You’ve probably been drinking Pellegrino for years, but you may only learn today that Pellegrino is Italian for a pilgrim, and John and I siamo Pellegrini oggi.
Monday we trekked 22,884 steps or approximately 8.4 miles and the equivalent elevation of 49 floors from the town of Coiano to Gambassi Terme, where we rested in an absolutely stunning Tuscan retreat.
A Via Francigena marker
Little shrine along the path. Benches are a rarity, so we should have sat here but we didn’t.
Abandoned farmhouses are more common sites. Fixer upper?
Courtyard outside our room at Tenuta Sant’Ilario
One of the best meals so far at the hotel: pork filet encrusted in dried fruit and apple and turmeric purée with pecorino cream
John had regional farmer fare: tomato and bread soup.
Leaving Gambassi
Olives ready to be harvested
Always stopping in churches
And walking through history
San Gimigiano in the distance
Day 2 began with breakfast, followed by a brief walk around Gambassi before setting off on our trek to San Gimignano. We walked through a lot of countryside, vineyards, and even passed some livestock before reaching a more well traveled road with cars full of wine tourists. Speaking of wine, we stopped for a tasting at Cesani winery.
This wine with vernaccia di San Gimignano grapes is superb. It is a local grape grown only here since the 11th century, and our visit made for a fine interlude during our day of walking.
A platter to accompany the wine.
San Gimignano, with its fortified walls and towers
A cypress tree casts a long afternoon shadow
Today’s numbers: 14 km, or 9.4 miles, 25365 steps and 46 floors of elevation, 2 glasses of wine, 4 kinds of cheese, 3 types of cured meats, and 2 cookies given to us by a kind shopkeeper.
Fianlly, we reach our hotel behind the cistern. Time for a hot shower and a cold drink!
