http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Cortona/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Europe , Italy , Tuscany , Cortona en-us Fri, 05 Dec 2008 01:15:27 UTC Fri, 05 Dec 2008 01:15:27 UTC Two days before we left Italy we woke up to a rainy and miserable day. So after lazing about the apartment for a few hours we headed out in the car to have a look around Arezzo. It was a nice city but the rain didn't help much. We headed back to Cortona so I could do some interneting and Paige had another wonder around. By that time it was getting late so we bought some nice pasta and went home fo http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Cortona/blog-326311.html On the morning of the 16th we headed out to Ciampino airport which was a mission in itself to pick up the car to start our adventure in 'Beautiful Tuscany' you must say that with an Italian accent... thats very important. The drive us on the autostrade was also an experience with cars whipping by well in excess of the 120 I was doing. I don't think there is a speed limit well I didn't see any http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Cortona/blog-325334.html Here are the pictures of Cortona. I can't seem to figure out how to add them to the other post http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Cortona/blog-285761.html Ah Cortona land of the Tuscan sun. Well not really. I was promised Francis Mayes' stlye Under the Tuscan Sun but got more of under the Tuscan drizzle. Nevertheless the town is beautiful and I had a lovely time with some GU alums at their villa.We made pizza in their outdoor pizza oven and through the rain were treated to a rainbow over the valley.The pictures will have to wait I can't seem http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Cortona/blog-285387.html I know I say this at every new place we go to but this place is wonderful. Itrsquos a small town in Tuscany and itrsquos just delightful. So picturesque unfortunately wersquove only here for one daynight and itrsquos rainy but even in the rain I love it. We arrived at lunchtime and the hostel wasnrsquot open so we took shelter in a little Trattoria for some cheap authentic Tuscan food http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Cortona/blog-284948.html OK time to admit that I'm not going to catch up with this thing unless I move into fast forward summary so here goes.I think we were heading off to Italy weren't we We had so many adventures just getting frm Santorini to Ancona in Italy. We bought an overnight ticket from Santorini to Athens on ANEK lines with a connecting ferry the next nigth fom Patras to Ancona. Only problem was the conne http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Cortona/blog-280405.html Hi everyoneWe travelled to Cortona on the train yesterday and after a few translation problems got here in one piece. Couldn't catch the bus from Recoaro Terme due to a landslide so one of the relatives Silvano took us along these back mountain roads with steep drops to meet up with the bus further down the mountain. Very scarey and I think that I will let Samantha sit in the front seat from http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Cortona/blog-223967.html DAY 13...WE HAD A FULL DAY TO ENJOY TUSCANY TODAY. WE AWOKE EARLY AND TOOK A RELAXING WALK ALONG THE CYPRUS TREE LINED ROADS. WE STUMBLED UPON LITTLE TUSCAN FARMS AND NATURE ALONG THE WAY. IT WAS A GREAT WAY TO START THE DAY.WE THEN ATE BREAKFAST IN OUR VILLA AND SPENT HALF THE DAY AT A TUSCAN WINERY AND THEN BACK INTO THE TOWN OF CORTONA FOR SOME SHOPPING AND 2 CAPUCCINOS.WE WILL NEVER FORGET http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Cortona/blog-156716.html DAY 12...WE ARE HERE IN TUSCANY AND I HAVE ONE WORD FOR IT...UHHMAZINGTHIS PLACE IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF OUR TRIP. IT IS WONDEFUL AND WHAT TRUE ITALY IS ALL ABOUT...YOU GET THE PROPER SENSE OF THE TRUE CULTURE AND PEOPLE HERE UNLIKE YOU DO IN THE CITIES. THIS IS REALLY SPECIAL AND WE DEFINITELY WANT TO RETURN BACK HERE ONE DAY. THIS IS WHAT I IMAGINED ITALY TO BE LIKE.WE ARE STAYING IN A VILLA IN http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Cortona/blog-156710.html One of my absolute FAVOURITE tuscan villages Cortona lies high up on a hill. You can already see it from several km distance. Already the driveway up to the town is impressive with the typically tuscan cypress trees planted along side the road. Conveniently we were there during a culinary festival of the tuscan meat dish Bistecca. We also drank a fantastic sample of the locally grown winesort http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Cortona/blog-128734.html