We picked up a rental car in Venice and drove to Cortona. Here Gary stands--probably at the fortress above the city--overlooking the city and countryside. We liked Cortona and had one of the best meals of the trip on the terrace at Ristorante Tonino. We ordered--with the waiter's encouragement--the 'menu' (a.k.a. 'the full-meal-deal) and a bottle of wine. It cost less than $90 U.S.. We would have had a difficult time finding a meal of that quality and that view, including excellent wine, at home for that amount. Evidently, Francis Mayes was dining at the adjacent table...but I had my back to her and didn't peek. Due to the recommendation of a friend, we spent three nights at Parco Fiorito, an agriturismo--a farm that also operates as a B&B. It was excellent!!! Beautiful! Clean, modern, and the owner, Robert Russo, is very friendly. We were able to enjoy a meal prepared by his daughter, Claudia. We have to say it rivaled Tonino's--and cost less. We spent one of our days visiting Montepulciano and Pienza. Both are very nice hills towns. Pienza is especially pretty with its flower displays, but is also visited by many tourists. We enjoyed tasting and selecting local wine and cheese in anticipation of a roadside picnic. The anticipation of the picnic excelled the actual event, as there are very few scenic places to pull over and enjoy a picnic. Unless you blatantly trespass. Nevertheless, we had a great day. Siena is  larger than we anticipated. Siena was a medieval hill town that duked it out with Florence and lost. We walked around El Campo and spent one night in the Hotel Duomo, around the corner from this cathedral, I assume it's namesake. Siena was fine, but we didn't fall in love with it. Leaving Siena a day earlier than planned we visited three hill towns we really, really enjoyed. The first, Manteriggioni, is the smallest. Its walls and  thirteen towers are virtually intact. A nice antidote to Siena. Then we moved on to San Gimignano, somewhat larger and on the tourist trail--An entire busload of people lined up at a single gelato stand! We went to the one across the campo. Still, San Gimignano is very nice. Our favorite, however, and where we spent the night, was Volterra. We visited the Etruscan Museum, and the lovely park, purchased some alabaster items and stayed in the very nice Albergo Villa Nencini just a five minute walk outside the walls. This ruin of a Roman amphitheatre is also outside the town walls.