Change of plans re: Tuscany
Jun 30th, 2017, 03:07 PM
#1
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Change of plans re: Tuscany
My husband and I will be in Italy in September for 14 days celebrating our 40th anniversary and my 60th B-day. Or original plan was to spend 5 days in Tuscany at the same place we stayed in San Casciano in Val di Pesa when we were there in 2010.
However, we are hearing so many recommendations about the area around Sienna.....Montepulciano, Buonconvento, etc.....that we are seriously considering changing plans.
We have booked a Friday night "dinner at the farm" at Castello di Verrazzano. Can anyone suggest a place that is within 45 minutes of there? OR can you suggest a place that will offer something comparable if we stay further south.
We would like to stay in a small town/village similar to San Casciano so as to be able to walk to restaurants and places to have an aperitivo, etc.
Thanks for any help!
However, we are hearing so many recommendations about the area around Sienna.....Montepulciano, Buonconvento, etc.....that we are seriously considering changing plans.
We have booked a Friday night "dinner at the farm" at Castello di Verrazzano. Can anyone suggest a place that is within 45 minutes of there? OR can you suggest a place that will offer something comparable if we stay further south.
We would like to stay in a small town/village similar to San Casciano so as to be able to walk to restaurants and places to have an aperitivo, etc.
Thanks for any help!
Jun 30th, 2017, 11:32 PM
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Maybe it is just me, but I am not sure what you are asking.
Are you looking for a place to stay south of Siena that it in a historic town with eateries but where you can also find a farm dinner nearby for one evening? What kind of place did you stay in val di Pesa that you like? Is it a b&b or an apartment or a hotel? Does it have a pool?
Also, if I may make a suggestion: If you would like to enjoy a countryside farm meal in Tuscan wine country, it is often better to do that for lunch rather than dinner, no matter where in Tuscany.
Are you looking for a place to stay south of Siena that it in a historic town with eateries but where you can also find a farm dinner nearby for one evening? What kind of place did you stay in val di Pesa that you like? Is it a b&b or an apartment or a hotel? Does it have a pool?
Also, if I may make a suggestion: If you would like to enjoy a countryside farm meal in Tuscan wine country, it is often better to do that for lunch rather than dinner, no matter where in Tuscany.
Jul 1st, 2017, 04:57 AM
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Yes, sorry for the confusion. We are looking to stay farther south so as to be able to do short day trips to some of the towns we kept hearing about. Ones that were just a little too far to do from San Casciano.
We were just asking for a recommendation of a nice town similar to San Casciano (When we stayed there in 2010 for 5 days we really enjoyed the local bar that we went to every afternoon for Prosecco. We ran into some of the same locals during their passeggiata each evening. There were several restaurants in town to choose from and we had an overall great time there. We sort of felt like the only tourists in town.) The new town doesn't necessarily have to be south of Sienna, just further south than San Casciano allowing us a base to go further south in our day trips.
Once we figure out which town, we will find a place to stay....we are flexible on what type of lodging and I can research that.
It's just that when you look at a map of the Tuscany area all the little towns look alike(on the map)....names very similar and so many of them. I just thought a kind soul could throw out a couple of names of towns that could be a starting point for my research.
As for the lunches vs. dinner, we had scoped out other lunch experiences for some of the days that we are there and plan to do that for sure, but I just really fell in love with the dinner at the farm description. Would like to still do it if possible, but you can't have everything. So it will depend on where we end up staying.
Thanks for your response. I hop this explains it better.
We were just asking for a recommendation of a nice town similar to San Casciano (When we stayed there in 2010 for 5 days we really enjoyed the local bar that we went to every afternoon for Prosecco. We ran into some of the same locals during their passeggiata each evening. There were several restaurants in town to choose from and we had an overall great time there. We sort of felt like the only tourists in town.) The new town doesn't necessarily have to be south of Sienna, just further south than San Casciano allowing us a base to go further south in our day trips.
Once we figure out which town, we will find a place to stay....we are flexible on what type of lodging and I can research that.
It's just that when you look at a map of the Tuscany area all the little towns look alike(on the map)....names very similar and so many of them. I just thought a kind soul could throw out a couple of names of towns that could be a starting point for my research.
As for the lunches vs. dinner, we had scoped out other lunch experiences for some of the days that we are there and plan to do that for sure, but I just really fell in love with the dinner at the farm description. Would like to still do it if possible, but you can't have everything. So it will depend on where we end up staying.
Thanks for your response. I hop this explains it better.
Jul 1st, 2017, 06:22 AM
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San Querico or Pienza would be a great place to stay. They are both lovely towns with numerous restaurants you could walk to. There are also many hill towns you can visit from there. We even went to Pitigliano and Sorveno on a day trip from there. It was fantastic! We also drove to a winery called Avignonesi for a wine pairing lunch. Best food and drink of our trip. It is a splurge but worth every penny. It is gorgeous!
Jul 1st, 2017, 12:58 PM
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Sounds to me like the towns you should focus on are San Quirico d'Orcia, Pienza, Montalcino and Montepulciano.
Look for a b&b or hotel that is just at the edge of town, near the walls, that will have nice views plus you will be able to walk to piazze for an evening aperitivo.
"Dinner on a farm" is common all over Tuscany. So once you settle on a town you like, you can find a farm dinner nearby I am fairly certain.
Pienza & San Quirico & Buonconvento are flat, which many people prefer because it can be tiring (or hard on the skeleton!) to always be walking up & down hill. Montalcino & Montepuliciano are hilltowns, and they have beautiful views. But walking from where you park your car to where you are slaying can be steep.
Look for a b&b or hotel that is just at the edge of town, near the walls, that will have nice views plus you will be able to walk to piazze for an evening aperitivo.
"Dinner on a farm" is common all over Tuscany. So once you settle on a town you like, you can find a farm dinner nearby I am fairly certain.
Pienza & San Quirico & Buonconvento are flat, which many people prefer because it can be tiring (or hard on the skeleton!) to always be walking up & down hill. Montalcino & Montepuliciano are hilltowns, and they have beautiful views. But walking from where you park your car to where you are slaying can be steep.
