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Jeff tells me that at 4am, a full military marching band passed by our hotel…I heard nothing. Had our first hearty breakfast of the trip…including fluffy scrambled eggs, bacon (the way I like it) and due cappuccini.

Started the day with the second half of our Palantino ticket with a visit to the always-impressive Colosseo. New sections were open on this visit, providing some up-close vantage points to peer into the ancient flooring and imagine what it was like in the bowels of such a structure.

Began a long afternoon walk in the direction of Castel Sant' Angelo. Ducked into two cool churches along the way…cool in decor, but more importantly, cool in temperature. Maria en Campitelli was a dark, quiet church with few visitors, while Agnese di Agone was bright and opulent and teeming with admirers. Outside, on the Piazza Navone, Jeff spotted a landmark from a book he is reading: Dan Brown's Angels and Demons. (Thanks to Matt for the recommendation…Jeff is pointing out "clues" all over Rome.)

Our primary destination for the afternoon–the Castel Sant' Angelo–is another book landmark. The Medeival Castel was construted on top of an ancient Roman masoleum constructed by Emperor Hadrian. Later, the Castel housed Papal apartments, and a secret passage to the Vatican ('Il Paseo') for the Pope to escape invading armies. For modern visitors, the result is a 3-D inter-mixing of eras. From the parapets, got a colorful glimpse of the myriad of street vendors below: sandals, handbags, glasses, scarves, grass reeds twisted into oragami grasshoppers…tripods?

A short walk to the Vatican, where visitors lined up for evening service in Piazza San Pietro. Watched the curious scene for an hour…expecting something to happen…I'm sure it did eventually…probably even included the Pope. Nevertheless, hunger overcame us and we walked along the Tiber back to the Travestere for dinner. A very popular spot…Carlos Menta…with good food at very reasonable prices. They are the one place that seemed to have embraced the American economic model that with high volume, you can have low prices.

Returned to the hotel for drinks (mojitos) and dessert (a creative, rich tiramisu) at the hotel rooftop bar, Circus.

Nestled into a very cozy bed.

The overnight rain brought with it a pleasant chill. Perfect sleeping weather. Breakfast was out on the terrace…although an approaching storm was preceeded by strong breezes that tugged on linens.

Dropped ye olde Kia off at Avis. Crossed to the train station to wait for the 11:58 train to Roma Termini…delayed by 25min…and a bit confusing without seat reservations. But no worse for the wear, we made our way (finally) to Rome by around 1:30pm.

Taxi from the train station. Our first real problem. Even though we got an officially marked taxi from an official taxi stand, the driver still gorged us. Jeff berated him to reduce the price and we got a small reduction, but the 1 mile ride still cost us 30 euro…the hotel told us it should be 10-15 euro. Live and learn, I guess…still, it gives me that feeling in the pit of your stomach that you've been taken.

The Hotel 47 staff was helpful and the room spacious and comfortable. We're located near the end of the Roman Circus Maximus behind the Palantine Hill…which we set out to see after dropping off our bags.

In Roman times, the Palatino Hill was THE place to build your palace. Today, its a fun maze of ruins…arched brick walls, marble columns, scattered masaic floors, hidden passages. Our first and favorite sight was the newly-restored rooms in the Casa Augusto. These four tiny rooms were painted almost 2000 years ago, and yet the pigments have been amazingly preserved. Augustus must have loved brilliant red.

Finished the Palatino Hill and exited to the Forum below. The afternoon light made this open-air playground of Roman artifacts come alive. Exited the Forum at Capitolino Hill and the piazza designed by Michelangelo. Returned to the hotel to shower and relax before dinner.

Crossed the Tiber River into the Travastevere area…this is the heart of Medieval Rome…with narrow, winding, and slightly seedy streets. Found an outdoor restaurant on the Piazza Santa Maria en Travatereve. Ate a hearty meal while watching the colorful activities of the piazza…a comical mime, roving bands of salesmen hawking cheap plastic toys that light up, a gang of children mocking the roving salemen, a spray paint artist, and a rousing troubador.

