ediemay

Hello:
This may be a redundant request but we will be 3 nights each in Tuscany and Umbria. Not sure where to stay for good location, comfortable lodging ( under 200 euros) and dining options. We are staying in Florence before this.

mamcalice

By good location, do you mean conveniently located to do day trips? Or just a lovely hill town? What time of year are you going? What do you want to visit while there? Answers will help us help you. You can also use the search function on this board to get lots of suggestions.

kybourbon

Will you have a car?

bobthenavigator

This forum could write a book about that topic, but not without knowing dates and if you will have a car.

ediemay

Sorry not to include these details. Yes, we will have a car and we are traveling in mid-October. Good location for access to other towns, but "lovely hill town" is also desirable. We would also like to visit a few wineries that are in the area, but do not want a "tour". Any suggestions?

bobthenavigator

OK---that helps.

Here are the locations I like best to tour the hill towns:
http://www.brunamonti.com/en/default.asp Good place to explore Umbria

http://www.palazzodelcapitano.com/ Love this quaint village

Holler if these do not fit your budget

kybourbon

To visit wineries, you usually have to schedule an appointment. Most are not drop in like Napa. You will probably do better dropping into one of the many enotecas and sampling wines there.

Do you want to stay in town where you can walk to dinner or do you want to be in the countryside?

ediemay

We would probably like to have a choice of restaurants, for a variety. Also, we would like to make an appointment at a winery in Tuscany, and in Umbria. Would like info on where anyone has visited and had a good experience. Enoteca fine for tasting and buying but would like the chance to actually visit a couple of wineries.

ediemay

By the way, we spent a week in late August in Napa and Sonoma and went to several wineries where we had to make an appointment. Many of the smaller wineries, which we prefer to visit require this.

bobthenavigator

Here is some variety:
GOOD EATS IN TOSCANA
I have never been called “ BOB THE FOODIE” , but here are some of the best places to eat in Tuscany based on feedback from many of my clients. Reservations are suggested for most!

$=inexpensive $$=moderate prices $$$= expensive

FLORENCE:
Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco $$ Across the river & very good.
La Giostra $$$ Excellent, but you must book in advance

SIENA:
Osteria Le Logge $$ Great place for lunch and near Il Campo
Cane e Gato $$$ A fixed price & menu for a true feast—allow 4 hours

LUCCA:
Buca di San Antonio $$ Best in town and near San Michele
Il Giglio $$ In the piazza of the same name---favorite with locals

SAN GIMIGNANO:
Il Pino $$ Very good typical Tuscan fare
Le Vecchie Mura $ Good value for a tourist town

MONTALCINO:
Taverna Grappolo Blu $ Popular with locals as well.
Ristorante Poggio Antico $$ Excellent cuisine 5km south of town at winery location
Enoteca Osteria Osticcio $ Best wine tasting & small meals in town

MONTEPULCIANO:
La Grotta $$ Near San Biagio church & very good
Café Poliziano $ Great place for lunch on shopping street

Osteria Acquacheta Best bistecca in Tuscany

PIENZA: Latte du Luna $$ Best choice in this charming village

BAGNO VIGNONI: Osteria del Leone $ Good lunch choice in this spa hamlet

MONTICCHIELLO: La Porta $ Charming place with outside terrace

SAN QUIRICO: Trattoria al Vecchio Forno $ Good food & fair value

Henry

ediemay,
Thi8s may helphttp://www.slowtrav.com/italy/tuscany/hs_planning.htm

Mimar

When doing daytrips by car from a base, I don't like to stay in a real hilltown, that is, a town on top of a hill. It's a bit tedious to drive down from the hill, do your daytrip, then drive back up and try to find a parking place. In southern Tuscany I like Pienza and San Quirico d'Orcia as bases. Pienza is a little bigger with more restaurants.

If you stay on the edge of town, you'll have easy getaways and will still be able to walk to restaurants for dinner. (Italy has strict drunk driving laws.)

zeppole

The most important wine growing area in Umbria is Montefalco, with its excellent, much-prized Sagrantino wine.

For Tuscany, most people are excited by the Brunello wines of Montalcino.


One of the towns in the province of Arezzo would give you fairly good access to both places -- and have the added bonus of giving you access to Chianti wine country.

But if you would rather spend 3 days in Tuscany and 3 days in Umbria, you might as well stay in those towns themselves. Montefalco has excellent restaurants (some of which let rooms), and also a few charming b&bs (like Fattoria Brizi). Montalcino has no end of accommodations. Check Tripadvisor for the latest reviews.

As their name implies, both towns are steep. That's what makes a hilltown the best.

(By the way, bobthenavigator isn't kidding when he says he's never been called "bob the foodie." Tuscany is a very tough place to find untouristy restaurants that aren't boasting "best bistecca in Tuscany", and they change. Go to Chowhound and search its Italy message board or ask for specifics).

ediemay

Thank you everybody for your great info. BobtheNavigator, thank you for the extensive restaurant suggestions. I have printed out the list. (Every time I tell my husband that I have heard from Bobthenavigator he chuckles at the name.)

mohun

We went on a tour about two weeks ago from our Siena hotel, Pensione Palazzo Ravizza, and happily enjoyed a Chianti wine-tasting and lunch at Torciano yineyards (www.torciano.com) and a wine-tasting of Brunello di Montalcino at the charming www.abbadiardengapoggio.it/en near Montalcino.

DRJ

I'd never challenge Bob the Nav, but FWIW, I think Il Rossellino (seating about fifteen) is vastly superior to Latte de Luna in Pienza.

bobthenavigator

So does my wife !

Flame123

You've gotten some great suggestions. I would like to add that we stayed at Palazzo Brunamonti in Bevagna (Bob's suggestion above) and loved it. The small hotel is in a small town and different from most other towns in the area, it is flat. We loved everything about Bevagna and this hotel. Highly recommended.

In Montefalco, one of our BEST meals of this Umbria trip was at L'Alchimista. Right on the main palazzo.

On a Tuscany trip, we stayed at Il Poggioli just outside of San Quirico. Lovely large apartments with kitchen, several rooms each, etc. Great price and beautiful views.

Have a wonderful trip.

ediemay

Fodorites:
Just an update on the Tuscany/Umbria part of our trip. We are staying at La Casa di Giovanna in San Gimignano, The Hotel Tre Stella in Sant Albino in Montepulciano (Unfortunately no availability in the great apts. there), at the Hotel Brunamonti in Bevagna, and the Hotel Duomo in Orvietto (from which e are hoping to drop off our car and take the train to Rome (that would be on the 21 of Oct. Strike day).. Hope we can drop off the car outside the city of Rome and be able to get to a metro station without pushing the luggage too far if we have to drive to Rome Thanks for all your help kybourbon,zeppole, Bob and everyone else who helped with this great trip. Can't believe we leave a week from today!!!!!!!

bobthenavigator

Good choices---you will have fun.