Love Among the Sunflowers

This would be the year we would celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary in one of the most romantic places we could imagine: Tuscany. We had always wanted to travel to Italy, and we decided to make our dream a reality. Our son and his wife were married on July 12th last year, and our daughter-in-law was celebrating her birthday on the 17th. Thinking about starting a family, they felt that taking a trip of a lifetime before children came along was an opportunity that was impossible to pass up. So what started as an adventure for two became a trip for four. We didn’t want to take a tour like so many others do. We wanted to learn about the places and people on our own, and stay where we wanted and travel where and when we wanted. Thus, the adventure planning began as we poured over guide books, watched countless Italy travel videos, and narrowed our search to an area near Cortona.

Subsequently, our villa search expanded to accommodate two couples. We decided that our home base would be just outside of the town of Cortona, in nearby Creti. We found the most perfect place to call home for a short time: the Villa Rosa dei Venti.

We could not have asked for a more beautiful villa to share, nor could we have asked for better innkeepers, Barbara and Stefano. At the Villa, we learned to prepare an authentic Tuscan meal which we later shared with their family. The villa’s grounds were amazing, and the endless fields of brilliant sunflowers formed the perfect backdrop for poolside relaxation. We thoroughly enjoyed leisurely strolls among the perfectly manicured grounds, past countless rows of grapevines and olive trees, and along the surrounding roads. Soon our minds were devoid from the stress of our very challenging jobs back home.
With the help of innkeepers, our rented Fiat, and a GPS, we visited so many wonderful places such as Assisi, Montepulciano, Orvieto, and Siena. Each town had something special to offer, from the tombs of patron saints, to family-owned wineries, to beautifully handcrafted ceramics and linens.
We immersed ourselves in the Italian culture, and met so many wonderful and interesting people. As we meandered through many of the less-traveled streets in small towns that other tourists didn’t even seem to know about, we talked with small shopkeepers, sampled local specialty foods, learned Italian words and phrases to help break the language barrier we sometimes encountered, and just enjoyed the company of some of the most warm and hospitable people we have ever encountered.

When we weren’t preparing Tuscan-inspired recipes at home in our villa, we dined in some of the best and most romantic restaurants imaginable. For our son and daughter-in-law’s first anniversary, Barbara arranged for a taxi to take them to Cortona for a candlelit dinner, where they were serenaded and treated like royalty. On another evening the four of us celebrated our daughter-in-law’s birthday at an amazing farmhouse restaurant, where we dined al fresco. Later in the week, we all enjoyed returning to the restaurant of our son’s anniversary celebration. The owner remembered them, and he was especially pleased that they had returned and had brought us as well. Being in Tuscany afforded us the opportunity to enjoy slow food dining.. We never felt rushed; instead we were encouraged to just sit, relax and enjoy - something that is very rare back in the U.S.

The hill towns took on a whole different personality in the evening, as the sun went down and the musicians entertained in the lantern adorned town squares. Participating in a passeggiata, also known as the after-dinner stroll, made us feel like we truly belonged. We were not just tourists – we were part of the Italian experience.

We have traveled to many places, but we had never been to Italy before. This was by far the most culturally interesting and most beautiful area we have ever visited. We made new friends, developed an appreciation for Tuscan life, and we count the months until we can return once more. For now, we have a lifetime of amazing memories and photographs – and hopefully an Italian-inspired grandchild in the near future.