Carly's Ramblings Blog - Style

Tuscany! Day 10 of our Virtual Trip

30 Day Blogging Challenge

August 10th Hello Italy
I must say, we have the best travel organizer. I applaud you Lyn's a Witchy Woman !
Florence. The heart of Tuscany. What better place can we be... We are booked into the Bassettl Guesthouse.
http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Bassetto-Guesthouse/Florence/744?da...
Can you believe this place... it is like I have gone to heaven... surrounded by all this quaintness... and Tuscany. One of my favourite movies is Under A Tuscan Sun - and yes, I have read the book as well.
It is located in Certaldo, in the belly button of Tuscany, a beautiful region of vineyards, olive groves and medieval towns. This is the place where you will find a true taste of Tuscany and the 'bella vita' in an authentic XIVth century setting. My heart does a flutter.
Lyn has us bringing Tuscany country living to the backpacking world. This is indead a relaxing break from the busy cities. At Bassetto, I am able to regather my thoughts while I relax next to our pool and swing some time away in the hammock with a glass of wine in hand. Before bed I took a walk through the garden while being surrounded by fireflies. Imagine a dinner in their wine cellar.
'Bassetto Guesthouse was formerly a convent of Benedictine monks that was always open to pilgrims passing through. In 1998, our family opened Bassetto Guesthouse again to travelers with the same notion of hospitality as the monks centuries ago. We wanted our guesthouse to be unique in terms of setting and location, a place you would want to return to and somewhere to relax from city life.'
I am bunking in with a few of the ladies in one of the dorm style rooms. The kitchens and common areas are sweet and inviting.
We got to explore landscapes sculpted by sunflowers, rolling hills and farms on foot and on a horse.
The guesthouse organizes a fresh pasta cooking class with a local chef and Lyn had signed us up. Yummy. It was rather fun and many of my travelling friends were only to happy to play with their food.... flour was everywhere! I quite enjoyed myself.

After the pasta making class and a good clean up, we set off to see where Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, Foscolo, Gentile and Rossini are buried at the Basilica of Santa Croce and see the museum where Michelangelo's David resides. This draws me.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Santa_Croce,_Florence

http://www.accademia.org/

After a light lunch we head over to the Boboli Gardens. this place was inspiring! Such beauty!
The spider's lane.... I love this! I did not see any spiders.
http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/boboli_garden.html
Cyprus lane.... Oh my, how can you not just love this place!
http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/boboli_garden.html

http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/boboli_garden.html

We took a picnic dinner with us on a late afternoon / early evening horseback adventure. We got to see the city's beauty at sunset from an incredible advantage point.

The day was dreamy and I found myself happy to crawl into bed. I was asleep before my head even touched the pillow. Tomorrow, Lyn tells us will be another busy day. I can hardly wait.