dlpiano

I will be traveling to the Tuscan region of Italy with 2 friends during the first week of November. We have a house in Lucca as our homebase. This is not my first trip so I would like to try some new places. Any advice or thoughts on the following would be greatly appreciated:
*Isola d'Elba
*eating at an aggatorissimo (sp?)
* national parks besides the Cinque Terre (LOVE!)Possibly Parco Artistico Natural Culturale della Val d'Orcia / Park Treno Natuura -maybe the vintage diesel rail car "Littorine"? (am I getting this all right?)
Other suggestions also welcome!
Thanks.
PS Should I be scared of the weather this time of year? I've heard so many different comments from rainy season to cold and cloudy,etc.

dlpiano

Won't someone help us?? Too many questions? Should I have divided them up? Or just too off the beaten path?

Dayle

Hi d,

Your questions are about places that I don't remember people mentioning in their trip reports. If you want to get responses, but the name of the place in your title. Too many ask about "off the beaten path in Tuscany" and don't really mean as far "off" as you do!

I would be concerned about weather at the national park. I haven't been there, but I understand it is a higher altitude and that's always a major factor.

Zerlina

I think you want to eat at an agriturismo...

jabez

-Isola d'Elba
Have not been to
-"eating at an aggatorissimo"
You may want to search for one. I have not eaten at any near to Lucca.You may want to try Slow Travel.
- Val d'Orcia park
Pretty drive,but a long day trip from Lucca.

How many times have you and/or your friends traveled to Tuscany?

markrosy

Going to Elba on Saturday will let you know - looks stunning

dlpiano

Thank you so much for filling me in on Elba! I feel like maybe these places we chose will really make us feel less like tourists and more like just coming home since no one seems to know much about them.

ekscrunchy

I thought Elba was a huge package tour destination..

dlpiano

ah-oh! shows you how much I know and why I am asking for info

Pilates

I've been to Elba. We stayed in Porto Azzurro (sp?) It was a charming, small port town. I remember pleasant walks and quaint restaurants. It was not a tourist trap when I was there (spring) and in November you may be the only American (I'm assuming) tourists there. Not much English is spoken, which was fine by me.

At that time of year the ferries will be much more limited so plan carefully.

ekscrunchy

In season Elba has the reputation of a not-high-end package tour place....certainly you will not see those tourists in November!

From Cadogan's Tuscany guide:

"Elba has become one of Europe's most popular holiday playgrounds with tourists approaching two million a year...tourist Elba is no glamour puss..Germans are particularly fond of the island; they have bought up most of the southern coast..."

robgiallo

A trip up into the Garfagnana is worthwhile. Check out a hill town called Barga.

ekscrunchy

What about the Maremma?

mikej48

The two best dinners we had in Tuscany were at Mario's in Buconvento (a very small town) and at La Torre in Castellina in Chianti. We stayed at an agriturismo called I Pianelli which is in Murlo, about a half hour south of Siena but all of the eating we there we made ourselves. It was a joy to go to the local markets to buy the ingredients.

carl170

We stayed at a great agriturismo near Orbetello on the southern Tuscan coast, La Parrina. http://www.parrina.it/ENGLAND/e_index.html
The main attraction is the penisula, it's like a small island, but connected to the mainland. The main town is Porto Ercole. It might be a bit far from Lucca though, it's an easy trip from Rome. There are some parks in the area too, La Maremma, though I haven't visited them.

PeggyE

Mikej48, I agree about La Torre in Castellina in Chianti! Our hotel did not serve dinner our first night there, at Villa Casalecchi, & suggested the restaurant. It was wonderful! Thanks for the memory. And it was one of our favorites in Italy.

dlpiano

Thank you for all the great ideas and responses. The owner of the house my friends and I are staying in just started giving tour guides last year when we visited. His rates for housing are unheard of! I believe his rates for touring to also be fair. The experience was fantastic with a local behind the wheel!
Sounds like we should fore go Elba. Not what I pictured.
I adored my trip to Italy for the first time last year!! It totally changed my life. Many family traditions now fit into place. The next step would be to eat with a local family and have a true Italian family experience. Figured an Agriturismo was the way to do that.

I do not really want to tour Italy but prefer to experience Italy!

palatino82

Elba is gorgeous. I have spent a total of 12 weeks there and it is beautiful with the contrast of the sea and the green hills. There are pretty little ports. Definitely go beyond Portoferraio. Marina di Campo is lovely, Marciana Marina, Fetovaia is pretty but not as built up. I have been there during tourist season and despite the crowds the experience was still perfect.

pngmartino

Have you been to Cinque Terra. You wont be that far and it is "the place to go these days" Five villages on the coast, beautiful.

vetralla

guidebook writers' tips ;
-choose Elba over Cinqueterre for the real Italy seaside town experience
-see the film "N" about Napoleon's exile there before you go to Elba.
-Porto S. Stefano, Orbetello are wonderful small towns on the Argentario peninsula with a Spanish flavor, for 150 years they were part of Spain-don't miss them -on www.elegantetruriadotcom you can read more about central Italy by people who live here.