Tuscany leg of trip--floundering a bit
Jul 6th, 2016, 07:21 PM
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Tuscany leg of trip--floundering a bit
Hello again. I have two full days allocated to Tuscany (after three full days in Florence). I know it's not nearly enough but it will have to do this go-round. We will be leaving Florence on a Saturday (9/24) and, given the short distance, I hope to get something out of the travel day. I am trying to decide on a base for our three nights in Tuscany. Geographically, Siena makes sense, but I am very open to other towns. San Gimignano and Montepulciano sound interesting to me, but don't seem all that centrally located. Maybe the distances to other towns in the region are short enough that it doesn't matter. I am also trying to decide whether to stay in a city/town, or just near one. I know that driving in the towns can be very limited and difficult. So is it better to stay right outside the town or maybe even just in the general area?
I don't have any set agenda for Tuscany at this point; I'm hoping to keep it relaxed and will try to resist the urge to cram too much in so we can enjoy just being there. I definitely want to visit a winery (or two?), and a couple of the smaller hill towns. It's going to be hard to choose. I have a bit of concern that our full days in Tuscany are Sunday and Monday; will closures be an issue?
We are planning to pick up a car as we leave Florence, and drop the car somewhere on the day we drive to Rome, our last stop on the trip.
Advice related to any of the above would be most welcome! I've been reading Tuscany threads and other people seem to know more what they want to do there and where they want to go. Thanks in advance for your input!
I don't have any set agenda for Tuscany at this point; I'm hoping to keep it relaxed and will try to resist the urge to cram too much in so we can enjoy just being there. I definitely want to visit a winery (or two?), and a couple of the smaller hill towns. It's going to be hard to choose. I have a bit of concern that our full days in Tuscany are Sunday and Monday; will closures be an issue?
We are planning to pick up a car as we leave Florence, and drop the car somewhere on the day we drive to Rome, our last stop on the trip.
Advice related to any of the above would be most welcome! I've been reading Tuscany threads and other people seem to know more what they want to do there and where they want to go. Thanks in advance for your input!
Jul 7th, 2016, 01:15 AM
#2
Val d'Orcia is pretty nice, and a lot of the little towns in the triangle of Siena, Montepulciano and Pienza will be good.
You have to decide do you want restaurants near by and do you want swimming pools etc.
I've stayed on the outskirts of most of these places and it works well.
Closure on Sunday and Monday, yes, but Monday is really a Museum closed issue and business is business so Sunday access is restricted in churches but only a bit.
So do your museums on Sunday and your churches/countryside on Monday
You have to decide do you want restaurants near by and do you want swimming pools etc.
I've stayed on the outskirts of most of these places and it works well.
Closure on Sunday and Monday, yes, but Monday is really a Museum closed issue and business is business so Sunday access is restricted in churches but only a bit.
So do your museums on Sunday and your churches/countryside on Monday
Jul 7th, 2016, 03:39 AM
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Thank you bilbo...we don't care anything about having a pool on this trip, we are much more into good food and wine, that's why I am a bit reluctant to go for one of the more rural bases.
Jul 7th, 2016, 04:35 AM
#4
I'd have a look at agriturismo.it for Tuscany. Very easy to stay on a winery and eat local food.
Just a note some of these towns are very steep, if you are not fit, walking in can be a pain. I find Potenza a little trippy but there are good places to stay near there and a walk in (there is a flat hill beside it) CAN be flat.
Drinking and driving, not a good idea
Just a note some of these towns are very steep, if you are not fit, walking in can be a pain. I find Potenza a little trippy but there are good places to stay near there and a walk in (there is a flat hill beside it) CAN be flat.
Drinking and driving, not a good idea
Jul 7th, 2016, 07:21 AM
#5
There is no one "centrally located" town. You just pick a part of Tuscany that you'd like to explore and find a town (or an agriturismo) that's well-located for that area. We've found great food and wine in towns of all sizes.
