Florence, large though it may be, is unlike many American cities in that much of the surrounding area has not been paved over or turned into golf courses. After a short bus ride from the center of town the environment changed drastically, transforming into photogenic Tuscany we have all seen in advertisements and movies. Here, however, the media polish would have detracted from the charm of the real thing. With frighteningly narrow walled roads, unexpected vistas, and precipitous inclinations, Tuscany makes for an exciting bus ride.
We arrived at the Pazzi castle, an ancient fortress perched high on a ridge amidst a massive estate. The history of the castle is convoluted, as anything would be after 1000 years, but most importantly, the Pazzi family is known for their failed coup against the Medici clan, the rulers of Florence during the Renaissance. The Medici prevailed, destroyed the family and took this castle. Today’s owners have preserved the castle for tourists while still inhabiting a section of it. The 800 acre estate is maintained as a vineyard, producing authentic Chianti wines (our guide explained the significance of this through a subtle combination of sales pitch and geography lesson).
Two parts of our tour stand out: 
The first was the descent into the wine cellars, a wonderfully cool and dark place to contrast the oppressive heat and glaring sun outside. The musty smell of fermentation pervades the vaulted rooms, an odor somewhere between rotting fruit and actual wine. Massive oak barrels lined the walls, tempting our thirsts, but that would come later. For now, we were content to wander amidst the implements of this ancient industry, many trying to record the space in photographs, but it is doubtful that anything can capture the eerie, dimly illuminated spectacle of reeking chemical vats hidden below a stone citadel, these being fortune enough to justify the fortification.
Then, after the dungeons, we did what most prisoners do after some time in the gulag: stuff our faces with whatever edible substances we find. Fortunately, in this case, the food was delicious, and it was supplemented by the very wine fermenting somewhere beneath our feet. During lunch the 90 year old groundskeeper shuffled about the tables offering to refill our glasses with wine that was noticeably better than anything I can personally afford to buy. The real draw of the event was not any one part, however, but the authenticity of the whole, eating in the dining room of a castle drinking wine made on the premises, eating food soaked in olive oil also produced at the castle, with employees who had personal connections to the place. This sort of wholesomeness was noticeably more comfortable than the thousands of poor imitations we have all been exposed to in themed restaurants, shops, and their ilk for much of our lives.
When we had eaten our fill and drunk our allotment, we walked the grounds for a while, admiring the scenery and the little charismatic details of historic Tuscan architecture. Wandering through the vineyards was nice, particularly due to the fact that many of the vines still had grapes on them, which looked too enticing to be allowed to remain in place. So, this was our dessert. Soon after, everyone was feeling lethargic, (I blame the wine) and after picking up a few personal bottles in the shop, we piled back onto the bus. While I lament the brevity of our visit, I admit that during those few hours we were exposed to the best things Chianti has to offer, and that our laid-back pace through the day was both appropriate to and a product of the slow moving, quality producing environment that so distinguishes this part of the Tuscan countryside.
Submitted by Rob Kane, student. Fall 2008
Summer is drawing to an end here in Florence, but Fall put off its arrival for a couple more days and provided a group of 7 Palazzo Rucellai students and staff with the perfect evening to brave the 463 steps that lead to the top of Florence’s Duomo. The “cupola del duomo” is the city’s best known landmark, and it may be seen looming over the red-shingled roofs of the more modest palazzos from nearly every corner of Florence. For those who feel up to the task of climbing the steps, their efforts do not go uncompensated; from the peak of the massive dome the viewer is rewarded with a 360° sprawling panorama of the city that lies at the Duomo’s feet.
circled the terrace several times and had fun spotting our apartments, the school and the various sites of the city. After several photos we braced ourselves for the descent (which went decidedly more quickly then the climb) and arrived safely at ground level. Straining our necks to look up at the structure we had just scaled, we took a moment to marvel at the stunning achievements of this city, which we are learning to call “home.” 
