6 weeks in Tuscany-things to do
 

I'm getting ready to leave in mid September for 6 weeks in Tuscany in Monte San Savino. I've rented a villa and have a car. What I'm looking for are ideas for fun things to do that are a little less main stream. I've visited most of the main towns in central Tuscany over the years, albeit not in depth, so I'm sure I will delve into those more thoroughly. I am looking for great hikes, fun wineries and wine tastings, cooking classes, festivals, photo classes, great drives etc. I have several groups of friends coming and going so I want to have a list of a variety of things to do to entertain them. Also, I haven't been able to find out a lot of things about Monte San Savino so if anyone has first hand knowledge of that town and what it has to offer that would be helpful. I appreciate all advice!

Do you have to spend all of the six weeks in Tuscany? It's a long time.
Just a suggestion but on the Amalfi Coast in Positano on Saturday September 26 is the Festival of the Fish which is a wonderful time - lots of fun, great food, music and dancing on the beach. You could easily get there for the weekend.
I would head into Abruzzo into the mountains and also explore Le Marche - with that much time your possibilities are enormous!

I think it is a great idea to spend all the time in Tuscany, and possibly some forays into Umbria as well. Personally I find the Amalfi coast overcrowded and not worth a lot of time, but others feel differently.

Some ideas for Tuscany

http://www.seeyouintuscany.com/tusca...es_market.html

http://www.sienaonline.com/rapolano_terme_siena.html

http://montisi.com/location.html

http://www.divinacucina.com

http://www.casanovadipescille.com/en...nano-italy.htm

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...ia_Umbria.html

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/...eri/eremo.html

http://www.bestsmalltownsitaly.com/t...uscany-center/

http://www.villamachiavelli.it/en/

http://www.to-tuscany.com/local-tusc...aphy-workshop/

http://brunelleschi.imss.fi.it/itineraries/

Not exactly off the beaten track, but one of the things I've enjoyed in Tuscany so far was a service visit to Sant' Antimony to hear the Gregorian chants. Beautiful ancient duomo and very peaceful services.

Thanks Sandralist. Those were great links!

Autocomplete strikes again. Make that Sant' Antimo.

Sant'Antimo is definitely on my list. Missed that the last time. Thanks!

We loved Sant' Antimo and the chants. Make sure you time your visit for a chant as there is sometimes a fairly long wait between chants.

Another abbey I enjoy even more than Sant'Antimo is Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore south of Asciano. On a hot day, walking through the heavily shaded parts of the grounds is very pleasant, but there is a lot to see inside the buildings. Note the entire monastery is closed in the middle of the day for a few hours, so you need to time your arrival carefully. There is a restaurant at the entrance that is separate from the abbey.

http://www.monteolivetomaggiore.it/lang1/cloister.html

http://www.monteolivetomaggiore.it/l...ing-hours.html

Lots of traveler photos on Tripadvisor:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...ny.html#photos

There is also Gregorian chant at Monte Oliveto Maggiore. I overheard it while on the grounds, and I assume they keep to a typical vespers schedule, but double check.

Most churches in Tuscany, and the rest of Italy, close during the middle of the day for a few hours, as do many shops and attractions, especially in rural areas. The Abbazia's hours are typical:

http://www.monteolivetomaggiore.it/l...ing-hours.html