Yesterday we drove west to the medieval hill towns of Volterra nd San Gimignano. Both are walled cities that fell victim to the black plague in the middle ages. The devastaing loss of life and the economic downturn that followed meant that the towns were more or less frozen in time. With no money for new development or renovation, the walled communities remain pretty much the way they have always been. We enjoyed the stunning scenery as we looped around on winding roads through the hills of Tuscany. The towns emerged from the forests with little warning, as there are no suburbs surrounding them.
Volterra actually has a multi-level parking garage beneath the city wall. We parked deep in the earth and climbed to the main gate leading through narrow streets to the town square. I followed Leroy into the main government building, a vast castle-like structure with a very tall tower. Before I knew it, we had purchased tickets allowing us to climb to the top. I really thought we were done with climbing narrow, winding steps, but not yet I guess! We were warned to climb up and then vacate the tower within twenty-five minutes since the enormous bell would toll at one o'clock. I eyed the bell, suspended just a few inches above our heads in the tower, warily until we climbed back down. The view of Volterra and the surrounding countryside was fantastic.
The next town on our agenda was San Gimangano (pronounced "jim-an-yon-o".) Only ten miles away, San Gimangano is much like Volterra, only more so. Thicker walls, taller towers, and more tourists. Rising above the walls are seventeen very tall, squared-off towers with no apparent purpose. Once upon a time, families built them to show off their wealth and power. Originally there were seventy-three towers. Even now, they give the appearance of a "medieval Manhattan" from a distance. We purposely timed our visit for late afternoon to avoid the busloads of tourists that flood the streets each day in the summer. Even so, it was a busy place.Today we are taking it easy and staying close to "home" while we make further arrangements for the next phase of travel.
