It was like a dream come true for our family to have 3 full days in the Tuscany region of Italy this past week. After an 8 hr. drive south we ended up at Case Cares, a Christian center and guesthouse (photo 1). This is a renovated (... renovation in progress) 16th C. villa that still produces olive oil from the surrounding olive grove.
From here we were only a 40 min. train ride to the center of Florence (photo 2-6). We spent the afternoon walking the streets and photographing everything in sight. Perhaps next time(?) we will be able to see the inside of some of the churches and art galleries full of the world's greatest art treasures and breathtaking architecture. I've never been in a city like Florence with so much to photograph at every corner and down every alley.
We spent day #2 swimming at the sea and throughout our stay in Italy we were always on the lookout for a good Italian gelato (icecream) whenever possible (photo 7).
We did find two churches in the countryside that did not require a pricey entrance fee like in Florence. I've included a photo of a nearby abbey (for nuns) tucked away in the mountains (photo 8). You could spend a lifetime in Tuscany and only begin to see the amazing beauty of the region.
Some of the most memorable parts of our holiday were the restful times spent chatting, eating and playing games as a family when we weren't in "sightseeing mode".
Hope you enjoy these samplings of the sights we saw.
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