Biking in the Siena countryside and Abbey of San Galgano, Italy | Dog Travel Italy

November 9, 2016June 19, 20176 Comments

As we settled into spending a few days in the Tuscan countryside after leaving Florence we found we weren’t short of fun dog friendly activities. Knowing that one of our days would be spent exploring the Siena countryside on Vespas with our dog Tikka with us we sought out an easy adventure to get her used to being carried in her new backpack.

We took a couple bikes out from our hotel (check back for an upcoming review) and traveled up the road a few miles to explore the surroundings and only 15 minutes into our trip we stopped at the incredible Abbey of San Galgano.

Once you turn off the main road, you are welcomed by an incredible row of cypress tress, leading you to the Abbey. It’s a fantastic spot for a leisurely picnic with your dog as it has everything: Open fields for having a good run around, gorgeous views, lots of quiet places to set up lunch, and a bit of history that you can absorb at your own pace with your dog right beside you.

Exploring the countryside in Siena, Italy

The Abbey of Saint Galgano is nestled between the towns of Chiusdino and Monticiano, in the Siena province of Tuscany. It’s a beautiful Gothic structure built in the 13th century by the Cistercian Monks. The roof has long disappeared due to a history of looting and corruption (removing the lead supports to sell off) but this gives it a unique, open air quality to the structure as the sky opens above you when you stand in the middle of the Abbey looking upwards.

Located at the same spot, just up a little hill is the unusual round chapel Rotanda di Montesiepi and the tomb of Saint Galgano that form the Hermitage of Monte Siepi. It’s only a 10 minute walk up a wooded path and worth the visit to see the ‘real’ sword of the stone that some debate started the famous King Arthur legend. The sword is said to have been thrust into the stone on the day that Galgano retired from serving as a Knight and embraced a peaceful hermit’s life until his death in 1181.

Rotanda di Montesiepi

Tikka did well with her first backpack ride as she quickly settled into watching the world go by as the humans had to use their legs. We were confident that she was ready for her Vespa adventure (photos and info on our day out with scooters coming in another week).

The easy way to travel

If you are in the Siena area of Italy (35km South West from Siena to The Abbey of San Galgano) and looking for an afternoon or a few hours to spend in the countryside with your dog we can give a big paws up to coming to this historic site. For more info and directions visit the San Galgano page at Discover Tuscany.

Looking for more info on Traveling around Italy with your dog? Here are some of our recent posts in our series:

–Dog friendly Florence.

–Visiting a winery in Chianti with your dog.

–A Doggy Day at the Beach, San Vincenzo

–Paperwork for taking your dog to the EU.

Amazing dog friendly wine tour in Chianti | Dog Travel Italy

November 3, 2016June 19, 201711 Comments

“I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.”
~ W.C. Fields

A trip to Italy wouldn’t be complete without a classic stop to visit a winery and have a long, slow meal in the Tuscan countryside. All made that much better by having our dog join us.

Tikka hanging in the vineyard in Greve in Chianti, Italy

With our new city love Florence, Italy fading behind us, *sniff, we headed for our lunch date and tour of a beautiful winery in Tuscany. We left a bit early so that we could take our time driving through the country to get to the Grieve area of Chianti by 12pm. It’s under a one hour drive but we were glad we took the extra time as leaving Florence took some navigation skills to get onto the ring road and there were a couple wrong turns before we were solidly on our way. When you leave enough time, these ‘turns’ become mini adventures and without the stress of time you can enjoy the additional ramble through a newly found street.

The concierge’s suggestion to head to Greti along the A222 gets a big thumb’s up. This is what a road trip with your dog in Italy is all about. It’s a very scenic and pretty drive, through small villages and over hills with expansive views of vineyard after vineyard. Tuscany at it’s finest.

Castello di Verrazzano

In just under an hour we were on the dirt road that takes you up to Castello di Verrazzano (The Castle of Verrazzano) to start our tour and sample their libations.We drove in as they were harvesting the grapes along the road and we felt like a travel brochure was coming to life through our car windows. What an amazing estate… picturesque in every way, from buildings to landscape to the Tuscan sun shining above it.

View overlooking the estate of Verrazzano

The castle is in the heart of the Chianti Classico region and is steeped in history. It was originally a Roman settlement, and is mentioned in a year 1150 manuscript for it’s 52 hectares of magnificent vineyards.

Grapes drying inside for sweet dessert wine.

The Verrazzano family took over the property in the 7th century. Their family’s claim to fame is Giovanni da Verrazzano, an explorer who was born here in 1485 and later sailed off to discover the bay of New York along with other parts of the East Coast of the US.

