Seeking advice from Tuscany experts

Old Feb 18th, 2017, 05:44 AM
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Seeking advice from Tuscany experts

Helllo everyone,
I could really use your valuable input. We are planning a last minute trip to the Tuscany region for the last week of March until April 2 or 3, so 8 or 9 days. We are flying in from London on Saturday the 25th. My husband and I are bringing our 14-year old daughter after a school trip to London.
I have been surprised that I have found availability at some cool places, since it is just the end of the off-season. I would love any opinion, please forgive my ignorance of the region. In researching it appears to be a place that will require multiple visits to truly appreciate!
We have never been to Florence or Tuscany. It seems Florence needs its own stay, is 2 nights enough or shall we do 3 so we can get the 72-hour museum passes? Worth it?
We found availability at Torre di Bellosguardo but also many interesting boutique hotels right in the center of town.
We are wondering if it's better to make use of Agriturismo arrangements and the good deal for the week , then just do 2 days in Florence.
I have found availability at both Cretaiole and Casa Moricciani ( both with a special rate, or else pro-rated to stay only 5 nights) and also Terre di Nano and Podere Spedalone for that week, neither of which has a minimum stay so we could do only 4 nights if we wanted.
Reading all the reviews, it certainly seems the guidance that Isabella and family offered would help direct our stay tremendously...any opinions on these situations much appreciated.

Is it too much to fly into Rome for a day or two, do 4 or 5 nights in Pienza area, then end with 2 or 3 nights in Florence? Is it better to just stick to Florence and Tuscany ?
We want some relaxation time and to see the amazing vistas of the Val D'Orcia as well as exploring the art and antiquities of Florence. We feel we should show our daughter the ancient sites in Rome , even briefly, but I'm wondering if were squeezing in too much? We were originally thinking 2 nights Rome, 5 nights Tuscany, 2 nights Rome. Any advice is truly appreciated!
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Old Feb 18th, 2017, 07:24 AM
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My first thought is: will your 14 yo daughter be bored in the countryside? What does she think about that part of the trip?

There is so much to see in both Rome and Florence, but your time in each depends on what your interests are. Florence is filled with Renaissance art and architecture. Rome has more Roman antiquities along with Renaissance art and architecture.

The endless sights of Rome are a bit more spread out and personally I don't find Rome as crowded feeling as Florence. Florence is more compact when it comes to sightseeing.

How much time to spend in each destination will depend on what all family members expect to do/see in each location.

I am a firm believer of not rushing Rome. There is just so much to see that those who try to see even the typical highlights in just 2 or 3 days end up not liking the city.
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Old Feb 18th, 2017, 07:58 AM
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I'd fly direct to Florence from London. Stay 3 nights. See museum highlights w museum card, yes, worth it. Rent car outside of the downtown area, drive to Val d Orcia. Stay 3 nights. Tour La Foce if you can, drive to hill towns, taste wine, eat, etc. Then drop car in Chiusi at train station. Train to Rome for 3 nights. Pick either the forum/coliseum OR the Vatican museums. Don't try and do both in your short time and you just might enjoy Rome!

This would give you a taste of Italy, and don't worry...you'll be back!

Everything I've read about Bellosguardo sounds amazing. But for a first trip, being in the thick of things might be nice. I'd suggest Navona Garden Suites in Rome. We stayed in San Quirico d Orcia at a b&b. Pienza is well located for touring as well.
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Old Feb 18th, 2017, 08:16 AM
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Whether you spend time in Rome, Florence or rural Tuscany really depends on your interests (including your daughter).

When we took our daughter to Italy when she was 10, we did not visit rural Tuscany, because we thought she would be bored; she's more of a city, cafe, museum sort of person. Though we spent about a week in Le Marche, and she really liked that - but we visited many castles and things like that, which (I think) there are fewer of in Tuscany.

Don't split up your time in Rome, if you decide to include Rome. Do all your time at the beginning or end of the trip.

Places that have rooms for three, that we like, are Residenze Canali ai Coronari, on a quiet street in Rome very close to the Piazza Navona, and in Florence, near Santa Croce, a lovely B&B called Casa dei Tintori.
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Old Feb 18th, 2017, 12:42 PM
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I think your question is a tougher call than you realize. I have a fairly large extended family and also friends with who I travel and it includes two unrelated 13 year olds. It really does depend on the individuals in the travel group about which destinations are going to provide the nicest distribution of wows. If everyody going on this trip is a true travel hounds who just love every travel adventure, happy campers all the way, don't sweat it. Italy is great no matter what you choose. Just bear in mind that spring weather in Italy is subject to unpredictable downpours. You don't want an agriturismo so off the road, sitting atop a long dirt farm path, you feel trapped. (Because you might be!)

