Aholidayintuscany


A selection of photos taken from 13th - 20th September. To contact author click here

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This was a week's walking and sightseeing holiday based at the Hotel Palazzuoulo on the very edge of San Quirico in Tuscany. There were 24 of us from different parts of the UK including four from Australia and two from Canada. Above left is a plate in the hotel reception, the other two pictures are from the hotel's brochure and show the front of the hotel and a view from the rooms that face the view (others look out over the car park).

4		An aerial view of the Hotel Palazzuolo from a postcard

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Our first view from room 217	San Quirico is a small medieval town. Here we are exploring its main street.

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The central square.	Locals outside the bar in the main square. They must have been waiting for it to open as there are few drinks on the tables.

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On our exploration of the town we approach the Collegiate.Church	The view back towards the main square from the point in the picture left


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The well at the Collegiate Church. The building on the right is the town hall	The structure of of the Collegiate Church of San Quirico d' Orcia dates back to the 12th-13th centuries. Below its gothic rose-window is a magnificent Romanesque Portal of the 12th century that is said to have been made for another building. Its arch is set up on knotted columns resting on two lions.

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San Quirico street scenes

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View into the old hospital yard	Sunset seen from our hotel on the first evening

DAY 2 Monday 14th - San Quirico and Pienza
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Our first walk on the Monday started at San Quirico and took us back down into the town where we saw these three-wheel Apé's (Apé is Italian for bee, I'm told, because that's what the engines sound like). Here three Apé's , with a fourth in the background, stand outside the coop (local co-op supermarket). These were particularly smart, most are drab coloured work machines. Right - entering the main square

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Us admiring the view from the town walls. Note the man reading in the doorway of his walltop house. Nearby was a similar house where the lady came out and provided another photo opportunity.

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The view along part of the town wall	We then left the townand struck out into the Tuscan countryside

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A couple of views back to San Qirico where we'd come from

DAY 3 Tuesday 15th - Rocca and Castiglione

Ready for the off. Today a coach took us to Rocca d'Orcia from where we walked to Castiglione and then back to Rocca, completing a circuler route 67

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The castle in Rocca	Another castle, now a hotel, nestling in the Tuscan valley

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Green frogs by a lake we passed	The rolling countryside we were walking through

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Nearing civilisation	Entering Castiglione

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A town street	Photo opportunity in a cobbled square

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We found a little cafe in the main square. It was deserted but the owner spotted us and invited us give his place a try - good for him and very pleasant for us.	The view we had from the cafe. The fountain was dared 1681.

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A lady came out to tend the flowers on the balcony seen to the left of the fountain in photo77.	Our walk had been about 6 miles and after leaving Castiglione we still had enough energy to go and explore the nearby village of Rocca

DAY 4 Wednesday 16th - Siena.
No walk today, instead an excursion to Siena. Our first stop there was the Basilica of San Domenico. 100	101
	Inside the Basilica

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The painting of Saint Catherine of Siena. Unfortunately there was a shine on it so the painting does not show too well, although Saint Catherine herself can be seen holding a lily.	The lovely entrance to the Basilica

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Intriguing views of things tio come	The Basilca was on the edge of the city so off we went into its narrow streets.

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Posters outside a shop made a colourful photo	I got separated from the rest of the group at this point so never did find out who the statue was of or what the buiding was.

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Or these
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Us taking it all in
Some other images of Siena

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The facade

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The tower	First glimpse inside

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The floor (or pavement) of Siena Cathedral has many etched and inlaid marble panels created from 1372 to 1547. The subjects include sibyls, scenes from Sienese history, and biblical scenes.

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	An important panel in the north transept is Matteo di Giovanni's Massacre of the Innocents (1481).

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A major highlight of the interior is the octagonal Gothic pulpit by Nicola Pisano (1265-68), assisted by, amongst others, his son Giovanni. Four of the eight outer columns rest on lions. Crowded depictions of the life of Christ are carved into its marble panels.

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	Pope Pius III

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The dome (best photographed laying down)	The altar

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These figures (Popes?) are all around the tops of the walls

The Siena Cathedral Library
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The walls of the library are decorated with frescoes by Pinturicchio (1502-07) depicting the eventful life of Pope Pius II. It is said that a young Raphael may have been among the pupils who assisted. .

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In the center of the room is the Three Graces, an ancient Roman copy of a Hellenistic design bought in Rome in 1502 by Cardinal Todeschini to decorate the library.	This and the next two photos are three of the frescoes

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Around the library are display cases carved by Antonio Barili in 1495-96, They contain a collection of illustrated Renaissance choir books from 1465 to 1515.	The roof of the library was painted by Pinturicchio (c.1502) It cost six euros each to go into the Cathedral. It was worth every cent.

Doors of Siena

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When we came out of the Cathedral we spotted a cafe down some steps. Soon after we sat down the sun went in and a storm started.	Two brollies are safer than one

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People in the rain on the steps we'd just come down	Right next to where we were sitting was a shop selling a poster of doors

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The storm passed and we were off to see more sights.

