Ciao from Umbria! Steve and I have decided to each write part of this blog post without knowing what the other is writing. So here we go!

She said......

We just spent a wonderful week exploring the Tuscan Hill towns, with Cortona as our base. Our Cortonese home was of stone; built into the side of an Italian hill in the 1300's. But what was really spectacular was that the property was attached to a 2500 year old Etruscan wall (Etruscan society predates the Romans). There was a old stairway leading up from the garden to the top of the wall where you could view the valley below. This became our sunset spot, where we drank wine and toasted to the end of another beautiful day. (See photos!)

Cortona is a tourist hotspot, but not so much so that it loses its charm. We walked many miles and tons of elevation, as our apartment was situated at the top of the hill. The food was mostly awesome, as was the wine. We met several new friends, including women from Denver who were working at our local wine shop (Enotecca). This shop hosts a five-course meal with wine pairings for 65 Euro per person on Thursday nights, which we, of course, signed up for, and enjoyed immensely. We especially enjoyed the after-party at the Lion's Well pub.

We also met a couple from North Carolina who we had two dinners with, and many hours of thoughtful conversation. We feel most fortunate to have crossed paths with Kim and Bill Lowndes.

When Steve and I weren't wining and dining with new friends in Cortona, we were out discovering other Tuscan Hill towns, including Montepulciano (where they were filming a movie) and Pienza. We also attempted to go to one town that we heard was great, but turned out to be the wrong one, and not a great visit. So we had a glass of wine and a sandwich and returned to the car. The most excitement we had in the town of Citta di Castello was driving the car through the narrowest street we've driven on; both side mirrors pulled in just to pass through!

Driving in Italy is a jarring experience. The roads are full of sharp turns, roundabouts, and road signs in Italian (the nerve!) Like 20 signs on each post. Thank God for Google Maps! Steve is the driver and I am the navigator; which is working well for us. (Steve is a great driver and I get to tell him what to do! We have definitely improved as we've gone along; but it is still more stressful than sitting on a train.

Kimberly's take: Cortona is so worthy! It has many charms, including a friendly populace, beautiful vistas, and history galore. Highly recommended.

He said......

Cortona is a special place. On two previous visits to the city, in 1998 and 2002, Cortona became one of my favorite medieval Tuscan towns. Cortona is a 2500 year old fully walled Etruscan fortress village. The village is one of the highest in all of Tuscany and overlooks vineyards, olive groves and Lago Trasimeno in the Umbrian distance. Much of the current village dates back to the 12th-13th Century. A portion of the building we slept in at the top of the village dates back to 1300. The property adjoins the ancient Etruscan wall dating back 2500 years. We were lucky enough to have access to a stone staircase leading to the upper portion of the outer wall directly over the 'Porta Montanina.' The porta Montanina has two huge wooden doors barely wide enough to fit one Fiat 500. (See photos.) From this perch we enjoyed the most amazing sunsets each night with a glass of Brunello di Montalcino or a Tuscan syrah. The 2km walk down to "piazza della repubblica," on cobbled streets with a 10% to 25% grade was always an adventure, with an eventual heart pounding conclusion (returning home).

Many Americans frequent Cortona but few arrive via a tour bus. This is a blessing for those not on the bus tour circuit. Many Americans, like our new friends, Bill and Kim from Asheville, NC have been coming to Cortona for 20 years or more. We had the pleasure of meeting Bill and Kim in passing and then joining them for two dinners, sharing many stories. Through Bill & Kim we met a Denver ex-pat also new to the Cortona community, Christy, who recently started working at the local Molesini Enoteca in the piazza Republicca. Christy sold Kimberly and I on joining a wine tasting and dinner event where we met a few more Americans visiting Cortona. The ex-pat Cortona-loving network was growing.

Life in Cortona is fabulous enough but we felt a strong desire to explore other Tuscan hill towns. Montepulciano is another spectacular medieval Tuscan fortress hill town with beautiful architecture and scenery.

Pienza was another highlight of our Tuscan adventure. This ancient hilltown includes a 700 year dramatic Papal, Palace, Power & Family story. The Piccolomini Palace of Pope Pius 2 = P4. Many tour book's claim Pienza's fame is it's aromatic pecorino cheese. However, there's far more in Pienza than just formaggio. We found unprecedented scenic views of the Tuscan countryside and a worthwhile 15th Century Papal palace museum. See photo's.

My takeaway from our 8 days in Cortona:

1. Keep saying 'yes' and good things will happen.

2. An orange sunset over the horizon is my favorite moment

3. Not all beautiful places are special - Cortona is majestic.