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How would you piece these together?Piedmont,Tuscany, Bologna, Umbria

How would you piece these together?Piedmont,Tuscany, Bologna, Umbria

Old May 29th, 2016, 01:55 PM
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How would you piece these together?Piedmont,Tuscany, Bologna, Umbria

My husband and I will be travelling to Italy from September 23-October 10th and we plan to rent a car for the entire time. We are set on visiting Piedmont (Alba), Tuscany (Chianti & Montalcino), Emilia- Romagna (Parma, Modena, Bologna) and Umbria (I haven't decided the towns yet). We will also want to do a day trip to Florence. I keep going around and around trying to figure out the best ways to piece this together so I can at least book our flights and car rental.

Maybe someone has some insight on these they can off me. So far I am thinking of flying into Florence and then staying in radda chianti for 3 nights (from there we can do a day trip to florence and pisa) then moving on to Montalcino for 2 nights, Umbra, Bologna (stay in Bologna or Parma and do day trips) then go to piedmont and stay in Alba (4 days) and fly out from Turin.
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Old May 29th, 2016, 02:39 PM
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We're thinking we may just add one more day and do our itinerary as follows:

Sept 22- Fly into Florence
23- Arrive and pick up rental car and stay in Chianti
24-Chianti region to see towns
25- Chianti region to do wine tasting
26- Day trip to Florence
27- Montalcino
28- Montalcino
29- Montalcino
30- Umbria cooking class
Oct 1- Umbria towns
2- Bologna
3-Bologna
4- Day trip to Parma from Bologna
5- Day trip to Modena from Bologna
6- Piedmont
7-Piedmont
8- Piedmont (day trip to Turin)
9- Piedmont
10- Fly home from Turin.

Are we trying to do too much? I really don't know what to eliminate, I want to visit all these places equally! We're going to celebrate our first wedding anniversary and our main priorities are wine, food and views. When we go on vacation we usually wake up at 6:30am and we're in bed by 11ish so we will have full days to fill.
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Old May 29th, 2016, 03:18 PM
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Unless you can add another day, I would cut Umbria out--and I love Umbria. We've spent our last two vacations there. But the towns sort of shut down from after lunch until mid-late afternoon, so there's only so much you can see in a day. I just don't know that it's worth the added miles. But if you do go, I would suggest a stay in Montefalco, Bevagna or Spello. If you'd rather swap out a cooking class for a wine tour, contact Gusto Wine Tours (well in advance). They'll take you to small wineries that you won't likely find on your own. Frankly, with only two days, I think you'll see and experience more on a wine tour anyway. Most of the wineries are near Montefalco and the countryside there is really beautiful.
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Old May 29th, 2016, 05:34 PM
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I agree re Umbria. It would be easy to spend an entire week there. Lots to see/do.

Make sure what you want to see in Florence is open that Monday. Lots of things will be closed, and you may decide you need/want to switch with one of your Chianti days.

I'd just spend the last 2 nights in Turin rather than work out the logistics of a day trip into the city.
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Old May 29th, 2016, 06:18 PM
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Thanks guys. What if we reduced our time in Tuscany and increased it in Umbria? That's already with the added day. Maybe take away from Montalcino?
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Old May 29th, 2016, 06:47 PM
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Only you can make that choice based on what you'd be willing to skip in Tuscany. If it was me, I'd keep the week in Tuscany and decide between Umbria and Piemonte. Then again, if it was me, I'd want more time in Florence than a partial day.
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Old May 30th, 2016, 12:12 PM
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Jean, why would you want more time in Tuscany?
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Old May 30th, 2016, 03:39 PM
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You already plan one week in Tuscany. I'm not suggesting more time other than I'd want more than a partial day in Florence. Florence simply has more to see and do that interests me than I could cover in one day. Actually, I've been to the city several times and still haven't seen everything I'd like to.

