Today we have a couple from New Orleans with us and as it's a beautiful sunny day, we have decided to take them with us to see Castellina-in Chianti. It's the first time here for us too, (we've only driven through it before) so it should be interesting...Castellina is one of the three towns at the heart of Chianti. The other two being Radda and Gaiole. It has its origins in the 6th century B.C. in the Etruscan town of Salivolpe and was rebuilt by the Romans for military purposes. Today it has a population of less than 3,000. The surrounding countryside is spectacular with vineyards, olive groves and woods. We stop off at the famous 'Gelateria', Antica delizia, but unfortunately it's closed. Well it is December after all!
We take a wander through the very pretty medeival streets and check out the 'Rocca', a 14th century castle at the top, which houses an Etruscan museum. There is an interesting restaurant, but it's closed too! It seems that we are out of the tourist season, so many places have shut up shop! There is a vaulted passageway, which is more like a tunnel, but very atmospheric. It's like you've gone back in time a thousand years...
We are after somewhere for lunch and spot an interesting place just outside the town, it's called Pietra Fitta.
They only have a few tables, but just enough to fit 4 hungry mouths! As we start to order, we realize that most things have either finished, or are off the menu. However, the pasta with truffles is on! So we get our first taste of the noble fungus, washed down of course with that quaffable Chianti Classico house wine.
(Original journal entry 7/12/01)
4 comments:
I'm guessing you went back when it was all open, I'll be looking forward to reading the updated bloggs on Castellina-in Chianti.
thanks for your comment Joe, always appreciated! Yes, we've been back to Castellina many times... it's funny to think that this was our first impression! We went to the 'closed' restaurant with Annette's brother Phil, (in April 2003 I think? So a little time to wait for that story! and I took Dad to the 'closed' ice cream parlour in 2007ish. I have a great photo of him eating a huge cone there! And a great wine festival in 2005ish....We are on holiday just outside Castellina at this very moment! A fab place!
Joe, We were there in 2007, found a beautiful little place about two hundred yards past the market stand down around the corner on the right that made us up a couple plates of great fresh brushette to go with a bottle of local Chianti at 3 or so in the afternoon. (Hard to find a meal in Italy at that time of day for sure!) We stayed over in Figline Valdarno at the Villa La Palagina for a week and explored this entire region each day sun up til sun down and flat out fell in love with the area!
Post a Comment