| I love all things Italian, the language, the food, the | | | | there is the famous Campo in the centre of Sienna, |
| culture, the art, the people and the passion with | | | | the annual venue for the Palio, a medieval horse race |
| which they approach life. Italy isn't perfect but where | | | | held each July. |
| is? So with this in mind I decided to do something | | | | I really didn't know what to expect from Sienna, in |
| that I'd always wanted to do, take a driving holiday | | | | reflection I was more than impressed with its beauty |
| around Italy. | | | | and friendly atmosphere. |
| I booked my flights, car and accommodation on the | | | | I spent the rest of the week driving around Tuscany, |
| internet and bought myself a learn Italian CD for me | | | | searching out local vine yards to buy up some wine |
| to listen too in my car at home for the four weeks | | | | and try out as many of the local Agri-turismo's that I |
| before I went. Although I knew the very basics of | | | | could find. An Agri-turismo is a place where you can |
| the Italian language I didn't want to find myself high | | | | eat and drink, generally for a set price a number of |
| and dry in Italy if a disaster befell me. I soon realised | | | | local dishes, maybe as many as twelve - thirteen |
| that I'd need a book or two to help me with my | | | | courses served in smaller portions. These give you a |
| learning. | | | | really good feeling for the local cuisine. Generally all |
| I landed in Milan Malpensa, a lovely airport if not a little | | | | the foods are made from locally grown produce. |
| large and confusing. Trying to find the car hire depot | | | | I also managed to take in a day trip to Florence by |
| was interesting. | | | | train to visit an old friend, taken on a day when the |
| With all the paperwork for the car completed it was | | | | Italian railway union decided to go on strike in the |
| time to confront the Milanese traffic systems which | | | | afternoon. All part of the fun in Italy. |
| is basically nose to bumper traffic. The horror stories | | | | Florence is a beautiful city but I think it is best |
| of Italian driving had been ringing in my ears for the | | | | appreciated when the temperature isn't in the upper |
| past few weeks so I sent off not knowing to | | | | 30 degrees centigrade and you can't move for snap |
| expect. As it turned out there was nothing at all to | | | | happy tourists. |
| worry about, other than the traffic, which was no | | | | The week over it was time to move onto Lake |
| better or worse than the traffic in any major | | | | Garda for the remainder of the holiday. This entailed |
| European city the driving was fine. | | | | a 3 ½ hour drive North passing Bologna and |
| I headed out of Milan towards Genoa and down to a | | | | Modena. |
| little town just outside La Spezia which was going to | | | | Lake Garda was spectacular, also spectacularly busy, |
| be my base for the next two nights. The road down | | | | but the town that we stayed in, Bardolino, was |
| to La Spezia was amazing, a twisting, turning dual | | | | wonderful. The days were spent relaxing by the pool |
| carriage way that was a joy to drive on. I was | | | | and the evenings were spent strolling along the banks |
| exhausted by the time I reached the hotel; I'd been | | | | of the Lake. I returned to Bardolino last November, |
| in my own little world of motorway Grand Prix for | | | | they are currently developing the shore line to make |
| five hours and was shattered. The motorway | | | | the evening walk more pleasant, even without the |
| system in Italy is very simple to navigate. It is mostly | | | | improvements it was fantastic. |
| made up of toll motorways which are very | | | | The only other place I visited on the trip was a day |
| reasonably priced, well maintained and well | | | | trip to Verona, the home of the Roman arena, which |
| sign-posted. | | | | was just getting ready to stage an open air opera, |
| After two nights exploring the local area on foot and | | | | Juliet's balcony (Romeo and Juliet), some fantastic |
| relaxing it was time to move on to a rented | | | | shops and some beautiful architecture. |
| farmhouse just outside Sienna. Back onto the | | | | Before I knew it it was time to head back to |
| motorways for the day but this time they were a | | | | Malpensa with the car to catch a plane home. The |
| little less like race tracks hence I travelled at a more | | | | Italian language I'd learn't had come in handy |
| sedentary pace. After an hour's break for lunch I | | | | occasionally but it was more for my satisfaction of |
| headed onwards to my destination, arriving at the | | | | having had a go at the language, you could easily get |
| farmhouse just before 4.30pm. The accommodation | | | | by with a lot less knowledge of the language. |
| was wonderful, complete with driveway lined with | | | | The driving was wonderful, I'd recommend it |
| Cypress trees; it really was a picture postcard | | | | wholeheartedly. You really get some much more out |
| Tuscan farmhouse. | | | | of your holiday when you control each day and how |
| The accommodation was well maintained and in a | | | | that day is spent. |
| beautifully tranquil area approximately 12km from | | | | And finally, Italy. |
| Sienna and about 4km from the nearest village. | | | | I've never been disappointed where ever I've been in |
| After relaxing by the pool during the day I'd venture | | | | Italy and this trip was no exception. Milan, La Spezia, |
| into Sienna at night for a stroll, a couple of beers and | | | | Florence, Sienna, Lake Garda, Bardolino and Verona, |
| an ice cream or two. Sienna is beautiful, with its outer | | | | as well as all the Tuscan scenery and the views |
| walls keeping the world at bay its beautiful old building | | | | whilst travelling around, all of the memories will stay |
| seemingly untouched by the modern world. And then | | | | with me for many a long year. |