Hi
We are travelling from Brisbane, Australia to Europe for two months in October this year. We would like to spend only three days in Tuscany this time as we will be coming back for a longer trip.
My problem is that I have no idea where to start in deciding where to go. We will be hiring a car in Florence on the first day and will take four days through Tuscany to get to Rome.
If possible we would like to base ourselves in the one place for three nights, and would like this place to be as authentically tuscan as possible. I would also appreciate as much advice as possible about what to do in this short amount of time.
We are much more interested in the scenery, architecture and countryside than the food and wine on this trip.
Any help would be really great.
Melissa

Lissa2905,
If you are going to be in Tuscany the end of October you might like http://www.montalcino-tuscany.it/sagra_del_tordo.htm

I have a large file of places to go in Tuscany. It is too big to post but if you e-mail me I will send it to you.

Henry

You probably need to elaborate on what you mean by "as authentically tuscan as possible." As surely you know, much of the most scenic and architecturally rich part of Tuscany has been given over to servicing foreign tourists.

Focus on the Val d'Orcia area (Montalcino, S. Quirico, Pienza, Montepulciano).

as above, though you may like to stay for a night or two in Siena or Lucca, both of which show what city life is like

Stay in San Quirico (much less touristy than Pienza, Montepulciano, or Montalcino), and explore the Val d'Orcia. Lots of walking trails.

http://www.palazzodelcapitano.com/index_eng.htm

Stu Dudley

Stu, the place you linked is beautiful, would it also be a good place to use as a base if we wanted to spend the day driving.
What about Chianti area? is it more touristy .
Should we stay away from the coast? So many questions I know, but thank you so much

It is an excellent location to base in. The Val d'Orcia is the prettiest rolling countryside I've seen in Europe (we spend 2 months in Europe every year). Much prettier than Chianti, IMO.

In San Quirico, you are 15 mins from Pienza & Montalcino. 25 mins from Montepulciano, and 45 from Siena. San Gimignano is about 1 - 1 1/4 hrs away.

I did not find the Tuscany coast to be nearly as interesting as inland.

I have a 20+ page itinerary for Italy, which includes several drives around San Quirico, the Val d'Orcia, and southern Tuscany. e-mail me if you want a (free) copy.

Stu Dudley

Hi Stu

Would love the itinerary. My email is [email protected].

Thank you so much for your advice, particularly about the coast.

Melissa

If you look on the map (www.viamichelin.it) you will see that Pisa, Firenze, Siena and Piombino (on the coast) roughly form a square.

Every location within this square will be a good base. The must-sees are (in that order):

- Firenze (architecture, museums, art)
- Pisa (the Piazza dei Miracoli is breathtaking)
- Siena (for the feeling of a medieval city)
- Volterra (Etruscan archeology)
- San Gimignano (medieval town with unique towers, however touristy)
- Populonia (Etruscan archeology, on the coast)
- Lucca

Another vote for the Val d'Orcia region. If our definitions of "authentically Tuscan" are the same, you will love it.