Carin

Is there any special place you would spend a tenth wedding anniversary? We'll spend time in Florence and will drive to see the small towns from Siena and Cortona as bases. (Husband is NO PLANNER!) Thanks!

Thomas

Try to visit Montecatini during the morning and go to one or two of the health spas to try the waters for your health (?). A visit to Lucca is interesting and could be memorable. Both are short train or bus rides from Florence. Check them out in one of the travel books or wait for some replies on this site. We've been to both cities several times and enjoyed them.

Carin

Thanks, Tom! <BR>Anybody else?

Ian

Since you are going to be mobile why stay in the city? I suggest you stay on a farm - an Agritourism as they call it. There's nothing more romantic than waking up in the countryside to the sound of the birds with the chance if you are lucky (as I was last year) to see a family of wild boar passing through the vines. I stayed at Fattoria Pagnana which is an award winning farm producing a super Chianti and a wonderful Extra Virgin Olive Oil (weekly they have a tour of their private Agricultural Museum and cellars followed by a FREE tasting of their products) You can check them out on www.fattoria-pagnana.com <BR>Another plus is that they are very close to the factory outlets of Gucci, Prada and Dolce & Gabbana - YOU are planning the route! <BR>You must see the main sites such as Siena, San Gimignano, Lucca, Pisa but also you can take in Cortona as you say and Arezzo which is close. But the best thing is to take it easy, get off the main roads and get lost. Nothing is more romantic than the ups and downs of the Tuscan hills, coming round a corner and discovering something unexpected being it a small delightful hamlet, a group of country folk picking capers from the plants sprouting from old walls etc etc. <BR>I bet that after 10 years your fondest memories will be these and not having visited the major sites. <BR>One last thing - this year commemorates the 400th anniversary of the death of Massaccio (he painted amongst other things the expulsion from Eden). A lot of his work were frescoes and one of his best is just across the Arno river from Fattoria Pagnana at a small village near to Reggello. <BR>Relax and enjoy yourselves!

betsy

Try to be there during a full moon. Magical!

Steve the Guide

I can suggest staying at Hotel Villa Fiesole in Fiesole, on a hill of Florence site. See www.villafiesole.it <BR>And then have a dinnet at Trattoria "Le Cave di Maiano" , always in Fiesole. <BR>Another "romantic" place , between Florence and Siena is Hotel Monteriggioni in a old-small medieval site. Fax 0577 305011 (they may have also the web site). I suggest you to arrive there in late evening.Ciao.

g&g

i hate to say it, but don't waste your precious,romantic time in pisa. you can see it on a postcard or in a book any day of the week. it looks the same. the church itself is very beautiful, but there are better. we stayed at the plaza lucchesi, which is located right on the arno. get a balcony room on the back of the hotel and a wonderous view of a lighted santa croce. and don't miss this church! florence is filled with great sites, the duomo, including it's museum, the accadamia, san lorenzo, with the medici chapel, and the great market very near by. piazza san michaelangelo is very accessible by bus, along with a don't miss san miniato. the views of florence are the best. when we were in the hills, we loved sienna, assisi, and gubbio. urbino was also we just did'nt have more time for, but that may be a little out of your way. i envy your trip. italy, from what we have experienced, is the most romantic place in the world. you did,t mention venice, however. gretchen

Lesli

Sunset as viewed from the back of the Boboli Gardens (hillsides) or Piazalle Michelangelo (city views) in Florence is beautiful and romantic. Don't miss the lovely church of San Miniato al Monte near the latter. <BR> <BR>Stroll the winding streets of the Oltrarno that lead to the Forte de Belevedere, and if you have time, do go to Fiosole, even if you do not stay there - more great Florentine views from both. <BR> <BR>What a wonderful way to celebrate your anniversary! <BR> <BR>

Carin

Thank you! I can't wait!

Paulo

From all sights in Tuscany, the one that strikes me most is Sina's Piazza del Campo in the early morning. There's a small cafe that has a small balcony overlooking the piazza. The cafe opens around 7:30am. If you're staying within the city walls, it really pays to wake up early and have a simple breakfast (capuccino and rolls/pastries) sitting in this balcony before the Piazza gets to life (8am the latest). The sight, from the balcony, of the empty Piazza lit by the early morning sun rays conveys a feeling of shear power. <BR> <BR>When we visit Siena we try to get a hotel which excludes breakfast. Even when breakfast was included in rate, we never missed this experience when in town. To find the cafe, just stroll along Via di Citta or Banchi di Sopra (depending from where you're coming). <BR> <BR>Paulo