We like the Val d'Orcia area mentioned by bilboburgler and stayed in Montepulciano on one trip. On another trip we stayed in Castellina and enjoyed exploring Chianti and the Val d'Elsa. We've also stayed in Siena, but in recent years Siena has become a fairly large city with crowds and traffic. In a short stay, I'd skip it. Others love Lucca and that part of Tuscany.
Town v. agriturismo? We like staying in a town. No drinking/driving issue. No driving in the dark issue.
We like the Val d'Orcia area mentioned by bilboburgler and stayed in Montepulciano on one trip. On another trip we stayed in Castellina and enjoyed exploring Chianti and the Val d'Elsa. We've also stayed in Siena, but in recent years Siena has become a fairly large city with crowds and traffic. In a short stay, I'd skip it. Others love Lucca and that part of Tuscany.
Town v. agriturismo? We like staying in a town. No drinking/driving issue. No driving in the dark issue.
Jul 7th, 2016, 06:45 PM
#6
Are you planning to visit Siena, San G or Montepulciano or were those just random names?
Leaving Florence, you could take the Chianti road (222) and head south towards Siena (stopping in towns that interest you along the way such as Greve, Panzano, etc.). Montalcino/Pienza/Montepulciano are about an hour or so driving time from Siena. You could pick any of those, but it really depends which towns seem to interest you more and how much you want to drive the first day.
You could leave Florence and head in a slightly different direction towards San G and Volterra (No, Twilight didn't film there -they filmed in Montepulciano). Siena is not far from either town.
As you are heading to Rome, you could go through Val d'Orcia (if you don't stay in that area). If you stay in Val d'Orcia, you could stop in Orvieto on your way to Rome.
For wine, I would lean towards Montalcino or Montepulciano although Pienza is easy to drive into and park.
Leaving Florence, you could take the Chianti road (222) and head south towards Siena (stopping in towns that interest you along the way such as Greve, Panzano, etc.). Montalcino/Pienza/Montepulciano are about an hour or so driving time from Siena. You could pick any of those, but it really depends which towns seem to interest you more and how much you want to drive the first day.
You could leave Florence and head in a slightly different direction towards San G and Volterra (No, Twilight didn't film there -they filmed in Montepulciano). Siena is not far from either town.
As you are heading to Rome, you could go through Val d'Orcia (if you don't stay in that area). If you stay in Val d'Orcia, you could stop in Orvieto on your way to Rome.
For wine, I would lean towards Montalcino or Montepulciano although Pienza is easy to drive into and park.
Jul 9th, 2016, 06:28 AM
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Thanks for the additional replies! i picked Montepulciano because a friend stayed there once, SG just because it was mentioned as a picturesque Tuscany town...so pretty random selections I guess.
We are very fit, but still, access to an in-town hotel is a consideration. No worries about drinking and driving--we are not heavy drinkers, we just want to enjoy good wine on our trip, but I think we will find that anywhere we go in Italy. I was just saying we are more interested in that than access to a pool. We don't expect to spend much time at the hotel during the day.
I am still undecided, but I started checking availability at some hotels and that may be our decision-maker. I also started looking at the agriturismo.it site last night, and it looks promising as well. I didn't do much looking, but it appears that some of these places may provide dinner and wine tastings onsite. That might be a nice option if we don't mind being in a rural setting. We would be out and about exploring all day, and could even have dinner before we go back to our lodging.
Thanks again, all, your feedback is very helpful!
We are very fit, but still, access to an in-town hotel is a consideration. No worries about drinking and driving--we are not heavy drinkers, we just want to enjoy good wine on our trip, but I think we will find that anywhere we go in Italy. I was just saying we are more interested in that than access to a pool. We don't expect to spend much time at the hotel during the day.
I am still undecided, but I started checking availability at some hotels and that may be our decision-maker. I also started looking at the agriturismo.it site last night, and it looks promising as well. I didn't do much looking, but it appears that some of these places may provide dinner and wine tastings onsite. That might be a nice option if we don't mind being in a rural setting. We would be out and about exploring all day, and could even have dinner before we go back to our lodging.
