Summer Friday? Check. Free train into Boston? Check. Beautiful sunny skies and low humidity? Check. The recipe for a perfect day out in Boston! I’ve been taking advantage of the free commuter rail train into Boston on Fridays this summer and today was no exception. The weather was absolutely picture perfect for exploring a new museum, getting out on the water, and enjoying some delicious food.
I had one last morning in the Big Apple, and I’ll be honest: I didn’t love Sunday Morning. Not the day of the week, but the viral cinnamon roll bakery in New York City. Yes, you read that correctly. It’s a bakery that sells nothing but cinnamon rolls, and the display case is filled with up to 10 flavors each day. It was my final stop before heading home from the city, and I wasn’t wowed.
Today found me biking around Governors Island, seeing another Broadway show, and of course indulging in some delicious food.
It’s been three years since my last visit to the Big Apple and I am well overdue for a couple of days in New York City.
Today started with a sunrise walk around Florence, included a visit to a walled Tuscan hill town, and ended with a delicious dinner and sunset walk.
Today I was off to explore the Chianti region of Tuscany, specifically a little town called Greve-in-Chianti. This was one of the days I was most looking forward to on this trip. Not Greve itself, but the little borgo of Montefioralle, about 2 kilometers away, up in the hills above Greve.
Fiesole is a small town just 5 miles outside of Florence, located in the hills above the city. Comprising a couple of churches, a central piazza, and an archaeological area (along with a couple of more commercial streets), it makes a perfect half-day trip outside the city. Despite the dreary weather and overcast skies, this was the type of day I was picturing in my mind. Less busy, plenty of opportunities for walking off the beaten path, and views of the rolling hills of Tuscany.
Tuscany. Just the name evokes images of rolling hills, vineyards, and roads lined with cypress trees. Today was my first day exploring one of the many tiny villages and hill towns that dot the Tuscan countryside. Colle di Val d’Elsa wasn’t even on my radar and didn’t appear in any of my searches for “quiet Tuscan hill towns”. Instead, I found it by accident on YouTube, where I watched a video of a couple exploring the town in mid-August (prime tourist season) with nary another person in the video. My kind of place. (As it turns out, it may have been a little too quiet for my taste.)
I told myself before leaving for this vacation that I would do what I felt like doing each day. And if that meant “sleeping in” (for me), resting in my room, wandering aimlessly, or being “on the go” all day, I would do it. I woke up at 6:30AM, after a glorious 10+ hours of sleep, and decided I would spend the morning relaxing and then slowly visit a couple of sights this afternoon.
Florence, Italy: Birthplace of the Renaissance. It’s no secret that I’m not exactly a history buff, but Florence is also the gateway to Tuscany and my train ride(s) through Tuscany to and from Cinque Terre two years ago left me knowing I’d be coming back to visit the area in the future. And that future is now. After a tough few weeks, I’m looking forward to spending some time exploring the quieter side of Florence, traveling through the Tuscan countryside, and visiting some of the iconic hill towns.
Traveling with Laura 