An evocation of times past in Tuscany Back to News

These words from Edward Allhusen, following an adventure through the hills of Southern Tuscany, were just too good to keep to ourselves:

“A very, very well planned wander through the vine clad, rolling hills and ancient, fortified hill top towns of Tuscany where steep narrow alleys often resort to time worn steps and corners that had not anticipated the arrival of motor cars 500 years later. We quite expected to meet a fourteenth century merchant clad in dark robes with fur collar hurrying to deliver an order for marble required by Michelangelo or more wine for yet another Medici banquet. Surely Dante rested beneath this gnarled oak, quill in hand, as he pondered on his next work of genius.

“Many of the excellent choice of hotels and hostelries that On Foot holidays had researched on our behalf seemed unperturbed by the triviality of modern times, confident that their ancient walls would out-see the present era. Their comfort and local fare perfectly enhanced the surroundings giving plentiful succour to tired limbs.

“For those not wishing to think too much, or indeed at all, about admin matters when on holiday, preferring to enjoy the ancient landscape and ponder on the thought that Sandro Botticelli once walked this route as he headed to Florence to receive his next commission, or maybe Caravaggio fled along the woodland track pursued by those more interested in his violent deeds than his mastery of chiaroscuro?

“Help is at hand! Stepping away from the mists of bygone ages we were hugely impressed by the technology provided by On Foot. Having done many of these holidays we know that the paperwork can often detract. Once we had reams of maps and instructions held in ungainly wallets that required constant reference to remember where we are, had we yet passed the cross roads at point 26.3? Constant debate with fellow travellers about whether that is the village we need or is it another. No longer! Now all is held within the ubiquitous phone. A polite ‘ping’ alerts us to pay attention for a moment. An amusingly reproacful ‘pong’ if we dared to wander 50 yards from the route. And much else besides. Snippets of history, geography, local customs, recommendations for aperitifs and dinner. All in the palm of your hand delivered from above. Galileo, master of celestial movement, would have loved it. I am sure he smiled when we stood beside his tomb.”

Photo by Tony Ward