Attention Tuscany/Umbria fans...do the towns start to look alike?...others I should consider & why?

Montepulciano = very steep hill town; Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

Pienza = flat Renaissance town; pecorino

Montalcino = hill town; Brunello di Montalcino

San Gimignano = medieval walled town with surviving medieval towers

Orvieto = unusual location on tufa outcrop; Duomo

Assisi = Basilica of St. Francis with Giotto frescoes

Spello = tiny Umbrian hill town

Spoleto = possibly the least appealing, at least to me

Gubbio = OK, but pretty far out of the way

I don't know Civita and would personally avoid it.

No, they don't all look alike. Each is unique. Of course the architecture is similar if they date back to the same historical period, but just as with anywhere, towns develop their own "personalities."

>> in your opinion are there others which offer something unique and different to make them worth visiting? <<

Monticchiello (near Montepulciano)
Bagno Vignoni and San Quirico (near Montalcino and Pienza)
Monteriggioni (near San Gimignano)
Bevagna, Montefalco and Trevi (near Spello)

travelfan,

I think the towns may blur together if you try to do too many of them in too short a time! If you see them fairly leisurely, you will discover each town's unique features.


I think Zerlinda gave a pretty good short summation of each. Except, I disagree about Civita di Bagnoreggio. We really enjoyed our short visit there from Orvieto. Very scenic and lots of great photo ops.

You don't say how much time you have. My rule of thumb is no more than 2 towns/abbeys per day. More than that and you are just racing to complete a checkoff list!

I've visited and enjoyed all these towns except Spoleto, but it was over 2 trips and a total of 12 days!

Personally, I don't think I would want to try and see all this in less than a full week. Plus, as the others mentioned, a couple of them would be longer drives. 2 bases would be best.

Buon viaggio!

Okay, I admit it. I'm sure I'm going to sound terrible but...I did find that some of them started to look alike after 5 days. Not that I didn't love them, as each one is unique, but after awhile they all kind of start blending together. When I uploaded our pictures it took a few minutes for DH and I to distinguish some of the hill towns.

With that being said, the ones you named are great. My problem came with some some of the smaller ones. By the time I got to Deruta I felt like I had already been there. But you mentioned some of my favorites.

Like Dayle, Spoleto was the only hilltown that we did not like. But of the ones you've named I've been to most and really enjoyed them. I like the suggestion above about limiting yourself to only two, maybe three (if they are small), per day.

If your in the area near Spoleto, check out Carsulae. It's an ancient Roman town and it was a highlight of our trip and very few people seem to know about it. With the exception of a school bus full of children on a field trip we were the only ones there. It would give you a nice respit from the hilltowns should you need it. http://www.bellaumbria.net/San_Gemini/carsulae_eng.htm

Tracy

I want to say one word to you. Just one word.

Pitigliano.

To the people who did not like Spoleto, can you tell me why? We are staying in Spoleto for 4 nights after Rome. We are hoping to use this as a base to explore the area. Now you have me wondering!?
Thanks!

All good advice above !
No, they do not blend together to me---each has it's own merits. Your only exposure is to do too many the same day. I would love your problem. Tom had his one word---and a good one. I will add one more---in my top 5 hill towns---Volterra.

How are you guys on Lucca. I visited with my family. The wall/park was nice. Other than that we didn't think it was special. Your thoughts?

Don't know why Spoleto is low on everyone's list. We stayed just outside and used it as a base to tour nearby places and found it perfect for that. We never actually went into Spoleto proper. Not because we expected it to be awful, only because we never seemed to wind up at the end of the day with enough time for it. So even if it turns out to be not to your liking, staying there isn't a bad thing IMO.

boroth25, I am one of the ones who did not like Spoleto. It just didn't appeal to me the way the other towns did. It was crowded and there were advertisements all over the place and I guess it just lacked the charm that the other hilltowns had. People seem to have a love/hate relationship with it...either you like it or you don't. The location itself is fine, as its a good base for exploring the surrounding area.

