When you visit Tuscany you immediately think of Florence, Siena, Lucca which are the famous ones.
Do you know that in the heart of the Pisan hills lies an ancient jewel called Volterra, with its splendid territory is probably the most diverse place in Tuscany. Here history has left its mark with continuity from the Etruscan period until the nineteenth century, with artistic and monumental remains of great importance, which can be admired simply walking through the streets of the old town. Only a few cities in the world, like Volterra, are able to offer a clear image of the past and the succession of civilizations.
The descriptions of Volterra, offered by the literature shows a city set on a hill, surrounded by walls, overlooking a vast territory: infact, from whatever side you approach the city, the profile of Volterra, situated on a hilly spur of the Pliocene period, dominates the surrounding territory bordered by the massif of Montevaso, by cordons of Cornocchi and the Metalliferous Hills. The privileged position of the hill, situated at the confluence of the Val di Cecina and Val d’Era, provides the natural defensibility of the place as well as the environmental characteristics and mineral resources in the area, favors since the Neolithic period: the first human settlements. The city is famous for the extraction and processing of alabaster, a mineral resembling marble, it retains a remarkable historical center of Etruscan origin, with Roman ruins and medieval buildings.
If you want to discover this pure and pristine jewel in the heart of Tuscany you will have one of the best local Foody host, Eloisa waiting for you with her “Volterra Experience”. Because the truth is that exploring a place through the eyes and the palate of locals is really priceless!
If you do not have a car the easiest way is to arrive at Pontedera train station where Eloisa will be waiting for you with her blue Fiat 500 and her warm smile. From there it heads towards Volterra and as Eloisa is a lover of music and a professional singer has planned a little detour to the famous Theatre of Silence by Andrea Bocelli that will literally take your breath away.
With enthusiasm continuing on your way to the hills of Pisa, you will arrive in the famous Volterra that will welcome you with its majestic wall which lead to the old town. Eloisa will take you by the hands and she will show you through her eyes the main points of the town like: the Cathedral, the Palazzo of Priori and the fabulous Roman Theatre also called the “Colosseum of Volterra” (see the picture above).
After this walk through the city, it is now the time to give space to the taste and satisfy your taste buds. Moving a few minutes from the city beyond the hills at Podere Campaini, for a food and wine tasting of tuscan olive oil and onion jam, directly produced by the owner of the estate, with the addition of different varieties of local cheeses and the inevitable bruschetta. Once with a full stomach you can relax inside the estate.
The experience is coming to an end and Eloisa will bring you back to the train station. But this is not a goodbye but a see you soon because from that moment you will know that you have found not only a host you selected on a platform but a new friend, your local friend from the place you visited, who is called Foody.
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