We?re down to 10 days and counting!

Our itinerary is:
Arrive Florence and drive to Malverina in Assisi for 3 nights.
Three nights at LaRapolina in Buonconvento.
Three nights at Podere Torre in Greve.
Three nights at LaPergola in Bellagio.
Last two nights in Florence at Residenza Giulia ,then off to France.

A few questions:
1.We arrive at 12 noon and will rent a car at the airport.Originally we were to arrive earlier and planned to eat lunch in Cortona (on way to Assisi). How long a drive is it to Cortona? With most dinners later than the states, are lunches later also?
If Cortona seems too far is there a good place to stop for lunch as we leave the airport area?

2.Has anyone taken the cooking class at Malverina? Does anyone know details on it ,especially how long and time it begins.

3.We are interested in mineral springs. Is Chianciano Terme worth a visit? Are there other mineral springs towns that we might consider?

I?m sure there will be more questions before we leave,but we sure would appreciate your help with these. Thanks.
Jim and Judy Hall

I wanted to share this e-mail I just got this morning from my mother, Leone, who has posted in the Italy forum. She and my father travel to Italy as often as the bank account allows, and they've been in Umbria since March of this year. Here is what she wrote: Today we woke up and Dad suggested that we go to Cortona, of Francis Mayes fame. I'm all for it, and off we go with instructions as how to get to her home. It's about 3/4 hour drive over there (my parents are staying at Villa Rosa in Montemelino, Umbria), make the turnoff to Cortona and see that it is a 5 km drive up to the hill town. Up we go, only to discover that maybe a thousand other cars and people had the same idea and this is one steep, steep hil town. No parking to save your soul, not in town, but outside the town walls. I can't describe what it was like to stop the car on a steep incline--you will understand once you see the hill towns, right now it is beyond your imagination--and then try to get going again. After driving around awhile looking for a spot, we gave up and decided to give up and try a lower town and take the bus up. No parking there and it wasn't even Market Day! My head is pounding like mad and I asked Dad to go home. Francis Mayes was not worth it, even though as we were leaving hordes of cars were still piling in.

I got a real kick out of reading this because my parents are pretty tenacious old folks who hardly ever give up if they have their minds set on seeing something!

Did you spend time at La Ripolina and Podere Torre? We are tring to decide between the 2 places and need some assistance. What can you tell me to help me with the decision?

If you're not collecting Social Security, you will not be allowed in Chianciano Terme.

If/when you go there, you'll understand.

I'm going to e-mail this to DH who wants to rent a car during our upcoming trip to Italy whereas I want to take trains and buses. I still remember how we couldn't really stop in Pisa because we couldn't park, not to mention the time in a tiny village in Spain where we had to have one of the locals back out of town for us! Sure, there are pros and cons for renting cars, but I really think the cons are win.

dln, what day of the week and what time of day were your parents trying to drive into Cortona? Weekday, weekend? I'm going to be in the area soon and would appreciate your input.