cep12

Hi! We are planning our first trip to Italy this fall. Late Oct - Nov. We will be going to Florence, Cinque Terre, Tuscany and then departing from Rome.

After Cinque Terre our plan is to do 4 days in Tuscany before driving down towards Rome. Wanted to get suggestions on where to stay. Ideally love the idea of staying in a bed and breakfast or agriturismo. Want to have the local experience. We love food and wine. We are in our late 30's and traveling without our kids. So would love a place that is romantic. Would be nice to find somewhere with a view...and even a place where we could walk to town and grab coffee (which I know may be difficult to find). But we do plan on getting a car after we come back from Cinque Terre. So any suggestions on where we can pick a car up would be great too!
Had a friend suggest a couple of places. Le Due Volpi. Loved the reviews. But think the region may be in the opposite direction?? Not familiar with the region so if it is something to explore, we are willing to change and modify plans. (Mugello Region).

Another one that came recommended was Validrose. Again loved the reviews but think it may be too close to Florence.
Wondering if we should stay more Chianti or Siena? But we are completely open to any area. (We do not plan on going to Pisa.)
I've pinned so many places and regions. San Gimignano, Montalcino, Chianti, Siena, Orvieto, Montepulciano, you name it. Its now starting to blend together and get overwhelming but want to book soon!

So now looking at other opinions. Open to suggestions! Thank you in advance!

bobthenavigator

After 17 trips to Italy, here is my current list of good places to stay in Tuscany.

BOB’S FAVORITE DIGS IN TUSCANY
A. RURAL LOCATIONS: All have parking and good food options nearby

1. SANT’ ANTONIO APTS. http://www.santantonio.it/ Lovely apartments
in a rural setting near Montepulciano—very helpful owner

2. Cretaiole Agriturismo http://www.cretaiole.it/ Good value for families
Isabella also has 2 apts. in Castelmuzio for rent—wonderful—see her site.

3. Terre di Nano www.terredinano.com 100 to 155
Both rooms and apartments at rural Agriturismo near Monticchiello

4. Casanova di Pescille http://www.casanovadipescille.com/ 100E
Rural B&B 3 KM from famed San Gimignano—we loved the views of San Gim.

5. Fattoria Tregole www.fattoria-tregole.com 110E to 180E
Has both B&B and apartment accommodations. Near Castellina in Chianti

6. Fonte Bertusi www.fontebertusi.it Lovely rural B&B near Pienza with apartments and pool. Wonderful décor by artistic family—fair prices.

7. New historic B&B north of Pienza. http://www.camprena.it/index.htm
Site of filming for THE ENGLISH PATIENT About 90E for double

8. http://www.borgoargenina.it/index.html A special rural B&B in Chianti.
The lovely owner, Elena, will make you feel like family. 170E for double

B. IN-TOWN LOCATIONS: For walking convenience to shops & ristorantes.

1. Palazzo del Capitano www.palazzodelcapitano.com 170 to 210E
Very nice small hotel in center of San Quirico—perfect location to explore.

2. Vecchia Oliviera www.vecchiaoliviera.com/ 150 to 200E
Nice 4 star hotel at the gate into lovely Montalcino---has pool.

3. Palazzina Cesari www.montalcinoitaly.com 80 to 110E
Lovely small B&B in heart of Montalcino—great value—2 night stay minimum.

4. Locanda di San Francesco www.locandasanfrancesco.it 180 to 200E
Nice boutique B&B in a lovely location in Montepulciano—great reviews !

5. Politian apartments http://www.politian.com/ Good value apts. with
minimum stay of 3 nights in Montepulciano---helpful host---85E

6. Palazzo Ravizza www.palazzoravizza.it 170 to 250E
Very nice & popular hotel in Siena with parking.

sandralist

Coming from le Cinque Terre you can pick up a car in La Spezia or Pisa (the latter might be necessary if you are picking it up on a Sunday.)

As long as you are departing from Rome, you might as well go south of Siena, which has some of the most photographed scenery in all of Tuscany. The Mugello are is too far north and less scenic, and Valdirose would only make sense of you wanted easy access to Florence. Chianti is a bit west if you are coming from le Cinque Terre.

