-Hi. I'm Rick Steves, back with more of the best of Europe. This time, we're in Italy for the wildest horse race in the world, and we're not alone. It's Siena, the Palio, and a whole lot more. Thanks for joining us. Tuscany seems to be every Italy connoisseur's favorite region, and for good reason. Here in the heart of Italy, the rustic soul and historic charm collaborate, seducing travelers into tossing their itineraries and settling in. We'll enjoy an aperitivo on a great square, marvel at exquisite art, eat cheese in an Etruscan cellar, settle into a farmhouse B&B, learn to make pici pasta, taste one of the world's finest wines, prepare for a festival, and go to the races. Italy packs 55 million people into an area about the size of Arizona. Between Florence and Rome is the region of Tuscany. We start in Siena, explore the Chianti region, and then visit wineries near Montepulciano and Montalcino. Back in the 1300s, Siena was a major banking, trading, and military power. It was in a league with Venice, Florence, and Genoa. It had a population of about 50,000 people -- that was one of the biggest cities in Europe -- about as big as Paris. But after being weakened by a devastating plague and conquered by its bitter rival, Florence, it's been a backwater ever since. Siena's loss became our sightseeing gain, as its political and economic stagnation preserved its purely Gothic identity. Its population hasn't changed for centuries. It's still around 50,000. Siena's great central piazza is Il Campo. Like a people-friendly stage set, it's the heart of Siena, both geographically and metaphorically. The historic junction of Siena's various neighborhoods, or contrade, it fans out from city hall as if to create an amphitheater. The square and its buildings are the color of the soil here -- a color known to artists and Crayola users as "burnt Sienna." Sprawling before the City Hall backdrop, the gently tilted piazza offers the perfect invitation to loiter. This is a major university town, and a mix of students, locals, and tourists lounge comfortably, as if it's their community living room. The great sights of Siena date from long before the country of Italy existed. And these sights have a consistent theme -- The Republic of Siena is independent and perfectly capable of ruling itself. The Mangia Tower, built nearly 700 years ago, remains one of Italy's tallest secular towers. Medieval Siena was a self-assured republic, and this tower stands like an exclamation point -- an architectural declaration of independence from both the pope and the emperor. 300 winding steps take you high above the town. Your reward -- a bird's-eye view down at the uniquely shaped square and a commanding view of the Tuscan countryside. Beneath the tower, the city hall is open to visitors. Its historic rooms were, for centuries, the home of Siena's government. In the "room of peace" the republic's council met under instructive 14th-century propaganda showing the effects of good and bad government, with a message that seems remarkably applicable today. Bad government -- a dictatorship counseled by greed and tyranny -- results in a place you wouldn't want to call home, with run-down buildings and violence in the streets. But good government -- with wise and virtuous leadership -- results in a utopian republic where the shopping's brisk, construction's booming, students are attentive, and women dance freely in the streets.
The message
A community ruled by a just government enjoys peace, prosperity, and is a great place to raise your kids. For a portrayal of that good government in action, drop by the historic hospital of Santa Maria Della Scala. A series of idealized frescoes shows medieval Siena's innovative health care and progressive social welfare system at work. The city, rather than the Church, ran this hospital, illustrating how far secular society had come in Siena by the 1400s. It took in and raised orphans -- from wet nurse through schooling -- to a civil wedding. And this wedding is not arranged; it's based on love. Sienese society cared for its poor. Bread was given to the needy. Note the loaves are cleverly stamped -- to prevent resale. The hospital was run by secular doctors and nurses. In a slap to Church authorities, this well-fed monk looks bored as he seems to ignore a dying patient's confession. Siena is a stony wonderland where people, rather than cars, fill the streets. It's that time in the early evening when friends gather and stroll. Like in any Italian city, the people of Siena are out and making the scene. This ritual is called the passeggiata. It's like cruising without cars. In fact, throughout the Mediterranean region, early evening is the time to be out and about. The passeggiata is ideal for getting together with friends, and I'm joined by my friend and fellow tour guide, Roberto Bechi. With Roberto, my passeggiata includes a little history.
Rick
I just feel there's so much history all around.
Roberto
Yes, especially on this road here.
Rick
What happened on this road?
