GIROSOLE: Italy Travel Information

The ancient Etruscan settlement of Montalcino is perched high on a hill with a commanding view of the valleys of the rivers Orcia, Asso and Ombrone. During its more than two millenniums of recorded history, the town has experienced much turmoil and strife.

Of all the many villages in the Chianti Classico region, Castellina probably offers the most abundant evidence of Etruscan presence going back to the 7th century B.C. Important archaeological excavations have uncovered an entire series of Etruscan villages and hamlets along an ancient road providing links to the great maritime cities of Etruria, the markets in the north, and reaching as far as the Adriatic Sea as a gateway for trading with the East.

The first historical records of Radda date to 1003 (mention was made in an edict issued by Emperor Otto III), but human settlement in the region goes back to Etruscan times. Pottery shards and remains of stone houses found in the area attest to an original 6th century B.C. settlement. By the 1st century AD, Romans had taken over the area, and they in turn succumbed to Barbarian invasions during the 5th century.

Although situated midway between the two important cultural centers of Florence and Siena, Greve has retained its own unique character and architecture. A wide variety of historic residences, churches and castles built between the 5th and the 15th centuries remain in the town and in the surrounding hills, most of them exhibiting the dry stone wall construction typical of the area. Many of these have been converted into wine vaults.

Positano immediately exerts its fascination the first time you see from afar its colorful cascade of houses and villas perched above the crystal blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. And the fascination only deepens as you arrive in the town and begin to explore its labyrinth of streets and alleyways with their fashionable shops and boutiques - or just relax upon a terrace admiring the view.

For centuries Amalfi has lured travelers hungry for sunlight and fresh sea air. Bathed in perennial summer, this corner of paradise combines the beauty of the sparkling Mediterranean Sea with a light that varies hour by hour, from dawn to twilight - an unequaled spot to enjoy a romantic getaway or a cultural feast among the region’s hospitable and charming inhabitants.