People travel to Italy for no other reason then to visit the Tuscany (Tuscana) region, of which Florence is the capital. It’s a region known for its gorgeous landscapes, its rich artistic legacy and its influence on high culture. Movies have been made about it and you often hear how beautiful and relaxing the Tuscany life-style is.
We spent a couple days visiting the beautiful rolling hills, quaint towns and mostly excellent wineries between Florence and Siena, Italy (south of Florence.) I can’t even begin to tell you how many times we stopped the car, pulling over to the side of the road when possible, to take photos.
“Casafrassi”
Castellina in Chianti
Each curve and hill top seemed to present an even more spectacular view.
It only takes moments to realize there are two main products of the area, wine and olive oil. You see endless vineyards and olive groves everywhere.
(photo B.Moore)
It was probably Tuscany I was most concerned about photographing. The scenes are so vast and have been photographed so many times I wondered if there was anything I could photograph which wouldn’t be cliché-ish and would be truly mine.
However, I realize we should not hesitate to photograph something simply because it’s been photographed many times before.
Tuscany was an area where renting a car was invaluable as it allowed us to explore at our own pace and to venture off the main highways and tourist routes.
– Italian Cypress Trees –
We had no set schedule at this point, except for a castle visit which I’ll cover in a separate post, but were loosely using a guide book to locate some of the better/recommended restaurants and wineries in the area.
Out days were spent driving, stopping and walking about as we pleased — my definition of a real vacation.
I’ve covered the Tuscany countryside in this post. I plan to devote additional posts to some of the small towns of Tuscany, our visit and dinner at a proper Italian castle and some of the food and wine we encountered in Tuscany. Then there also Cinque Terre coastline in Italy which was our last point of interest before returning home.
When I finish photo processing I’ll upload those I’ve featured here, and many others, to the Meandering Passage Gallery — I’ve already uploaded a few. You can follow the link at the top of this blog to access the Gallery, if interested.
I’ve heard it said (from more than 1 person) that Tuscany is one of the most beautiful places to vacation. Renting the car and not having to conform to a “tour” sounds ideal to me. The photos are gorgeous. I’ll bet post processing is like reliving the vacation.
Ken, thanks! Yes as I go through these photo’s I retrace our steps and get to enjoy the trip all over again. Bonnie asked me tonight if I was ready to go back and I told her, “You bet!” But, there are a lot of other places I’d like to visit as well.
That is my definition of a real vacation, also. And, if we have a camera in hand and a scene unfolds itself then we must shoot, it’s a lost moment if we don’t. Even if someone else has almost the same scene. I like that there are as many trees, forested areas, as there are. The image looking out over the rooftops gives quite the perspective of the forested areas. What an intriguing life and place to live in.
There were parts that had a good deal of forest and then some areas were either all vineyards or grain fields. In any case it was all beautiful and would be a interesting and probably relaxing place to live.
Italy, and especially Tuscany, is near the top of my “bucket list”. Due to the expense of going there, that’s probably where it will remain. At least I can look at some beautiful photos of the place. Thanks Earl!
Hi John, it well deserves being at the top of the bucket…getting there is the most expensive part. With the weakness of the Euro just now, a dollar goes a long ways once you get there. Even though there are other places I’d like to see, I’d certainly go back to Tuscany.
wow, fantastic series!
yz, thanks. I’ve been enjoying your recent Venice photos as well.
Wow Earl, such a beautiful place, beautifully represented. I always end up having some of the same thoughts as you did, how do I put a unique spin on something so many have visited. But in the end, also like you, I don’t care if someone has taken the same shot before. I was there, and I experienced it, and I am bringing back MY memory. It looks like a place where you could make a great photo with every step turning 360 degrees in a circle, no matter where you stopped.
Mark, I also find myself torn between my photos and trip photos when traveling like this. I’m usually expected to record the trip by those I travel with so I feel I have a duty to capture the normal travel photos but I also try to sneak in some of my own shots…a real balancing act in some cases.
You’re right, there were very few bad photo opportunities there. :-)