Siena and Montalcino

So after Mel's visit to Rome she was going to Siena and somehow managed to persuade me and Liv to go as well. I was missing university at the end of the week anyway to visit France so i decided that i may as well take the whole week off - it was only the second week of term to. So Monday morning we left for Siena. We very nearly ended up in Florence however as we did not realise we had to change trains! We were lucky that a nice women told us otherwise it would have been another night in Florence. I suppose there are worst places to end up. When we arrived we found a cafe with Wifi and booked some accommodation. I loved Siena so much, it is small but it is a very relaxed city and obviously so beautiful as well.

Piazza del Campo

Piazza del Campo

Il Duomo 

Il Duomo

Il Duomo 

On the Tuesday we took a coach to Montalcino. The journey was about an hour although it should have been about 2 but the driver was going so fast! Poor Liv and Mel got travel sickness. But we arrived in one piece and the hotel we booked was so lovely. We walked up to this viewing point but the weather was so cold.

So we ended up having a free wine tasting! We were just wandering around and a man that owned the vineyard offered us a tour of his holiday house and the winery. He didn't speak English so it was great practise for our italian and the wine was the nicest I have tasted by far - so nice we bought 3 bottles.

Montalcino at night

Coffee with a view 

So then it was back to Siena. We managed to leave our bags at a restaurant which was great as it meant we could go and visit the rest of the city before we left. We went up to fort and again another beautiful sunset

La Fortezza at dusk 

Mel's visit to Rome - Rome and Tivoli

So two weeks ago my friend Mel, who i met last year in Corfu, was in Rome. It was lovely to have catchup and to be a tourist again. On the Friday we visited a little town outside of Rome called Tivoli which had the most stunning views!  There are two gardens to visit there but as it took us so long to find them (italian sign posts) we only managed to get into one.

Villa Gregoriana- this park was actually shut but Mel used her ' i'm australian and i'm going back tomorrow- so this is my last chance to see it' - and it worked! The man also gave us a guided tour. In Villa Gregoriana there is a huge waterfall which is the second largest in Italy - unfortunately my photos of the waterfall did not come out great.

A beautiful sunset 

On the Saturday we visited the Vatican. This time we did the Basilica and the tower. The Vatican is always so busy and we had a queue a very long time but the views from the top were worth it

Tourists at the Vatican 

View from the top 

Today, unfortunately the weather was horrendous and it was the one day that me and Liv planned to do something. Oh well, i think Rome in the rain makes beautiful photos. I went to Piazza del Popolo and then walked from there to Pincio which has a viewing point, and then on to Piazza di Spagna. 

Piazza del Popolo 

Piazza del Popolo

St Peter's Basilica 

Piazza del Popolo