Tracy

I'm another one who did not like Spoleto. It has a much larger - and completely uninteresting - "modern" town at its base than any of the other towns mentioned, and some of the upper "hill town" part has also been fairly ruthlessly modernized.

Tracy - Thanks for being honest. The smaller towns were the ones I was more concerned with!

Bob and Maitaitom...I had both of those in the back of my mind also. I know what makes Pitigliano different...what makes Volterra different?

And the list goes on and on.....

I'd vote for civita di Bangoreggio, too. Walking across the bridge I felt as though I was approaching the witch's castle in Wizard ofOz!! I am sure it was the model. Also, the feeling that the buildings in the town are doomed, because the hill is crumbling and will not be stopped. There are lovely views, too.

We have only stayed in Lucca on day trips, but this May we will be there for a week. So I can report later on how it is to spend some time.

As for some of the others, often the best way to really see and enjoy them is to stay overnight so you can enjoy it after the day-trippers are gone.

Orvieto is a favorite of mine. The views are spectacular, the caves in the rock are cool places for restaurants, and the Duomo is stunning.

I liked Spoleto as a base for exploring. Easy driving distances to all of Umbria. The back-roads route to Bevagna is really beautiful. Ditto the road to Todi. We were there for a week in October, and it was not crowded.

I loved Gubbio. It just seemed less of a tourist destination, more of a real Italian town, than the others on everyone's list. The residents were very friendly.

Other than the basilica complex and the excavations under the main piazza, Assisi didn't do much for me. So many souvenir shops and marginal food!

Spello was tiny, very pretty and quiet. That's about all there was for me.

Lucca didn't click with me. It could be because both times we've been there it was a beautiful Sunday and the town was absolutely overrun with tourists and locals.

I enjoyed all the others on the lists (plus Todi, not on your list), but you do have to give each town some time. As others have said, one or two a day is really all you should attempt.

3 words for Volterra!
Etruscan history
Alabaster

We stayed in Spoleto and liked it just fine, had a beautiful view out our window. I can't say we spent much time there, because we usually ventured out each day. We never spent any time in the lower part of town, but the upper part we thought was attractive. I don't have a map in front of me, but it did seem a bit far from some of the other towns, but I wonder if that's because the towns we saw were a bit more spread out in Umbria than they were in Tuscany, or maybe it just seemed that way.

We loved the pretty drive to Norcia. If you have time, I would recommend it. annie

Another vote for Norcia and the lovely drive from Spoleto to it. And for Todi. Be sure to try to find the Todi taxi to take you to the top. We enjoyed the driver who asked "where to, Joe?" just like out of a second world war movie. Really a great town.
Sort of sorry I never really saw Spoleto, now that it's at the center of all this controversy.
Enjoy. No matter what.

Here is a photo of Civita and you'll see it is unique.

travelswithdiane.homestead.com/Trip2006Page23Umbria.html

There is a funicular in Todi that goes from a large parking lot to the top of the town. Without a map in front of me, I'd guess this was at the north (or northwest) edge of town.

My wife and I have been to all of the towns you mention except for Spello and Spoleto. No, they don't all look alike and in my mind's eye I can see each of them and their distinctive qualities. We have had the good fortune to visit Italy on seven occasions in the last 10 years and we're leaving in three weeks for trip #8, so the fact that we've been able to see these places at different times and not in a single marathon trip probably contributes to my ability to separate them in my memory. That said, here are my impressions:

Montepulciano - fun but usually crowded - great wine tasting opportunities in local shops - interesting Etruscan history - and of a more recent historical vintage, look for the wall plaque memorializing the Nazi execution of partisans during WWII.

Pienza - one of our favorites - true Renaissance town - awesome views over the Val D'Orcia and the smell of local pecorino everywhere.

Montalcino - not as pretty as others but if you're a brunello fan, there's no other place to be.

San Gimignano - this will be sacreligious to many Italophiles but I was underwhelmed, mainly because of the crowds, even in March and April. THe towers are impressive nad the town is in a beautiful geographic position, but it's just too darn touristy for my taste.

Orvieto - a nice stop along the A1 from Rome - cathedral is beautiful.

