Podere del Cutignolo - Day 10: Pitigliano, Sorano, Sovana and Porto Ercole

I woke up early – at least earlier than usual today. But Josh was already out for a ride. It was somewhat cloudy.

Pitigliano

When he returned, we decided we’d go on an outing today to visit several medieval and Etruscan towns. We drove first to Pitiglinao -- where we had been with the kids in the fall when my parents were visiting. Today, we didn’t go into the town’s center. Instead, we just admired the view from outside its walls, and used the backdrop as a photo op.

Then, we drove onward to Sorano where we took a guided tour of the castle and fortress that once belonged to the powerful Orsini-Aldobrandeschi families.

Sorano

The Rocca Degli Orsini is one of the most interesting places to visit in Sorano. The castle was originally built in the 14th century but was completely renovated later on by Niccolo IV Orsini. The castle has two large angular bastions which are connected to the main gate with a line of walls. The two bastions are known as Saint Peter's Bastion and Saint Mark's Bastions. The main gate itself is quite impressive, decorated with a coat of arms and there is a Square tower close by. Inside the walls are the remains of the complex of the castle. Many parts of the castle have now been destroyed like the draw bridge and a round tower. A series of frescoes have recently been found at the site which is believed to be from the Sienese School.

Sorano

We walked through the fortress walls where inhabitants had stored livestock, grain and cannons; and where they made their own gunpowder. Residents could remain inside the “wall” for months at a time if under siege. After the tour, we went to the town’s historical center and had a gelato break.

Our final stop was the lovely town of Sovana. The entire historical center looked as if it had been recently renovated. Nothing looked centuries old. We visited the church which dates back to the 11th century. Sovana is most well-know for it’s necropolis, located outside of the town’s historical center. Unfortunately, we were out of time so we didn’t get to visit it.

Meltdown on the lovely streets of Sovana

On the way home, we stopped at the market to pick up a few things for the kids for dinner. Selvaggia was coming over to babysit and Josh and I were going out for dinner.

This evening, Josh and I drove to Porto Ercole, where we had booked into Nobile Santi. We had had dinner here five years ago when Josh and I celebrated our anniversary at Il Pelicano, the exquisite hotel just around the corner. We remembered how good the fish dishes had been. Tonight, we ordered a tasting menu. For 40euros each we had a whole range of warm and cold appetizers, two pasta dishes, a fish for the main course, salad, desert, wine and water. It was quite a big meal and some dishes were delicious although others were just average. Had the place gone downhill since our last visit? Or, is it a mistake to order the tasting menu?

After dinner, to help with digestion, we took a stroll along the marina. Due to his early morning ride, Josh was struggling to stay awake. Still, it was a wonderful evening – I love Porto Ercole.