Heart of Tuscany

We started the day with breakfast and walk by our SanGimignano rental. Clear sky and warm weather in October. Live in a dream. October is actually one of the best months to visit Tuscany. The weather is still warm and not so many crowds at the major sights.

We chose to spend this day for the Heart of Tuscany Drive recommended by Rick Steves and visit of the nearby towns. We had about one and a half hour drive to the destination. This was a day we were very flexible with our agenda. Random stop at a market, viewpoints, and other sights that caught our attention. Quick visits in Montalcino, Pienza, Montepulciano, but our main purpose was to enjoy the drive through the beautiful countryside of Tuscany.  All the three towns don’t have any major sights but are known for its wine making and gorgeous views of the countryside.

As expected, Montalcino wasn’t crowded but still had the great Italian atmosphere with shops, boutiques, and great views.

Pienza was a pleasant experience with lots of historic architectures, great shops, and relaxing atmosphere. In the midst of all we even met some people from Ukraine.

The dinner we chose to sit down for lunch was closed right before our eyes. Picnic with amazing views in this old picture perfect town turned out to be a great alternative.

Montepulciano is also popular for wine making.

Ashley enjoyed the huge horse statue on our way from the parking to the main street of the city.

The long uphill main street full of shops was great for the late afternoon stroll.

The zig zag drive was on my list to see and was very beautiful. Overall, the drive was definitely worth the effort and left many unforgettable images in my brain. This was our last Tuscany day. Between the time spent in Florence, Luca, Pisa, Siena, Volterra, San Gimignono and its surroundings, Montepulciano, Pienza, and Montalcino we got a great feel for Tuscany and certainly enjoyed it very much.

Now, on to Venice the next day-the must visit in a lifetime!!

So Thankful!