7 days in Tuscany & Umbria
 

We are planning about 10 days in Tuscany and Umbria. This would include Florence 2 nights and Siena 1 night, cities we have visited multiple times before, so essentially 7 days to divide among the small hill towns and Perugia. At the moment, we are thinking of picking up a hire car for one week from Siena, driving to Orvieto as a base, but stopping by Pienza enroute. Car drop off would be in Perugia. One question is whether we should do Bagnoregio as a day trip from Orvieto or incorporate it on the way to the next base which we don't know if it should be Spello or Montefalco. We think Todi could be a lunch stop as you can park below the town and take a funicular up to the centro storico. We are interested in spending a couple of hours at Deruta (not on highlighted route), but that is accessible by bus from Perugia. Essentially, we are looking to find the nicest place to spend a couple of nights, whether that be Montefalco or Spello. I understand there are nice one day bike loops from Spello, so that's an idea. Staying in an agriturismo would be nice. Looking for suggestions on best way to structure this portion of our trip. TIA

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If youve spent time in Florence and Siena before, I'd pick a base somewhere in the Val d'Orcia like Montalcino or Pienza and explore this glorious region of south Tuscany in more granular detail. This avoids backtracking and puts you closer to Umbria.

Weve based in Spello before, an ideal base for Eastern Umbria with a car- in this beautiful property https://www.terradeisanti.com/en/. Dont miss Spoleto and Trevi (not marked on your route), and Gubbio.

Not interested in Monteoliveto Maggiore, Gubbio and Tarquinia?
You could visit Etruscan tombs at Chiusi too, however

Le Silve dI Armenzano, not strictly an agriturismo, did have its own hogs when we stayed on a walking holiday over a decade ago, as well as a really welcome spa. North of Spello but I think vehicle access would be from Assisi.

I don't see where you are flying from, but we loved Bevagna, which is close to Montefalco. (It's also a flatter town, easier walking!) We only visited for a few hours on our way to the train station, but I would stay there in a heartbeat. Also - Foligno, which is just south of Spello, is a great town to drop off your car. The folks at Europe Car even drove us to the train station! Less traffic and congestion than Perugia, but maybe that doesn't bother you.

Where are you before and after these 10 days? I ask because there could be a better order and a possible way to avoid the one-way surcharge on the car rental.

As presented, your itinerary touches lightly on both areas, name checks the usual towns but doesn't give you time to explore anything in depth. (You visit or stay in 10 places in 10 days.) Ok if that's your style... it's your trip. I would rather visit several towns in the Val d'Orcia and Chianti, enjoy the varied scenery and terrain in between. Ditto Umbrian towns in the hills compared to the valley The history, architecture and atmosphere in the towns is different. For me, a wek in one region or the other would be less rushed and more relaxing.

The majority of your drive in Tuscany is on the boring autostrada. The best of Tuscany is seen driving the slower secondary roads, the "white" roads, the Chiantigiana...

No mention of Assisi... I also second the recommendation of the monastery Monte Olivedo Maggiore. But would there be time/opportunity for either?

what Jean says

+1

Agree with Rocket about Bevagna as a base. Have a great rental to recco there, one that directly overlooks that wonderful square. Timing one's Bevagna stay to coincide with their annual Labor Day fest is worth considering. The town then combines the annual Tweener Communion (nocturnal candle-lit procession and more), plus an array of international Food booths, with the festivities (plays in the antique theatre etc).

*Not to confuse the above with their more-heavily-promoted Medieval fest, which is typically held earlier in the summer.
I am done. the outstanding region

Can you share that private rental with me please zebec?

We spent two wonderful weeks in Spello, using it easily as a base. I highly recommend Spello!
We visited Bevagna and Montefalco and noted that Bevagna would be a good choice for our handicapped friend as it is flat.

(pretentious posh Brit voice)
No RCG, I think not.

Kidding.
Massimo Trampetti and his mom Mariella (and sis Sylvia) rent their pair of apartments overlooking that Bevagna square - the view is excellent. I recco combined their 2 adjoining flats into one, as we did. *The same family apparently rents their luxe villa in the nearby countryside, but we can't comment on that, having seen no pictures or accounts of that particular property.
Phone: 0039 3934288952.
They are a friendly bunch. We actually rented that Bevagna combo-apartment through a local real estate lady named Luana Zingarelli. Her Umbria-specialist company is 'Italy to Rent'. You may hafta go through her...
email [email protected]
phone 39 333 9692517
fax 39 0743 220182

Best of luck.
I am done. the Bastardo

RCG, my more-serious follow-up response to you, which included mention of a nearby Umbrian town with a quasi-risqué name, appears to have been misunderstood by authorities.
Contact info as you requested soon come once cleared for take-off.
I am done. the forumz

*Luana Zanagarelli's Spoleto-based outfit is 'Italy to Rent'.
I'd mis-spelled her surname.

I want to know, too, Z!

Thanks, all. I haven't had time to review everything but to answer Jean, 10 places in 10 days is certainly not my style. That is what I was trying to avoid, hence the question which area makes a good base. We are making our way down from Milan/Verona and possibly Parma and Ravenna to Florence for a couple of nights, Bus to Siena where the Avis rental car is outside of the town, and I just happened to note that there is an Avis in Perugia. I will never use Europcar again as I had a bad experience last year with them. Don't really care about the one way drop off charge but am open to suggestions. We've been to Gubbio, Orvieto, Assisi, Spoleto before and thought Orvieto would be a good first base to see Bagnoregio as a day trip. But I'm still taking on board other towns mentioned. I already looked at the agriturismo outside of Spello and that is the sort of thing I'm after. Neckverd: I don't know what I'm interested in to be honest, that's why I'm here.

I used google maps to highlight the towns I thought we were interested in; it didn't necessarily mean we would drive on the autostrada. Are you saying that the section between Siena and Orvieto is boring even on the strade bianchi ("white roads") or SS's or SP's? The problem is, there are too many lovely towns but you can also overload on them. I suppose it would be great to have two different terrains as bases.

hire cars on stradi bianchi, probably not a good idea
use AutoEurope to hire car, the prices are similar if not better and you get someone sensible between you and the idiots with the cars

Via Cassia (SS2, or SR2 depending on the section), which broadly follows the route of the ancient Roman consular road of the same name, is definitely more scenic than the A1 motorway, going through the scenic Val d'Orcia and reaching the shore of lake Bolsena (a volcanic crater/caldera lake) and crossing the town of Bolsena itself (worth a quick stop at least). It's a good paved road, no gravel, of course. From Bolsena it's a short, easy drive to Bagnoregio or Orvieto.

I repeat, this is your trip...

But if it was my trip, I'd prioritize the sightseeing points. Is seeing Bagnoregio (with the time and logistics required) as "important" as seeing more of the Val d'Orcia? Is time in Umbria (which you've apparently visited previously) as "important" as exploring new-to-you areas such as Chianti, the Crete Senesi, the Val d'Elsa, the mentioned monastery, etc.? I don't like a string of short stays, so I'd reconsider the two nights in Florence and single night in Siena (and possibly drop both because they are "repeats) to give additional time to exploring Tuscany is more depth.

Hahahaha, you crack me up zebec. Thanks for that information, sounds lovely.