Volterra, Pisa, Siena

This was our first weekend trip!  We drove straight to Volterra after work on Friday, March 9, and got there just in time to check in to our hotel/hostel and get some dinner!  The drive there was so beautiful...through the Tuscan hills!  For dinner, we ate at "La Vecchia Lira," which a woman at the hotel recommended...it was wonderful and we had a few items that Giulia, our clinical instructor, recommended that the area is known for:  pici pasta and pecorino cheese...both of us had pork dishes, vino, dessert (I can't remember the name, but I'm sure Hannah has it written down somewhere), and limoncello (you know, for the digestion).
The following day, March 10, we walked around Volterra in the morning...viewing the scenery (beautiful), buildings (beautiful), parks (beautiful), etc.  We also went to the Museo Etrusco Guarnacci (which was cool...a lot of history and relics), Museo della Tortura (the museum of torture...crazy!...my camera was on the fritz but Hannah got some good pics), and the Pinacoteca e Museo Sacra.  Finally, we grabbed some lunch (take away) and headed to Pisa!
The only thing we wanted to do in Pisa was see and walk up the tower, which was a success!  We went to the duomo as well, and it was magnificent!  Walking up the tower was interesting, and when we got to the top, it was a crazy experience to slope up/down depending on where you were walking.  The whole structure and history is just amazing!  Hannah made me take a cheesy picture of her leaning on the tower before we left, but that's why I love her :)
After Pisa, we headed to Siena!  Thank goodness Hannah was driving...our hotel was right in the city (where people walk and cars are just an annoyance), and our GPS was just spinning us in circles.  We finally found the place, and were disappointed to find out that the "available parking" at the hotel was outside the city walls in any of the "free parking" spots we find available...bleh!  Anyhow...we got settled into our room and went walking around looking for dinner.  I don't remember the place we ate at, but we shared a grilled vegetable appetizer, each had pizza, some rosso de montepulciano (recommended by Giulia), I'm pretty sure we got dessert here as well, and maybe some limoncello (it was so long ago, I'm not sure!).
The next day we were up early and ready to go!  We went to:  Basilica di San Domenico (where the head of St. Catherine of Siena is), Casa di Santa Caterina, Cattedrale, Battistero, Cripta, Museo dell'Opera, and Panorama dal facciatone...pictures for everything, I swear (except for the places that don't allow pictures)!
Then we headed back to Montone/Umbertide, Umbria, where we met our two new roommates...Stephanie and Zarah, PT students from Missouri.