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Pienza, Montepulciano, and the Amazing Mr. Mazzetti....

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Our first day trip took us to the beautiful village of Pienza, just a few miles from Monticchiello.  Pienza is on the tourist map, but for good reason, it is so charming.  The old part of the village is pedestrian only, and the main street - Corso il Rossellino - is lined with exclusive stores.  These include several cheese shops, selling the famous pecorino di Pienza. View of Pienza approaching from Monticchiello.... The main Corso.... You can almost smell the cheese.... The via del Amore.... After Pienza we drove on to Montepulciano, about 10 miles away.  We wandered up the winding streets, heading toward the highest part of town.  Along the way we happened to see an open copper shop.  The proprietor, Mr. Mazzetti, invited us in, and what an experience that turned out to be!  What a lovely man.  He is quite famous for his copper work....among many other great achievements, he created the orb and cross that is on top of ...
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You CAN Rent a Villa in Tuscany...

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We sadly left beautiful Orvieto....but looked forward to our next destination....a villa in Tuscany, in the Medieval walled village of Monticchiello.  The villa is owned by Daria Capelli, who also owns the wonderful Tuscan restaurant Osteria la Porta, just at the entrance to the village.  The villa.... You can see part of the old wall next to the villa.... And Osteria la Porta, just inside the entrance arch to the village.... We did a cooking class and made pasta..... Our Anniversary dessert.... The drive to the villa, up through the narrow streets... www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex62BRucWmM&t=0s A couple of views of Monticchiello..... On the way from Orvieto to Monticchiello, we parked on the gravel road just off SP146 between San Quirico d'Orcia and Pienza, and hiked to the Chapel called Cappella Madonna di Vitaleta.  This small Chapel is one of the most iconic sights in Tuscany.....and a beautiful hike.... ...
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Mike, Lori, Gary, and Jill Arrive...we're off to Orvieto and Beyond....

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Mike and Lori, Gary and Jill arrived two days after Easter.  We picked them up at the Rome airport, piled into the VW Caravelle van, and headed north.  First stop was the amazing hill town of Civita di Bagnoregio.  We parked and walked over the bridge to the hilltop village for exploration and lunch.... Amazing Civita.... Our trusty VW van... Lunch cooked over an open fire... Next stop was Orvieto, where we had three beautiful apartments, just a few steps from the Duomo.... Orvieto... The view from our apartment.... The Duomo, covered in mosaics... The Duomo bathed in afternoon sunlight.... And reflected in a puddle.... We had three wonderful days in Orvieto... found a great gelato place, took part in the afternoon passeggiata, explored Orvieto Underground and St. Patrick's Well, and had a couple of excellent meals.... The pedestrian-only lane leading from piazza Duomo to our apartments... Pigeon Holes in Or...
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