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CHARLESTON MERCURY
October 7, 2010
Our Man in Tuscany
Tuscany: Better Than the Book or the Movie and can only be reached by steep, winding roads. The wonderful, uninterrupted views that can now be enjoyed at leisure were strategically planned to safeguard from barbarian invasions. Visiting Montepulciano is a truly invigorating way A beautiful image of the Tuscan countryside makes onlookers ache to be there. to spend the afternoon, and I’ve made a tradition of taking guests to lunch at L’Osteria dell’Acquacheta. This is the kind of place The author sketches a humble field that is sure to offer more than meets that vegetarians have nightthe eye. mares about: a vaulted cellar dead-ending into an BY TAILLEFER LONG maze of one way streets and open fire that casts a shad“limited traffic zones” with- ow of a man with a out being caught in an tendhal Syndrome is an machete (Giulio, the illness that results from infraction by a hidden cam- owner) slicing some of the era. Fining driving violabeing overwhelmed by finest cuts of meat in the tions is one of the few effithe exposure to great art. region for a crowd of huncient practices of Italian Sound absurd? Just a few gry onlookers. For those bureaucracy. weeks ago, I witnessed a who aren’t aware of Despite being less than a Tuscany’s extraordinary team of researchers monithird of South Carolina’s toring heart-beat, blood steaks, they are cut from the size, Tuscany offers a pressure and the rate of Chianina beef cattle. remarkably diverse landbreathing of visitors at one Indigenous to the region, scape. My advice is to base of the city’s major sites to these gargantuan white your itinerary on a favorite test for this very condition. cows are the largest and theme: whether wine-tastAlthough the chances of among the oldest breeds in fainting or catching this ill- ing, sampling regional delithe world. Savored with a cacies, discovering medieval glass of local red wine, the ness are unlikely, you may get a little tired of seeing art towns and Renaissance art renowned Vino Nobile di after a few days in Florence. or indulging in more newMontepulciano, the experiage hedonism, Tuscany Fortunately, Tuscany ence is superb. always exceeds expectations. abounds with interesting Extremely steep streets Day trips throughout places to visit and is an make the walk to the main Tuscany are feasible while exciting region to explore square a challenge, but based in Florence, but you by car. Within little more there are a number of shops are far better off making a than an hour’s drive from offering tastings of local Florence, amidst the rolling smaller town your base and wines to hasten the ascent. I avoiding traffic and parking have not been there since hills or in a hilltop village, issues. you’ll find a great way to The Twilight Saga: New Although Siena may not escape the urban claustroMoon brought a lot of its offer a hiatus from the phobia. fanfare to town, but I am crowds, it is a must for the It seems that everyone hoping the city’s layout is first time visitor to Tuscany who has driven around keeping the tourist buses (I am told that it is one of Tuscany has a different from getting too close. the filming locations for the opinion about where to If you’ve come to sample recently released Letters to visit, as though being in some of the finest wines in Juliet, which might result in the world, you’ll most likely agreement — given the some negative aftershocks). bounty of amazing options find your destination along Frozen in time since its — lacks originality. Such is the Chiantigiana road the unspoken rule for those golden age in the 1300s, (SR222), which winds Siena is a near perfect in the know about Tuscany: through the Chianti region’s do not recommend destina- example of a medieval city numerous wineries. Surely a tions that are fashionable. If and retains its civic pride sequel to Sideways will lay and antagonism for the a recent book or movie has out a popular itinerary in Florentines to this day. just made a specific town the near future, although One of the remarkable the “hot spot,” chances are the wineries and wine things about Tuscany is that it is under assault by routes are clearly marked at the throngs of international how loyalties and rivalries present. from its bellicose history tourists armed with fanny Charlestonians know have created a mosaic of packs and cameras — better than most the risks of cities and regions distinct which is precisely what having their city in the from their neighboring most of us are trying to media spotlight and how cities in dialect and cusescape. Although Cortona unpleasant it can be to see toms. For the most part, is a wonderful town to distheir culture trivialized for soccer games are where the cover, insiders may hesitate mass consumption. former city-states now fight Fortunately, most blockto endorse it since Under their battles and are worth the Tuscan Sun made it the busters and the trends they watching if only for the latest Mecca for the generate are short-lived and passionate outbursts by the unimaginative. Alas, forgettable, while the charm fans. Tuscany is the setting of and appeal of the location The Sienese Palio, the choice for more and more remain. Despite the many famous horse races and popular books and movies: who visit Tuscany for the pageantry that take place most recently for one with wrong reasons, there are every summer (July 2 and “the heartthrob vampires” plenty of right reasons to August 16), manifests a and another starring “the attract the more discerning phenomenon found in floozy from Pretty Woman” travelers. Regardless, for many of the medieval (as described by an Italian those with a sense for Tuscan villages (and in friend of mine with a penadventure, there are plenty other regions in Europe): chant for the dramatic). of unique places to discover the enduring rivalry Perhaps a better strategy is in Tuscany that have yet to between the districts within make their Hollywood to extol the right reasons to visit these wonderful places. the old city walls. Piazza del debut. Exploring Tuscany by car Campo, the epicenter of the can be a very pleasant expe- event and city, is breathtakFurther Information ing whether hosting festivirience — as long as you If you plan on renting a know a little bit about driv- ties or as a resting place car, I suggest you make from the often steep, always arrangements from the U.S. ing in Italy. I should menwinding streets of Siena. tion that some have said and pay close attention to Should you decide to that I drive “like their the fine print regarding visit Cortona, go for the grandfather” and was sarinsurance (often not includright reason: the Etruscans. castically nicknamed the ed and can double your Much of this amazing civi“human compass” on colrate). lization remains shrouded lege road trips. A savvier L’Osteria dell’Acquacheta: in mystery after the Roman Via del Teatro, 22; driver may not find that Empire decimated it and Italians drive like maniacs Montepulciano; Tel. 0578assimilated its innovative or that the road signs are 758-443; closed Tuesdays spirit. Evidence of how pro- and mid-January to midconfusing, but I highly recgressive the Etruscans were ommend staying off the March. (Google will take can be found throughout roads at night and paying a you to its Web site.) the region. Other great little extra to rent a GPS From Florence, the A1 cities to visit that reflect navigational system. highwayleads south from their Etruscan heritage are Whatever you do, do not Florence to Arezzo and Pienza, Chiusi, Pitigliano drive within the historic Montepulciano. For Siena, and Volterra. Many of the center of towns if you can take either the SR222 or former Etruscan posts are avoid it, as it is virtually the Superstrada (faster, but perched on high plateaus impossible to escape the less scenic).
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