Thanks again, all, your feedback is very helpful!
Jul 9th, 2016, 10:18 AM
#8
Town v. agriturismo? We like staying in a town. No drinking/driving issue. No driving in the dark issue.>>
jean - that's our preference too. we really like to be able to wonder round a town or city at night, have a good meal and a drink in a bar and not have to worry about which of us is going to drive. Day time is for exploring the countryside, swimming etc.
jean - that's our preference too. we really like to be able to wonder round a town or city at night, have a good meal and a drink in a bar and not have to worry about which of us is going to drive. Day time is for exploring the countryside, swimming etc.
Jul 9th, 2016, 10:44 AM
#9
freshman, I can highly recommend La Locanda di San Francesco in Montepulciano. The owners also operate a wine bar in the same building. However, there are only 4 rooms, and you may be too late for this September.
http://www.locandasanfrancesco.it/bo...l-tuscany.html
http://www.locandasanfrancesco.it/bo...l-tuscany.html
Jul 10th, 2016, 08:10 AM
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Thank you for the recommendation, Jean. The hotel looks great, but it is in fact booked. I am still searching, but I do know I"m late to the game. I'm finding that most of the in-town Montepulciano hotels are booked, so I'm going to expand my search. My goal is to have a hotel booked today.
Jul 10th, 2016, 10:32 AM
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With only two days, I probably would save the Val d'Orcia for another trip and focus on exploring Chianti.
San Gimignano is east of Poggibonsi, so it's a tad out of the way. Siena is almost as crazy and hectic as Florence, so it's not really a countryside experience, if that matters to you. Montepulciano is much further south and west. You'll spend more time in a car getting to and from which will limit what you can see outside of the car.
To explore Chianti, my favorite central place is Castellina in Chianti. Panzano and Greve are also lovely bases. There is so much to see and do in Chianti, all breathtaking beautiful and delicious, it makes little sense to drive too far out of the way and use up precious time to be stuck in the car. Many of the famous towns in Chianti are not difficult hill towns like Siena and Montepulciano, so they're much easier to visit by car.
San Gimignano is east of Poggibonsi, so it's a tad out of the way. Siena is almost as crazy and hectic as Florence, so it's not really a countryside experience, if that matters to you. Montepulciano is much further south and west. You'll spend more time in a car getting to and from which will limit what you can see outside of the car.
To explore Chianti, my favorite central place is Castellina in Chianti. Panzano and Greve are also lovely bases. There is so much to see and do in Chianti, all breathtaking beautiful and delicious, it makes little sense to drive too far out of the way and use up precious time to be stuck in the car. Many of the famous towns in Chianti are not difficult hill towns like Siena and Montepulciano, so they're much easier to visit by car.
Jul 10th, 2016, 05:59 PM
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Thank you, NYCFoodSnob. Just curious, what are your favorite places to stay in Castellina in Chianti? Do you actually stay in the town or nearby?
I am using Tripadvisor to find lodging, and many (most) hotels listed for a given town are actually nearby, not in the town. For those that prefer staying in town rather than nearby, I am curious as to whether there are hotels in these towns that are perhaps not listed on Tripadvisor.
I am using Tripadvisor to find lodging, and many (most) hotels listed for a given town are actually nearby, not in the town. For those that prefer staying in town rather than nearby, I am curious as to whether there are hotels in these towns that are perhaps not listed on Tripadvisor.
Jul 10th, 2016, 06:33 PM
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you may wish to try la foce (http://www.lafoce.com/) south of Montepulciano. It looks intriguing. We stayed at the Abergo La Terrazza in Montepulciano and LOVED it. (http://www.laterrazzadimontepulciano.it/) The innkeeper, Roberto, is quite eccentric, but enthusiastic and he will not sleep if you have an unresolved problem. His German is better than his English, which is why this facility does not show up on eng. Google searches. when we stayed there, there were lots and lots of return patrons. So I am partial to this place. Also consider the 1/2 day Strada Vino Nobile's wine tour at http://www.valdichianaliving.it/en/t...-montepulciano. This website also has good lodging recommendations. If you are having difficulty booking, invest in a phone call to the Strada's office at +39 0578/717484.
