Jeanne's Next Chapter: In Search of the Tuscan Sun

When the planets finally aligned and I realized three of my closest Ohio girlfriends would be able to visit me in June, I knew I had to plan something special. Last fall, a friend in Como recommended a small agriturisimo in Tuscany which sounded perfect so even though it was eight months away, I made reservations for us there. An agriturisimo is a working farm that also provides lodging and meals to guests. In Tuscany, these are a popular way to highlight the wines, olive oils and specialty food items of the region.

We went by train to Pisa where we stayed overnight in an elegant old residence with three guest rooms. It was in walking distance of the Torre Pendente, or as we know it, the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Many people assume that this popular tourist destination is a tacky cliché but we all found it to be a fun and beautiful place to visit. We climbed the dizzying 296 steps and admired the view of the Piazza dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles), Duomo and the Baptistry. Down below, we joined the joyful crowds intent on capturing the perfect photo of a relative holding up the leaning tower or trying to create an amusing optical illusion. It is an iconic sight for people from all over the world.

Enjoying the train ride

Torre Pendante

(Photo by fellow tourist)

From Pisa, we rented a car and drove into the countyside. We stuck to the back roads and enjoyed the views of rolling hills covered with vineyards and silhouetted cypress trees. We found our destination, Fattoria Poggia Allora to be in an idyllic location overlooking the medieval town and towers of San Gimignano. Poggia Allora is a working farm with chickens, cattle, vegetable gardens, olive groves and of course vineyards. Our rooms were comfortably basic but who spends time in the room when the landscape of Tuscany and a swimming pool are calling your name.

View of San Gimignano from the farm

View from one of the San Gimignano medieval towers

The four course dinners were served family style at long tables on the terrace while we enjoyed the delicious, organically grown food and wine and the sunset unfolding before us. It was both stimulating and luxuriously relaxing at the same time. We sipped our wine while the beautiful evening slowly surrounded us.

The second afternoon there, we took a cooking class with the dynamic young woman Sarah Fioroni who is a 3rd generation family owner and the executive chef / sommelier. She shared her knowledge and enthusiasm of the perfect ingredients and techniques for making fresh pasta, bruschetta, and tiramasu. Later at dinner, the items we helped prepare showed up on our table and we could proudly take partial credit for our part in the delicious meal.

We bid farewell to our new friends (and spent a few euro on several cases of Tuscan wine) and headed back to Pisa so we could catch our train back up north. We had lamented on the way there that we were just a little too early to see the sunflower fields in bloom. As if on cue, we rounded a curve and found a field newly blooming in vivid yellow. Like schoolgirls, we rolled out of the car to capture the moment and have one last Tuscan memory.