blej

As part of our two week trip to Italy we’ll be driving from Florence and spending six days in Montalcino at the Palazzina Cesira. I’m hoping to put together a tentative itinerary for visiting the wonderful hill towns. My wife and I spent four days in the area 10 years ago and had a wonderful time, but our travelling companions have never been to this part of Tuscany.

We are thinking of stopping in Volterra for a visit and lunch, perhaps three hours total before heading to our hotel in Montalcino. Does this sound reasonable? Is there a scenic route that you would recommend?

That leaves 5 days to tour around the Val d’Orcia. What would be a useful itinerary considering that we would not want to be too far from Montalcino if we were to eat dinner away (this is more a matter of tricky curvy roads at night than distance). We could easily have a main lunch and a light dinner or the reverse – whichever would accommodate the route for the day. We would want to see Siena, Pienza, Montechiello, Montefollonico and Sant Antimo. Others places I’m not familiar with.

Any help to get started would help.

wekewoody

No Montepulciano??? I would add that to your list. Have lunch at Gattavecchi.

Regarding Sant' Antimo...unless you REALLY REALLY want to hear the monks chant, I would go in the off times. The tour buses and the crowds are gone and it is peaceful and lovely. We were there a few weeks ago between "chants" and we were the only people there for a awhile and there were never more than 10 people there the hour we were there.

Being in Montalcino, you'll be a short drive to Sant'Angelo in Colle, a little town south of Montalcino. Il Pozzo is a wonderful restaurant there. We had a fantastic lunch.

Another abbey to visit would be Monte Oliveto Maggiore. We didn't make it this time, but will be on the list for next time.

Il Podere Casale is a small, organic farm that produces wonderful pecorino and goat cheese. It is in the hills between Pienza and Montechiello. They do short tours of the farm and cheese tastings as well as serving lunch and dinner. The views from here are spectacular.
http://www.podereilcasale.it/
[email protected]

When in Pienza, a fascinating shop to look at (and buy) beautiful works of art in wrought iron is Biagiotti. Amazing stuff.

Our favorite meal of the trip was in Valiano at Piccola Trattoria Guastini. The food is amazing.

If you find yourselves nearby San Giovanni di Asso stop at Il Bosco della Ragnaia. It is a particular artist's vision of a fantasy forest and garden. I love landscaping and gardens and this was very cool. http://www.laragnaia.com/EN/intro/

We were in the area a week and never made it to Siena or some other places we had wanted to visit.

Allow yourself plenty of time for long lunches and leisurely drives.

jamikins

We spent NYE in Montepulciano and loved it!

Our trip report is here

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-new-years.cfm

And our pics are here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gi...7639164500734/

And we highly recommend a steak meal here http://www.acquacheta.eu

blej

Jamikins - I only read the very beginning of your trip report and really look forward to the full read. I also looked at the pictures you posted and it definitively has shaken the remarkable patience I had been exhibiting waiting for the day of our trip to arrive.

Dayle

Blej,
I stayed in Montalcino for just 3 nights a few years ago. From there:
9am mass at Sant 'Antimo (can't remember if it was a Sat or Sun), stayed thru the whole thing. Only 12 other people there, beautiful. When I left at 10:15 am the tour buses were rolling in for "visiting hours".

Headed on to Montalcino where I met friends for lunch and wandering. Then took a leisurely drive with lots of photo ops before making it to Monte Olivetto for the afternoon opening hours.

Another day I visited Pienza, had lunch at Latte di Luna, and more aimless driving. Finished with wine tasting at the Fortezza in Montalcino and enjoyed the views from the walls.

I had dinner every night at Grappolo Blu because I loved it so much. Fabulous traditional Tuscan country food made for the Brunello! I don't know if Luciano and Maria Pia ("Vanilla Beans and Brodo" by Isabelle Dusi) are still running it, they may have handed it off to their children by now.

Buon viaggio!

Henry

blej,
This may help http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/tuscany/hs_planning.htm

jamikins

Blej glad you enjoyed the pics! You can hardly go wrong no netter what you choose! I know you will enjoy it!

blej

Wekewoody - I wrote to thank you for your comments and for some reason it did not show up. Anyway I left Montepulciano of the list on purpose as the last time we went there we basically just walked through in the afternoon and much was closed. I hoped people would champion it and include why - as is happening.

We do, however like the smaller charming towns the best.

Having read more we would try to visit Sant' Antimo early, before the buses arrive. Sant'Angelo in Colle sounds like the perfect place to go after and have lunch.

Last trip here we stayed in San Giovanni d'Asso but did not know about Il Bosco della Ragnaia - will look into it.

Made a note re: Valiano and Piccola Trattoria Guastini .

Thanks Dayle - glad to know Montalcino has at least one restaurant worth returning to. Leisurely is the way to go.

Henry - great link with other links full of Val d'Orcia info.

Any other little towns not on the general lists?