Jul 11th, 2016, 04:29 AM
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<i><font color=#555555>"Just curious, what are your favorite places to stay in Castellina in Chianti?"</font></i>
I no longer list my favorites on this board because the haters will ruin the experience for everyone. That's what haters do.
I don't think I've ever relied on Trip Advisor for hotels in Tuscany, although some of the reading can be interesting. I rely on other resources, especially word of mouth from people in the wine business. Properties come and go, or change ownership, rather quickly these days. Most tourists aren't in-the-know.
A lot depends on what style of "living" you prefer and, of course, your budget. A two-night stay in a lovely place would be an awful tease for me.
Country antique is very popular in Tuscany lodging, and that comes in all shapes, sizes, price-points, and styles. Very few places offer creative elegance, which is the style that pleases me most.
Staying "in town" matters mostly if you desire or wish to avoid a mountain-top experience. Getting to-and-from the city center of Siena can be such a pain. Where you stay can really impact the success or failure of your trip.
The towns in Chianti are not like Siena or Montepulciano. The terrain is hilly and gorgeous, but most cities aren't built on top of a mountain. Chianti's cities are tiny. They barely have more than one street running through them. The view from my room matters most to me, so if you have a car, it doesn't matter where you're lodging is based. As long as parking is easy and convenient, you can drive anywhere. The drives in Chianti are never very long or overly complicated. But they are oh, so beautiful.
I no longer list my favorites on this board because the haters will ruin the experience for everyone. That's what haters do.
I don't think I've ever relied on Trip Advisor for hotels in Tuscany, although some of the reading can be interesting. I rely on other resources, especially word of mouth from people in the wine business. Properties come and go, or change ownership, rather quickly these days. Most tourists aren't in-the-know.
A lot depends on what style of "living" you prefer and, of course, your budget. A two-night stay in a lovely place would be an awful tease for me.
Country antique is very popular in Tuscany lodging, and that comes in all shapes, sizes, price-points, and styles. Very few places offer creative elegance, which is the style that pleases me most.
Staying "in town" matters mostly if you desire or wish to avoid a mountain-top experience. Getting to-and-from the city center of Siena can be such a pain. Where you stay can really impact the success or failure of your trip.
The towns in Chianti are not like Siena or Montepulciano. The terrain is hilly and gorgeous, but most cities aren't built on top of a mountain. Chianti's cities are tiny. They barely have more than one street running through them. The view from my room matters most to me, so if you have a car, it doesn't matter where you're lodging is based. As long as parking is easy and convenient, you can drive anywhere. The drives in Chianti are never very long or overly complicated. But they are oh, so beautiful.
Jul 11th, 2016, 08:41 AM
#16
Look at the Hotel Squarcialupi in Castellina and the Palazzo San Nicolo in Radda.
Two days will be a tease wherever you stay. Since you need to return to Florence, Chianti is obviously closer. But the extra hour of driving to the Val d'Orcia has its rewards in beautiful scenery and proximity to a different (and I think more varied) set of sights.
Some Chianti towns are certainly tiny. We've wandered the historical centers of one or two without seeing another tourist which can be both good and bad. If you like a variety of dining options and local crafts shopping, you need to visit somewhat larger towns.
I would have a hard time choosing for a short stay. You should make lists of what you would do/see in each area and then decide which appeals to you more. It all depends on what interests YOU.
I prefer Booking.com rather than Tripadvisor. If a property shows 'sold out' on either website, I contact them directly in case they're holding back any rooms.
Two days will be a tease wherever you stay. Since you need to return to Florence, Chianti is obviously closer. But the extra hour of driving to the Val d'Orcia has its rewards in beautiful scenery and proximity to a different (and I think more varied) set of sights.
Some Chianti towns are certainly tiny. We've wandered the historical centers of one or two without seeing another tourist which can be both good and bad. If you like a variety of dining options and local crafts shopping, you need to visit somewhat larger towns.