Took a long walk into the wee hours. Historic Rome at night is just fun. The Jewish Getto and the Area Sacra…with its tribe of wild cats. The Campo di Fior with drunken/festive revelry. The race-track-shaped Piazza Navona. The simply breathtaking Pantheon. And every few blocks…a random patch of ruins.

Tired feet but an overwhelming sense of history.

Awoke to the sound of birds…happy birds. Birds feeding or nesting or courting or whatever birds do as the sun rises. Certainly our most peaceful wake up call. The scents of honeysuckle, lavendar, and roses mingled in the air.

A light, fruity breakfast in the hotel Enotecca–their event wine bar. Local preserves. Fresh strawberries and cherries. Three flakey fruit tarts. Yogurt. And cappuccini…oh yes!

Swung into Orvieto to buy tomorrow's train tickets to Rome and to locate the Avis drop-off. Success.

A short but scenic drive to postcard perfect Civita di Bagnoregio…but first a stop in sleepy Lubriano who's claim to fame seems to be the perfect overlook of Civita. It began to rain steadily. Drove to the larger town of Bagnoregio with its own to-see's, but for us just the entry point to Civita. Unfortunately, the rain picked up, and we were without rain gear. So, another picturesque vista of Civita…perched high atop its mound of tufa…the town's single connection to the world a narrow foot bridge.

Returned to the Locanda for rain garb for the afternoon.

Into central Orvieto for a couple of underground sights. First stop, a recently re-discovered network of Etruscan wells, tunnels, garbage pits carved into the tufa dating 25 centuries ago. These ancient sites were intermixed with more recent modifications by the Romans and again in the Middle Ages.

Grabbed lunch at a creative (looking) place we had passed yesterday. Unfortunately, only the decor made us chuckle…the food was mediocre and the service was horriffic. Maybe the pan-flute CD playing covers of Guns and Roses and Celine Dion should have warned us. Rain blew through and left behind high humidity…ugh.

Walked across Orvieto for our next stop…the engineering marvel that is Pozzo di San Patrizio…aka, St. Patrick's Well. Built at the orders of a Pope to ensure a sustainable water source in case of the town being beseiged, this 16th-century well is notable for its double-helix stairwells, decending 496 steps to the bottom with a half-turn separated route back up. Nice and cool below. Shopped for some of Orvieto's famous ceramics. A breeze picked up and lowered the humidity.

With the rain gone, decided to take the short drive back to tempting Civita. Much better vistas 🙂 This time, we were able to walk the long foot bridge into Civita, up the steep approach, and through the old Etruscan tufa gate. The town is tiny and desolate…but the Medieval buildings are worth the trip.

It was getting late as we left Civita so we rushed back to Orvieto to try and grab dinner. Long story short…we left thwarted…Italy does not make eating lite and quickly simple. So we returned to the hotel to sample a local wine in our room minibar…only to find that there was no cork screw. Want a beer or Coke? No bottle opener. And no way to contact the innkeeper, because we are the only two people in the hotel. It wasn't meant to be.

We can see lightening on the horizon from our bed. There is a cool breeze and the humidity is low.

Another sunny morning in Siena. Said our goodbyes to Daniella. (She informed us that her contrada/neighborhood was one of the ones selected for the Palio in the ceremony the evening we arrived…hoorah!) Shut the heavy door of the Palazzo Masi and headed for the car.

Took a winding path south and east. Crossed from Tuscany to Umbria. Emily got confused finding our destination…but then that is becoming a familiar theme…Italy clearly isn't her home turf. In fairness, our destination was on a dirt road in the middle of a field. And is it all that bad to take an extra road or two in Italy?

Arrived at the picturesque Locanda Palazzone…an "agriturismo" style of hotel. The Locanda is a small boutique hotel located on a working vineyard. Situated high on a hillside outside of Orvieto with sweeping views of the grape vines, grassy hills, outcroppings of ancient tufa, and of course, majestic Orvieto perched 1000 feet above the valley floor.

Drove into Orvieto for an afternoon walk. Visited its grand Duomo, similar in exterior style to Siena's Duomo. Inside, a choir was rehearsing a capella. A very beautiful cathedral indeed. Later we heard evening vesper chants in the side chapel.

