3 WEEKS IN UMBRIA/SOUTHERN TUSCANY
 

I AM PLANNING A 3 WEEK DRIVING VACATION FOCUSING ON UMBRIA AND PROBABLY SOUTHERN TUSCANY. I WOULD LIKE TO SPEND AT LEAST 5-6 DAYS AT EACH LOCATION -- SOUTHERN UMBRIA, NORTHERN UMBRIA AND SOUTHERN TUSCANY AS A BASE OF OPERATION . FROM EACH SPOT, I CAN DRIVE AND TOUR AT A LEISURELY PACE. I WAS RECOMMENDED VILLA ZUCCARRI IN MONTEFALCO IN UMBRIA AS ONE LOCATION. I WELCOME ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS. ALSO WHAT WOULD BE EASIEST TO START FROM: ROME OR FLORENCE??
THANKS, PAUL THE MAN

todi and the location around it are very lovely and a good base

paul,
This may help http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/tuscany/hs_planning.htm

Montefalco is lovely. We were based in Spello which is just a little larger and I liked it quite a bit. One thing I'd highly recommend is the drive between Norcia and Visso. You drive through a gorgeous high mountain plain that has beautiful wildflowers in early June, but is pretty spectacular any time of the year. Stop in Casteluccio at the Taverna for lunch and get the lentil soup!

For Southern Tuscany I would look around Arcidosso, Northern Umbria between Gubbio and Umbertide and Southern Umbria between Spoleto and Terni.

Good for you--looks like a great trip.
You will likely have far more flight options into Rome.

I suggets these locations for your areas:
The Bevagna/Spello area for south Umbria
The Umberide area for north Umbria
San Quirico/Pienza for south Tuscany

Have fun !

Southern Tuscany (I've stayed here 6 times and love it)-

http://www.fontebertusi.it/eng/

Central Umbria (I've stayed here 3 times and love it)-

http://www.lecasegialle.it/

Both are central for exploring the areas. Both are in beautiful locations. Both are well run and lovely.

I strongly agree with Suki's recommendations for the Norcia/Visso drive and lunch. That whole area is one of my favorite areas to explore.

Enjoy your trip!

I envy you. Forgive the wordiness, but below is an eexcept from some notes I made during A Soouthern Tuscany trip we took in 2010. I recommend the link to the wine tour, the Montepulciano Hotel, and the itinerary around the Val d'Orcia.
"Montepulciano: This little city is the prototypical little medieval European town where you are immediately lost upon entering town. Finally found the very charming little piazza, and we got tickets for a wine tour from the local wine consortium. The lady points to the middle of the piazza and says “There - you wait!” Ok, so after 3.5 hours of intense Italian Autostrada driving my adrenaline level is pretty high, so I’m not really into standing still at that point, and I have to wait in the middle of this piazza for almost ten minutes wondering if I’ve just been ripped off. Finally, a minivan shows up, we pile in, all very glad someone else besides yours truly was doing the driving, and me glad that this dude was proving to my family that other drivers could actually attempt some of the curves in the road faster than I did. The winery tour is very highly recommended, both for the delightful tour they give you as well as for the quality of the Vino Nobile wine. (http://www.stradavinonobile.it/new/ivini.en.php)Scenery is simply indescribable. Wine was equally fantastic.
"Montepulciano is situated between the Valleys of the Chiana and the Orcia rivers. Most people feel the Val d’Orcia is the more picturesque of the two, but - wow – both are just incredibly beautiful.
"Following that we checked into the little Albergo (hotel) la Terrazza (www.laterrazzadimontepulciano.it) run by the charming, if not slightly eccentric, Roberto. While there, I engaged in a nice conversation with a Canadian guest who is of Italian ancestry who knew the area well and she suggested a day trip itinerary for us for the next day. We visited the famous Temple of San Biaggio (16th century), the Abbey of Sant Antimo (11th) the Castiglione (fortress) d’Orcia (12th) – went swimming in a hot spring fed pond in the town of Bagno Vignoni, had lunch in the tiny hilltop hamlet of Monticciello, and ended at a small farm ( Cugusi - http://www.caseificiocugusi.it/azienda.php) that made, on the premises, their very own sheep’s milk cheese called pecorino and a very high quality Olive Oil. – An outstanding itinerary and easy to do. – In particular the drive from Bagno Vignoli to Monticchiello is not on many maps, very rural, and just left me slack-jawed with the beauty of the landscapes."

thank you all for the replies to my inquiries as to where I can use as a hub as to exploring southern Tuscany, and north and south Umbria. I have researched Casa Branca in Gubbio; Fattorria La Palazzina in Radiocafani and Le Radici in San Casciano dei Bagni in Southern Tuscany. Is anyone familiar or heard of these places?
thank you, paultheman

thank you, Zoecat , for your reccomendation on Fonte Bertusi in southern Tuscany. It looks real good!!
paultheman

paul,

I would quiz the owners of your choice for Gubbio - regarding church bells! If Casa Branca is in town, church bells could be a major issue if you are a light sleeper.

I had 2 nts reservations at Palazzo Ducale**** and left after the first sleepless night. I really like Gubbio, but it was the only town in Italy I've encountered (so far) where the bells rang all night long, every 15 minutes. I checked out early and went on to Assisi.

I stayed at Palazzo Bocci in Spello for 2 nts and just loved it. Spello was tiny, quiet with basically no tourists, lots of flowers, lovely views and a couple of excellent restaurants. It was easy to get in/out and easy parking. I would go back in a heartbeat!

Buon viaggio!

Bevagna makes a good base for southern Umbria; it's on the flat and easy to drive in and out of as opposed to Montefalco, which is up a mountain. Likewise Gubbio is a bit remote and up a hill in an mountainous area.

In southern Tuscany I like Pienza and San Quirico d'Orcia as bases for daytrips by car. Again these are towns that are easy to get in and out of and are surrounded by interesting places to visit.

Probably Rome would be the easiest to start from. More flights there and easy access to the freeway. But Florence is about equidistant. However, if you're arriving after a long, overnight flight, you'll be jet-lagged and sleepy. Best to take a day or two before you start driving.

Sounds like a great trip, just the way to see Italy.