Volterra and Siena

Top on our list of places to see has been Volterra...not just because it was where parts of New Moon take place (although the movie wasn't actually shot there - don't worry Montepulciano is on my list too).  My students also have been telling me that it is a beautiful very old Etruscan city on a hill with an amazing panoramic view of the Tuscan countryside.  And they were right!  It was absolutely stunning!  I was SO not ready to leave - I wish we could have stayed all day, but Meaghan really wanted to see Siena as well. 

Highlights of Volterra:  the quaint Palazzo dei Priori; the beautiful cathedral with its alabaster, frescoed ceiling and presepe; the archaelogical park, the tower, the Fortezza (now a prison), the porte, and the palazzo that took us forever to find but ended up being closed..and of course, the Saturday market with the gelato and yummy Italian tater tots..

 

One of my absolute favorite things about Saturday mornings are the local markets.  Volterra had some awesome vendors selling all sorts of seafood (note the octopus on the bottom right) - sharks, squid, octopus, fish, shrimp, eel.., everything fried (hence the tater tots), wine and honey, and all sorts of interesting meat products..

 The famous clocktower in Palazzo dei Priori

The beautiful cathedral - it had amazing frescoes, stained glass, sculpted floors and graves, and the most beautiful ceiling I have seen yet, and the Volaterranorvm Religiosa Liberalitate entrance plaque.

From there we headed to the Roman theatre and some stunning views of the surrounding Tuscan countryside. 

We wandered along the beautiful, old streets and corridors and visited the archaelogical gardens and the castle that is now a prison.  Apparently, there's also a women's asylum next door with some interesting grafitti - something to come back for...

 Sadly, we had to say good-bye to Volterra and hop on the bus to Siena.  I could have spent much more time there - and didn't get to go to the Etruscan museum so it's definitely on my list of places to return to.

                           SIENA

This time I actually went inside the Duomo so I could see if it was as cool as every says (it's not) but it does have some awesome mosaic floors.  Otherwise it's a bit too gaudy and stripy for me.  

Sorry for all the pictures, but they just don't do it justice.  My new home is going to be in the Tuscan hillsides around Volterra - green rolling hills, trees, vineyards, old villas, cows..and tranquility.