Roberto
This road, in the Middle Ages, was called Via Francigena.
The way of the French. Roberto
Yes. It's where all the pilgrims who were passing through, from France to Rome.
Rick
This is the pilgrims' route!
Yes. Rick
For centuries! And people are walking, to this very day.
Roberto
Yeah, but they do "passeggiata."
Rick
But now..."passeggiata" today.
Roberto
Oh, I love the "passeggiata." All the Italians love the passeggiata.
Rick
Everybody's out. Every generation.
Roberto
Every generation going up and down on the main road, shopping, looking at the last fashion...
Rick
What are the fashions, who's got a new baby...
Roberto
Absolutely.
Both laugh
Rick
Italy is a culture of piazzas. Ever since Roman times, the piazza has been the heartbeat of the community. And in Siena Il Campo is perfect for a nice aperitivo. We've grabbed a front-row table to enjoy a spritz.
That's a favorite drink
mixing Aperol, white wine, and fizzy water.
Rick
I love the aperitivo. Aperitivo is Italian for happy hour, basically. Get a cocktail -- and, you know, it's not a cheap cocktail -- but it comes with lots of nice munchies and the best view in town.
Roberto
Yes, in the main square of Siena.
Rick
I love it. Siena's 13th-century Gothic cathedral, with its striped tower, is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and covered with art.
The richly ornamented facade bristles with ornamentation
Its striking mosaics framed by patriarchs and prophets, saints, and gargoyles. Grand as Siena's cathedral is, it's actually the unfinished rump of a failed vision. After nearby Florence began building its huge cathedral, proud Siena, not to be outdone by its rival, planned to build an even bigger church... in fact the biggest church in all of Christendom. But Siena was so hilly there wasn't enough flat ground to support such an enormous church. What to do? Build the oversized church anyway, and prop up the overhanging edge by building the baptistery underneath. The cathedral we see today was intended only to be a transept, or wing, off the envisioned nave, or main part of the church. These towering marble arches hint at the immensity of the vision. But the arches were as far as Siena got before construction problems and a devastating plague scuttled the project. I'm standing atop what would have been the front of that church. Had it been completed, this square would have been not a parking lot, but the nave itself. It's fun to imagine that if Siena's grandiose plans had succeeded, I'd be looking straight down the nave of that massive church toward the altar. The resulting church is still impressive. It's richly decorated from top to bottom. Peering down from above are 172 heads. They represent the popes who reigned from the time of St. Peter to the 12th century. The exquisite marble floor is paved with Bible scenes, intricate patterns, and allegories. This one represents Siena as a she-wolf at the center of the Italian universe, orbited by such lesser lights as Rome, Florence, and Pisa. The greatest artists of the day helped decorate Siena's cathedral. In this side chapel, St. John the Baptist, carved by Donatello, wears his iconic rags. And high above, playful cherubs dangle their feet. This memorial to the Sienese pope Pius II features a statue of St. Paul carved by Michelangelo himself. And in another chapel, you'll see why Lorenzo Bernini is considered the greatest Baroque sculptor. His St. Catherine is in spiritual ecstasy. And St. Jerome caresses the crucifix like a violinist lost in heavenly music. A highlight is the church's Piccolomini Library. Brilliantly frescoed, it captures the exuberance and optimistic spirit of the 1400s, an age of humanism when the Renaissance was born. The frescoes look nearly as vivid now as the day they were finished, over 500 years ago. They celebrate the life of one of Siena's hometown boys -- who became Pope Pius II. Each of the scenes is framed with an arch, as if opening a window into the real world. The back streets of Siena have changed little since the days of the Renaissance. Make a point to get away from the crowds and enjoy a quiet moment with the timeless magic of Siena. All over town, shops tempt you with edible Sienese specialties -- gourmet pasta, vintage Chianti, wild boar prosciutto.
Rick
Looks very good! Tutti Toscana?
Butcher
Qui
prodotti Di Siena. Rick
Siena?!...and a delicious Sienese salami.
Rick
This is salami?
Assaggio Della casa
Si chiamo finocchiona, un salami fatto...