Assisi - spiritual, inspiring - if you're a St. Francis devotee, be sure to stop at the church in Santa Maria dei Angeli, the town below and on the road to Assisi.

Siena - spectacular and beautifully preserved - try to go early in the day or late afternoon, after buses have left - but definitely worthwhile despite crowds.

Arezzo - see San Francesco and the frescoes of Piero della Francesca - large antique fair on the first Sunday of every month.

I would add the following (and eliminate Arezzo, San Gimignano, Montalcino and Montepulciano in that order if you need to make additional time) -

Montone - in the Umbrian hills above Umbertide - home to a number of iron forges - uncrowded, charming, spectacular views from the walls.

Montechiello - a quick hop down the road from Pienza - excellent restaurant at the town gate - name escaptres me right now - La Porta?? - like Montone, uncrowded, charming, with great views across Val D'Orcia.

Cortona - I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned. It's held up well under the onslaught of "Tuscan Sun" groupies - it's our home base when we visit Tuscany, we feel as if we've gotten to know it well - even been greeted by a few shopkeepers who remember us from prior years' visits - very well-preserved medieval town with a couple of excellent restaurants (La Grotta, La Loggia) and just below the town, the highly acclaimed Il Falconiere - "Le Celle" of St. Francis is (are?) above the town and worth a couple of hours to visit. If you want to see parts of both Tuscany and Umbria, Cortona is well-positioned to do so.

Montefalco - south of Assisi - excellent sagrantino red wine and good restaurants - not crowded.

As others have suggested, try not to cram too much into a short amount of time. Savor the places and moments as much as you can and make plans to go back, as soon and as often as possible.

Another great town in Umbria is the hilltown of Trevi. I don't see it mentioned too often but we loved it. The hilltown is tiny and it's easy to get lost in the maze of tiny streets, but that was half the fun. No tourists in sight, and a nice cafe in the center of town.

We too loved Civita da Bagnoregio. Not sure why someone would not want to visit, as it's one of the most fascinating places I've ever seen. To see a town perched in the middle of a canyon like that is truly a sight to behold. The town itself is tiny, obviously, but so worth it if your in the area.

Tracy

Bookmarking. This is a treasure of information.

tcreath Tracy said about Trevi
"No tourists in sight..."

Well Tracy, except for one memorable afternoon in September 2005.

"As we drove toward Spello, we started thinking about the town we thought was Foligno the day before. We had figured out it was Trevi, so we decided to drive and take a quick look at the town before we got back to the Palazzo Bocci.

Trevi looked like a cute town, and I thought I saw a wide-open parking lot with empty spaces galore. “Wow, this great. There are plenty of spaces.” As I drove into the “lot”, Tracy exclaimed, “Tom, you idiot (an endearing expression I have heard quite often during the past 15 years), you are driving on the town square.”

Sure enough, as a few local Trevians looked on in awe (and terror), I drove in a bizarre circuitous route on their traffic-free square; a spot, where only seconds before, they had been spending a quiet, pleasant Monday afternoon."

I believe tourists have been banned since that day.

Tom - You always make us laugh! However, you're proving the fact the towns start to look alike...and apparently to you town squares and parking lots start to blend together too!!

My list is growing and now includes Pitigliano and Civita di Bagnoregio as definites. Monticchiello and possibly San Quirico because they're so close to Pienza and Bevagna/Montefalco because of their proximity to Spello. Cortona because it's on the way (sort of) to Assisi. I think Spoleto will be dropped. That brings it to 14...I think that should be a good representation of the area!

Guess I need to now study parking losts and town squares so I know the difference!

Thank you all for your thoughts on the matter!

>> Monticchiello and possibly San Quirico because they're so close to Pienza <<

Bagno Vignoni and Sant'Antimo too! (The latter is not a town of course.)

Tom, you are entertaining as always! Now I remember reading that in your trip report. We did get a little lost at the parking lot in Trevi, although we didn't do anything to entertain the locals that day. As a cat person one thing I distinctly remember about Trevi was the cat that found me in the parking lot and proceeded to follow us around for probably a good hour. I wanted to take him home but alas he lost interest when he saw a large trash can brimming with goodies for him to snack on. But we loved Trevi with it's tiny streets.

