Day: May 4, 2025

Today was Firenze—the Cradle of the Renaissance.  It lies along the banks of the Arno River which runs through it.  Florence was built on the site of an Etruscan settlement which became the Roman colony of Florentia in 59 B.C.E.  During the Medici period of the 15th and 16th centuries, it became a symbol of…

After breakfast today, we went back to the Chianti district to the town of Radda.  It was probably the smallest village we visited.  A walled, Medieval city, it has been inhabited since the 9th century.  Radda is the seat of the League of Chianti.  It is the only hilltop member of the League.  The 15th century Palazzo…

Today we explored the wine country of Chianti.  After breakfast, we headed first to San Gimignano, the city with 14 stone towers. The distance was only about 12 miles, but it took about 45 minutes to get there on our bus. Another Tuscan hill town, San Gimignano is known as the “Medieval…