It changed hands a few times and “in 1958 the Cappellini family took over the Castle on the road of decadence and brought it back it to its former glory by restoring the villa and rebuilding the agricultural tissue and the vineyards, according to an ancient model, respecting the historical and architectonic features of the place. Cavalier Cappellini understood since the beginning the importance of the history and the beauty of the Chianti area for a better promotion of farming productions. He laid the foundations for that awareness that inspired the institution of the Agritourism practice.”.

Dog on tour! Exploring the buildings and of the ancient cellars of the castle.

Tikka says “Enough history, on with the tour!” We headed out with our small group to explore the expansive gardens and ponds, buildings, ancient cellars and vineyards of the estate.

In the gardens surrounding the private home of the Cappellini family

A new garden to claim

They welcomed Tikka into the tour and only asked that we pick her up when we were down in the cellars. She was as keen to explore the property as much as we were as I’m sure it was full of great smells, especially the salami curing along the rafters.

Facade of one of the many restored buildings

The guide was friendly and was full of interesting information on the the wine making process, taking us through each step, showing us the grapes and the amazing wooden barrels that make a Chianti wine so special. Verrazzano also produces olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar and other products and it was neat to see everything in various stages of completion.

Balsamic Vinegar

Wine Cellar

The tour ended at a huge tasting room for a beautiful wine pairing lunch. Plates came out with local salamis and ham, pasta, sausages, pork loin and salad, all balanced with their amazing range of Verrazzano wines. Although full, we squeezed in room for a taste of pecorino cheese drizzled with their incredible “Balsamico Verrazzano”. This is an aged balsamic vinegar that is as sweet as syrup that could be used as a topping for ice cream. No joke.

..to table

..to under the table

Tikka appreciated the afternoon nap next to us while we had lunch, and we appreciated that they accommodated her any way they could. Well, to a point. I’m sure she would have loved to hang out in the kitchen drooling while the pork loin was sizzling on the grill.

After stuffing ourselves stupid we had a little walk by the vineyard and took some pics around the property before heading off to our hotel in the Siena region of Tuscany, our next stop for a few days.

View across the hill to the neighbouring winery

Drunk from the Tuscan sunshine, not the wine tasting 🙂

Last photo op before we head on down the road..

The afternoon was divine and all dog friendly – Castello di Verrazzano is a perfect mid way stop if you are going from Florence to Siena with your dog along for the ride.

Lots of different wineries open their doors to dogs, so don’t hesitate to bring your furry friend for a fun day out at a vineyard, just call ahead if you want to double check if they are allowed. Here is another great post from Bosco Abroad and their visit to a winery in the Piemonte area.

*This is part of a series of travelling around Italy with your dog. Check out our stay in Florence!

Dog Friendly Florence – Part2 | Dog Travel Italy

October 25, 2016June 19, 20178 Comments

Following up from our first few days in Florence (part 1 here), the second half of our stay took us to a few different parks while we explored the Mercato Centrale, Oltrarno and Santo Spirito.

Our mornings continued with an early walk – easy to do when you are awake with jet lag. Coming from the lush rain forest of Vancouver, Tikka was perplexed with the lack of available grass and often gave us a look of ‘you expect me to pee on the street like an animal…?’ A male dog would have jumped right into marking the buildings and spots where dogs came before him but it took Tikka a bit of time and a full morning bladder to finally go with the flow like her Italian counterparts. There are some lovely dog friendly parks in Florence, but not necessarily outside your hotel when you are staying in the thick of the old city and need a pee.

Looking over Florence and deciding where to go next.

Our ‘go to’ place just 5 min from our hotel was the grass in front of the Santa Maria Novella Train Station. It’s not too glamorous and was a busy area, but it was nicely maintained and everyone is really good about picking up dog poop. It was also a block from the more eye pleasing view of Basilica di Santa Maria Novella, famous for it’s decorative frescoes.

We also visited Piazza della Indipendenza in the San Lorenzo area, which has some nice open areas and a bit of grass and we had a lovely chat with a local lady while Tikka ‘conversed’ with her Dachshunds. This was the first time we were asked the reoccurring question throughout our trip in Italy. ‘Femmina o Maschio?’ Dog park conversations always begins here and I gather it’s from the amount of intact dogs, male and female. No matter the city, this was the icebreaker to chatting with a local on the street or in the park.

