Siena

Villa Casamanza, Nr Perugia, Umbria, Italy

Today was our rest day from exercise and life-coaching and a chance for everyone, ourselves included, to have a longer trip out somewhere. Susie and Vicky had a trip planned to a designer clothes outlet village near Florence and were away first thing. Natalie and Trisha had a lie in and a trip to Assisi planned for later. We were off to Siena for the day.

This is our third trip to Siena - we went twice on our trip to Tuscany two years ago. Probably our favourite Italian city, even beating Florence. Today a rare change from our usual city touring with Emma deciding that she was happy going shopping on her own and so Linda and myself could go to a couple of the churches and have a general wonder round. Emma hates sight-seeing and only wants to shop. She would probably have prefered to have gone out with Susie and Vicky!

Classic views of the Piazza Del Campo

Linda and I headed out from the Piazza Del Campo towards the church of St Domenico, taking in the small monastry of St Catherine of Siena on the way. Plus a few bookshops that we passed as well - including one that had a book that might one day prove very useful to us called Walking and eating in Tuscany and Umbria.

The Church of St Domenico

Inside the Sanctuary of St Catherine of Siena

The most famous view in Siena?

On the way back to the Piazza we passed a little supermarket with loads of local produce in it. Linda would have been keen to load up there and then, but we have resisted for now. But I might try and return to Siena next week and have another look. I wuld also like to have had time for a longer look at the bookshops and some of the craft shops. It is the famous Palio horse race on August 16th. so maybe if I go in later next week and I can see the Campo set up for the race?

Lunch at a very expensive cafe in the Piazza - clearly paying a lot for the view. Needless to say, Emma had found one or two things on her travels and was keen to have Linda appraise them before purchase. Lunch was ok but Emma was clearly not feeling great and seemed to decline further as the day progressed. We suspected that the heat had got to her today.

Our guests decided on a evening out together in Perugia and I gave them a lift in just as the skies darkened and the occasional flash of lightning occured. Emma spent the night in her room and we had a quiet evening without the cooking and clearing up that we usual have.