Castiglione della Pescaia: a week at the Tuscan coast

After a cena Americana with our Italian friends Mario, Loretta and their daughters Julia and Laura, we were ready to head for Castiglione della Pescaia and a week on the Mediterranean coast.

Mario, Julia, Tom, Laura and Loretta at cena Americana (above)
and a torta they brought for dessert with our names and the date on it

 The  next day Mario gave us a ride to Euro Car where we picked up our Fiat Panda and headed for the coast--only 2 1/2 hours away.  We rented an apartment for a week in a small town called Castiglione della Pescai.  The apartment was on a hill above the town, up 50 stairs to the apartment, but worth the hike for the spectacular 360 degree view from the balcony.

Views from the balcony

 Castiglione is a beautiful little town with a medieval center and is right on the water.  The sagra della pesche (fish festival) was going on so there were concerts in the piazza, a market, and a tiny circus complete with three sleepy looking tigers.  We had some great seafood, did a lot of swimming in the clear blue waters of the Med, and toured the countryside.  Of course there were roman and etruscan ruins to visit along with a museum of archaeology (Rosselle) and we took a beautiful drive through the countryside into the hills to visit a tiny town called Tiroli and eat at a restaurant recommended by the apartment owner.  They featured typical Tuscan food, emphasizing cinghiale (wild boar.  Tom had an osso bucco of cinghiale that looked like something Fred Flintstone would have eaten.

We had to try the first Mexican restaurant we have seen in Italy--
non era  veramente mexicano

cinghiale (left), Tiroli above

Roman ruins at Rosselle

by the apartment

After a week of beach, sun, and thunderstorms, we headed back to Arezzo, past dozens of fields of blooming sunflowers, where the ever helpful Mario picked us up at the rental car place, took us shopping, and brought us home.  What would we do without him?  Next up, visiting Seattle friend who will be staying at a castle in nearby Anghiari and a trip to Cortona with Mario.  Viva Italia!