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Terme Excelsior

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3 travelers at this place:

  • SeeJayTaste of Tuscany Sept 2017
    Day5

    Sienna & San Gimignano Sept 11

     September 11, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Breakfast & then on the bus at 8:30am. We had an Italian guide name Margarita when we got to Siena . Toured the basilica Caterinia., the beautiful ornate church of sienna and then to the central arena of where the Palio happens twice a year. A huge courtyard with shops and restaurants around. We stopped and had aperol spritz and pizza ristuca( prosciutto & arugula! Perfetto! . Continued onto San Gimignano . The countryside was lovely. So picturesque! Walked up to the towers, shopped along the way . So many ceramic shops! Returned to hotel at 7:15pm. Dinner at the hotel with the group at 8. So fun. Wonderful meal. Celery and zucchini cream zuppa, pasta with a pesto red sauce, then a wonderful sea bass with potato soufle, semifreddo dessert. Back to the room by 10.Read more

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  • SeeJayTaste of Tuscany Sept 2017
    Day7

    Montecatini Alto Sept 13

     September 13, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Slept in a little bit. 16 of our group went to Florence today. Went down for a nice breakfast and then walked into town looking for a spa so we could enjoy a massage or some kind of treatment. The place we went into had nothing available, appointments are necessary. We tried the big one "The Excelsior " they also were unavailable. So we continued to walk through the park area to find the Funicular. A 25 seat train/Wagon on an uphill track that takes you up to Montecatini Alto. Small cobble stoned streets and a darling village with lots of small shops and a lovely little piazza. We sat to have lunch. Cristi had a spritz and a piedina which was pretty pathetic.. a flour tortilla with one slice prosciutto and lots of lettuce. We shared a mixed salad I had a glass of white vino and a lovely plate of caccia & Pepe pasta. White cream sauce over capellini, perfetto! Took the funicular back down the hill , walked through the park to the hotel. Showered, washed the hair, relaxed a bit. And then went out for a pretty long walk along the Main Street with several upscale shops . it's a busy little town with primarily a younger scene. Stopped and had a espresso. Checked out the Columbia House Spa for availability etc. we ended up sitting in some wonderfully comfortable outdoor furniture on the patio at Syrah wine bar, Terri Maninna had recommended. We both had spritz', in fact we shared a third one ! They had a self serve appetizer table. Kind of a weird combination of food. Three puréed dips with sliced baguettes around each. The brown one that looked like baby poo she says was 'meat' ! Not so good. The yellow tan one looked like hummus, wasn't! She says it's potato, real bland. The gray one was ripe olive, yay! Like a tapenade. There were a couple of family style plates of Farro salad, couscous, rice with green olives. Some orange purée was some sort of veggie, maybe carrot, or root of some kind. Marg and Glenn walked by , so we joined them to take a walk to find dinner. We ended up at a place down a little alley way, only two other people there when we arrived. We shared a salad . Cristi had a Margherita pizza, I had gnocchi with pistachio cream sauce, it was very good. Took a leisurely walk back to hotel.Read more

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  • SeeJayTaste of Tuscany Sept 2017
    Day9

    Cinque Terre September 15

     September 15, 2017 in Italy ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    Friday September 15
    Early wake up 6:15am. Breakfast and in the bus by 7:45am. Through Lucca , spotted a few hot air balloons along the way, and then along the coast. We leave Chianti and enter Liguria region. Known for focaccia, seafood and pesto. La Spezia is where we pick up our local guide Gianluca. Our first is Manarola , curvy tiny streets with lovely colorful hillside homes along the way. We then take the local train along the beautiful waters , only 2 minutes , to Riomaggiore. Another quaint little town with shops and restaurants all over. We stopped and had some wonderful olive focaccia and excellent mixed calamari! Deliciosa! Back on the train to Monterosso. Walked along the water to the center of town. Adorable streets lined with cafes and shops galore. We stopped at a place to Aperol spritz. No ice! Cristi enjoyed hers and finished mine for a change! Cristi had a beautiful caprese salad. We shopped around the quaint little shops. Got a few things. Got a gelato and limon granita and continued walking. I waited to have accughe (anchovies)gamberi (shrimp)& calamari fritto! Finally found it at the entrance of the train station! Back on the train to La Spezia, not a very pretty town. We said good bye to Gianluca. Riccardo, our bus driver was there for us. An hour and a half drive back to hotel. Up to the room to freshen up. Had a drink in the lobby bar with a few if the group. Met up with Glenn and Marg to walk to our Bistro del Corso with our umbrellas. Just a light rain. We had 8o'clock reservations, the lady told us 5-10 minutes, we sat outside under the awning. She brought us Prosecco and wonderful flat bread , on the house! We were seated at 8:45. Very slow service, but good food. Marg ordered the penne with prosciutto & zucchini, Glenn had a spicy salami pizza, aka pepperoni, Cristi & I shared a salad & ravioli with butter and sage. Family run restaurant! The Nonnie was in the kitchen working hard, the young son greeted us, husband was washing & drying dishes by hand! Walked home by 10:45pm.Read more