But if you've got some legitimately "picky eaters" (I'm a picky eater, and I think all my pickiness is totally justified), then I'm sure you don't want to hear complaints abroad. Rome, Florence and the Tuscany wine areas have some striking differences when it comes to what's on offer each day. Rome really does lean toward antiquity + the monumentally Catholic when it comes to sightseeing. Florence is intensely dense with the Renaisssance, and more Renaissance, with shopping everywhere you turn. (And ore shopping!) Out there in the wine country, it is really an idyll. Rolling hills dotted with enchanting little towns, some thermal spas. BIke or horse riding if it's dry. Some very special artisan shops, and a bigger chance to interact with native Italians, even though it is a tourist area. They'll just have more time + inclination to shoot the breeze with you it. In March, you'll have some places occasionally pretty much tourist-free except for you.

Maybe that helps you sort out where your travel buds will be happiest, and in what proportions.
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Old Feb 18th, 2017, 05:47 PM
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Check your logistics and determine how "doable" your moves actually are. To enjoy the rural Tuscany of your wishes, a car would be necessary in any of your listed Pienza locations. Two nights in Florence would likely net you a quick 1 1/2 days--is that enough to see your favored sights?
As for Isabella and the Moracciani offerings, we enjoy the Pienza location and its access (w/ a car) to Montepulciano, Montalcino, San Quirico, St. Antimo and many other locations. The Moracciani family could not be better hosts and their long time experience will guide you.
There are three of you and your 14 yr old will enjoy it all for this short visit--major cities and hilltop towns. Personally, I would love to have the opportunity to show a daughter the wonders of both the cities you have listed and especially the Val d'Orcia.
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Old Feb 19th, 2017, 08:52 AM
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I can't thank you enough for all of your helpful responses! I think we are leaning toward doing Rome another time. I take the point that's it really needs more time, and thinking about it, my short tris there have left me not crazy about going. I think devoting a week there another time would be smarter.

My daughter is coming off of an 8 day school trip with tons of museums and bus rides, and wants a chance to slow down a bit and wander. So it is sounding like Tuscany might be our focus.

Wonderful point about being trapped atop a hilltop rural property, I think that would be okay for a day but not more, and does make me think of choosing a property inside a city wall.

We are big foodies all three, and looking forward to trying the pecorino and olive oil and we do enjoy more authentic experiences. We have been to Venice and the Amalfi Coast but enjoyed out trips to Ravello and more off-the-beaten path areas even more. We like the unplanned and accidental experiences the most---like riding in a gondola in the rain with no one else out on the canals one night in Venice, befriending cats along the back pathways of Anacapri.

Thanks for your advice--if you know of any wonderful properties inside the city walls of Pienza or other, we'd love to here. Also wondering --perhaps Assisi might be a good place to stop?

Grazie!
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Old Feb 19th, 2017, 11:14 AM
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You don't need to avoid an agriturismo. Just pick one with a paved driveway, which most of the nicer, high-end ones that you mention do. In fact, you might find it easier to be at a well-appointed agriturismo if it is raining (and you might not see a drop of rain!) if you can drive up to your agriturismo and hop out of the car a few feet from the door of your lodgings than if you stay inside town walls -- because then you will need to park well oustide the walls and walk however far it is to your door. Up to you. It's sounds like you are fine-tuning according to your very personal desires, which is the right thing.

If you are foodies, you can think about whether having a kitchen would be an asset to you, either for breakfasts or because having a fridge for the cheese or maybe skipping dinner except for some cheese & wine & bread & fruit in the kitchen is a nice substitute for another restaurant meal if you ate a big lunch. Apartments are more readily rented on farms in Tuscany than inside towns, but they do exist in some towns. You can find a lot looking at booking.com.

Assisi is a longish-drive from the val d'Orcia, crossing over into Umbria. (There are almost no straight highways running west to east in that part of Italy). You can gauge your daughter's appetite for art sightseeing, and you can expect crowds in Assisi, even off season, to see the artworks. They are of course stupendous, but there are other marvelous frescoes and churches nearer to the val d'Orica -- in the abbey Monte Oliveto Maggiore or the cathedral in Orvieto.

If your daughters is very much looking forward to relaxing, there are several thermal spas, both outdoors and indoors, many with astonishing long histories, dating back to Etruscan times, in the area.
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Old Feb 20th, 2017, 05:33 AM
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Contact the Moracciani family for availability at their "home farm", Podere San Gregorio (www.poderesangregorio.com) . It is easily within walking distance of Pienza (5 mins.) and has an apartment/ family room with 2 bathrooms --La Vite.
While Pienza is small, staying this close to town affords all sorts of distractions to say nothing about the farm, its animals, garden and cellars on the property itself.
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