In the second half of our field trip we visited Siena for a day and then visited Montepulciano and Pienza on our drive back down to Rome. In Siena we saw the breath taking Duomo of Siena and its complex including the baptistry with all the stripped marble and intricate paved marble collage work. We also explored the medieval castle and most of us climbed the huge tower to see the breathtaking views of Northern Italian countryside. That night we climbed back up to the hilly town from our hotel at the bottom to enjoy the small town restaurants and more of the famous amaretti cookies.
The next day we travel to Montepulciano and see the breathtaking views from inside a famous cafe there and enjoy our ascent through the hilly town. When we reached the top we again got the enjoy magnificent views of the rolling hills and vineyards, and then began our descent down to the San Biagio where we lay in the grass, sketched and enjoyed the view of the building. We spent the second half of our day in Pienza exploring the town, purchasing some of Tuscany’s finest cheeses, wines and meats as souvenirs as well as visiting the famous church there and the papal residency in the hills. That evening we took the long drive back to Rome!
by Claire Oster