Volterra/Volterra

Tour Day 4: Volterra

We spent the morning in Volterra with Annie Adair, an American ex-pat who went to Italy to study and never left (a common theme amongst many of the guides we met). She married a local Volterran after several years of living there (he was the sommelier who did our wine tasting later that night). She wove the story of the history of Volterra and the Etruscan people (Tuscany was named after them). Like many areas conquered by Rome, Rome claimed their history and developments as their own, but we owe much of today's world much less Rome's to the Etruscans. Their developments in art, trade, architecture, and more are prevalent today. Aqueducts? Etruscan. Roman numerals? More like Etruscan numerals! Amphitheaters? You have it right....Etruscan! Having read up on the Etruscans before arriving, many sights provided even more context with me often thinking, "I read about this!"

We visited a local alabaster workshop, Alab'Arte, and saw how the carvings are made both by machine and by hand carving. It was fascinating, mesmerizing, and relaxing to see this in action. Interestingly, they have studied the alabaster carvers and found that the alabaster dust does not impact their lung health. One of the artists we met even has a notable level of asthma the dust rarely ever impact his asthma! The stone is transparent and I brought back a vase to enjoy in my home for years to come.

We ended the structured portion of today at the Etruscan Museum Guaranacci where much of what we know of these ancient peoples is from their burial casks which housed their cremated remains. The rest of the day was to explore on our own until the night's wine tasting with Francesco Gronchi. I come from a region in the US known for its red wines (we have one of the very few viticulture training programs in the nation). It was fascinating learning about the grapes from Tuscany and taste quite a few varietals I have never had the pleasure of drinking before. It was also a pleasure to see people who have never wine tasted discover new things during this experience.

There was a distinct lack of tourists in this lovely hilltop town. It gave us a glimpse into the everyday lives of those who live here instead of the hustle and bustle of Rome. From a local on a bench to laundry day, container gardening, and yes, another Vespa, the pace of Volterra was a welcomed experience.

I ended the day with a few of the solo travelers, eating dinner together. I was really appreciating them, their diverse backgrounds, and what lovely souls they each had. There is nothing quite like sharing a meal to build a quick bond while traveling. We also, of course, had gelato as we did every day of the trip. I tried a new flavor combination each time. It was time for bed and then it was onto Cinque Terre!

Gelateria tips: Look for gelato presented metal containers that are flat on the top (anything mounded high has had extra air and ingredients added...not good gelato!), pale colors are normal except for fruit flavors (avoid those added dyes!), and if they have their signs in English trying to entice you in, they're likely not as authentic as other locations. These containers may not even be open, but simply have the name of the flavor; this keeps the gelato at an ideal temperature, so do not be put off by not seeing what it looks like. They will often offer free small spoons for you to sample should you ask. To read more from Cameron Hewitt on this topic, you can do so here.

You never know what you will see from your outside table while dining! It was the perfect day for dog walking until it started to rain 10 minutes after I took this picture.

While in Volterra, I realized I want to replicate what I ate at home. Tuscan ingredients are high quality, but the recipes are simple to highlight the bold flavors of things like tomatoes or crusty bread. I really enjoyed the meal below with my tour friends at Pizzaria Ombra della Sera (Evening Shadow Pizzeria). As Lidia Bastianich would say, Tutti a tavalo a mangiare! (Everyone to the table to eat!)

Andiamo a San Gimignano!