Travelogue: Road trip through Italy (Part 2)

On the road with @aureliusnina - Travelogue part 2

New farms, new stories - the road trip continues

Yard #1180

They are so cute!
That's the first thing I think to myself when we arrive at this farm. And I'm not talking about the farm owner Alessandro, who greets us with a tan and stylish sunglasses, but his pigs.

During the farm tour, we are allowed directly into the enclosures. The pigs grunt happily, wallow in the mud and one of them bathes enthusiastically in a water trough. I even get to stroke a sow!
"But they're not cosy," I say. "But happy!" replies Aurelius.

Later, Aurelius confirms that the pork products also taste excellent. As a vegetarian, I can only sigh and am glad that the farm shop also sells excellent pasta, delicious craft beers and lentils from the region.

Castelluccio

Speaking of lentils: Castelluccio is just a few hairpin bends away. It is famous for its lentil blossom, which lights up the plateau in vibrant shades of red, yellow and blue. "Look, that's really funny!" Aurelius suddenly exclaims excitedly. There is a small forest on one of the surrounding grassy hills. It has the exact shape of Italy.

Yard #1176

We sit on the terrace under wonderfully fragrant jasmine flowers. The table is laid with home-made delicacies. It is accompanied by the delicious farm wine that Edda and her two sons produce with a love of sustainability. "This is the best meal we've had on our road trip so far!" says Aurelius, shoving the last piece of bruschetta into his mouth with relish.

On the beautiful estate, there are little oases of peace among the fruit trees, flowering vines and grapevines. Edda uses some of the plants to make natural cosmetics. In the evening, the three of them drive home and we enjoy the peace and quiet under the twinkling starry sky.

Yard #1192

Is there anything that screams Italy more than a road lined with cypress trees?
That's exactly what I ask myself as we cruise through the rolling hills of Tuscany. The villas with their manicured cypress driveways make me think of iconic shots from "The Gladiator". There are picturesque postcard motifs on every other corner here.

And best of all, our next farm is located in the middle of this picturesque landscape.
We are allowed to park our campervan on a large meadow between the olive trees. For a voluntary donation, we can use the bathroom with shower and washing machine.

I sit in the shade of an olive tree while the wind gently blows through the freshly washed laundry. I wish that this road trip would never end.

Yard #1046

Pietro greets us with a firm handshake. His farm is surrounded by fruit trees and vines. It's apricot harvest time and he has a lot to do. Nevertheless, he takes the time in the evening to taste his handmade wines with us.

Each bottle has its own character and will. You can see this from the artistically designed labels. They are pictures of regional folk songs. Pietro's eyes light up as he tells us how he and his band keep the region's traditions and dialect alive through music.

"Play us a song!" we ask him. And so we end the evening with the special wines and the gentle sounds of a melancholy children's song.

Faenza

Nearby Faenza is famous for its ceramics museum, but we are only interested in one thing: real Italian ice cream. As we stroll through the narrow streets, we come to the realisation that the best gelato can only be found in Italy.
And the best road trip in Italy is only possible with a view of the countryside!