I would have a hard time choosing for a short stay. You should make lists of what you would do/see in each area and then decide which appeals to you more. It all depends on what interests YOU.
I prefer Booking.com rather than Tripadvisor. If a property shows 'sold out' on either website, I contact them directly in case they're holding back any rooms.
Jul 11th, 2016, 08:59 AM
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<i><font color=#555555>"how?"</font></i>
It's a fair question, but I'm not going to answer it directly. Anyone with access to some of the strident activity in the Lounge, which is closed to newcomers for a reason, can see a pretty good example of the tactics certain haters on this board utilize.
Some people are incredibly hateful, utterly miserable, and come here for destructive entertainment. The ones with multiple usernames are the most suspicious. Any sensible, reasonable person would be shocked and dismayed at the lengths some people will go to kick and slap down the success of others.
If membership here required a fee, perhaps the quality of users would elevate. I would support that. As long as any forum is "free" on the internet, it's an open invitation to bored trolls, and I've lost my desire to feed them anything.
To anyone I know and meet personally, my travel findings are yours. I'm always happy to share the best of everything. I live by the motto: you get what you give.
It's a fair question, but I'm not going to answer it directly. Anyone with access to some of the strident activity in the Lounge, which is closed to newcomers for a reason, can see a pretty good example of the tactics certain haters on this board utilize.
Some people are incredibly hateful, utterly miserable, and come here for destructive entertainment. The ones with multiple usernames are the most suspicious. Any sensible, reasonable person would be shocked and dismayed at the lengths some people will go to kick and slap down the success of others.
If membership here required a fee, perhaps the quality of users would elevate. I would support that. As long as any forum is "free" on the internet, it's an open invitation to bored trolls, and I've lost my desire to feed them anything.
To anyone I know and meet personally, my travel findings are yours. I'm always happy to share the best of everything. I live by the motto: you get what you give.
Jul 12th, 2016, 02:29 PM
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I only have a minute, but I will come back tomorrow evening...just to clarify, we do not need to return to Florence unless we absolutely have to drop the car off where we pick it up. I was assuming we could drop it somewhere else (at a cost, I know), either in Rome, or better yet, outside of Rome so we don't have to drive there!
I already know I will have to go back to Tuscany because this visit will just scratch the surface. I checked with Hotel Squarcialupi and they are booked, or perhaps had availability for only one of our nights. I booked an agriturismo today in Chianti that sounds and looks wonderful, but it is a little more remote than I'd like. However, I was feeling great pressure to get something on the books, and it is refundable until a week ahead.
I will continue to look around a bit at some of the suggestions here (I've checked all but the most recent ones). I never book through a site like Tripadvisor, but I do search and read the reviews there. I probably spend too much time reading reviews! I always go directly to the hotel to book my rooms. And NYC, I am planning to drop in at my local wine store to see if they have any recommendations, as they go to Italy on buying trips on a regular basis.
I truly appreciate all the feedback, and I do not understand how things turn rude when everyone is just trying to help--but I've read some of those threads and I know it happens. So thanks for being both helpful and courteous on this one!
I already know I will have to go back to Tuscany because this visit will just scratch the surface. I checked with Hotel Squarcialupi and they are booked, or perhaps had availability for only one of our nights. I booked an agriturismo today in Chianti that sounds and looks wonderful, but it is a little more remote than I'd like. However, I was feeling great pressure to get something on the books, and it is refundable until a week ahead.
I will continue to look around a bit at some of the suggestions here (I've checked all but the most recent ones). I never book through a site like Tripadvisor, but I do search and read the reviews there. I probably spend too much time reading reviews! I always go directly to the hotel to book my rooms. And NYC, I am planning to drop in at my local wine store to see if they have any recommendations, as they go to Italy on buying trips on a regular basis.
I truly appreciate all the feedback, and I do not understand how things turn rude when everyone is just trying to help--but I've read some of those threads and I know it happens. So thanks for being both helpful and courteous on this one!
