Prince

Prince is a great fan of red wine, Chianti in particular. He was thus extremely happy to have been invited to spend a week in Tuscany, where tasting as much of this local product (with a little bit of culture thrown in for good measure) was top on his agenda. He first hit the medieval fortress Castello di Brolio, much of which was reconstructed during the 19th century in the neo-gothic style. Prince waddled around, enjoying the lovely views (his eyes in particular drawn to the castle’s vineyards).


Even more, he enjoyed hitting the Barone Ricasoli tasting room, where he sampled various wines. The Ricasoli family has owned the castle since the 12th century, and it was Bettino Ricasoli, known as the Iron Baron, who is reported to have devised the Sangiovese blend that has become the Chianti Classico.


His next stop was Badia a Coltibuono, a former monastery that was transformed into a wine estate in the 19th century, and which now produces organic wine and olive oil (another rather tasty local product). Visitors can also stay at the monastery and take cooking classes (Prince prefers that people cook for him when on holiday). Prince enjoyed his tour of the building and its beautiful grounds, in particular admiring the cellar where Badia a Coltibuono’s historical vintages are stored.


It was hard for Prince to leave Tuscany, but as he was flying out of Rome and would be spending the night in the city he figured he should hop on an early(ish) train and check out the place. He was able to cover much of the city during a manic four hour waddling tour - luckily his petit stature allowed him to duck between the hordes of tourists that made the experience less than relaxing.


It was a characteristically muggy Rome summer day, so he was constantly looking for ways to cool down, first taking a quick swim in a water fountain near St. Peter’s Basilica, and then indulging in a treat from Gelateria del Teatro, which Prince stumbled upon on a charming cobblestone side street.


He had difficulty choosing amongst the wide selection of both traditional and unique gelato flavors, but finally opted for his favorite, yogurt, and the more unconventional ricotta fig almond.