Day 23 – Italian road trip to end all road trips.

15hrs, 4 airports, 3 flights and an annoying amount of security checks and I finally arrived in Rome.

It had been almost 15 years since my last visit and yet again I was sick, all those years ago while on a Contiki Tour I got the flu and for half the trip I was sick, now 15 years later and what was going to be the highlight of my trip I was sick again, I wasn’t going to let it kill me or my spirits, I picked up my rental a VW Polo and drove the 5km to my hotel and rested up as the next two weeks would be intense.

My months of planning  had me traveling almost the entire west coast of Italy, then across the top and down through the middle, to be exact I planned the following route, Rome > Tuscany > Florence > La Spezia > Lake Como > Bolzano > Tuscany > Rome with 4 full days in Tuscany, a day in Florence, 2 in La Spezia, 3 in Lake Como, 3 in Bolzano and a day in Tuscany, the plan also included 4 days back in Rome after my trip to Sardinia for the WRC.

My home for the next two weeks, GPS – Check, Phone – Check, Toilet Paper – Check ;), all set and ready to go, 300km to my first stop in Tuscany, Volpaia near Siena where I had 4 nights and 5 days to see as much of the region as possible.

A rustic lunch of fresh bread, salami, tomato and local cheese, just what I planned.

After about 7 hours on the road I finally made it to Tuscany, unless you have been here then its hard to explain this place, there is something in the air, its so peaceful and beautiful.

Twisty roads, this region is a drivers dream.

and finally I arrived in Volpaia. The winery that produces the well-known Chianti Classico wine operates within the walls of the Castello di Volpaia, a fortified village of medieval origin, this place is amazing, beautifully preserved in time, as you drive up the mountain to the village entry you feel like you are taken back to that time in history, no cars are allowed within the town centre, smack bang in the middle of the town centre is the town square and as it was at the time I arrived the residence were having their monthly town meeting.

That’s my B&B, yup, the window to the right of the blue arrow was my lounge area and to the left of that my bedroom.

At this stage I was still feeling like crap, I planned to rest up and see if I could make a miraculous recovery.