A good romp in the park left us with rumbly stomachs so a stop for lunch at the Mercato Centrale close by was a no brainer. This is an amazing dog friendly indoor market with vendors selling everything from apples to zabaglione on the bottom floor during the day and whole top floor is alive with little restaurants serving amazing food well into the evening. Tikka approved as it was a feast for her little eyes being close up and personal to the huge Florentine steaks and freshly caught fish.

Checking out the goods at Mercato Centrale

And one of those for dessert. Make it two.

You can stop for quick street food or sit down for a longer lunch. We settled on a huge array of salami and cheese, Tikka eyeing the goods across the aisle from under our table. Lunch conversation was all about how incredible it would be if our markets back home in Vancouver were as accessible for dogs. One can hope…

Tikka ever hopeful for something to come her way at lunch

Another fun walk took us along the river, west of the Ponte Amerigo Vespucci. Upper part was a long peaceful path with quite a few dogs casually strolling along with their humans and on the way back we dropped to the bottom part to walk closer to the river. Not as tidy, but a good off leash area.

This side of the river, Oltrarno, is much less crowded, but a must for exploring. We took some time to check out the Santo Spirito area and stopped for drinks in Piazza Santo Spirito under the shadow of the Basilica of the same name. This area was highlighted in a great post from A Girl In Florence and we were glad we took the advice to visit. It is very much a local, artisan area with cheaper drinks and eats and more laid back than the squares around the larger tourist areas. Perfect for a dog to settle in for an afternoon snooze away from the crowds.

Ready for a pillow in Piazza Santo Spirito

On our last morning in Florence we headed out for a good walk in the Santa Croce district before hitting the road. We stumbled across Giardino Alessandro Chelazzi, a cute neighbourhood dog park just a couple blocks south of Piazza dei Ciompi. Not a lot of grass, but a decent size, fenced, shady, and a really fun group of regulars. Very well maintained and there was even a modern statue to honour the canines that frequent this park. Lots of antique shops in the area, so spending a day window shopping in the area wouldn’t be hard to do.

Respect in a dog’s world. Statue at Giardino Alessandro Chelazzi.

After a decent visit with Tikka’s new friends we wound through the streets to the river and came to Parco Vita, a big green park with lots of shade next to the Ponte Niccolo bridge, right beside the water. A great place to have a really good tear around in the grass and some great views of the Arno River.

Posing along the Arno River in front of the Tower of San Niccolo.

View down the Arno River from Parco Vita.

Energy depleted and ready for a nap in the car, we headed out of Florence late morning for our lunch date with a winery in Chianti. Wine tasting, full lunch, tour, all with Tikka right there with us… check out our amazing visit to Castello di Verrazzano.

Visiting Florence with your Dog- Part1 | Dog Travel Italy

October 21, 2016June 19, 201723 Comments

Ah Florence!

I’m on vacation!

Our first city adventure with Tikka in Italy finally arrived as we rolled into this beautiful Tuscan city late in the afternoon on a warm September Day. Tikka, passed out in the back of the car, was again of no help with navigation so we found ourselves doing a few loops around the old city before zoning in on the exact street that took us to our hotel. Confession: we did have an ‘oh, crap… we are going down a one way street the wrong way’ moment. Glad we got that out of the way early on in our vacation, we knew we’d do it at least once!

After a quick check in at the hotel, we unloaded our bags and we were off with Tikka by our side to get our bearings before the sun went down. Florence is everything people write about in poetry, paint in pictures and sing songs about. Gorgeous, inspiring and welcoming… even for dogs.

View of the Arno River and Oltrarno district at Sunset

Our first night took us down to the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) for a fantastic view of the setting sun. With it being our first night around any major tourist attractions, we were surprised at just how crowded the streets were for late September. Quick note to selves that our city walks would be best early in the day to beat the masses and this plan paid off our entire trip. By going out early we not only had the city and views to ourselves we also saw the buildings and landscapes in the fresh warm glow of sunrise.

Look closely to find Tikka and her Dad on Ponte Vecchio

And that’s just what we did on our first morning. Up at 7am to walk Tikka across the Arno River and climbed the stairs to Piazzale Michelangelo (Michelangelo Square) for the view of all views over Florence. Tikka enjoyed the early 45 min blood pumping walk after all the driving the day before and seemingly enjoyed the panoramic view as much as we did.

This is what early mornings are all about, just look at that view!

Sunrise at Piazzale Michelangelo

On the walk back we made a typical Italian breakfast stop at the bottom of the hill, close to the river at Cafe Rifrullo. We could get used to this! Fresh flaky pastries and top notch espresso to get our day going, all while our dog could have a quick nap beside us. The best part was watching all the locals with their dogs come and go – clearly Italian baristas are the bartenders of the morning, getting to know their regulars with quick chats as they came and went.