Rick
Mmm! Complimenti. Siena's claim to caloric fame is panforte, a chewy local delicacy that tempts even fruitcake haters. Siena offers a delicious range of opportunities to enjoy the hearty Tuscan cuisine. Characteristic tavernas serve local dishes in a grotto-chic atmosphere -- this one under a fine old medieval vault. I love bruschetta, and my favorite is without toppings, just the olive oil and garlic. I like it as simple, because you can taste the oil.
Roberto
The olive oil. You can use your hands here.
Rick
You can use your hands?
Roberto
Yes, absolutely.
Laughs
Rick
That's nice.
Roberto
Like this.
Rick
I've ordered my pasta bis. That gives me half portions of two different pastas for the cost of one, doubling my taste treat. Mmm, oh! That's light and nice with the truffle. I like that.
Roberto
Yes, absolutely. It's a good match.
Rick
Wow. Tell me the story. And we cap our meal by descending into their ancient Etruscan wine cellar. Dating from 300 B.C. and roughly hewn by hand, this former tomb now houses the taverna's fine wine and cheese. Year 'round, it's the perfect temperature for wine and the perfect humidity for cheese. And, as a travel writer, I feel it's my solemn duty to confirm this.
It's nice. Matteo
It's perfect.
Rick
I bet the Etruscans liked this.
Matteo
Definitely!
Laughter
Rick
Across Europe, festival traditions go back centuries, and are filled with time-honored pageantry and ritual. Entire communities hurl themselves with abandon into the craziness.
There's no better example than here in Italy
Siena's Palio. Twice a year, that spirit shows itself in a five-century-old city-wide competition that culminates in a crazy horse race. Siena is divided into 17 neighborhoods, or contrade. With their mascots and flags, these have long been competitive and filled with rivalry.
Crowd singing in Italian
There's no better example than here in Italy
Each July and each August, the entire city readies itself for the big race. Its centerpiece, Il Campo, is transformed into a medieval racetrack as tons of clay are packed atop the cobbles, and bleachers are set up. Before the race, competing neighborhoods gather for communal dinners that last well into the night. There are rousing choruses with everybody cheering their contrada.
Crowd singing in Italian
There's no better example than here in Italy
For days, processions break out across the city. With waving flags and pounding drums, it all harkens back to the Middle Ages, when these rituals boosted morale before battle.
Applause
There's no better example than here in Italy
A highlight of the parade is the actual banner, or palio. This palio, featuring the Virgin Mary, (to whom the race is dedicated), will be awarded to the victorious contrada. Finally, with what seems like the entire city packed into Il Campo, it's race time. Bleachers and balcony seats are expensive, but it's free to join the masses in the middle. The snorting horses and their nervous riders line up, jockeying for the best spot. Silence takes over. Once the rope drops,
there's one basic rule
There are no rules.
Indistinct cheering
there's one basic rule
They race bareback like crazy while spectators go wild. Life stops for these frantic three laps... just 90 seconds.
Cheering continues
there's one basic rule
When the winner crosses the line, the winning contrada goes berserk. Tears of joy flow, people embrace. The winners thunder through the streets and eventually into the cathedral, filled with jubilation.
Then the winners raise their coveted palio high
Champions...until the next race. While the Palio takes Siena by storm just two days a year, the charms of the Tuscan countryside can be enjoyed all year long. The fortified farmhouses and castles of the Chianti region are reminiscent of medieval days, when this was part of the battlefield where Florence and Siena fought. Today the stony walls are peaceful, growing ever more graceful with age. Chianti, with its rugged hills and farmland, charms visitors with a slower, more rustic lifestyle. This farmer prunes his olive trees, employing a lifetime of experience to maximize the fall harvest. In his vineyard, as they do each spring, tender shoots are bursting out of their gnarly vines filled with promise. South of Chianti is a region called the Crete, where the hills are more gentle. This quintessential Tuscan landscape features clay hills -- the topsoil washed away by ages of rain and wind -- and iconic lanes of cypress trees, planted to slow that erosion. The dramatic beauty of the countryside changes with the season, and with the time of day. In the springtime the rolling fields are splashed with colorful flowers. The Tuscan terrain is dotted by rustic yet noble farmhouses. All over Europe, farms are renting rooms to travelers -- now harvesting their rural charm as well as their produce to help make ends meet. Here in Italy, farmhouse B&Bs are called agriturismos. Our agriturismo, perched on a bluff overlooking pristine farmland, is perfect for those who want to settle in and fully experience Tuscany. After enjoying a great day out, the guests gather for a convivial happy hour. Under the oak tree... enjoying the view... sharing today's experiences, and dreaming about tomorrow's -- the relaxing vibe is a vacation dream come true. It's a family business as Isabella keeps the hospitality flowing, while husband Carlo mans the barbecue. As evening falls, we gather for a cultural experience. Tonight, we're learning to make the local favorite -- a pasta called pici. Isabella is a patient and engaging teacher. It's a hands-on experience, and it's great to have a coach.