My favorite part of Tuscany a bit south of Siena is the area known as le Crete Senesi, partly because it is a little bit wild and more dramatic, colorful geology.

http://www.terresiena.it/en/crete-senesi

Other people prefer the more domesticated val d'Orcia area.

http://www.terresiena.it/en/val-d-orcia

Either area puts you within day-trip reach of Siena, Montalcino and Montepulciano. You could visit San Gimignano for lunch on your way down from le Cinque Terre.

For me the ideal is an agriturismo with apartments w/kitchens and a restaurant on site, which is maximum flexibility when it comes to meals. You can find them that will take 4 day stays. You are right that you are going to have a hard time finding a rural lodging that is within walking distance to a town or village for coffee. You might try looking for lodgings around Murlo, Montisi, San Giovanni d'Asso, San Quirico d'Orcia and Pienza -- but you might need to come to a hard decision of whether you would prefer a farm/vineyard based countryside experience in an agriturismo or a village/town experience in a b&b or hotel for your sleeps. Either way, the great majority of places are romantic and most have views.

sandralist

Sorry -- I should have typed that Chianti is a bit east if you are starting as far west as le Cinque Terre.

sandralist

Just as an example, this is the sort of place that would appeal to me, an olive oil farm with apartments plus a restaurant, and I think it might be possible to walk to the village. But you'd have to track down recent reviews (and there are lots others like it in Tuscany)

http://www.laromita.it/en/index.html

cep12

What do you think about the area of Cortona as a central location?

cep12

Looking at Locanda San Martino a Bocena? Is Cortona not centrally located?

Also looking at your list. Thank you so much Bob and Sandra. I see several places that I had pinned. Terre di Nano, Fattoria Tregole, etc.

bobthenavigator

Cortona is not a good location for Tuscany.

sandralist

It depends on what you want to do and experience. Cortona is, as perhaps you already know, the setting for "Under the Tuscan Sun" (I guess no one told the now-wealthy author it wasn't a "good location" for Tuscany!). It has a lot of infrastructure for tourists because of that fame, including some properties that are both farms or rural settings yet are walkable to the large town (don't know if the one you mention is) with all of Cortona's various restaurants and shops (and fellow tourists). And for people who want to do a few specific day trips into the Chianti and Umbria, Cortona favors those logistics.

For people who want to tour villages and the vineyard country of the val d'Orcia -- which is the most photographed part of Tuscany -- Cortona is outside that area, across the major highway, and it is bit convenient for just puttering around the most picturesque countryside without specific targets.

cep12

Hmm... You are making me rethink things. Perhaps Montalcino would be better?

geebee14

Very helpful info in this thread. If one were travelling by rail rather than road, what two or three towns would you recommend as possible bases? Or is renting a car clearly the better option for exploring the region?

bilboburgler

Cortona, a little dull, there are better places in Tuscany

bobthenavigator

The rail lines in Tuscany are not good. You need a car to see the best of Tuscany--not just the cities.

Henry

cep,
these may help
http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/tuscany/hs_planning.htm

http://www.prolocomontalcino.com/en/...-of-the-thrush

TPAYT

Excellent list---taking notes

Thanks for all the web sites

jewing

You need a car for this one, best food we had in Italy, hands down. Food grown on the property, picked and prepared fresh daily. Fresh hand made pasta everyday. Can still remember the taste years later. We enjoyed the communal dining table, lots of interesting conversation.

http://www.agriturismo.it/en/farmhou...062/index.html

sandralist

Nice location!

bvlenci

I'm not sure I'd want to go to the Cinque Terre in late October/November. The risk of bad weather is fairly high at that time of year.

annhig

bmk

tuscanlifeedit

Other than Frances Mayes, I wonder what is wrong with Cortona? I'm guessing that her books are no longer drawing huge crowds, or am I mistaken?

I've been warned off Cortona myself, and yet it looks kind of nice, is near a lot of places that I've enjoyed, and has a few interesting attractions.