Jul 12th, 2016, 10:11 PM
#19
I've booked several times without problems on Booking.com. I feel confident about their reviews because a person can only post a review if they booked on Booking.com and actually stayed at the property. I don't know what Tripadvisor's policies are anymore, but at one time it was widely criticized for having no way of proving that posted reviews (both raves and rants) were genuine.
Jul 13th, 2016, 03:56 AM
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<i><font color=#555555>"I don't know what Tripadvisor's policies are anymore"</font></i>
I have a business relationship with an executive at Trip Advisor, based in Boston. He's one of my favorite rock-solid colleagues. He tells me TA is fully committed to being the leader in the travel industry. He claims that customer's concerns drive their agenda.
More than ever, you can see hotels in Europe using the Trip Advisor logo in their window to promote their rating. Many travelers receive follow-up emails from hotels reminding them to leave a review on Trip Advisor. No other company in the industry has achieved this level of status.
Trip Advisor is one tool, and it's a good tool for research. Their reach is further than any competitor's.
It's human nature to play favorites and cling to personal bias. I see little reason to ignore or dismiss Trip Advisor for research. The honest, detailed reviews that come from customers wishing to pay it forward far outnumber the fake reviews of a past long gone.
I don't rely on Trip Advisor because I'm not an ordinary tourist. When you travel as much as I do for business and pleasure, you develop relationships with people who work in the industry and pay attention to the bigger details. Travel professionals can be obsessed with an opinion, and of course I welcome that.
Still, I find it interesting to read some of the customer reviews on Trip Advisor. With half a brain and a little imagination, it's easy to determine which reviewer's shoes you might want to try on.
<i><font color=#555555>"I am planning to drop in at my local wine store to see if they have any recommendations, as they go to Italy on buying trips on a regular basis."</font></i>
Be sure to speak to the owner or their buyer. They may also have a longtime employee who is passionate about visiting Italy on a regular basis. Believe it or not, some fabulous lodging treasures thrive and exist with little word on the internet. These jewels have loyal, built-in fans from around the world for many decades. The jewels are known, you simply have to ask the right person. On the other hand, I see many known jewels on Trip Advisor as well, but they tend not to stand out because their inventory is enormous. The researchers who lack patience rarely find the prize.
Good luck.
I have a business relationship with an executive at Trip Advisor, based in Boston. He's one of my favorite rock-solid colleagues. He tells me TA is fully committed to being the leader in the travel industry. He claims that customer's concerns drive their agenda.
More than ever, you can see hotels in Europe using the Trip Advisor logo in their window to promote their rating. Many travelers receive follow-up emails from hotels reminding them to leave a review on Trip Advisor. No other company in the industry has achieved this level of status.
Trip Advisor is one tool, and it's a good tool for research. Their reach is further than any competitor's.
It's human nature to play favorites and cling to personal bias. I see little reason to ignore or dismiss Trip Advisor for research. The honest, detailed reviews that come from customers wishing to pay it forward far outnumber the fake reviews of a past long gone.
I don't rely on Trip Advisor because I'm not an ordinary tourist. When you travel as much as I do for business and pleasure, you develop relationships with people who work in the industry and pay attention to the bigger details. Travel professionals can be obsessed with an opinion, and of course I welcome that.
Still, I find it interesting to read some of the customer reviews on Trip Advisor. With half a brain and a little imagination, it's easy to determine which reviewer's shoes you might want to try on.
<i><font color=#555555>"I am planning to drop in at my local wine store to see if they have any recommendations, as they go to Italy on buying trips on a regular basis."</font></i>
Be sure to speak to the owner or their buyer. They may also have a longtime employee who is passionate about visiting Italy on a regular basis. Believe it or not, some fabulous lodging treasures thrive and exist with little word on the internet. These jewels have loyal, built-in fans from around the world for many decades. The jewels are known, you simply have to ask the right person. On the other hand, I see many known jewels on Trip Advisor as well, but they tend not to stand out because their inventory is enormous. The researchers who lack patience rarely find the prize.
Good luck.
