Italy: Planes, Trains and Automobiles
The second half of our European trip was possibly a 180 degree turn from our Paris experience. Where Paris was all about the two of us in a small city apartment, Italy was about meeting six of our friends at a 4,000 sf. villa in southern Umbria.
We left Paris by train. Settling into our sleeper car for the night was a unique experience. While it had its moments, I do recommend taking a night train through Europe (just be sure you have the right Eurail passes … I have a story). We brought snacks, music and plenty to read. Sadly I forgot the bottle of wine in Paris. Halting sleep and about 12 hours later we are in Rome. We take an express train to Leonardo Da Vinci Airport to pick up our rental car and two of our close friends arriving from Minneapolis. Our timing was impeccable.
I head our rented Opel north on the Autostrada and we arrive at the villa Laguscello. A giant farmhouse recently renovated into a modern rental complete with swimming pool, game room and wood pizza oven. Ample space for the 8 of us to base our daily adventures. Orvieto, Montepulciano, Siena, Todi, Bagnoregio, Montefiascone – All beautiful places with their own unique look and feel. Regional wines, meats and olive oils made every meal fantastic and different.
We end our trip in Ostia, a small coastal town near Rome. We have an early flight and a rental car to drop off the next day. The sites and vibe in Ostia are far different than anything we have seen so far and it’s a relaxing change. We enjoy our final meal in Italy sitting on the waterfront feasting on fresh octopus, prawns, squid and rissotto and wash it down with a bottle of prosecco. Buona notte, Italy.
All photos ©2011 Gary Allard / GaryAllard.com
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