Colle Val D'Elsa and Monteriggioni

On a day we decided to stick closer to home, we checked out two old fortified towns...Colle Val D'Elsa and Monteriggioni.  Colle Val D'Elsa was a charming little town!  We walked the stone streets almost by ourselves, checked out an amazing wine store that used to be an old crypt, and ate lunch (where Liam ate and ENJOYED pasta...albeit without tomato sauce.)

 The entrance

 Checking out the old crypt in the wine store

 Old fresco inside the town's church, 

and the altar

MMMMMMMM...plain spaghetti!

After Val D'Elsa, we hopped over to Monteriggioni.  Perhaps now more widely known for it's fame in the Assassin's Creed game franchise than it's reference in Dante's Inferno, this smaller fortified town provided a good hour's entertainment.  We got to go up top of two different sections of the fortifications, chase some pigeons in the town's small piazza, and have ice cream.  Today was a lovely, simple day that got us back "home" in time to enjoy the sunset and relax before dinner.

 The fortified town and a brief history

 I LOVE that people still live in these old places!

 The town's church

 A sign explaining Monteriggioni's significance on the Via Francigena

(which people still hike today--we saw several backpackers

making their way down this ancient pilgrimage)

 Views from the top--inside the town, and out!