Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Pitigliano The Beauty of Medieval Towns

Pitigliano is the right place for history lovers, a must-visit place for fans of The Lord of The Rings. Or, simply, it's a perfect place for people who love beautiful places.
There are two towns in Pitigliano: a new town with modern buildings, big stores and a lot of restaurants, and the old town which is rich with history and unique beauty.



We made our way to Pitigliano from Florence. Behind Florence train station there's a bus terminal where you can buy tickets to Pitigliano on RAMA bus. The bus takes off from Florence and stops in front of Grosseto train station, then you take a connecting bus to Pitigliano.

I remember I looked from the bus window when we were about to reach Pitigliano and I was taken in by the old walls that stand proudly around the town. In winter the old town was calm and quiet, the way I like it. I think my husband and I were the only tourists there. 


 We rented a small apartment from AIRBNB. Bianca's apartment was great, it had a kitchen and a washer and everything you would need to feel at home. The apartment is in the middle of the medieval town. Bianca is a great host. She doesn't speak English, but she does her best to communicate. She even baked fresh muffins for us. I highly recommend renting her place.

As we walked there, hours passed without feeling it. We walked in the small streets, climbed the stairs, and walked the to the waterfall a few meters out of the old town.




Things To Do:
Visiting the Jewish museum
Jewish cemetery
Walking through the woods

Stores are closed from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. By closed, I mean everything is closed. Restaurants, wild boar shops, wine and cheese shops, repair shops. We didn't even see people walking during the rest time.

Eating at Locanda del Pozzo Antico Restaurant was great experience. The dishes are pricey and the portions are small. However, the dishes are flavorful and delicious. Worth eating there if it's the only big thing you do that day.

                                                       Duck fillet with pistachio crust 

                                                                 Beef and veggie Ravioli

For cheaper food choices, you can buy bread and cheese from any wine and cheese shop. In the old town there are a few small grocery stores where you can pick up frozen meals that you can boil or microwave. About 15 minutes walk out of the medieval town you can go to the new town and buy fresh and cheap meals from a supermarket, like lasagna.    

                                                                Wine and cheese shop