Next up ... Traveling with friends to Tuscany
|
|
While Brian and I love traveling together, we've thought for a while it would be fun to bring along some friends. But who? Not everyone shares our passion (ok, obsession) for travel. We began planning this trip early in the spring of 2005, about 2 weeks after returning from Eastern Europe. Not quite sure where we'd end up (Slovenia is close, and Croatia is below that) we booked our tickets into Venice March 10 2006 and out of Rome March 23. Not nearly long enough, but that's my entire vacation allotment for 2006. Earn and burn, I say, earn and burn. ;-)
Anyway. We eventually agreed on spending a week in one place - a new concept for us. And where
better than Tuscany? Night after night I pored over Tuscan villa rental websites.
I finally found one that matched what I think of when I think of
Tuscany - Villa Torre a Cona.
"The villa Torre a Cona is an imposing villa with a tower, one of the most sumptuous residences in Tuscany. It is located in a farm estate set well back from a country road only eight miles to the south east of Florence in the Chianti hills. "
We'll be staying in an apartment in one of the villas on the property. With a dining room to seat 20, a hige kitche nand a fireplace, we hope to spend soem evening with Brian's Italian cooking, some Chianti and a good fire. Who knows, with that much space, maybe we'll invite the neighbors?
We booked the villa one Saturday morning, and headed to some friends' wedding that night in Cincinnati. "Wouldn't it be fun if Holly and Chas came with us?" I asked Brian on the drive over. He thought it would be great, but didn't entertain the thought for a moment that they may actually agree.
When I got five minutes with my lovely friend the bride that evening, I
planted the seed. "Brian and I are spending a week in Tuscany in March, in
between a few days in Venice and Rome. We've already booked the villa
- you guys should come!" Holly seemed intrigued, but naturally had other
things on her mind - like her fabulous wedding reception taking place
around us.
A week later they were really considering it, and by the following week, their flights were booked! I don't know who's most excited 0 us for our 7th trip to be accompanied by friends, or them for their first European adventure. We're meeting in JFK and they're flying to Venice with us in the row behind us. I hope we can get some sleep!
We'll spend two nights in an apartment inVenice - I can't wait for my friends' first sight of Venice - of Europe, for that matter! Then we'll pick up a rental car and Brian will drive us to our villa outside Florence. The whole week is open to explore Tuscan as we like. Then it's on to Rome by train where we'll have one day before our friends depart, and two days for Brian and I to experience some of Rome that we missed in 01.