Breaking Free

Last weekend we escaped the city walls of Florence for a Saturday expedition that lasted 12 hours and spanned the Tuscan countryside. It was a rainy day, but that didn't stop us from our exploration of food and fun.

Itinerary:

12:00 p.m. - Depart Florence from Piazza Beccaria in Luca's car headed towards Livorno. Estimated arrival time: 1ish p.m.

12:08 - Nancy starts asking, "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"

12:36 - We learn the meaning of "AC/DC" thanks to my new Internet-capable phone after listening to "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" and explaining the title in Italian.

1ish - Arrive in Livorno and sit down at Sottomarina for the Livorno specialty, cacciucco. Sottomarina has been recommended to us by locals on two different occasions now. They are right. (Caccicucco Recipe in Italian - use google translate to get the English version.)

4ish - Depart Livorno after too much cacciucco, wine, limoncello and head out towards Volterra. It was a rainy day, which made Van Morrison the perfect road trip soundtrack. 

5ish - Started losing track of time. Found ourselves in the foothills of Volterra where we stumbled upon some stones left by the Etruscans in 45 BC. Or are they just artwork? I guess we'll never know.

6ish - Climbing up toward Volterra imitating Queen and singing, " God knows, got to make it on my own / So baby can't you see / God knows I want to breaaak freeee!" 

After 6 - Enter the deserted main piazza of Volterra and proceed to act like the fools that we are.

After sunset - Walk around in circles in Volterra. Stop to take in the view, get an Irish coffee and dominate the fooseball table at the local pub.

Sometime around 8? - We depart Volterra and decide to head back towards Florence and decided to stop in Colle di Val d'Elsa. 

30-45 minutes later - Park and enter in the town. 

5 minutes later - Stop in a restaurant to ask which city we are in. Get laughed at.

I'm gonna say 9:30 - Sit down for some pizza and beer at the only open restaurant in Colle di Val d'Elsa.

11? - Head back to Firenze and fall asleep in the car. Well at least some of us.

12:30 a.m. - Arrival Firenze.

Era una bellissima giornata. Grazie amici.

A few more photos just for fun:

Etruscan ruins

Volterra

Looking North from Volterra