Our favourite little dog friendly cafe in Florence

We made our way back through the Florentine streets to our hotel, stopping along the way to wonder at the numerous statues at Loggia dei Lanzi and the elaborate designs of the Florence Duomo. Crowds were still light so navigating the streets was easy with Tikka on the end of the leash.

After chilling for a few hours in our room we ventured out again for a meal at Fishing Lab Alle Murate with Tikka under our table. Yum! Highly recommend the Sea Bream and Tuna appetizers..Incredible!

Late afternoon and a lot of walking later, we decided to leave Tikka at the hotel and walk up the 400+ steps of the Palazzo Vecchio to take in the vista and explore the battlements and prison cells of the tower. Arriving late in the day there was zero line up and the light was beautiful over the rooftops. This was one type of place where dogs weren’t allowed, a lot of museums won’t let dogs in. She wasn’t complaining…all the walking and new sights, sounds and smells left her completely crashed out in the room.

Let’s get climbing

View from the tower of Palazzo Vecchio

We finished out our busy day with an amazing dinner at a little restaurant called Trattoria Sostanza. We made a reservation ahead of time and let them know a dog would be in tow which was no problem. When we arrived, they couldn’t have been more accommodating or dog friendly. We were at a table where she could lay out of the way of any waiter’s feet and there was already a full water bowl ready for our arrival. It was just an introduction to how dog friendly the rest of our trip was going to be!

Read the second part of our visit to Florence with our dog where we visit parks, explore Oltrarno and check out the Mercato Centrale.

This post is part of the Vandoggo series of traveling around Italy with your dog.

Driving with your dog to Florence | Dog Travel Italy

October 11, 2016June 19, 20174 Comments

“Not all those who wander are lost.”

~ J.R.R. Tolkien

Dogs really understand the art of wandering. It has much more depth than being lost, and we took this onboard when we found ourselves off the main road in search of some lunch on the trip from Mieders, Austria to Florence, Italy. With stomachs grumbling, we quickly tried to find parking at the first place we saw after venturing off the Autostrade (Highway). The small pizzeria looked nice enough and would certainly fill a hunger hole, but just as we went to back the car into what was seemingly the last spot in the entire town, a car zipped in behind us and left us searching once more.

Sigh, back onto the road to keep looking.

A small sign saying ‘Agrotourism’ and pictures of cows popped up as we went a few more miles down the road. Thinking it was probably a small cheese making farm, it may have some snacks to keep us going. Then the adventure began as we kept seeing the sign but seemingly didn’t get any closer to it. Just when we thought we must have missed a turn the sign would pop again. And then a turn off to a dirt road that became steeper and rougher had us thinking, this can’t be right, time to turn back. We were even off of the GPS map…

As we were navigating a three point turn, we noticed a small handpainted sign way up the hill and a farmhouse. Ok, one last try, let’s check it out.

And then the wonder of travel unveiled a present right before us. The road opened up to a beautiful property with fields and an old farmhouse. We spotted a couple of cars and motorbikes and began to think we were onto something special. It was. The agrotourism initiative, as it is defined most broadly, involves any agriculturally based operation or activity that brings visitors to a farm or ranch and we had stumbled on a wonderful example with Il Passeggere.

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Converted stone buildings at Il Passeggere

We took Tikka out for sniff and a pee and wondered if we’d be able to get a small bite. The main stone building is a huge restaurant with gorgeous big windows through which you can gaze over the farm while stuffing your belly. A quick reply from the server ‘yes, of course you can bring your dog inside’ and we were soon sitting by those very windows with much more than a small bite in front of us.

It was a Sunday that we came across Il Passeggere just in time for a typical, slow Italian Sunday lunch. No menus, just a small chalkboard with a short list of items which we soon discovered was a seven course set meal (charcuterie, soup, pasta, vegetables, meat, dessert and coffee with biscotti). And wine was included for under 30 Euros each. We made out a few words but most of the meal was a surprise and it couldn’t have been nicer. A perfect introduction to eating in Itay.

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Hello little black donkey from Canada…

After our long lunch with Tikka patiently waiting under the table we went outside to explore and visit the donkeys, throw the ball in an open field and have a short nap in the grass. What a lovely day, all made possible by someone that took our parking spot and left us to wander the countryside.

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Tikka makes some new friends in Italy.

If you are traveling with your dog in this region, Il Passeggere makes for a wonderful stop to refuel along your journey, or as a visit from Florence to have a great meal and explore the paths and hills with your dog.