Isabella
We'll recognize that.
Laughter
Rick
The kids take part as well, as everybody's learning and having fun. Then, as if a reward for all the kneading and rolling, we sit down together and enjoy the fruits of our labor. This is good travel -- a crossroads of American and Italian cultures, eating and drinking together, while creating memories of a lifetime. With our Tuscan farmhouse as a base, there are plenty of things to experience within a short and scenic drive. This is wine country, home of the famous and much-loved Brunello Di Montalcino. And vineyards welcome guests who call ahead. We've got appointments with two wineries, a large corporate winery first, and then a smaller family-run farm. The Altesino winery is elegant and stately. It looks out over an expanse of vineyards with the hill town of Montalcino on the horizon. Guides take visitors on an informative stroll through the entire wine-making process. So, how old do the vines get?
Guide
A Sangiovese vine naturally arrives at 50, 60 years old, but there are wineries that still have the vine from a century ago.
Rick
Here, it's clear modern technology complements tradition, and after centuries of trial and error, wines are better today than ever before. Each year, 70,000 bottles of this producer's prized Brunello work their way through this exacting process. It's a labor-intensive industry, but right now, the grapes are doing all the work as they age in their oak casks. And each tour ends up in the tasting room, to help visitors appreciate why Brunello is so highly regarded. Nearby, the much smaller winery of Santa Giulia offers a more intimate visit. Taking visitors into his vineyard, Gianluca enjoys sharing the fine points of producing his Brunello wine.
Gianluca
The that we use for Brunello is called Sangiovese. Sangiovese grosso. By law, by the DOCG, Brunello Di Montalcino must be 100% Sangiovese. This is the most important difference between Brunello and other imported red wine from Tuscany. This soil is a mix of clay and sand. The characteristic of the clay is that it keeps the water, the humidity, underground. If you give water, you stimulate the root to go up to find the water. If you don't give water, you stimulate the root to go down, to go deep, to find the water. And they find minerals, too, underground. So the taste of the grapes and the taste of the wine then is different.
Rick
Producing such a fine wine requires a huge investment and lots of expertise. Surrounded by stainless-steel vats that produce 10,000 bottles a year, father and son monitor the process, carefully tasting and discussing the potential of this year's vintage.
Conversing in Italian
Rick
The aging process carries on in oak barrels. There's more tasting as the wine continues its long journey to the bottle. Seeing father, son, and grandson together amid these towering casks is a reminder that this is a rural art form passed from generation to generation. To cap our visit, Gianluca's mother is orchestrating the final touches of a delightful lunch, which of course includes homemade pasta. It's a local feast with everything farm-made here in Tuscany. The enticing array of Pecorino cheeses, prosciutto, and salami are all an ideal complement to what this family believes is the best wine in Italy. As they share their Brunello, it's clear the family appreciates the happiness their work brings to wine lovers not only here but all over the world. If anything characterizes the Tuscan lifestyle, it's a knack for taking time to savor simple quality... Here's to good wine and good family....whether it's wine, food, art, or friendships. I hope you've enjoyed our taste of Tuscany, from rich and exuberant Siena to the rustic and equally rich countryside. I'm Rick Steves. Until next time, la vita bella -- that's "life is beautiful." And keep on travelin'! Ciao. -Oh, baby.
Laughs
Rick
It's a great way to decompress after a busy day of sightseeing.
Laughs
Rick
No, okay, okay, I'll do it, I'll do it, okay. In fact, the biggest in Christendom. All Christendom. -When I die, lay me in Tuscany. -With a glass of Brunello Di Montalcino.
Laughs
Rick
Passport
Follow Us