ITALY – Colle di Val d’Elsa

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The 20,000 people who live in Colle di Val d’Elsa would fill less than a 1/3 of Sun Devil Stadium. I live and work in Old Town, which is long and skinny, about a 15 minute walk from end to end and across about a 15 second run if there was a through street. But there aren’t any. Just narrow passages, steep inclines, old steps, and winding tunnels. The buildings are from around the 1300’s (info courtesy of our teeny archaeological museum I visited yesterday in about 12 minutes). Here are some of the best things to see in Colle…
 
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piazza arnolfo

The town square, where the have a weekly market on Fridays and the occasional festival.
 
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There’s an obelisk in the center of one half and a fountain in the other. The two bars/caffès on the north side under the clock tower are better than the rest in the piazza.
 
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il baluardo (ascensore)

The great glass elevator. How many towns do you know that have an elevator as a means of transportation? It takes you from lower, “newer” Colle, up to Old Town.
 
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I usually take the elevator up and the ramp down.
 
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crystal museum

Colle’s known worldwide for its crystal. Going to the crystal shops themselves and talking to the artists is probably more fun than touring the museum. The museum’s a little lame. There’s a random maze titled “the crystal forest.” But for a couple euro, I learned some things. The best crystal shops are up in Old Town. There’s one right when you get off the elevator.
 
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river elsa

I hike down a path that runs parallel to a farm, packing a light lunch for a picnic. There happens to be a table waiting next to the remnants of a campfire under a canopy of trees. And there lies Elsa, the river, a cloudy pale blue like frosted glass.
 
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It’s a perfect hideaway. The picnic table’s full of engravings: “Ti amo” this Italian name and that. The insalata del mare (salad of the sea), which I picked up at a deli earlier, tastes as fresh as the river running beside me. It’s proof that location can change a meal: a crêpe tastes different under the Eiffel Tower, hot chocolate better by the fire…
 
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archaeological museum

This museum’s better than the crystal one. It displays artifacts about the history of Colle. It’s pretty small, so it doesn’t take long to visit.
 
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Outside, there’s a nice piazza with a bus stop, clock tower, and church.
 
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Underneath the church is a sacred room with painted ceilings, which is actually nicer than the church itself.
 
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favorite views

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It’s just a corner of the street with a bench and a few concrete and wood cubes, but it’s my favorite spot.

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To capture all of Old Town, head over to the roundabout, which is more historical artifact than traffic flow tool.
 
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porta nuova

The “new” city gate, is still pretty old. There’s a rooftop bar open during the season. Just inside the gate is the beautiful San Lorenzo Hotel on the left, and Officina on the right.
 
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bocce ball court

If you’re staying a while in Colle, ask Luigi if you can join the bocce ball league. They also play cards in the building next door.
 
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horses

Riding horses is pretty popular in the region. Siena, you know, has the famous Palio horse race every year. There are a couple outfitters near Piazza Arnolfo like La Selleria in the southeast corner.
 
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seminario

Seminary of the Sacred Heart.
 
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walking around old town

There might not be a more charming and quintessentially Tuscan town than Colle di Val d’Elsa.

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Every nook and cranny of Old Town is interesting.
 
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You’ll find vacant churches, secret passages, cracks in the walls that reveal unparalleled views, and cats sunbathing in the window sills.
 
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I hope you get to explore Colle someday.
 
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joey@travelto7.com