2 Weeks in Tuscany and CT Driving Itinerary Help
 

I have been pouring over the boards and am overwhelmed. We have 2 weeks in September to visit Tuscany. We'd like to fit in CT. We've never been to either. We've been to Rome, Florence and Venice. We would like to fly in and out of Pisa and will have a rental car for the full two weeks. We would prefer to stay in towns/hotels to be able to walk to restaurants for dinner. Love to eat, of course. We prefer not to move to much and love day trips. That said we plan on 5 nights in Siena and 4 nights in CT. My question is where to complete the driving loop, with the other 5 nights. Your help is appreciated.

With that kind of time, you really should spend a couple if not three days in Chianti exploring and enjoying the small town and vineyards. by the way, I bought a europe road atlas and europe city atlas and they both helped tremendously. on line or at B&N for 20 bucks could save you time and effort.

Stay in a small village in Southern Tuscany - Montepulciano, Pienza, San Quirico, or Montalcino. It's a lovely area. You can take day trips to Orvieto, Assisi, Pitigliano, Cortona, and the big plus is that you are smack in the middle of some of the prettiest countryside in Italy.

Do you have my itinerary for driving through this area? If not, e-mail me at [email protected] & I'll attach it to the returned e-mail

Stu Dudley

I love your overall plan. I would plan 3 destinations and stay perhaps in these villages. Tough call, but I would pick Castellina in Chianti, either Montalcino or San Quirico for south Tuscany, and Portovenere for the CT. Look at Palazzo del Capitano in San Quirico as a good base location in south Tuscany. Good luck !

Thanks for the thoughtful replies. Chris, I already have my Touring Club map. It appears that visiting Chianti would be do able from Siena. So it looks like we'll go south.

Stu, you sent me your trip report this weekend. Remember, I loved Mssr. Black in Positano too. Here is what you suggested. We'd like to move less....

If you don't mind moving a bit, I would do
2 good days in CT (2-3 nights - depending on when you arrive in Pisa)
1 night San Gimignano (visit SG & Volterra)
3 nights Siena - visit Chianti on a day trip, also Cortona & Arezzo. Siena
is a 1 day visit itself - you can see it before/after day trips
5 nights near Pienza in the countryside (see my itinerary). Lots to see
between Siena & Pitigliano. It's our favorite area
2 nights in Assisi - visit Gubio, Perugia, Spoleto, other small villages
1 night in Orvieto (visit Todi on way there)
Orvieto is 1 1/2 hrs from Rome airport

Since we're flying in and out of Pisa, I think we'll take the suggestion of spending 4 - 5 nights in South Tuscany.

Bob, which of the towns has great dining options, both simple local fair and gourmet? Also, we prefer hotels, this time around. We'll save the villas for retirement and extended stays. FYI - I posted our Andalusia trip report a week ago. It was a blast, one of our favorite European trips. Thanks again for your help.