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  • SeeJayTaste of Tuscany Sept 2017
    Day6

    Chianti Greve September 12

     September 12, 2017 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Sept 12th We both slept well, up at 7, breakfast at 7:30, board the bus at 8:30. Buffet breakfast with the usual salami, mortadella, Brie, cheese, fruit, bread, eggs, coffee...typical European style. We arrive at the town of Greve around 10:00 and walked into the cute plaza, they are know for boar meats. We had coffee, a pasty and walked around to going inside some of the stores. It was a short bus ride through the hills to Castello di Verrazzano Winery. The bridge in NY was named after the verrazzano family. Cari was taking a selfie and as I went to photo bomb her the wind came up covered my face. We cracked up!!! So much as a career as a photo bomber😂. We had a lovely tour of the small property and were able to see bunches of grapes hanging to make holy wine which" Various suggestions have been made as to the origins of its name, none of which has been verified: wine of miracles that alleviates suffering in people with the plague, a wine similar to the one made in Xantos, a Greek island where Passito was made, otherwise simply the holy wine used in religious Mass; the etymology of Vinsanto, to this day, remains intriguing and mysterious." On to the wine tasting and lunch. The dinning area was lovely and there was a wood burning oven. First course: salame 2nd course: pecorino w/aged thick balsamic, 3: Penne w/tomato sauce with dried seasoning on the side. 4:pork roast and canneli beans, 4: biscotti with a tasting of their holy sweet wine. The biscotti definitely needed to be soaked in the wine, they were so hard they could have been used as a weapon. The 3 wines we tasted - white, chianti Classico and chianti reserve were flowing. Every one had a great time. I was sitting next to Glenn and (the kids )Valerie and Manuel cute young couple and Cari sat next Marg and Barbara. (Ted Turner) and Martha and John from Kentucky. On the bus ride home Lynn (tour guide) put on Dean Martin Volaré and "When the moon hits your eye" everyone sang along to only the first verse HAHAHA. I was a fun bus ride home and then it became very quiet, everyone fell sleep. We went back to the room until 6:15 and met with our Canadian Friends Marg & Giacomo (Glenn) for dinner. We walked a few blocks away to Vittorio Trattorio and saw Valerie and Manuel so we all ate together. We shared the smallest mixed salad, I had ravioli with cream and walnut sauce - good , and Cari had gnocchi bolognese - good. I stopped and bought a coco gelato on the way home. Another great day!Read more

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  • SeeJayTaste of Tuscany Sept 2017
    Day4

    Our new friends on this tour

     September 10, 2017 in Italy ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

    Lynn was our tour guide. Originally from San Francisco, moved to Italy 30 years ago very sweet lady reminded me of Diann Sorenson .

    Marg & Glenn aka Giacomo Caputo, Trail, British Colombia
    Patricia & Barbara(Ted Turner's girlfriend) Newport Beach
    Pat, wild and crazy & Barb ,quiet reserved
    John& Martha, Kentucky
    Charles & Kathy , Boston
    Norm & , NYC
    Barry & Doris , NYC
    Valerie & Manuel, youngest couple of the trip , Portland
    Sonja, single traveler , San Francisco
    Manesha , anemia fainting spell, Baltimore
    Cora,always holding up the group, Florida
    Elena, Cora's daughter, Florida
    Steve & wife, latecomers from San Francisco    Read more

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Terme Excelsior

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