies.
Meredith: One of my favorite stops on our tour of Volterra was the alab'Arte. It is the alabaster workshop for two of the most gifted alabaster artists in all of Italy, if not the world: Roberto Chiti and Giorgio Finazzo. They are the artists from whom the Vatican commissions its alabaster masterpieces -- and no wonder! Roberto demonstrated his craft for us while we were in the shop and his dedication and mastery of his alabaster work was abundantly clear. Volterra is known for its exquisite artists of many forms and materials. VaLinda: Volterra was perhaps my favorite locale of the entire tour. After several hot and humid days in Rome, the cooler air of mountain elevations was a relief. The less crowded, less frenetic pace was also a welcome change. This city epitomizes European quaintness with its cobblestone streets and panoramic hilltop vistas. It's easy to see why its charms stole our guide, Annie's, heart. That, and she also fell in love with one of the "locals", now her husband. He is a wine sommolier who treated our group to a delightful wine-tasting of the area's finest local wines.
Volterra predates Rome for civilization! We learned the Etruscans lived here centuries B.C., and saw ruins to prove it. They were impressive artisans who created ornate jewelry, coins and especially, funerary urns. It was inspirational that these long-ago ancestors held such reverence for their dearly departed. People of ages past loved their own as much as we do today...
now, more than ever.
Tomorrow we head to Levanto and the Cinque Terra region, stopping in Lucca on the way... Andiamo!