Seemed to take ages to get from Pisa to Volterra. Roads fairly clear, so not sure why. So ..... back in Tuscany – picture postcard lovely with its yellow rolling fields and green cypress trees.
Drove into the narrow streets of the hill town Volterra and parked (probably illegally) outside a church while we dashed round the corner to the Tourist Info for map and list of hotels. Drove back out and parked legally, marked hotels on the map and set off on foot in search of accommodation. As we found ourselves back near the Tourist Info, we popped back in to ask if the 13th century seminary we stopped in last time was still here. We’d seen on the internet that a monastery in Volterra had been abandoned and subsequently struck by lightning and we thought it might be “ours”. As it happens the Seminary is still going strong and still renting rooms, so round we went.
Same old dim vaulted, echoing corridors with paintings of cardinals over the doors. Fabulous views over the countryside. This place would not be everyone’s cup of tea but we like it and it’s unique. It’s costing 40€ a night for 3 nights – the price for one night at one of the hotels here! Not that we’re counting the pennies just yet, but Italy is far more expensive than France and the money is better spent on wine!
Explored in the late afternoon and early evening before choosing “il Poggio” for dinner where Tony had wild boar (cinghiale) with white beans whilst Jane had roast pork. 50€. Had another wine at the local bar, people watching, before retiring. Much cooler up in Volterra, being 531m above sea level. Had to go out with a jumper on tonight.
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