Italia 1: Toscano and vino

On Monday night, I arrived in my last stop for this European adventure: Italia. After a train from Zurich to Milan, I had to run through the train station with just 3 minutes to spare to catch my connecting train to Florence with a delay on the first train. What ever happened to Swiss trains being perfectly on time? In truth, I think it's due to the cross over to Italian train lines, which are definitely less efficient. That being said, the high speed train from Milan to Florence was awesome.

As I did the last time I was in Italy, I am staying with my cousin Joe, who lives in the center of Florence. Upon my arrival, I met my baby cousin, Elizabeth, who is a one year-old handful. Also, my cousin-in-law Daniela cooked a four-course Italian dinner for us complete with prosciutto, melon, bruschetta, lasagna, veal, and chocolate lava cake. It's great to have a home cooked meal at the end of a long two weeks of travel. Joe and Dany have been amazing hosts as always, treating me to a great time in Florence (thanks, guys!).

On Tuesday, Joe and I explored Florence and some highlights of the city. We started the morning off with an American breakfast, which was great. Like Joe, it's hard not to miss some of the comforts of the US while in Italy, and a stack of pancakes really hits the spot. After breakfast, Joe drove us into the Tuscan countryside to Castello do Verrazzano, a vineyard and estate about 40 minutes from Florence.  Joe has taken almost every visitor to this place for a tour and wine tasting. Tuscany is one fo the most beautiful regions in all of Italy, much glorified in movies and books; and I believe that it certainly lives up to its reputation with the rolling hills and scattered villas.

Castello do Verrazzano was founded by the famous Italian explorer Verrazzano, who sailed to the New World, discovering parts of New York and Canada. The famous bridge, the Verrazzano Bridge, in New York City is named for him; and there are allegedly stones from the castle at the foot of the NYC bridge placed at groundbreaking. The Verrazzano family has since died out, and the castle and vineyards are now owned by a private family. The tour of the winery began with a trip through the castle and grounds, led by our trusty Italian tour guide. He was as Italian as they come with an unintelligble accent, popped collar, and dirty sense of humor. After the tour, we sat down for a wine and meat tasting. We had a glass of the vineyard's summer rosé wine, followed by three red wines. Tuscany is famous for its Chianti red wine, which is rigorously tested and certified by the growers and government to prove its authenticity. We were also served various cheeses, salamis, prosciutto, and amazing balsamic vinegar to pair with the wine. After the wine, we had almond biscotti dipped in strong Vino Santo (Holy Wine), then grappa (grape grain alcohol) and espresso. The tour was amazing and truly a Tuscan experience.

After the tour, we headed back to Florence to take in some old sights. The new Dan Brown book, Inferno, is set in Florence; and there are apparently tours that follow the book's path. Having read the book on the plane over to Europe, I was well versed on the famous sights of Firenze again. We saw the Bargello museum, which holds many famous sculptures, mainly by Donatello. We also walked by the Duomo, Orsanmichele church, and the Ponte Vecchino. This bridge is famous because it crosses the Arno River and is the last standing bridge after bombings in WWII. Additionally, I learned from the Dan Brown book that there is a network of secret passages, including over the Ponte Vecchio, that carried the medieval Medici rulers through the city between their castles without having to interact with typical Florentines. 

After stopping for espressos every hour (a very Italian process), we headed home to pick up Dany and Elizabeth for dinner out in Florence. We went to Za Za, a famous typical Tuscan restaurant, and we had an amazing meal filled with Chianti, appetizer meats and cheeses, and a huge portion of bistecca (steak). After dinner, we stopped at the best gelato place in Firenze, Grom, where I had coffee, pistachio, and stracciatella (chocolate chip) gelati. 

As Joe and Dany head to work today, I am currently on the express train to the capital, Roma, for the day. While Florence is great for Renaissance art and history, there is no place in Italy like Rome. Wednesday is my last dating Europe before flying out tomorrow, and it's going to be a great one exploring the sights of Rome. One more post coming then back to the USA!  Ciao!