Sunday, Oct 16 2011 – Sant Anna Monastery, eat breakfast then drive to San Gimignano, Italy and then to Siena, Italy

Breakfast at the Sant Anna Monastery,then drive to San Gimignano, Italy where they have the 8 towers and then to the medieval hill town of Siena, Italy.  Lunch in the Piazza el Campo, see the Torre de Mangia and then the Olive Harvesting back at the Monastery

 

Our rooms were in the 2 smaller building in the lower left. 

Agriturismo Sant'Anna in Camprena - The 17th century monastery converted into a farmhouse in Sant 'Anna in Camprena is a fascinating place located in the Tuscan hills away from major tourist routes.

Conference Room at the Monastery is the form dining area for the Monks.

 

Nick, Judy and Edward at breakfast in the Monastery.

Nick and Judy  at dinner in the Monastery

 

Elaine, Edward, Nick and Judy at dinner in the Monastery.

Courtyard entrance

Frescos on the walls

Hallway to dining room

  Dining Room

Door to Monastery

  Gardens

The place is very beautiful, so exceptional in its ambience, the atmosphere of the place is very special, you can still feel the presence of the monks and imagine tracing their footsteps on the worn stones. Yet they have long abandoned the premises.

Gimignano, Italy

After breakfast we drive to San Gimignano, Italy – 8 towers and a medieval hill town

   Steep streets going up to the top of the city.

 

Church located near the top.

Elaine at the town well.

Edward and Elaine at the town well.

Some of the towers.

 

More towers at the plaza

     

Beautiful large plaza at the top of the hill town.

  

The plaza at San Gimignano, Italy

Judy and Nick having lunch.

    

San Gimignano, Italy – everyone having lunch

A great soup for lunch.

     

Elaine at the fountain in San Gimignano, Italy

  Gargoyles on the walls of buildings.

After lunch we drove to Siena, Italy.

     Church in Siena, Italy has wonderful colors and design

    

  

The stained glass is so beautiful.

 

  

Below:  After we returned to the Monastery they were harvesting the olives on the grounds to make olive oil.  They shake the limbs to get the olives to fall on the drop cloths.