Peeked into several of Orvieto's ceramic shops. Colorful designs of bright yellows and blues. Walked along the high city perch to a commanding medieval fortress ruin and an ancient Etruscan temple ruin (from around 500 B.C. if I read the sign right). In fact, the soft volcanic tufu beneath Orvieto is riddled with Etruscan tombs and tunnels…hopefully we'll see those tomorrow.

The sun was low when we returned to the hotel. Everything looked extra green. Jeff took an early evening dip in a VERY cold pool…I dangled my feet in. An amazingly fresh and flavorful dinner on the hotel terrace overlooking the valley and Orvieto. Just us and a French couple…it felt like we had the world to ourselves. Our host (also the "innkeeper") recommended a white wine from the Palazzone vinyard…2002 Campo del Guardiana very rich golden color and a flavor to match. Dinner was a fixed menu…which meant we could sit back and relax. Flan di piselli al profumo di maggiorana…a warm flan made from peas (perhaps?) with fresh salad greens. Umbrichelli all'orvietana…a super-flavorful, thick tomato and herb sauce over a long lumpy pasta…amazing. Bascala pomodorini e olive con spinaci e patate arrosto…a light white fish with a delightful seasoning and sides of potatoes and spinach…both wonderful. Muosse al cioccolato…uh…chocolate mousse 🙂

We finished the meal with espressos. A kitten named Daphne wanted to play as the warm evening breeze turned the table cloth into a tempting cat toy. Darkness settled around us. We could see Orvieto's Duomo lit up hovering in the sky.

Something tells me we will sleep well tonight.

There is no better way to work off an illness than to have a full day of sunshine, fresh air, and walking 🙂

Started the day with a visit to the awe-inspiring Duomo a few blocks from our B&B. This cathedral is by far our favorite in Italy. Its green and white marble exterior is peppered with elaborate marble sculptures. The signature black and white marble interior (the colors of Siena) provide the backdrop for a rich tapestry of paintings, sculptures, and mosaics. The ceilings are painted a deep blue with gold stars. Any one of the side chapels would itself make for a spectacular church. The Duomo is renowned for its intricate in-laid marble mosaic floors. Jeff's favorite room: the Piccolomini Library, with its colorful 500-year-old frescoes.

Grabbed a make-shift breakfast from a market on the way to the car: bananas, juices, peanut M&Ms :). Grabbed water for the hot day ahead. Already in the lower 80s. Near 90 as we neared our first destination.
The drive to San Galgano Monastery took a bit longer than planned because Emily kept trying to route us through the heart of Siena…which only permits authorized vehicles. Funny if it wasn't so frustrating. Finally, we defeated her, and headed out into the rolling hills.

At San Galgano, parked in a huge paid parking lot in the middle of nowhere…with literally three cars in it. A 15-min walk in the sun to the ruins of an 13th century abbey. Impressive, but no interpretive assistance. Another 15-min walk up a rocky path to the tiny, round 12th-century Chapel of San Galgano.

Wound through Tuscany on the way back making a small pit stop at Chiusidino for some photos from the dramatic heights. Picked destinations along the way by spotting appealing towers or towns on nearby hills. Made our way to a second abbey south of Siena in the Crete Senese or "Sienese Crests"…this one a working abbey. Monte Oliveto Maggiore with a small but beautiful church and a complex of sunlit rooms and a cloister courtyard with famous Renaissance frescoes depicting the life of St. Benedict. Greggorian chants in the abbey as we were leaving.

Returned to Siena for dinner. Got some of my appetite back…enough for a wonderful pasta dish outdoors at Trattoria Papei…simple and classic spaghetti al ragu…I wanted rabbit, but I was worried about keeping food down. Jeff had paparadelle al ragu di carne, petti di pollo, and Tuscan white beans. Ricciarelli and cappuccini to finish.

We walked one last time through the Campo and up to the Duomo taking some final nightime photos. By midnight, the young folks were just beginning to emerge. Jeff woke at 3:15am and could still here revelry in the streets…definitely a university town…at least at night.