Tracy

Tuck - Already have Sant'Antimo included and didn't list it because it isn't a town. And yes, I have Bagno Vignoni as a consideration. Trevi???...tiny streets??...do I have to add this one too! Stop!!! Are the streets really so tiny one should stop for this reason alone? They're more tiny than other towns?

>> do I have to add this one too! <<

I'd say NO, considering everything else you have on your plate.

BTW, Trevi is most interesting IMO, not IN town but outside, from a distance - looking up at it, perched on that hill. What a sight!

Trevi is indeed beautiful from below, as it sits strikingly perched on the hill. We really enjoyed it, but with everything else on your list I would say no. Trevi is tiny and most overlook it, as its not as big or popular as others in the area. But you already have quite an amazing list. Although you could pull over to take a pick from below if you are in the vicinity!

Tracy

Well, I have one word for MaiTaiTom, and that is: SOVANA. I hope he went there. I loved Pitigliano, esp. love to SAY it. - but a few miles further "in land" from whatever that main road is, where you see the drop-dead tufo base of Pitigliano, is the incredible little village of Sovana with ancient buildings. check it out. I know - too many towns. my very favorites are Pienza, Montalcino, San Quirico.

"Well, I have one word for MaiTaiTom, and that is: SOVANA."

Absolutely Betsy. I liked Sovana, too.

As a matter of fact, In one day, we drove from San Quirico to Lucignano (fortress and church) to Roccalbegna (loved that town - climbed to rocca overlooking town and valley below) to Sovana (gelato break) to Sorano (cool picture taking) to Pitigliano (picked up some vino at a wine cave) and back to San Quirico (nothing but net).

A very memorable day! Too much? Maybe. I can rest when I'm dead.

By the way travelfan1, Bagno Vignoni is a great little stop (30 minutes is enough). Take pictures at the big bath (but don't go in).

On that day, we also visited Pienza (pecorino baby!), Monticchiello (great restaurant) and Radicofani (the hill town that you see from virtually everywhere when driving in this part of Tuscany). Man, this makes me want to back.

bookmarking...

Tom...I laugh because my husband and I had a very similar experience...the expression on the faces of the residents is priceless when we crazy tourists invade their pedestrian free spaces!

To answer the original question...no they don't start to look alike but they can blur if you try to see too many in one day.

I especially loved Pienza. We were there last May on a day that they were celebrating a holiday. As we were strolling, poking our heads into the cheese shops, trying to control the drool reflex - we heard rumbling, turned around and through an arch that leads into the pedestrian spaces where we were came huge John Deere tractors, polished and shining brightly with Italian flags mounted on them...then there came a marching band that had every aged person you can imagine. It was a wonderful sight!!

Have a wonderful trip!!

It is coming soon !
If you are in Gubbio at the half of May, do not miss, May 15, Festa dei Ceri

You will enjoy it.

Vincenzo

TTT

ttt

"Spello was tiny, very pretty and quiet. That's about all there was for me."
I had a quick walk around Spello at siesta time, and literally saw no one until I returned to the modern part near the station.

I loved Assisi even with the crowds, but was there on a 10/10 day. [My husband had his camera snatched so his memories aren't so good].

We stayed in a lovely old part of Perugia and adored it. I think I went to Spoleto briefly years ago and was impressed. May have changed, but I think I would have trouble not loving an Umbrian town.

SO glad to hear you are going to Civita. We were there 3 years ago on a cold rainy day(the whole week was), and had one of those days that turn out to be really special. Walking across the bridge was other worldy, it is a strange sensation to approach a town from this vantage. Since it was so drizzly, we wanted to stop for a break, and behind a curtain in a wall on the left, near the top, I saw a tourist coming out, so went in to look. It was a very small grotto like room, where they were roasting boar sausage, and grilling bread. It was one of the best lunches we had, with some vino of course. The room was carved out of the rock. The four of us still talk about that day. You'll enjoy it. Buon Viaggio.