I had my first brunello ever 40 years ago that was their first vintage and fell in love with the…read morestyle. Visiting was a highlight for me made even better by my tasting with Lisa, who was very informative. She has been with Banfi for 24 years. I opted for the higher end tasting, which was the correct thing to do for me. Lisa also recommended a bird identification app produced at Cornell University that is quite comprehensive. That recommendation was prompted by a question about a flurry of activity of a species related to the swallows that used to dominate San Juan Capistrano.

Went here for a VIP tour. The tour start with a lunch in their taverna. The food was amazing. We…read morehad a full four course meal with a "cheese ball" starter, pasta as prima and veal as secondi with icrecream for desert. We have a great sampling of the vines from Banfi with the meal and great service. After the meal we went on a tour of the Banfi winery and ended up with a tasting. Our guide Paul did a fantastic job. This is a major brunello provider that goes back to 15th century with beautiful views. We loved the experience.

The Duomo di Siena is one of the most visually appealing cathedrals in Italy...a place where art…read moreand devotion converge in extraordinary harmony. Towering over Piazza del Duomo in Siena's historic center, the cathedral immediately commands attention with its distinctive dramatic blackandwhite striped marble façade, a color scheme that reflects the ancient symbols of the city itself. While we have seen many beautiful Italian cathedrals, this one is one of the most unique ones. Stepping inside the cathedral is awe-inspiring and completely breathtaking. Unlike many cathedrals whose beauty lies primarily on the exterior, Siena's Duomo interior is splendid and grand. The interior is lavishly decorated with striped marble columns, gilded details, sculptures, and frescoes that make the space feel more like a grand art gallery than a traditional church. While indelible photographs are forever etched in our minds, our tour guide discouraged us from taking photos inside the cathedral. One of the cathedral's greatest highlights is its marble inlaid floor, created over several centuries by dozens of artists. Often described as one of the most beautiful cathedral floors in the world, it features intricate biblical scenes and moral lessons created in marble mosaic. When you view such beauty, it feels bigger than yourself. Majestic!

We were lucky enough to see the cathedral in October when the floors were uncovered and it was…read moretruly a sight to see. Absolutely worth the visit and make sure to go to the top of the bell tower during your visit for a spectacular view and a great photo opportunity.

This was so fun and very affordable. It's set in and elegant…read moresurrounding and the pools are delightful. A fun way to spend a few hours in an otherwise sleepy town.

I love Bagno Vignoni. It's a tiny village just outside of San Quirico D'Orcia. At the center of the…read morevillage is known for Piazza delle Sorgenti, which has an ancient thermal bath right in the center of the square. It is not for swimming or bathing, but simply to enjoy the view. The thermal bath feeds all the others in the area. In the village you'll find a handful of restaurants and shops, as well as a couple of hotels. We stayed just outside the square, a two minute walk, at a hotel called Posta Marcucci, which most of the photos on this page are from. Looks like tourists confused the listings. The area is gorgeous. Plenty of views, hiking trails and thermal bathing spots located in various other hotels. We enjoyed staying in this village for several nights. It's so peaceful and charming.

If you know me, you know I love a good cathedral and this one is pretty great…read more Orvieto is a gorgeous, perfect hill town crowned with this jewel of a church. Started in 1294 (!) it took 300+ years to build. There's plenty of art including spectacular frescos by Signorelli. When you look at the elaborate decor - inside and out- reflect that most of this is hand laid mosaic work. Incredible

If you can only visit one place in Orvieto, the Duomo should be it! This strikingly beautiful 14th…read morecentury cathedral is likely the crown jewel of the small mountain town. It has amazing statues (check out all 18 of them, including the two right in front of the altar-- the unbelievable Angel of the Annunciation and the Virgin of the Annunciation! ) masterpiece frescos, and stained glass windows so vibrant that they etch into your heart! For just 5 Euros (at this writing) the beauty and memory you get is simply out of this world. A true marvel !!!

