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Our first stop in Western Europe is Venice, Italy. Although the magic and romance of its famous canals, bridges and narrow alleyways is well-known, a way for tourists to roam its streets without getting lost is not. We learn quickly and take joy in re-orienting ourselves by finding the nearest bar or restaurant serving cicchetti, the local style of small-plate eating. Cicchetti features a choose-your-own rhythm and pace, equivalent to that of Spanish tapas. Offers run the food pyramid from grilled vegetables and marinated olives to cheeses and prosciutto. Order a few plates and wash them down with some Italian wine and you’ll likely wax reflective on the day’s events as you decide where to go next for gelato.© www.uncorneredmarket.com
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Another entry in the dazzling array of Florence’s art galleries open to the public. The grounds of the Pitti Palace provide a respite for those seeking to escape the intensity of the streets and well-known, more heavily-visited tourist sites.www.uncorneredmarket.com/
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Searching for real estate in Tuscany in the vicinity of Pienza and Val D'Orcia.© www.uncorneredmarket.com
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A typical Italian agritourismo is a working farm often dating back 100s of years that offers rooms for rent and home cooked meals made from locally produced vegetables, fruits, meats, and wines. This agriturismo, located in the valley three miles from Pienza, includes a 1000-year old tower.We and our guests stay here during our wedding festivities. The food was sublime. Luciano, the owner, arranges for his wife to prepare a meal that includes bruschetta and crostini made with truffles, pecorino cheese, and sundried tomatoes and series of main plates ranging from freshly made pillows of ricotta-stuffed ravioli to Florentine steaks.© www.uncorneredmarket.com
Nestled in the Tuscan hills between Montepulciano and Montalcino, Pienza was redesigned by Pope Pius II in the 15th century as his ideal Renaissance town. Today, it is a small, romantic hillside town full of tiny streets and beautiful views over the valley (Val d'Orcia). It is a special place for us, as we get married here in the pictured Palazzo Pubblico (Commual Palace) by the local mayor with a trusty interpreter by our side to ensure that we knew what we were agreeing to. Although early autumn weather was spectacularly sunny in the run-up to our wedding, it pours for much of our wedding day. Providing us the silver lining to the day’s clouds, the locals cheer on the bride by chanting “sposa bagnata, sposa fortunata” (a wet bride is a lucky bride).© www.uncorneredmarket.com
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What is an umbrella salesman to do on a sunny day? This one dreams of buffala mozzeralla the size of softballs from the deli down the street.www.uncorneredmarket.com/
The Amalfi Coast, made famous in recent years by the film “The Talented Mr. Ripley”, simply stuns. The Mediterranean Sea mesmerizes with its blueness, the bougainvilleas are striking, and the houses – engineering marvels themselves – are tucked right into the cliffside. Walks are not for the faint of heart – stairways are small and steep and alleys are tight. The roads - a challenge to navigate even for Europe’s best drivers – provide an amusement-park style experience. With blind curves and barreling buses sounding their air horns, the possibility of careering down a cliff is possible at any turn. Stay on foot! Our arrival in late September coincides with the end of the tourist season, so the town had a sleepy feel to it as locals go about their normal routines.© www.uncorneredmarket.com
Although it takes some work getting to, the village of Sauris makes for a fantastic stop in Northern Italy's Friuli region.© www.uncorneredmarket.com
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