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	Ooops! Knew we shouldn't have come down this street.

DAY 4 Thursday 17th - San Quirico Today was a free day. We took ourselves into San Quirico and captured a few more images of the town
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	Inside the Collegiate

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The courtyard of the old hospital

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The main square	The bar closed after 1pm

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	The Colligiate again	Items outside a local shop

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At lunch time we found a very nice restaurant and glimpsed a terrace garden dining area though the main bar with people already dining there. There was a also a garden area and we had a very nice meal and a satisfying beer.

DAY 6 Friday 18th From Matalcino to the Abbey of San Antimo
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A bit of creative photography while we waited for our coach to take us to the strat of today's walk at Montalcino (should have cleaned the mirror first).	The town of Montalcino was visible from the hotel, this photo was taken from our balcony at 7.20 am

Images of Montalcino
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Stone slabs set into an important building in the town	Cafe in the main street

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Montalcino Castle	Inside a Montalcino church

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Mist in the valley seen from the town wall	A colourful stall in the town's Friday market

The Walk
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We started by stopping off at the Etruscan archaeological dig to view the remains of an ancient hilltop village.	Soon after we were out in the open country that we were becoming very used to seeing

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We walked along a road that showed signs of a much earlier road - see its the white stone edge in this photo. Could it be a Roman road?	This was either an old olive or grape press, we assumed.

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Plenty of grapes nearby

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Our first views of the Abbey San Antimo with the village of Rip d'Orcia above it

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The tower and inside of the Abbey. We heard the monk's gregorian chant but as photos were not encouraged got no pictures of the monks (not like me at all). The visit to the Abbey was a wonderful experience, however.

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A look at the outside of the abbey as we made our way to the end of our walk

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This was our last glimpse of the abbey	Waiting for the coach to return us to the hotel at a local tavern

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Roof reflected in a window. The blueness of the sky shows the lovely weather we were enjoying.	The walk begins as we leave Monteccielo

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Is the sign suggesting 52 deer ahead? If so we didn't see any unfortunately	Man reading at window

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Our destination, the town of Montepulciano, on he hill with the pilgrimage church of San Bagio in front of it, but with plenty of Tuscan country still to walk through to get there

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Arriving at San Bagio	The church interior

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Sat on the steps of the hilltop cathedral, its walls unfinished as the money for its building ran out in the 1600s	The view across the square from where we were sat

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Big buildings and big business

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Colourful shop window and interior

This was a memorable holiday. I took more than 1000 photos but I've selected the best for this page. I hope you've found some of them of interest. To contact me regarding anything on this page click here ALL PHOTOS HAVE BEEN NUMBERED FOR REFERENCE	324
	And finally, another door, but this is the door to a shop that sold door furniture - knockers, numbers, latches, locks, keys, handles etc. - a door photo to end all door photos.

Not quite so finally because here are some additional photos sent by Joyce from Canada who wrote: - Hi Muriel and Alan, Just viewed and read your trip to Tuscany. It's wonderful ... and I did enjoy the doors and knockers! My photos are fewer but will send them. It was a great holiday. Take care, Joyce (Arnold) Farnell.

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Thanks for the photos Joyce. It was lovely to meet you. Perhaps we''ll bump into each other on another holiday somewhere. Love from Muriel and Alan

If anyone else on the holiday has photos they'd like added please please click here to contact Alan


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We passed lots of vines	At last our destination, the hilltop town of Pienza, comes into view.

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Getting closer

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Farmhouse on the way	Looking for a cafe in Pienza

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Pienza Church

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Pienza streets


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The wall of Pienza	Old building with side jetting

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An Apé parked by two old doors in Pienza

A selection of doors seen today

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What is it?	Rocca alley

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Village house	Main square with what seemed to be a deep water storage tank

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Crest on a wall	Old door in the village

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Rocca residents	Final view across the roofs of Rocca

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Siena Cathedral

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	Was a door centuries ago

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A door in a door

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The walk party split into two groups at this point, with San Quirico still seen in the distance. Those in the picture took the longer route.	A corner of an old farmhouse we passed

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The rain returned as we were taking our last look at the Campo after a memorable visit

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Aerial view of the Campo from a postcard

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That evening we watched as the sunset changed from yellow-greys through orange to a beautiful orange-red hue.	223

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Local wine for sale	Enjoying Montalcino atmosphere and coffee

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Montalcino door knockers

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Montalcino doors

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Shield	Letter boxes all in a row			Toilet sign at the castle

DAY 7 Saturday 19th A 6 mile walk from Monticchielo to Montepulciano

Photos of Monteccielo
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View from the edge of the town	Time for a rest

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Lunch outside the church plus a delightfully unexpected champagne toast as this was our last day	Follwed by a long hard slog up the the town of Montepulciano

Photos of Montepulciano

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Big country, big sky

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The entrance to the walled town	Doors to delight	The town hall

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In the wine vaults		One of the quieter streets in the town

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Another church with an uncompleted exterior