Lovely village - people are starting to find out about this place, so visit it now before it loses…read moreit's small town village appeal. (We heard the wealthy Europeans are buying the places up, but I don't know if that's true or not) I know the reviews say to park at the bottom parking lot, which is what we did. But there is limited public parking up near the entrance if you don't want to walk (maybe someone can clarify if this is for overnight guests only? there seemed to be ample parking spots). However, the walk through Bagnoregio is very nice - some stores and handful of places to eat. Once you pass the entrance booth, the walk along the bridge is beautiful - if you're in relatively good shape, it isn't difficult. However, I did see some taking breaks near the end, and breathing slightly heavy. Civita de Bagnoregio is absolutely lovely. Not a lot to do but to wander the streets, visit the church, and take lots of pictures. There are plenty of cute restaurants, and places to eat, so eat here if you can! Hard to find places like this anymore - enjoy!

This place was definitely the highlight of our stay in Rome…read more I know many people come to Rome for all the famous landmarks and the history. So were we. But after visiting 2-3 places that were completely packed with tourists regardless what time of day it was, we were ready to change the scenery for some sight seeing along with peace and quiet. We decided to rent a car and left Rome around 6am to make the 2hours drive here to Civita di Bagnoregio. When we arrived, there was barely anyone at all. You have to park at the bottom of the village and "hike" your way up. Make sure you bring cash for parking and entrance fee (less than $10 total). From far away this village looks abandoned. Once you make your way to the top, it'll look like you're in one of those medieval movies. Everything is still so rustic, and not a lot of tourist at all until around 11am or noon. There's a really nice coffee shop close to the entrance that offers plenty of different drinks and snack bites to choose from. There are also couple restaurants that open for lunch and dinner which we didn't stay long enough to try. I highly recommend checking out Civita di Bagnoregio if you have some extra time in Rome. Come here early in the morning so you could have the whole place for yourself. The hike is not long or hard, but wear comfortable shoes regardless, since there's a lot of up and down little hills or stair inside the village.

Beautiful town with stunning views, a beautiful church--actually at least two…read morechurches--restaurants, and cute shops. We enjoyed a tour of the churches and enjoyed the beauty and history of this village.

Pienza is a beautiful hilltop town in the heart of the Val D'Orcia in Tuscany and is a UNESCO World…read moreHeritage Site. The town is best known for being rebuilt by Pope Pius II as an "ideal city of the renaissance." The town is small and you can easily walk from one end to another. The center of the town is where you'll find the duomo and the Palazzo Piccolomini. It's stunning and surrounded by beautiful flowers. And if you're a fellow foodie, this is the place to stock up on Pecorino cheese (sheep's milk). The town is packed with cheese shops, which are all pretty much identical, so there are plenty of opportunities to make a purchase. The views from Pienza are also stunning, but this is luckily the case with most of the hilltop towns in the Val d'Orcia.

I have been to Siena twice. On my second trip, I visited for Palio. The day of the festivities, I…read moremade my way to Torre del Mangia to do some sightseeing. Located in Piazza del Campo, the center and heart of Siena, Torre del Mangia is one of the most prominent symbols of Siena. It's one of TripAdvisor's most popular attractions in Siena and for good reason. Snap a few pictures of the tower from the outside and then walk inside. It's free to check out the courtyard area where you'll be able to take a really cool photo of the tower from the interior. You'll know what I mean when you're there. After you're done checking out the courtyard, for a fee, you can buy a ticket to go up the tower and get some panoramic views of the city. If they happen to be sold out, you can also get some scenic views by checking out the Duomo. Torre del Mangia is a must visit while in Siena!

10/28/2013 My…read morehusband and I woke up early and went to the City Wall Tower as our first stop of the day. Good thing we went early in the morning, as we were able to get some sparkling nice views from the top. Once you climb the 330 steps to the top (the staircase is rather narrow in some areas, so they will ask you to check in your bags about 1-2 flights up). This is definitely one of the best views of Siena and Tuscany. Well worth the 8€ per person. We were able to stay at the top for a good 20-30 minutes to take some photos of the beautiful Siena landscape + look out into the hills of Tuscany. GORGEOUS!! We think the best time to go is in the morning when the sun is not out in full force, and the fog is leaving the hills...so you can get some clear photos. :) We loved our experience and definitely recommend it. We know of others who went to the top of the Duomo, so that's another option as well; but we didn't do that one since we already went to the top of the City Tower. Either way, I'm sure the views are great. :)