The Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta on the road from Pienza to San Quirico d'Orcia

In 2001 I came to live in Italy. I had some fun, wrote a journal and this is the blog of my story...

"Tuscany is a state of grace. The countryside is so lovingly designed that the eye sweeps the mountains and valleys without stumbling over a single stone. The lilt of the rolling green hills, the upsurging cypresses, the terraces sculptured by generations that have handled the rocks with skillful tenderness, the fields geometrically juxtaposed as though drawn by a draughtsman for beauty as well as productivity; the battlements of castles on the hills, their tall towers standing grey-blue and golden tan among the forest of trees, the air of such clarity that every sod of earth stands out in such dazzling detail. The fields ripening with barley and oats, beans and beets. The grape-heavy vines espaliered between the horizontal branches of silver-green olive trees, composing orchards of webbed design, rich in intimation of wine, olive oil and lacy-leaf poetry. Tuscany untied the knots in a man's intestines, wiped out the ills of the world. Italy is the garden of Europe, Tuscany is the garden of Italy, Florence is the flower of Tuscany." Irving Stone from my favourite book " The Agony and the Ecstacy" A fictional biography of Michelangelo



267. Castiglione della Pescaia and Argentario

Saturday and we enjoy a complimentary breakfast, before settling by their pool for the morning. We have some fun with a rather large inflatable ball!




We drive on to Castiglione della Pescaia and arrive in time for lunch. A wicked 'cacciucco' fish stew in the very pretty old centre. We have a wander and an iced coffee on the beach, before booking a room for the night at a small hotel in a big square. In the afternoon we make our way to the beach, a long stretch of powder white sand and some crazy kite-surfers.


unfortunately I am dragged from the beach by a small matter of a quarter final match between England and Portugal, which I watch in a bar back in town. It turns out to be a marathon as England heartbreakingly lose on penalties. (but at least Italy are still in!)


We check into our hotel and have a shower and change of clothing. We just manage to find a table at the Iris restaurant for a slap-up fish meal. Afterwards we enjoy a stroll through the town. It's packed with posers, beautiful, slim and bronzed, (we fit in perfectly!)


A late night crepe with chocolate and cream finishes off an incredible day.


Sunday


and after checking out we enjoy a brioche from a bakery and cappuccino at a bar, before heading on to our final destination:


Argentario


It's our second time here. Our first several years ago, we were in agony after getting sunburnt at Calaviolina. Not this time! We drive up and out of Porto Santo Stefano and are unable to resist the temptation of lunch at the fabulous,'il Bottegone', a restaurant we came to on our first visit. A wonderful lobster linguine with half a lobster and some nice white wine and a view to die for...
In the afternoon we make the twenty minute walk down to Cala Grande and a magnificent cove with sparkling, clear sea. Eventually we tear ourselves away and drive round to Porto Ercole (the beach where the artist Caravaggio was murdered) and amazingly we find the same bar and stop for a quick drink: We walk down to the small beach and have an early evening dip, before going back to the bar for an aperitivo.


We only have the mammoth drive home, via Grosseto and Siena. Broken up by a pizza half way.


A rather nice impromptu weekend away!

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