Have you identified what you would see in a single day trip?
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Old May 31st, 2016, 03:32 AM
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I second indyhiker's suggestion. We just got back from 4 nights in Bevagna and it wasn't half enough. The Montefalco Rosso (blend) and the Sagrantino wines are much better than Chianti. ;-)
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Old May 31st, 2016, 12:37 PM
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Jean, I have already been to Florence twice for 4 days at a time so I am not really interested in spending more time there. We're really just going so my husband can see David and the Duomo (he says this is why but he's found a pizza place he has his eye on and I think that is the real reason but regardless lol)

How about this new itinerary? Does it make more sense?

Sept 22- Fly into Rome

23- Arrive and pick up rental car at Rome airport and stay in Orvieto, Spoleto or Montefalco

24-Wine tasting in Umbria

25- Cooking class in Umbria

26- Montalcino

27- Montalcino

28- Montalcino

29- Chianti

30- Chianti

Oct 1- Day trip to Florence

2- Bologna

3-Bologna

4- Day trip to Parma from Bologna

5- Day trip to Modena from Bologna

6- Piedmont

7-Piedmont

8- Piedmont (day trip to Turin)

9- Piedmont

10- Fly home from Turin.

I can't decide if it's worth going to Umbria or just extending our stay in the Tuscan region. I love what I've read about Umbria but I also hate being rushed. I know I can always go "next time" but with so many places in the world to see I am not sure how soon I will come back. I don't know about staying in Turin, the country side sounds much more appealing to me then the city.
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Old May 31st, 2016, 01:24 PM
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Well, these are the sorts of decisions only you can make. This would be too little time for me in both Umbria and Piemonte. And probably too many hotel changes for my liking.

You do realize you'll be driving through Modena and Parma to reach Alba (or wherever in Piemonte)?

I can recommend the Hotel San Luca in Spoleto for easy in/out with a car. As much as I like Orvieto, it's located near the western edge of Umbria and is an hour's drive +/- from the heart of Umbria. The wines local to Orvieto and those local to Montefalco are not similar, so what sort of wine tasting did you hope to do?

http://www.hotelsanluca.com/en/
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Old May 31st, 2016, 02:59 PM
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What's the difference? We're not picky... We like a little bit of everything!
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Old May 31st, 2016, 05:04 PM
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If you want to tour with Gusto, they will pick you up if you're in the area. I'm not sure if they'll go as far as Spoleto and definitely not to Orvieto. If you have limited time in the areas, Orvieto does not make for a good base IMO and while I like Spoleto, I actually don't think it's quite as central either.

I tend to think that you should get a firmer sense of what you want to do in each region before deciding what to cut. Each region obviously has its appeal, but beyond a general sense of "ooh, I want to go there," what do you want to see/do? I love hill towns and churches, but after a week, I've had my fill (as a for instance) so I'd want to mix it up with a region known for something else or with outdoor pursuits (hiking for instance).

That would my approach to your dilemma.
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Old May 31st, 2016, 05:07 PM
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"What's the difference?"

What's the subject? Regions, towns, or wine? If wine, Orvieto is best known for its white wines (procanico and grechetto grapes) that aren't aged long but consumed young. Montefalco is known primarily for reds from sagrantino grapes. Fifteen miles north, Torgiano reds are from sangiovese grapes. Although the Brunellos produced near Montalcino are also from sangiovese grapes, the Brunellos are considered among the best red wine made in Italy, if not the world. The Barolos in Piemonte (nebbiolo grapes) are also very highly regarded.
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Old May 31st, 2016, 06:29 PM
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Thank you everyone. You have been very helpful!!
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Old Jun 6th, 2016, 08:42 PM
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Ashley

https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...baAndVicinity# For lodgings while in Piemonte...very close to the lovely town of Alba, is Villa La Favorita...superb. It was recommended to us by EKSCRUNCHY a few years ago and we have since passed on the rec to others. Say hello to owner Roberta from the Californian writer.
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